There, Was No Channel Whatever Among Those Reeds, And The Depth
Varied From Three To Five Feet.
This astonishing change (for I cannot
call it a termination of the river), of course left me no alternative
but to endeavour to return to some spot, on which we could effect a
landing before dark.
I estimated that during this day we had gone about
twenty-four miles, on nearly the same point of bearing as yesterday. To
assert positively that we were on the margin of the lake or sea into
which this great body of water is discharged, might reasonably be deemed
a conclusion which has nothing but conjecture for its basis; but if an
opinion may be permitted to be hazarded from actual appearances, mine is
decidedly in favour of our being in the immediate vicinity of an inland
sea, or lake, most probably a shoal one, and gradually filling up by
immense depositions from the higher lands, left by the waters which flow
into it. It is most singular, that the high-lands on this continent seem
to be confined to the sea-coast, or not to extend to any great distance
from it.
July 7. - I returned with the boat late last night, and was glad to find
that every thing had been removed to Mount Harris. Mr. Evans had not yet
set out on his journey, but intends to do so to-morrow.
July 8. - Mr. Evans set forward to the north-east, taking with him eight
or ten days' provisions, which I hoped would be sufficient to enable him
to form a competent idea of the country we should now have to travel
over. In the mean time we employed ourselves in diminishing our baggage,
and setting aside eighteen weeks' provisions on a reduced ration, which
was the utmost the horses could take; the remainder serving us for
consumption during our stay here.
July 18. - During the last week the weather was very variable and
unsettled, with constant gales from the north-west round to the
south-west, and occasional heavy rain. We had reason to congratulate
ourselves on the change of our situation: a delay of a few days would
have swept us from the face of the earth. On the 10th, the river began
to rise rapidly, and on the 15th, in the evening it was at its height,
laying the whole of the low country under water, and insulating us on
the spot on which we were; the water approaching within a few yards of
the tent. Nothing could be more melancholy and dreary than the scene
around us; and although personally safe, we could not contemplate
without anxiety the difficulties we might expect to meet with, in
passing over a country which the waters would leave wet and marshy, if
not impracticable. By this morning the waters had retired as rapidly as
they had risen, leaving us an outlet to the eastward, though I feared
that to the north-east the waters would still remain. In the evening
Mr. Evans returned, after an interesting though disagreeable journey. His
horses were completely worn out by the difficulties of the country they
had travelled over. His report, which I shall give at length, decided
me as to the steps that were now to be pursued; and I determined on
making nearly an easterly course to the river which he had discovered,
and which was now honoured with the name of Lord Castlereagh. This route
would take us over a drier country, and the river being within a short
distance of Arbuthnot's range, would enable me to examine from those
elevated points the country to the north-east and east; and to decide
how far it might be advisable to trace the river, which it is my present
inclination to do as long as its course continues to the eastward of
north. From Mr. Evans's Journal, it will be perceived that the waters of
the Macquarie have flowed to the north-east, and still continued flowing
among the reeds, which forced him to alter his course. The circumstance
of the river and other large bodies of water crossed by Mr. Evans all
flowing to the north, seems to bear out the conclusion that these waters
have but one common reservoir.
July 19. - A tempestuous night, with thunder, lightning, and rain.
Impressed with the important use we should be able to make of our boats,
it was determined to construct a carriage for the small one, which we
did by the afternoon. Our labour was wasted; for we were altogether
unable to contrive any harness by which the horses could draw it: we
were therefore reluctantly obliged to relinquish our intention.
July 20. - The morning was fine; and after much contrivance, we succeeded
in taking with us whatever was essential to our future security, and the
whole of the provisions except two casks or flour. The horses were,
however, very heavily laden, carrying at least three hundred and fifty
pounds each; a weight which I was fearful the description of country we
had to pass over would render still more burthensome. We had, however,
relinquished every thing that was not indispensable, and the saddle
horses were equally laden with the others. Mount Harris, under
which we had remained for the last fortnight, is in lat. 31. 18. S.,
long. 147. 31. E. and variation 7. 48. On the summit of the hill we
buried
a bottle, containing a written scheme of our purposed route and
intentions, with some silver coin. Our course during the day was east by
north, by compass, over a level country intersected with marshes, over
which the horses travelled with the utmost difficulty, and not without
repeated falls. Considering how heavily they were laden, I was unwilling
to press them at this early period of our journey, and halted after
going seven miles on the above course. From Mount Harris, bearings were
taken to the most remarkable elevations in Arbuthnot's Range, as
follows:
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