The Timber Chiefly Box, With Some Few
Trees Of Another Species Of Eucalyptus Called Stringy Bark, And Cypress.
A Number Of Small Streams Watered The Deep Valleys To The North And
South, Falling Into Cockburn River.
Large quantities of quartz were in
various places, as also good flint, which was found in large masses in
the bed of Cockburn River, and also in small pieces on the hills.
This
was the second flint that has been discovered in New South Wales. We
halted in a small and beautiful valley near Cockburn River, after having
accomplished nine miles.
September 6. - A day of rest. The observations place this station in lat.
31. 04. 35 S., long. 151. 05. 30. E., variation 9. 58. E.
September 7. - The morning clear and fine. At half past seven o'clock we
proceeded on our journey: in the whole course of it, we never experienced
more precipitous travelling than during the first six miles. Travellers,
less accustomed to meet difficulties, might perhaps have been a little
alarmed at traversing such steep and shelving hills, the loose stones on
which added to the insecurity of our footing. Nevertheless we found it
extremely pleasant, from the romantic beauty of the scenery and the
freshness of the verdure. We had been ascending an extremely elevated
country for the last thirty miles; and I was in great hopes of soon
reaching the point of division between the eastern and western waters. By
a tolerably easy acclivity, we gained that which I took to be the highest
of these congregated hills, in hopes it might possibly lead into a main
range. From its summit we had a very extensive prospect over the country
we had left, and also to the southward, in which direction the land
appeared broken and hilly, and but thinly clothed with timber. To the
east and north-east it appeared far less broken, and certainly less
elevated than the ridge we were on. This ridge soon expanded to a broad
surface of open forest land, and proceeding on it to the east about a
mile, we perceived in the valley beneath us a considerable and rapid
stream running to the north, and afterwards apparently taking a more
easterly direction. A more remarkable change in the outward appearance of
a country was perhaps never before witnessed. In less than a mile, the
timber had entirely changed from the bastard box to another kind of
eucalyptus, called common blue gum, which grew in great luxuriance in the
country before us. Until now this species had never been seen except on
the immediate banks of running streams. In the course of the day, great
quantities of fine stringy bark were also seen. The soil, instead of the
light black mould, which had been the general covering of the country,
was now changed to a stiff tenacious clay; and although well clothed with
grass, its less luxuriant growth evidently showed the difference of soil
not to be favourable. From this hill or range we descended very gradually
for nearly two miles to the river before seen, and up the banks of which
we proceeded about a mile farther, when we halted for the evening. The
country was perfectly open, though much covered with fallen timber; the
banks of the river sloping and quite clear of timber; and being within
one hundred miles of the sea coast, I had a strong belief that we had
descended from the highest land, and that we should meet with no dividing
ranges in the course of our future progress. It is impossible to form any
certain conclusion at present, as to the course taken by this stream.
Whether it finds its way to the coast, or is lost like the other streams
of this country, will, I think, in a great measure depend upon the fact
of our having crossed the highest ranges of the country. One of the men
who had taken the dogs out after kangaroos fell in with a party of
natives, among whom were some women and children. Two of the men
accompanied him to the tent. It was evident from the whole tenor of their
behaviour that they had previously heard of white people (most probably
from the settlement at New Castle); their appearance was most miserable,
their features approached deformity, and their persons were disgustingly
filthy: their small attenuated limbs seemed scarcely able to support
their bodies; and their entire person formed a marked contrast to the
fine and manly figures of their brethren in the interior. We gave them a
small turtle which we had just caught in the river, and they sat down to
dress it instantly. In fact, their cooking was very simple; the fire soon
separated the shell from the meat, which with the entrails was devoured
in a few minutes. Some of the people went to visit their camp, where they
found eight or ten men, but the women and children were sent away. The
same jealousy of women exists throughout the interior. The great number
of fallen trees was in some measure accounted for by the men observing
about a dozen trees on fire near this camp, no doubt the more easily to
expel the opossums, rats, and other vermin which inhabit their hollows.
We were not successful with our lines, though the depth and breadth of
the river had made us a little sanguine. There did not appear any great
marks of flood; none was seen exceeding five feet in height, which led us
to conclude its source was not very distant. This river was named Sydney,
as we this day crossed the meridian of that town.
September 8. - We proceeded up Sydney River to the south-east about three
miles before we could find a convenient Place to Cross, as the stream
ran with great rapidity over a rocky bottom. The country on either side
sloped to the river with gradual declension, and was an open forest
country. On crossing the river, we passed through some noble forests of
stringy bark, growing generally on the sides and ridges of stony barren
hills:
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