Our Search After Water Was Not Attended With Success, But The Ground
Being Extremely Boggy, We Were In Hopes Of Procuring A Little By
Digging.
Our spade, which had so unfortunately been left at Bathurst,
would now have been of the most essential service, but the carpenter's
adze proved a useful substitute.
Choosing a place which seemed most
likely to have received the drainings of the hills, and on which a
little rain-water still remained, we dug a tolerably good well, and in a
few hours were rewarded by obtaining near a quart of thick muddy water
per man, which by boiling, skimming, and straining, was rendered
palatable to persons who must otherwise have gone without their dinner
or breakfast the next morning, it being impossible to eat either our
bread or pork without something to quench our thirst.
The soil of the country passed over was of the same red, sandy
description as on former days; the hills were covered with small pieces
of broken white quartz, and occasionally a large granite rock showed
itself from beneath the surface. The botanical productions of the hills
seemed also to undergo a considerable change, indicating, as we would
fain hope, that a better country is not far off. Several new plants were
acquired today, some of which were very beautiful. Our course made good
was N. 71. E., distance thirteen miles and a half.
August 7. - The horses suffered much from want of food and water; but it
is absolutely necessary to proceed and get into a better country with
all the expedition which we are capable of using, and which the nature
of this country will allow. It is some consolation to us that the horses
are but lightly loaded, by reason of our not being now encumbered with
much provisions, and are consequently enabled to travel farther and
better. At half past eight o'clock we again set forward, and for four
miles and a quarter continued to pass through the same thick, barren
country as yesterday, the ground being absolutely covered with acacia
of various species, some extremely beautiful; after which the country
became more open; the grass had been burnt, and the marks of the mogo or
stone hatchet on the trees, made by the wandering natives of these
deserts in search of food, gave us renewed hopes of soon coming to
water. A rose-hill parrot was seen for the first time for many months,
and we were farther fortunate in killing a fine kangaroo. The country
seemed to improve as we advanced, and at the ninth mile, as we had been
gradually ascending, we were gratified by an open prospect to the
eastward, which showed low gentle hills and valleys thinly studded with
trees. The broom-grass, now dead, gave them a white appearance, and,
contrasted with the acacia in full flower, and the darker foliage of the
trees, gave the whole the most pleasing and varied aspect. To the
north-west round to the north, the country was nearly the same; but from
north to north-east by east, it was more broken into low barren hills;
the tops and sides covered with iron bark, and cypress growing among the
interstices of the granite rocks.
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