The Valleys Were Of The
Richest Soil, Having A Small Run Of Water In Their Bottoms.
Observed the
variation by evening azimuth to be 10.
39. E.
September 21. - With a severe frost, the morning and day were finer than
usual, though the weather was very unsettled. We accomplished seven miles
on a south-east by east course, through a very heavily wooded country;
the timber generally of the best description, and the soil, with some
partial exceptions, was equally good and rich. It was, however, so
thickly covered with ferns and bushes among the trees, with vines running
from them, that in many places we found it difficult to pass. Our course
was accidentally such as to avoid all the deep valleys but two, the
descents of which were extremely difficult. In them strong streams of
water ran to the north-east, no doubt joining the main river. From
the hill over one of the streams near which we halted the coast
line of hills was plainly seen; and we appeared to have but a
rugged journey before us. Our horses too were so extremely weak and
crippled, that the short distance we are enabled to travel is
accomplished with pain and difficulty. We were forced to leave one of
them about a mile and a half from our resting-place, as he was utterly
unable even to walk without his load. which was distributed among the
others. Some natives' fires were seen about two miles to the north-east
of us in the same valley.
September 22. - A dark tempestuous morning. Sent back for the horse we
left yesterday afternoon: he was somewhat recovered, and may perhaps live
to reach the coast, the point whither our hopes have long pointed, and
where I trust the horses will experience some relaxation from their
present incessant but necessary labour. We had no choice in the route we
pursued this day, taking that which appeared most practicable for men and
horses: it was a continued ascending and descending of the most frightful
precipices, so covered with trees and shrubs and creeping vines, that we
frequently were obliged to cut our way through: at the bottom of one of
these, we left the sick horse in a dying state. To add to our
perplexities, it rained incessantly, and was so thick and dark, that
towards evening it was with difficulty we could see sufficient of our way
to avoid being dashed to pieces. About two hours before sunset, after a
descent of upwards of five thousand feet, we found ourselves at the
bottom of the glen, through which ran a small stream; but a passage down
it was impossible, as it fell over rocky precipices to a still greater
depth. The opposite side was a mountain equally steep with the one we had
just descended. The horses were also so weak that it was impossible they
could take their loads up it, and there was no possibility of remaining
on the spot, since there was neither grass nor room even to lie down. All
the heavy baggage was therefore obliged to be left behind, and by
unremitted exertion we were enabled to gain a small spot of ground,
formed by the mountains retiring from the immediate descent to the gulf
below. It was, however, near eight o'clock before this was accomplished;
and we were after all obliged to leave two of the horses below, as all
our attempts to move them were fruitless, even when unladen; a
circumstance which we lamented the more, as they were on a spot that did
not afford a blade of grass. The rain ceasing, was succeeded about nine
o'clock by one of the severest storms of wind I ever remember to have
witnessed; and for the first time perhaps during the journey, we were
alarmed for our personal safety. The howling of the wind down the sides
of the mountain, the violent agitation of the trees, and the crash of
falling branches, made us every instant fear that we should be buried
under the ruins of some of the stupendous trees which surrounded us.
September 23. - Towards midnight the storm abated, and allowed us to pass
the remainder of the night in comparative comfort. The morning broke
fair, and as the state of the horses would not permit us to attempt
ascending the mountain with the baggage to-day, I contented myself with
dispatching them for the provisions left last night at the bottom of the
precipice, and to get up if possible the two remaining horses, whilst Mr.
Evans and myself should explore the range, and endeavour to find out a
somewhat more practicable route. We proceeded to ascend the mountain, the
summit of which was near two miles distant, and in many places extremely
difficult and abrupt. We however remarked on our road seven native huts,
which increased our hopes that these mountains would lead by a
comparatively easy descent to the coast line of country. Bilboa's ecstasy
at the first sight of the South Sea could not have been greater than
ours, when on gaining the summit of this mountain, we beheld Old Ocean at
our feet: it inspired as with new life: every difficulty vanished, and in
imagination we were already at home. We proceeded sufficiently far to
discover, that although our descent would be both difficult and
dangerous, it would not be impracticable. The country between us and the
sea was broken into considerable forest hills and pleasing valleys, down
the principal of which we could distinguish a small stream taking its
course to the sea. To the north and south the country was mountainous and
broken beyond any thing we had seen. Indeed, some idea of those barrier
mountains may be formed from the circumstance, that although we could
distinctly see the ocean, and the waving of the coast line, (which within
the distance of ten or twelve miles from the beach appeared low), yet we
were still nearly fifty miles from it.
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