Although Those Plains Were
Bounded Only By The Horizon, Not A Semblance Of A Hill Appeared In The
Distance; We Seemed Indeed To Have Taken A Long Farewell Of Every Thing
Like An Elevation, Whence The Surrounding Country Could Be Observed.
To
the southward, bounding those plains in that direction, barren scrubs
and dwarf box-trees, with numberless holes of stagnant water, too
clearly proclaimed the nature of the country in that quarter.
We could
see through the openings of the trees on the river that plains of
similar extent occupied the other side, which has all along appeared to
us to be (if any thing) the lower ground. We travelled in the centre of
the plains, our medium distance from the river being from one to two
miles; and although we did not go above thirteen miles, some of the
horses were excessively distressed from the nature of the ground.
There was not the least appearance of natives; nor was bird or animal of
any description seen during the day, except a solitary native dog.
Nothing can be more melancholy and irksome than travelling over wilds,
which nature seems to have condemned to perpetual loneliness and
desolation. We seemed indeed the sole living creatures in those vast
deserts.
The plains last travelled over were named Molle's Plains, after the late
lieutenant-governor of the territory; and those on the opposite side,
Baird's Plains, after the general to whom he once acted as aide-de-camp,
and whose glory he shared.
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