These Considerations, Added To The State Of Our Provisions, Of Which, At
The Reduced Ration Of Three Pounds Of Flour
Per man per week, we had but
ten weeks remaining, determined me to proceed no farther westward with
the main
Part of the expedition; but as the state of the greater part of
our horses was such as absolutely to require some days' rest and
refreshment, before we attempted to return eastward, I considered that
it would be acting best up to the spirit of my instructions to proceed
forward myself with three men and horses, and as we should carry nothing
with us but our provisions, we should be enabled to proceed with so much
expedition, as to go as far and see as much in three days as would take
the whole party at least seven to perform.
My object in thus proceeding farther was to get so far to the westward
as to place beyond all question the impossibility of a river falling
into the sea between Cape Otway and Cape Bernouilli. In my opinion, the
very nature of the country altogether precludes such a possibility, but
I think my proceeding so far will be conclusive with those who have most
strongly imbibed the conviction that a river enters the sea between the
Capes in question, which was certainly an idea I also had entertained,
and which nothing but the survey of a country, without either hills or
permanent streams, could have destroyed.
I must observe as a remarkable feature in this singular country, that
for the last fifty miles we have not seen a stone or pebble of any kind,
save two, and they were taken out of the maws of two emus.
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