Three Miles Farther The Morasses Closed Upon Us, And Rendered
All Farther Progress Impossible.
The water was here stagnant.
The large
trees that used to be met with in such numbers up the stream were
entirely lost, a few diminutive gums being the only timber to be seen:
the height of the bank from the water-line was three feet six inches;
and the marks of floods on the trunks of the trees rose to the height of
four feet six inches, being about one foot above the level of the
surrounding marshes. It would appear that the water is frequently
stationary at that height for a considerable time, as long moss and
other marks of stagnant waters were remaining on the trunks and roots of
the trees, and on the long-leaved acacia, which was here a strong plant.
There could not be above three feet water in this part of the lagoon, as
small bushes and tufts of tea grass were perceptible. The water was
extremely muddy, and the odour arising from the banks and marshes was
offensive in the extreme. There were only four different kinds of plants
at this terminating point of our journey, viz. the small eucalyptus, the
long-leaved acacia, the large tea grass, and a new diaeceous plant which
covered the marshes, named polygonum junceum. It is possible that the
bed of the lagoon might extend eight or ten miles farther, but I do not
think it did, as the horizon was perfectly clear in all directions, a
few bushes and acacia trees, marking the course of the lagoon, excepted.
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