The Body Of Water Falling Over The Cataract Was
Surprising, The Low State Of The River Being Considered, And This
Incident Instead Of Discouraging Us Increased Our Already Sanguine
Hopes, That Its Termination Would Not Deceive The Expectations We Could
Not Avoid Indulging.
June 19.
- The boats during their progress this day did not experience
any obstruction, the river winding in fine though narrow reaches, over a
bottom of sand and occasionally rock; the depth from eight to sixteen
feet. The country still continued perfectly level, but generally of
excellent soil: two or three miles back from the river north-east, there
were several extensive plains, without any timber on them, and in many
places water was on the surface, probably occasioned by the heavy rain
on the 14th instant; since these flats, and indeed all the country we
had hitherto travelled over, were quite clear of any floods from the
river. The banks of the river are, I think, ten or twelve feet lower
than they are fifteen or twenty miles higher up; the floods evidently do
not rise to so great a height, not exceeding, as far as we can judge,
sixteen feet. I do not think the timber is either so large or so good as
we had hitherto found it; but there is a great quantity of it, chiefly
box, and a species of blue gum. Although at such a distance from the
Lachlan, we have recognised most of the plants found in its vicinity: in
all other respects the neighbourhood of the two rivers is totally
dissimilar; and in nothing more observable than in the rivers
themselves. The water in the river continues so extremely hard as to
render it difficult to raise a lather from soap; it is also very pure
and transparent.
June 20. - The night cold, a sharp frost congealing some standing water
by the river's side. The river rose upwards of a foot during the night,
and still continues gradually to rise. Having gone upwards of one
hundred and twenty-five miles from Wellington Valley, I thought it
advisable that the two men who accompanied us for that purpose should
return to Sydney with an account of our proceedings, agreeably to the
governor's instructions. Despatched two other men on horseback to the
north-east, with directions to go as far as possible in that direction,
and to return by sunset; which they did, and reported that they had been
from fourteen to sixteen miles, through a very fine though level
country: the brushes were of small extent, and communicated with the
finest tracts, chiefly of forest land thinly wooded: no marks were seen
of any floods either from the river or land side, and these flats were
watered by chains of ponds or watercourses, which doubtless when
overflowed communicate with the river. Abundance of kangaroos and emus.
June 21. - The result of the observation this day gave for our situation
lat. 31. 49. 60. S., long. 147. 52. 15. E., and the variation 8.
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