Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia - Thomas Mitchell
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18TH AUGUST.--The mercurial column was lower this morning, and the sky
was overcast. No wind could be felt from any quarter. We moved off, at
our usual hour, 7 A. M. About nine, the western portion of the sky seemed
loaded with rain; the wind suddenly arose from S. W., and a heavy rain
began to fall steadily, to my great joy. The soil consisted of clay,
which clogged the wheels, nevertheless, we arrived, without much delay,
at a large lagoon, not much more than a mile short of Camp LXI., and
there, of necessity, encamped. The rain continued without intermission
until the evening, turning the surface around our tents into mud, almost
knee deep. Still I rejoiced in the prospect the rain afforded, of water
in the remaining part of our journey; the grand object of which was still
to be accomplished, namely, the discovery of an interior river, flowing
towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. Thermometer, at sunrise, 51 deg.; at noon,
54 deg.; at 4 P. M., 53 deg..
19TH AUGUST.--The soft clay was still impassable, but the sun shone
brightly in the morning, and was likely soon to put a crust upon the
earth. The wind continued, however, in the same quarter, the S. W., and I
had thus a little leisure to mature my plan of farther exploration in
that interesting country, to the westward of the vale of Salvator Rosa. I
had ascertained that the whole of that fine country so named, and all the
gullies falling towards it, were on the seaward side of the dividing
range, if range there was. That, southward of the high ground under the
parallel of 24 deg. or 25 deg., the fall of waters and of the whole country was
towards the south; whereas, northward of that parallel, the fall was so
decidedly in the very opposite direction, or northward, that the river we
had just explored extended across three degrees of latitude, descending
from a mean elevation of at least 2000 feet, to one of only 600 feet
above the sea. No river of any importance came from the westward; those
we had seen, coming from S. W. What then could be supposed, but that the
water-shed on that side was not far distant? Nor was it less reasonable
to expect to find beyond it, the heads of a river or rivers leading to
the Gulf of Carpentaria. In that nook, where it seemed that the spinal
range extended westward in the elongated direction of this great island,
and there probably separated from whatever high land extended northward
and formed a limit to the basin of the Belyando, was therefore, to be
sought the solution of this important geographical question; one result
of which would probably be, the discovery of a river falling towards the
north-west, to enter the Gulf of Carpentaria. The exploration of the
country to which we were returning was, therefore, of the most momentous
interest; and although our cattle were tired, and our time and provisions
almost exhausted (the sun being likely to approach the tropic line before
we could return to it), I was determined to carry the exploration so far,
with whatever means could be spared from the party, even had it been
necessary to have travelled on foot, or to have lived, like a native, on
opossums, in order to investigate that point. Thermometer, at sunrise,
45 deg.; at noon, 63 deg.; at 4 P. M., 63 deg.; at 9, 47 deg.;--with wet bulb, 44 deg..
20TH AUGUST.--Heavy clouds promised more rain, but a crust had been
formed on the surface which enabled us to proceed. The day cleared up,
and we encamped within two miles of Camp LX.; much of the ground passed
over having been sandy and dry. We now found water in every hollow, a
great blessing brought by the rain, and affording some prospect of relief
from one great difficulty for some time to come. At 10 minutes past 10
P.M. a very extraordinary meteor alarmed the camp, and awoke every man in
it. First, a rushing wind from the west shook the tents; next, a blaze of
light from the same quarter drew attention to a whirling mass, or
revolving ball of red light, passing to the southward. A low booming
sound, accompanied it, until it seemed to reach the horizon, after which
a sound like the report of a cannon was heard, and the concussion was
such that some tin pots, standing reversed on a cart-wheel, fell to the
ground, and the boat on the dray vibrated for some minutes. The sky was
very clear. Fahrenheit's thermometer 46 deg..
21ST AUGUST.--Following our former route, the track led us through
hollows, formerly clear of the fallen brigalow, but now rendered
impassable by water, a new impediment. I was, however, most thankful for
the glorious abundance of that element, the want of which had hitherto
confined my route, and retarded the exploration of the country. We
cheerfully sought round-about ways to avoid these new ponds. Our journey
was accomplished very satisfactorily, having made two cuts to avoid the
former camp (LX.), which formed an angle in the route, and much bad
brigalow near Camp LIX., where we again encamped, for the sake of a piece
of good grassy plain near it. The weather was most pleasant, temperate,
and Englishlike, though we were still within the tropics. A sweet breeze
blew from the S. W., and the degree of temperature was between 50 deg. and
60 deg. of Fahrenheit, the most agreeable, I believe, of any, to the human
frame. There was abundance of water, and young grass was daily growing
higher; many trees were also beginning to blossom. We were retiring,
nevertheless, RE INFECTA, from these tropical regions, and I was
impatient to arrive at the great range once more, to resume my
explorations. At this camp, we found a plant, which was a wild carrot,
tasting exactly like parsley. The men did not like to eat it, from the
effects they had recently experienced from eating the large pea already
mentioned--violent vomiting and purging; but I had no doubt whatever,
that this carrot would have been found a good vegetable. The GEIJERA
PARVIFLORA again attracted attention, by the strong pungent odour of its
long narrow leaves; and we here observed the EREMOPHILA MITCHELLII, in
the form of a shrub, from ten to twelve feet high. Its wood was
remarkable from a perfume like roses.
22D AUGUST.--The morning was beautiful, our way plainly marked and
sufficiently open, although it led wholly through a scrub for twelve
miles. Flowers, the product of the late rain, were beginning to deck the
earth, and water lodged in every hollow. We arrived early at Camp LVIII.,
and encamped 300 yards beyond it, to be nearer to a plain of good grass.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 25 deg.; at noon, 69 deg.; at 4 P. M., 72 deg.; at 9, 43 deg.;--
with wet bulb, 40 deg..
23D AUGUST.--The route back to the next camp went too far to the
westward; and I therefore endeavoured to make a direct cut back to it. We
thus encountered much scrub, and twice crossed the river. A bank, or
berg, of water-worn pebbles, appeared on the west side of the river; and,
to the eastward, a hill was visible amongst the trees. The river channel
was full of water, and seemed to have been even running, with the late
rain. The whole journey was through scrub; but this was chiefly of
rosewood, which is not nearly so formidable an impediment as brigalow. We
encamped on the river bank before we got so far as Camp LVII., at a spot
where there was grass, the ground generally about that camp being very
bare, although a fresh spring was observable, which would soon alter the
case. At this camp I found, on a very low bush with a small leaf,
splendid specimens of the fruit of a CAPPARIS, in a dry state, containing
seeds. A crop of young fruit appeared also on the same bushes. This must
be a very different species from the C. MITCHELII; the bush seldom
exceeding the height and size of a gooseberry bush, although the fruit
was larger than that of the tree CAPPARIS, and of a more uniform size and
spherical shape. It seemed to grow only within the tropic. Thermometer,
at sunrise, 28 deg.; at noon, 73 deg.; at 4 P. M., 75 deg.; at 9, 44 deg.;--with wet
bulb, 41 deg..
24TH AUGUST.--The fine grassy plain had afforded better food for our
horses and cattle, than they had seen for some time. Keeping along its
eastern side, I continued to travel until I fell in with our former
track; and in passing Camp LVII., I caused the letter T to be cut above
the letters N.S.W., to distinguish it as our first camp within the line
of Capricorn. I left the intertropical regions with feelings of regret;
the weather had favoured our undertaking, and water had become abundant.
The three last mornings had been frosty; the thermometer having stood on
these mornings at 25 deg., 28 deg., and 29 deg., respectively. Many interesting trees
and shrubs were just putting forth buds, of which we might never be able
to gather the flower for the botanist. We travelled from Camp LVII.,
along our old track, to Camp LVI., in latitude 23 deg. 31' 36" S.; and there
again set up our tents, having been exactly one month in the interior of
tropical Australia. A pigeon this day arose from her nest in the grass
near our route, and Yuranigh found in it two full fledged young ones.
These being of that sort of pigeon preferable to all others for the
table, GEOPHAPS SCRIPTA, we took this pair in hopes it might be possible
to bring them up, and, perhaps, to obtain from them a domestic brood.
This bird seemed to have the shortest beak of all the pigeon tribe, and
flew more clumsily than others. It had three streaks of white about the
head, assimilating it to the poultry class; and in building on the
ground, it afforded another indication of its resemblance to our domestic
birds. The flesh is very white, firm, yet tender. It is, perhaps, the
most delicate of all birds. Thermometer, at sunrise, 29 deg.; at noon, 75 deg.;
at 4 P.M., 76 deg.; at 9, 46 deg.;--with wet bulb, 42 deg..
25TH AUGUST.--The former route to this camp having been very crooked from
following the course of the river amongst brigalow scrub, I set out on
the bearing of the next camp, and reached it by travelling in a straight
line, without much impediment, having found tolerably open ground. The
blue summits of mountains appearing again above the trees, were welcome
to our eyes; and Mounts Beaufort and Mudge reminded me of the Persian
proverb, "The conversation of a friend brighteneth the eyes." We encamped
a mile on, from Camp LV., for the sake of better grass than we had left
formerly at that camp. The hills adjacent consisted of gravel; and
amongst the large water-worn pebbles, of which it consisted, I found
basalt and trachite, neither of which rocks had been detected by me
amongst the gravel of the basin of the Darling. Thermometer, at sunrise,
48 deg.; at noon, 76 deg.; at 4 P.M., 77 deg.; at 9, 52 deg.;--with wet bulb, 47 deg..
26TH AUGUST.--After cutting off an angle in the old track, and so
shortening the way about a mile, we pursued it back to Camp LIV.; which
spot we again occupied for the night. The horses were leg-weary; but I
could spare no time for rest, otherwise than by making the daily journies
short, until we could return to the foot of the dividing ranges. One of
the young pigeons was found nearly dead this morning; but Yuranigh, by
chafing and warming it by the fire, soon recovered it. The thermometer
had been as low as 38 deg.; but the birds had been kept in a box well covered
with wool, and also by canvas. On the hill, southward of this camp, I
found one tree, of the remarkable kind mentioned, as having been first
seen by Mr. Stephenson, near Mount Mudge. Thermometer, at sunrise, 37 deg.;
at noon, 80 deg.; at 4 P.M., 81 deg.; at 9, 44 deg.;--with wet bulb, 40 deg..
27TH AUGUST.--On reaching a difficult place for the passage of carts
along the rocky margin of the river, we took a new direction, more to the
right, crossing the clear hill, from which, on the 23d July, I had a view
of the mountains to the eastward. Then descending, we came upon plains of
firm clay, whereon grew some trees of ACACIA PENDULA. The rock in the
hills seemed calcarious, and on a detached slab of ferruginous sandstone,
I saw a more perfect specimen of ripple marks than I had ever seen
elsewhere, except on the sea-beach.
I had now an opportunity of observing, in the hills forming a low range
on my right, or to the westward, that their stratification dipped toward
the east, at an angle of about 25 deg. with the horizon; on which side those
slopes did not exceed that angle, whereas on the westward, they presented
abrupt, precipitous sides, each terminating in two steep sides, forming
an angle at the highest point. We encamped on a fine plain on the east
side of that range, but westward of the river (beyond which lay our
former route), and we found water in a lagoon a quarter of a mile
eastward of our camp; also, in a mountain rivulet two miles south of the
camp, coming from near Mount Beaufort, and some, very clear, was found in
a rocky gully immediately westward of our camp. Still, the bed of the
main channel was dry, and we had been obliged to seek for the water
before it was found in these several directions. Thermometer, at sunrise,
41 deg.; at noon, 79; at 4 P.M., 82 deg.; at 9, 48 deg.;--with wet bulb 39 deg..
28TH AUGUST.--The cattle were well refreshed by the grass on the plain: a
fresh growth was now apparent in it. We continued to travel due southward
over the plain, and through a brigalow scrub beyond it, until we crossed,
for the last time, the little river that had led us so far astray. Just
beyond it, we joined our old track, at about five miles short of Camp
LIII., to which we proceeded, and where we again encamped, although the
pond we formerly found there had dried up. We afterwards found a good
supply, at a lagoon about half a mile lower down; from which a little dog
of mine (called Procyon), had come out wet, and so made it known to us.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 40 deg.; at noon, 81 deg.; at 4 P.M., 76 deg.; at 9, 49 deg.;--
with wet bulb, 41 deg..
29TH AUGUST.--Continuing along the old track, we this day quitted the
basin of the Belyando, and ascended those grassy slopes, and that range,
which I had formerly taken to be the water-shed of the coast rivers. We
thus crossed to the basin of another eastern river, the Nog; and, in
quitting that of the Belyando, I have to observe, that like most other
Australian rivers, it maintained a peculiar character throughout its
course, with great uniformity, even after it received tributaries
apparently larger than itself. All these lapsed into the same
concatenated line of ponds; at one place, spreading amidst brigalow
scrub, at another, forming one well-defined deep channel. For the
formation of ponds, and the retention of water, in so dry a climate, we
see here something between the ordinary character of rivers, and
artificial works which man must construct, when population may spread
into these regions. The fallen timber of the brigalow decays very slowly,
and is not liable to be burnt, like most other dead wood in open forests,
because no grass grows amongst the brigalow, as in open forests. The
accumulations of dead logs become clogged with river rack and the deposit
of floods; to which floods these heaps present obstructions, forcing the
waters into new channels, and, in their progress, scooping out new ponds,
and completing the embankment of dead logs; which thus form natural dams
and reservoirs to hold, under the shade of the brigalow trees, more water
for a longer time than any single river channel could retain, however
sluggish its course. Thus it was, that during a season of unusual
drought, we had found abundance in this river's course, across nearly 31/2
degrees of latitude. The fallen brigalow presents awkward obstructions to
wheel carriages; and, as the river spreads into broad plains, and is very
favourable to the growth of brigalow, the difficulty of travelling along
this river is greatest, where its waters are most scattered. Experience
has taught us, in such cases, to endeavour to follow the river channel as
closely as possible (the general course being very straight); and thus,
open grassy spots and small plains are frequently met with, beyond which
nothing could be distinguished, and from which it is safest to go forward
in the known general course of the chain of ponds. We again encamped
under Mount Mudge, where I perceived that a projecting portion of white
rock on the summit, had fallen since I had stood upon it; and that the
avalanche of rock had strewed the woody side of the mountain with white
fragments down to the very base. In the sheltered ravine below, a curious
new CASSIA formed a shrub six feet high.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 39 deg.;
at noon, 70 deg.; at 4 P.M., 82 deg.; at 9, 56 deg.;--with wet bulb, 50 deg..
[* C. ZYGOPHYLLA (Benth. MS.) glabra vel pube tenuissima subcanescens,
foliolis unijugis linearibus planis crassis, glandula inter foliola parva
depressa, racemis petiolo brevioribus 2-4-floris.--Near C. NEMOPHILA
Cunn.; but there appear never to be more than one pair of leaflets, the
plant is smoother, the leaflets longer, and the glands different.]
30TH AUGUST.--The old track guided the party, while I preceded it to
sketch one or two landscapes. A fine breeze blew from the northward, and
goodly clouds seemed to promise rain. I completed my drawings before the
arrival of the carts; and on their coming up I conducted them to a spot
where we encamped, on the left bank of the creek, or opposite to camp
LI., being resolved to seek a better and more direct way to the plains,
than that down the bed of Balmy Creek, which we formerly found so
difficult. As soon as I had chosen a spot for the tents, I took a ride,
accompanied by Mr. Stephenson and Yuranigh, to explore the ravines
eastward of that of Balmy Creek, and which led in a more direct line
towards the plains of the Claude. We found the precipices in this
direction much lower. After riding a few miles, we could ride up one of
the points, and following the ridge we had ascended (which was thickly
covered with brigalow), we at length got to an open forest, and once more
saw the open plains before us. In returning, I selected, with Yuranigh's
able assistance, a smaller valley, by which I hoped to succeed in
conducting the carts next day, so as to avoid the ascent of the brigalow
range. The barometer at this camp had fallen ten millimetres lower than
the point at which the mercury stood formerly at the adjacent camp
(marked LI.). By the side of the water-course, we found the ACACIA
DORATOXYLON and also the ACACIA CONFERTA. The valley was gay with the
ultramarine blue flowers of a new species of HOVEA[*]; and on rich soil
we saw also the PODOLEPIS ACUMINATA? D. C. A shrub with long curved
leaves and singular zigzag stems, was ascertained to be the ACACIA
MACRADENIA, a very striking new species; and on Balmy Creek we found also
a new BOSSIOEA, with deep red flowers.[**] Thermometer, at sunrise, 59 deg.;
at noon, 83 deg.; at 4 P.M., 81 deg.; at 9, 62 deg.; with wet bulb, 54 deg..
[* H. LEIOARPA (Benth. MS.) fruticosa, foliis anguste oblongis
sublanceolatisve integerrimis subtus reticulatis pubescentibus, venis
primariis obliquis, pedicellis in pedunculo brevissimo axillari
subgeminis calyce longioribus, calyce adpresse tomentoso, legumine
glaberrimo.--Not unlike some forms of H. LANCEOLATA, but readily
distinguished, besides the shorter leaves, by the smooth fruit and the
veins of the leaves, which diverge from the midrib at a very acute
instead of a right angle.]
[** B. CARINALIS (Benth. MS.) ramulis teretibus puberulis foliosis,
foliis subsessilibus subcordato-ovatis acutiusculis puberulis, pedicello
calyce paullo breviore, corollae alis vexillo longioribus carina multo
brevioribus.--The same remarkable proportion of the petals may be seen in
an unpublished species gathered by Fraser on the Brisbane river.]
31ST AUGUST.--Some heavy showers fell during the night, and in the
morning the sky was wholly overcast. We crossed various formidable
gullies, and travelled some way down the bed of Balmy Creek, then
ascending by the valley through which I yesterday penetrated in my ride,
we travelled southward in a tolerably direct line through the valley up
to its highest heads, from one of which we contrived to draw up carts and
drays along three traverses, formed by nature on the face of a rocky
slope. Above this, we found a plateau of flowering shrubs, chiefly new
and strange, so that Mr. Stephenson was soon loaded like a market
gardener. He had found in the hollow of the little gulley by which we
ascended a variety of ACACIA DECORA with leaves shorter that usual; the
CASSIA ZYGOPHYLLA, a very curious new species; and the BERTYA OLEOEFOLIA,
a shrub three feet high, with green flowers. On the top of the plateau
grew a singular dwarf shrub, loaded with yellow flowers, and covered by
strong sharp leaves resembling the curved blade of a penknife. It has
been ascertained by Mr. Bentham to be an Acacia, referable to his ACACIA
TRIPTERA. A little upright bush, with glandular leaves smelling strongly
of thyme, proved to be a new PROSTANTHERA.[*] The beautiful ACACIA DECORA
appeared as a shrub four feet high; the DODONOEA NOBILIS was just forming
its fruit; the DODONOEA VESTITA was also there; the white flowered
MYOPORUM CUNNINGHAMI with its viscid branches, formed a bush about four
feet high: PITTOSPORUM LANCEOLATUM was a shrub about three feet high,
with yellow flowers; and here we met in abundance with the beautiful
TECOMA OXLEYI, a kind of Bignonia, loaded with yellowishwhite flowers.
[* P. ODORATISSIMA (Benth. MS.) viscoso-puberula foliis linearibus
sublanceolatisve obtusissimis paucidentatis integrisve crassis ad axillas
fasciculatis, floribus paucis axillaribus subsessilibus, calycis labiis
integris inferiore minore, antherarum calcare longiore loculum
superante.--Near P. ASPALATHOIDES: leaves two or three lines long,
remarkably thick. Calyx strongly ribbed. The specimens found were past
flower, having only a few fragments remaining of the corolla and stamens.
The whole plant appears very viscid and retains when dry a very strong
smell of thyme.]
There ended all our troubles with the sandstone gullies, for we soon
entered open forests, and crossed a grassy valley gently sloping to the
eastward, in whose bosom we found a fine deep rocky pond. Beyond that
valley we arrived at open downs of the richest soil, and of an extent not
to be embraced by the eye at any one point of view. The finest sorts of
grass were fast springing up, and curious herbs were beginning to shoot
from the rich alluvium in the vallies. We encamped on these downs, about
ten miles from our former camp by the Claude, XLIX.
1ST SEPTEMBER.--The morning clear and frosty; Thermometer 25 deg.. All
prospects of rain had vanished "into thin air." The scene now around us
was as different as could well be imagined, from that which surrounded us
at the same hour yesterday. As we proceeded, we crossed a hill quite
clear of trees, which commanded a view over an extent of similar country,
large enough for a county. The broken summits, just appearing above the
placid horizon of undulating downs, had formerly looked like a range to
us, and were certainly highly ornamental to the scenery; but no stranger
could have supposed these features to have been only the highest parts of
such a broken sandstone country as that from which we had just emerged.
The plains, or rather, I should say, downs, for they were nowhere level
but everywhere gently undulating, were first seen in white streaks high
above us, when we first perceived them through the scrubs. These downs
consisted of the richest sort of black mould, on which grew luxuriantly,
ANTHISTIRIA and PANICUM LOEVINODE. But the surface in general was loose,
resembling that of a field after it had lain long in fallow. Herbs in
great variety were just emerging from the recently watered earth, and the
splendid morning did ample justice to the vernal scene. The charm of a
beginning seemed to pervade all nature, and the songs of many birds
sounded like the orchestral music before the commencement of any
theatrical performance. Such a morning, in such a place, was quite
incompatible with the brow of care. Here was an almost boundless extent
of the richest surface in a latitude corresponding to that of China, yet
still uncultivated and unoccupied by man. A great reserve, provided by
nature for the extension of his race, where economy, art, and industry
might suffice to people it with a peaceful, happy, and contented
population.
These plains are much higher than the sandstone ravines, and the soil
contains not only pebbles, but angular fragments of the knots and fibres
of wood in a silicified state, and much encrusted with chalcedony. The
component parts of the sandstone in the gullies resemble those of a sea
beach. These fragments of fossil wood in rich soils of plains or downs
above formations of sandstone, are found in various parts of Australia,
and I have seen fossil wood from similar plains in Tasmania. The fossil
wood of such plains has no appearance of having been exposed to fire. The
ACACIA PENDULA grows on the skirts of them, and indicates a salsolaceous
soil. These circumstances are obvious to everybody, but no geologist has
yet explained to us the causes of such changes as may have produced that
rich black mould, on which trees, now silicified, formerly grew; or these
wide plains and downs of rich earth, above a red sandstone formation. One
has called the interior of Australia a "dry seabottom;" but this phrase
admits of no easy application to such cases as these. Fragments of a
ferruginous conglomerate of water-worn pebbles, apparently identical with
those in the basin of the Darling, in some places accompany these angular
fragments of fossil wood. We found this day a new ERIOSTEMON allied to E.
BREVIFOLIUM, with small knobby fleshy leaves[*]; also a fine new shrubby
EURYBIA.[**] Scattered plants of BOSSIOEA RHOMBIFOLIA also appeared in
the adjacent gullies; and LORANTHUS SUBFALCATUS (Hook), was parasitical
on trees. We encamped on the margin of the rich plain N. of Camp XLIX,
and about a mile distant from it, our draught oxen being very weak and
leg-weary. Thermometer, at sunrise, 25 deg.; at noon, 67 deg.; at 4 P.M., 73 deg.; at
9, 44 deg.;--with wet bulb, 40 deg..