Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia - Thomas Mitchell
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15TH SEPTEMBER.--As soon as daylight appeared I hastened towards the gap,
and ascended a naked rock on the west side of it. I there beheld downs
and plains extending westward beyond the reach of vision, bounded on the
S. W. by woods and low ranges, and on the N. E. by higher ranges; the
whole of these open downs declining to the N. W., in which direction a
line of trees marked the course of a river traceable to the remotest
verge of the horizon. There I found then, at last, the realization of my
long cherished hopes, an interior river falling to the N. W. in the heart
of an open country extending also in that direction. Ulloa's delight at
the first view of the Pacific could not have surpassed mine on this
occasion, nor could the fervour with which he was impressed at the moment
have exceeded my sense of gratitude, for being allowed to make such a
discovery. From that rock, the scene was so extensive as to leave no room
for doubt as to the course of the river, which, thus and there revealed
to me alone, seemed like a reward direct from Heaven for perseverance,
and as a compensation for the many sacrifices I had made, in order to
solve the question as to the interior rivers of Tropical Australia. To an
European, the prospect of an open country has a double charm in regions
for the most part covered with primaeval forests, calling up pleasing
reminiscences of the past, brighter prospects for the future--inspiring a
sense of freedom, especially when viewed from the back of a good horse:--
"A steed! a steed! of matchless speede, A sword of metal keene--All else
to noble minds is drosse, All else on earth is meane!" --OLD SONG.
I hastened back to my little party (distant a mile and a half from the
gap), and immediately made them mount to follow me down the watercourse,
which, as I had seen from the rock, would lead us into the open country.
The little chain of ponds led westward, until the boundless downs
appeared through the woods; a scene most refreshing to us, on emerging
from so many thick scrubs. Our little river, after crossing much open
plain, fell into another coming from E.S.E., and columns of smoke far in
the N.W. showed that there was water, by showing there were inhabitants.
The grass on these downs was of the richest sort, chiefly PANICUM
LOEVINODE, and I was not sorry to recognise amongst it, SALSOLOE, and the
ACACIA PENDULA, amongst the shrubs. As we followed the river downwards,
the open downs appeared on the W.N.W. horizon as if interminable. This
river, unlike that I had called the Nive, had no sand in its bed, which
consisted of firm clay, and contained deep hollows, and the beds of long
reaches, then, however, all dry, while abundance of large UNIO shells lay
upon the banks, and proved that the drought was not of common occurrence.
The general course of the river I found to be about W.N.W. true. We
continued to follow it through its windings all day, which I certainly
should not have done, but for the sake of water, as our progress
downwards was thus much retarded. Towards evening, Corporal Graham
discovered water in a small tributary coming from the S.E., while
Yuranigh found some also in the main channel, where that tributary fell
into it. We encamped on Graham's ponds, as this was called, and turned
our horses loose on the wide plain, up to the knees in grass half dry,
half green, that they might be the more fit "for the field to-morrow."
The sky had been lowering all day, and the heat was intense; but during
the night, the air was delicious for sleeping in, under heaven's canopy
and protection.
16TH SEPTEMBER.--The "gorgeous curtains of the East" over grandly formed
clouds harmonised well with my sentiments on awaking, again to trace, as
if I had been the earliest man, the various features of these fine
regions of earth. At 7 A.M. the temperature was 63 deg.; and (from
observations registered then) the height above the sea has been found to
be 1216 feet. Throughout the day we travelled over fine downs and plains
covered with the finest grass, having the river on our right. Beyond it,
we saw hills, which seemed to be of greater height in proportion as we
descended with the river. Some were much broken, and appeared to present
precipices on the other side. A broad valley extended westward from
between the farthest of these broken ranges, which range seemed to be an
offshoot from one further eastward. On examining the river, below the
supposed junction of a tributary from the east, I found its character
altered, forming ponds amongst brigalow trees. Water was, however,
scarce. We fortunately watered our horses about 3 P.M., at the only hole
we had seen that day, a small muddy puddle. The ACACIA PENDULA formed a
belt outside the brigalow, between the river and the open plains, and
many birds and plants reminded us of the Darling; the rose cockatoo and
crested-pigeon, amongst the former; SALSOLOE and SOLANUM amongst the
latter. At length, we saw before us, to the westward, bold precipitous
hills, extending also to the southward of west. A thunder storm came over
us, and night advancing, we halted without seeing more, for that day, of
the interesting country before us, and having only water enough for our
own use, the product of the shower. No pond was found for the horses,
although we had searched for one, many miles in the bed of the river.
Still, the remains of mussel shells on the banks bore testimony that
water was seldom so scarce in this river, flowing as it did through the
finest and most extensive pastoral region I had ever seen.
17TH SEPTEMBER.--The temperature at seven this morning was 57 deg.; our
height above the sea 1112 feet. "Like the gay birds that" awoke us from
"repose" we were "content," but certainly not "careless of tomorrow's
fare;" for unless we found water to-day, "to-morrow" had found us unable
either to proceed or return! Trusting wholly to Providence, however, we
went forward, and found a pond in the river bed, not distant more than
two miles from where we had slept. In making a cut next through a
brigalow scrub, towards where I hoped to hit the river, in a nearly
westerly direction, I came out upon open downs, and turned again into a
brigalow scrub on my right. After travelling a good many miles, N.W.,
through this scrub, we arrived on the verge of a plain of dead brigalow;
and still pursuing the same course, we came out, at length, upon open
downs extending far to the northward. I continued to ride in that
direction to a clear hill, and from it I obtained a view of a range of
flat-topped hills, that seemed to extend W.N.W.; the most westerly
portion of these being the steep-sided mass seen before us yesterday.
They now lay far to the northward, and the intervening country was partly
low and woody, and partly consisted of the downs we were upon. But where
was the river? Yarra trees and other indications of one appeared nearest
to us in an easterly direction, at the foot of some well-formed hollows
on that side the downs. Towards that point I therefore shaped my course,
and there found the river--no longer a chain of dry ponds in brigalow
scrub, but a channel shaded by lofty yarra trees, with open grassy banks,
and containing long reaches full of water. White cockatoos shrieked above
us; ducks floated, or flew about, and columns of smoke began to ascend
from the woods before us. This was now, indeed, a river, and I lost no
time in following it downwards. The direction was west; then north-west,
tolerably straight. Water was abundant in its bed; the breadth was
considerable, and the channel was well-marked by bold lofty banks. I
remarked the salt-bush of the Bogan plains, growing here, on sand-islands
of this river. The grass surpassed any I had ever seen in the colony in
quality and abundance. The slow flying pelican appeared over our heads,
and we came to a long broad reach covered with ducks, where the channel
had all the appearance of a river of the first magnitude. The old mussle
shells (UNIO) lay in heaps, like cart-loads, all along the banks, but
still we saw none of the natives. Flames, however, arose from the woods
beyond the opposite bank, at once in many directions, as if by magic, as
we advanced. At 3 P.M. Fahrenheit's thermometer in the shade stood at
90 deg.. Towards evening, we saw part of the bed dry, and found it
continuously so, as night came on. The sun had set, while I still
anxiously explored the dry recesses of the channel in search of water,
without much hopes of success, when a wild yell arose from the woods back
from the channel, which assured us that water was near. Towards that
quarter we turned, and Yuranigh soon found a fine pond in a small ana-
branch, upon which we immediately halted, and took up our abode there for
the night. It may seem strange that so small a number could act thus
unmolested by the native tribes, but our safety consisted chiefly in the
rapidity of our movements, and their terror of strangers wholly unknown,
perhaps unheard of, arriving on the backs of huge animals, or centaurs
whose tramp they had only heard at nightfall. Like Burns's "Auld Nick,"
----"rustling through the boortrees comin' Wi' eerie sought!"
our passage was too rapid to admit of any design for attack or annoyance
being concocted, much less, carried into effect; next night we hoped to
sleep thirty miles off, where our coming would be equally unexpected by
natives. Latitude, 24 deg. 34' 30" S.
18TH SEPTEMBER.--At 7 A.M. the temperature of the air was 72 deg.; the height
of the spot above the sea, 995 feet. Keeping along the river bank for
some miles, I found its general course to be about N.W.; and seeing clear
downs beyond the right bank, I crossed, and proceeded towards the highest
clear hill on the horizon. There I obtained a distant view of the ranges
intersected yesterday, and of their prolongations. That to the northward
of the river, whose general direction to the point already fixed had been
22 deg. W. of N., there formed an angle, and continued, as far as I could
judge by the eye, nearly northward. The range to the southward of the
river also turned off, extending nearly to the southward. These two
limits of the vast valley, thus receding from the river so as to leave it
ample room to turn and wind on either side, amidst its accompanying
woods, through grassy downs of great extent, obliged me to explore its
course with closer attention. From another clear hill on these downs, to
which I next proceeded, I thought I perceived the line of another river
coming from ranges in the N.E., and expecting it would join that whose
course we had thus far explored, I proceeded in a nearly N.W. direction
over open downs towards the line of trees. I found therein a fine pond of
water, the soil of the downs consisting of stiff clay. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM
and various SALSOLOE appeared in some parts. My horses being rather
jaded, I halted rather early here, and laid down my journey, protracting
also the angles I had observed of the points of distant ranges. Latitude,
24 deg. 27' 27" S. I found by the barometer that we were already much lower
than the rivers Salvator and Claude, and the upper part, at least, of the
Belyando; while we were still remote from the channel we were pursuing.
19TH SEPTEMBER.--The thermometer at 7 A.M. stood at 57 deg.. The height of
these ponds above the sea was 861 feet. Young, I think, has said, that a
situation might be imagined between earth and heaven, where a man should
hear nothing but the thoughts of the Almighty; but such a sublime
position seems almost attained by him who is the first permitted to
traverse extensive portions of earth, as yet unoccupied by man; to
witness in solitude and silence regions well adapted to his use, brings a
man into more immediate converse with the Author both of his being, and
of all other combinations of matter than any other imaginable position he
can attain. With nothing but nature around him; his few wants supplied
almost miraculously; living on from day to day, just as he falls in with
water; his existence is felt to be in the hands of Providence alone; and
this feeling pervades even the minds of the least susceptible, in
journeys like these. Those splendid plains where, without a horse, man
seems a helpless animal, are avoided, and are said to be shunned and
disliked by the aboriginal man of the woods. Even their lonely
inhabitant, the emu, seems to need both wings and feet, that he may
venture across them. We travelled nearly west over plains; then through a
brigalow scrub, two miles in breadth; emerging from which, on a perfectly
level plain of very rich soil, we turned rather to the southward of west,
to where the distant line of river-trees seemed most accessible. Bushes
of ACACIA PENDULA skirted this plain; and, passing through them, we
crossed a track of nearly half a mile wide of soft sand, evidently a
concomitant feature of the river. We next traversed a belt of firm blue
clay, on which a salsolaceous bush appeared to be the chief vegetation;
and, between it and the river, was another belt of sand a mile broad, on
which grew a scrub of rosewood acacia. The river there ran in four
separate channels, amongst various trees; brigalow and yarra being both
amongst them. I crossed these channels, and continued westward that I
might ascend a hill on the downs beyond. From that eminence, no hill was
visible on any part of the horizon, which everywhere presented only downs
and woods. Far in the S.W. a hollow admitted of a very distant view,
which terminated in downs beyond a woody valley. The course of our river
appeared to be N.W., as seen by Yuranigh, from a tree we found here. In
that direction I therefore proceeded; recrossing the river, where, in a
general breadth of about 400 yards, it formed five channels. The grass
was more verdant here, and the ponds in these small separate channels
seemed likely to contain water. We continued N. W. across fine clear
downs, where we found the heat so intense, (Centigrade thermometer, 37 deg.,
or 99 deg. of Fahrenheit,) that I halted two hours under the shade of a small
clump of trees. When we continued our ride in the afternoon, three emus
that had been feeding on the downs came inquisitively forward; curiosity,
apparently inspiring them with more courage than even the human
inhabitants. Unfortunately for these birds, our bacon had become so
impalatable that a change of diet was very desirable, and Graham,
therefore, met them half-way on his horse; the quadruped inspiring more
confidence in the bird. It was curious to witness the first meeting of
the large indigenous bird and large exotic quadruped--such strange
objects to each other! on the wide plains where either of them could
----"overtake the south wind."
One of the emus was easily shot from the horse's side, and, that evening
being the Saturday night of a very laborious week, we were not slow in
seeking out a shady spot by the side of a pond in the river bed. There my
men had a feast, with the exception of Yuranigh; who, although unable to
eat our salt bacon, religiously abstained from eating emu flesh, although
he skinned the bird and cut it up, SECUNDUM ARTEM, for the use of the
white men. The channel of the river was still divided here, amongst
brigalow bushes. We only reached it by twilight. Thermometer, at 6 P.M.,
86 deg.. Height above the sea, 758 feet.
20TH SEPTEMBER.--At 7 A.M. the thermometer was 78 deg.. Water appearing to be
more constant now in the river, I ventured to pursue its general course
in straighter lines, across the fine open downs, which lay to the
eastward of it. Beyond these I perceived lines of wood as belonging to
another river; and, on advancing in that direction, I first encountered a
great breadth of brigalow scrub; next, we entered a rosewood scrub,
redolent with blossom; then an open forest, in which we found the deep
well-formed channel of a river coming from the eastward. The bottom was
rocky, and bore marks of a recent current. This river also spread into
branches: we crossed three, and then again entered upon open downs. Next
we crossed a well-defined line of deep ponds, with yarra trees, and
coming from E.N.E. over the downs; and three miles further on, we crossed
another coming from N.E., on which, finding a good lagoon, I encamped
early, that the men might have time to cook for themselves some of the
emu, and that the horses might also have some sufficient rest. Latitude,
24 deg. 12' 42" S. Thermometer, at 1 P.M., 86 deg.. Height above the sea, 724
feet.
21ST SEPTEMBER.--Thermometer at 6 A.M., 63 deg.. I found that the various
tributaries to the river channel had imparted to it a greater tendency
westward; but we fell in with it again six miles to the westward of where
we had passed the night. Its character was the same--a concatenation of
ponds amongst brigalow; but these seemed better filled with water,
apparently from the more decided slopes and firmer soil of the adjacent
country. The course next turned considerably to the southward of west,
while one ana-branch separating from it, ran about westward. I found an
open plain between these, across which I travelled; until, again meeting
the southern branch, we crossed it where it seemed to turn more to the
northward. The day was warm, and I halted two hours under the shade of
some trees, where I laid down our journey on paper, and found we were
making great progress towards Carpentaria, across a very open country. We
were no longer in doubt about finding water, although in the heart of
Australia, surrounded by an unbroken horizon. On proceeding, we passed
some large huts near the river, which were of a more substantial
construction, and also on a better plan than those usually set up by the
aborigines of the south. A frame like a lean-to roof had first been
erected; rafters had next been laid upon that; and, thereupon thin square
portions of bark were laid, like tiles. A fine pond of water being near,
we there spancelled our horses and lay down for the night. At 5 P.M. the
thermometer was at 82 deg.. Height above the sea, 707 feet.
22D SEPTEMBER.--Thermometer, at 6 A.M., 58 deg.. This was no sandybedded
river like others we had discovered. The bed still consisted of firm
clay, and now the rich vegetation on the banks presented so much novelty,
that, without the means of carrying an herbarium, I was nevertheless
tempted to select a bouquet of flowers for Dr. Lindley, and carry them
amongst my folded maps. The very herbage at this camp was curious. One
plant supplied an excellent dish of vegetables. There were others
resembling parsley, and having the taste of water-cresses with white
turnip-like roots. Here grew also a dwarf or tropical CAPPARIS. Among the
grasses was a tawny ERIANTHUS, apparently the same as that formerly seen
on the banks of the Bogan, and the curious DANTHONIA PECTINATA, gathered
in Australia Felix in 1836. There was also amongst the grasses a
PAPPOPHORUM, which was perhaps the P. GRACILE, formerly collected in the
tropical part of New Holland by Dr. Brown; and a very remarkable new
species of the same curious genus, with an open narrow panicle, and
little branches not unlike those of a young oat.[*] The river again
formed a goodly continuous channel. Its most splendid feature, the wide
open plains, continued along its banks, and I set out on this, as we had
indeed on all other mornings since we made the discovery, intensely
interested in the direction of its course. We had not prolonged our
journey very far across the plains, keeping the trees of the river we had
left visible on our right, when another line of river trees appeared over
the downs on our left. Thus it seemed we were between two rivers, with
their junction before us, for the ground declined in that direction. And
so we found it. At about seven miles from where we had slept, we arrived
at the broad channel of the first river we had traced down, whose
impetuous floods had left the trees half bent to the earth, and clogged
with drift matter; not on any narrow space, but across a deep section of
400 yards. The rocks in the channel were washed quite bare, and crystal
water lay in ponds amongst these rocks. A high gravelly bank, crowned
with brigalow, formed the western margin, but no brigalow could withstand
the impetuous currents, that evidently, at some seasons, swept down
there. It was quite refreshing to see all clear and green, over so broad
a water-worn space. The junction with the northern river took place just
below, and I continued my journey, not a little curious to see what sort
of a river would be formed by these channels when united. I found the
direction of the course to be about N.W., both running nearly parallel.
About three miles on I approached the united channel, and found the
broad, deep, and placid waters of a river as large as the Murray. Pelican
and ducks floated upon it, and mussle-shells of extraordinary size lay in
such quantities, where the natives had been in the habit of eating them,
as to resemble snow covering the ground. But even that reach seemed
diminutive when compared with the vast body of water whereof traces had,
at another season, been left there; these affording evidence that,
although wide, they had still been impetuous in their course. Verdure
alone shone now, over the wide extent to which the waters sometimes rose.
Beyond that channel lay the almost boundless plains, the whole together
forming the finest region I had ever seen in Australia. Two kinds of
grass grew on these plains; one of them a brome grass, possessing the
remarkable property of shooting up green from the old stalk.
[* P. AVENACEUM (Lindl. MS.); aristis 9 inaequalibus scabris infra medium
plumosis, panicula pilosa angusta interrupta ramulis inferioribus demum
refractis, spiculis 3-floris, glumis pubescentibus multistriatis, paleis
villosis, foliis......]
The bees were also new to Yuranigh, who drew my attention to their
extreme smallness; not much exceeding in size a knat or mosquito.
Nevertheless, he could cut out their honey from hollow trees, and thus
occasionally procure for us a pleasant lunch, of a waxy compound, found
with the honey, which, in appearance and taste much resembled fine
gingerbread. The honey itself was slightly acid, but clear and fine
flavoured.
I hoped the deep reach would have been continuous, as it looked
navigable, even for steamers, but it continued so only for a few miles,
beyond which the channel contained ponds only. I finally alighted beside
one of these ponds, which was so large, indeed, that the colonists would
have called it a lagoon; this one being high above the river channel, on
a verdant plain. As yet, we had not seen a single inhabitant of this El
Dorado of Australia. At 2 P.M. thermometer 88 deg.. Height above the sea 712
feet.
23D SEPTEMBER.--At 7 A.M. thermometer 59 deg.. Latitude 24 deg. 2' S. New flowers
perfumed the dry bed of this river, and these showed, in their forms and
structure, that nature even in variety is infinite. I regretted I could
not collect specimens. Our only care now, was the duration of our
provisions. Water was less a subject of anxiety with me now, than it had
been at any period of the journey. We had made the Emu eke out our little
stock, and my men (two old soldiers) were willing to undergo any
privation that might enable me to prolong my ride. This day completed
half the month, but I was determined to follow the course of this
interesting river at least four days longer. The back of one of our pack
horses had become so sore, that he would no longer endure a load; we
threw away the pack saddle, and divided his load, so as to distribute it
in portions, on some of the saddle horses and the other pack animal. The
course of the river towards the west, and our limited time, obliged me to
stride over as much of the general direction as possible. I crossed the
river, and travelled across open downs. I saw the tops of its Yarra trees
on my left. At about four miles, we crossed what seemed a large river,
but which must have been only an ana-branch from the main stream. We next
traversed a fine open down of six miles; the soil, a firm blue clay with
gravel, and on this grew two varieties of grass which I had seen nowhere
else. The valley I next approached, contained the channel of a river
flowing towards our river; a tributary, which evidently bore impetuous
floods into it, sometimes. This also ran in three channels. I called it
the Alice.
As this new river was likely to turn the main stream off to the westward
or south, I travelled west by compass over vast downs, finely variegated
with a few loose trees like a park, but extending on all sides to the
horizon. Where I looked for the main channel, I saw rising ground of this
kind; and meeting with another small river, with a stoney bed and water
in it, I bivouacqued, for the day was very hot; the thermometer, at 3
P.M., 90 deg. in the shade. The pond here was much frequented by pigeons, and
a new sort of elegant form and plumage, was so numerous that five were
killed at two shots. The head was jet-black, the neck milkwhite, the
wings fawn-colour, having lower feathers of purple. I had no means of
preserving a specimen, but I took a drawing of one.[*] Height above the
sea here, 826 feet.