Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia - Thomas Mitchell
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2D APRIL.--All the drays and the party crossed the river this morning in
good order, and without any accident or much delay, by the little bridge
we had made in its bed. While they were crossing, the place seemed to me
so favorable for a ford that it might still be possible to find some of
the marked trees said to be at "Congo." I again questioned the natives on
this point, and one youth undertook to point out some marks made by white
men. Mr. Kennedy ran with him on foot up the left bank of the river, and
was shown two trees marked, the one with "J. Towns," the other with
"Bagot, 1845." Being thus convinced that this ford was really at or near
the place called "Congo," where Commissioner Mitchell had crossed, and
found the Culgoa, at a distance of only seven miles north-west, I
determined to go forward, in the same direction, to that river, taking my
track of yesterday, which enabled me to avoid the broad lagoon.
On arriving at the "Cawan" we saw two natives fishing in a pond with hoop
nets, and Yuranigh went to ask them about the "Culgoa." He returned
accompanied by a tall athletic man; the other was this man's gin, who had
been fishing with him. There he had left her to take care of his nets,
and, without once looking at me or the party, proceeded to conduct us to
the Culgoa. I never saw a Spanish or Portuguese guide go with a
detachment half so willingly. Yuranigh and he scarcely understood a word
of what each other said, and yet the former had the address to overcome
the usual difficulties to intercourse between strange natives, and their
shyness to white men, and to induce this native thus to become our guide.
He took us to the Culgoa, which we made at about seven miles from the
Balonne, and I was so much pleased with the willing service and true
civility of this native, that I presented him with an iron tomahawk, and
I heard him twice ask Yuranigh if it really was meant for him to keep. He
then hastened back to his gin, whom he had left five miles off. This
river presented as deep a section as, but a narrower bed than, the one we
had just left. It had all the characteristics, however, of a principal
river, and really looked more important than the Barwan, except that its
waters were not then fluent. Gigantic blue gum trees overhang the banks,
and the Mimosa grew near the bed of the current. I should say that these
and much sand were the chief characteristics of the Culgoa. There were no
recent marks of natives' fires, and I was informed that they did not much
frequent that part of the river. The grass along the banks was very
luxuriant. Latitude 28 deg. 31' 19" south. Thermometer at sunrise, 39 deg.; at
noon, 75 deg.; at 4 P.M., 76 deg.; at 9, 50 deg.;--with wet bulb, 46 deg.. The height of
this camp above the level of the sea, being forty feet above the bed of
the river, 543 feet; from the mean of four observations.
3RD APRIL.--The section of this river being forty feet deep, and the
banks in general steep, the work necessary to render it passable to our
heavy drays could not be accomplished yesterday afternoon. This day,
however, our camp was established on the right bank of the Culgoa.
Thermometer at sunrise, 35 deg.; at noon, 80 deg..; at 4 P.M., 77 deg.; at 9, 49 deg.;
and with wet bulb, 46 deg..
4TH APRIL.--We were now to proceed along the right bank of the Culgoa
upwards to the United Balonne, and thence to continue ascending along the
right bank of that river also, as far as the direction was favourable to
our progress northward. This remained to be ascertained in exploring that
river upwards. In gaining the right bank of the Culgoa, we had crossed
the vast basin of clay extending from the Bogan on the south, to this
river on the north, and westward to New Year's Range and Fort Bourke.
That country was liable to be rendered quite impassable, had the rains
set in. But even in such seasons we could still travel over the dry, firm
ground bounding this basin of clay on the northward, as the left bank of
the Bogan was also passable, however rainy the season, indeed more
conveniently then than during a dry one. Rain, if it had fallen at this
time, had greatly facilitated our exploration of the northern interior;
but these rivers we had reached would supply us with water for some
degrees to the northward, as I had been informed by the Commissioner of
the district, and in our progress so far, I hoped we should arrive at a
better watered country.
Taking a northerly course, we traversed fine grassy land, on which grew
luxuriantly the ACACIA PENDULA and other shrubs, that reminded us of the
banks of the Bogan, to which country we found here the exact counterpart,
only that this was better watered. The course of the Culgoa was more
easterly than I had calculated on, for, after going six miles northward,
I had to travel at least as many eastward before I again found the river.
We encamped on the acute north-western angle of an anabranch biting into
the firm soil, and it was evident that we had reached the Balonne Major,
or that part above the separation of the Culgoa from the Minor Balonne,
both of which we had already crossed, and which ran thus, as from our
camp the lines of trees along each of the minor channels were distinctly
visible.
The character of these rivers had been described to me by Commissioner
Mitchell, the discoverer thereof. It was late before the drays came in,
and Mr. Kennedy was led into the camp quite blind, having been suddenly
attacked with purulent ophthalmia, when engaged in the survey of our
route, about four miles from the camp. The heat had somewhat abated, but
still this complaint, which we had attributed to it, had lately affected
many of the party suddenly, as in the case of Mr. Kennedy. Latitude, 28 deg.
27' 11" S. Thermometer at sunrise, 33 deg.; at noon, 83 deg.; at 4 P.M., 88 deg.; at
9, 53 deg.; with wet bulb, 47 deg..
5TH APRIL.--The party halted, and I took a ride to explore the course of
the river, proceeding first northward. In that direction I came upon an
angle of the Balonne, at about three miles from the camp. Beyond, after
passing through much ACACIA PENDULA, I crossed a small plain, bounded by
a Casuarina scrub. Partly to ascertain its extent and character, and
partly in the hope of falling in with the river beyond, I entered it. I
found this scrub full of holes, that obliged me to pursue a very tortuous
course, impeded as I was too by the rugged stems and branches. I got
through it, only after contending with these impediments for three miles.
The country beyond it looked not at all like that back from the river,
and I turned to the N.E., pursuing that course some miles; then eastward
two miles, and next two miles to the S.E., still without finding any
river; but, on the contrary, scrub in every direction. The sun was
declining, and I turned at last to the S.W., and in that direction
reached an extensive open forest, beyond which I saw at length the river
line of trees. I continued to ride S.S.W., and finally south, until I saw
our cattle grazing, and the tents, without having regained first, as I
wished, my outward track. On the bank of the Balonne we found an
apparently new species of ANDROPOGON with loose thin panicles of purplish
flowers, and in the scrub I passed through, in my ride, I found a
CASUARINA, indeterminable in the absence of flowers or fruit. It produces
a gall as large as a hazel nut. Thermometer at sunrise, 37 deg.; at noon,
90 deg.; at 4 P.M., 94 deg.; at 9, 57 deg.;--with wet bulb, 53 deg..
6TH APRIL.--Mr. Kennedy's eyes being still very bad, I could not proceed,
as the survey of our route was very important, in order to keep our
account of longitude correctly. The necks of the cattle were much galled,
and I therefore the more willingly halted another day. It was not without
some impatience, however, that I did so, as we were approaching a point
whence I could set out with horses to the north-west, and leave the
cattle to refresh in a depot on this fine river, which afforded an
excellent base for our exploratory operations, in the wholly unknown
regions immediately beyond it. This line of exploration I had anxiously
wished to pursue in 1831, when obliged to return from the Karaula or
Upper Barwan; and whatever had since been ascertained about that part of
the interior, confirmed me the more in my first opinion as to the
eligibility of that direction. It had occurred to me, on crossing the
Culgoa, that by marking deeply on a tree, at each camp, a number of
reference, our survey might be more practically useful and available to
the colonists, as connecting so many particular localities therewith. I
therefore marked that No. I. in Roman numerals; this II., and I shall add
in this journal, at the end of the narrative of each day's proceedings,
whatever number or mark may be made to distinguish the place of
encampment described.
In the scrub near this, we observed an Acacia, apparently new, a
broadleaved, white-looking wattle. There was also a branching Composite,
which Sir W. Hooker has determined to be a very distinct and undoubted
species of FLAVERIA of which all the other species are natives of the New
World.[*] The CAPPARIS LASIANTHA was also found here growing on EXOCARPUS
APHYLLA of Brown; it was found by Allan Cunningham and Frazer on
Liverpool Plains, also, at Swan River. Thermometer, at sunrise, 44 deg.; at
noon, 95 deg.; at 4 P.M., 96 deg.; at 9, 63 deg.;--with wet bulb, 57 deg.. Height above
the sea, 497 feet.
[* FLAVERIA AUSTRALASICA (Hook. MSS.) foliis lineari-lanceolatis
integerrimis basi dilatatis, capitulis densissime globoso-fasciculatis,
fasciculis subinvolucratis, bracteis exterioribus praecipue fasciculos
superantibus omnibus late amplexantibus.]
7TH APRIL.--When all were preparing to set off early this morning, I was
informed that two bullocks were missing, and a third fast in the mud on
the river bank. The two stray animals were soon found; but it was
impossible to bring on the other in the mud, for he was blown, from
having drunk too much water, after over-eating himself with grass. Our
journey was continued round one angle of the river in my horse's track.
Afterwards turning to the N. E., we crossed two miles of open forest
land, where the grass was good, and having the river in sight. At length,
even on an easterly course we could not keep it longer in view, but got
involved in a scrub on soft red sand. Emerging from this on a course of
E. S. E., we again got upon open ground, and soon saw the majestic trees
of the river in a line circling round to the northward. Coming upon it at
an angle where scrubs of rosewood and ACACIA PENDULA crowned the slopes,
we encamped on a beautiful spot. The river was magnificent, presenting a
body of water of such breadth, as I had only seen in one other river of
Australia, and the banks were grassy to the water's edge.
This day, "Jemmy," a young native whom we had seen on the Minor Balonne,
came to our camp with another youth, and the voices of a tribe were heard
in the woods. As Jemmy had not kept his word formerly, having left us
suddenly, and was evidently a scamp, I peremptorily ordered him away. I
had heard of his having brought gins to my camp at night on the former
occasion, and he was very likely to be the cause of mischief, and could
not, or at least, would not, render us any service. We desired no further
intercourse, at that time, with the natives, as those with us did not
understand their language. The misfortunes of Mr. Finch arose through
that sort of intercourse with his men, and had arrested my journey
fifteen years ago, when I had advanced to within forty miles of this
camp, intent on those discoveries I hoped at length to make even now. I
had good reason, therefore, to keep the natives at a distance here, at a
time, too, when the bodies of six white men were said to be still
uninterred in this neighbourhood. A species of CYPERUS with panicled
globular heads of flowers was found here in the sloping bank.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 47 deg.; at noon, 97 deg.; at 4 P. M. 97 deg.; at 9, 69 deg.;--
with wet bulb 57 deg.. Height above the sea 634 feet. Latitude 28 deg. 23' 59" S.
(Camp III.)
8TH APRIL.--We continued our journey nearly northward, keeping the river
woods in sight, as much as the country permitted. An arm or anabranch, at
first containing much water, and coming from the north, was on our right
for some miles. In following it, our natives found the tracks of three
horses, one only having had shoes on, and two foals, as if proceeding
first towards our camp, then returning. The branch from the river became
dry and sandy, but still we followed its course. We saw about a mile to
the eastward, beyond this dry channel, a splendid sheet of water on a
level with the general surface, and having extensive tracts of emerald
green vegetation about it. The dry channel obliged me to make a longer
journey than I had intended. At length, on finding the requisite water in
its bed, I encamped. This was near a pond, on whose sandy margin we saw
still the tracks of the three horses that had been there to drink. The
scrubs came close to the river with intervals of grassy plain. The ACACIA
PENDULA, and its concomitant shrubs, the SANTALUM OBLONGATUM, and others,
gave beauty to the scenery, and with abundance of water about, all hands
considered this a very fine country. At sunset, thunder-clouds gathered
in the S. W., and at about 7 P. M. the storm reached our camp,
accompanied by a sudden, very strong gale from the S. E. The lightning
was very vivid, and for half an hour it rained heavily. By 8 P. M. it was
over, and the serene sky admitted of an observation of Regulus, by which
the latitude was found to be 28 deg. 17' 8" S. (No. IV.) Thermometer at
sunrise, 61 deg.; at noon, 91 deg.; at 4 P. M. 94 deg.; at 9, 66 deg.;--with wet bulb
63 deg..
9TH APRIL.--The branches of the river, and flats of Polygonum, obliged me
to follow a N. W. course. I did so most willingly, as we had already got
further to the eastward than I wished. The arm of the river spread into a
broad swamp, in which two of the drays sank, the drivers having taken no
notice of a tree I had laid across the track, to show where the carts had
been backed out. I made them unload the drays and carry the loads to firm
ground. Keeping afterwards along the margin of this swamp for many miles,
I perceived abundance of water in it, and passed the burning fires of
natives, where their water kids and net gear hung on trees about. At
length, upon turning to the eastward, I came upon the main river, where
it formed a noble reach, fully 120 yards wide, and sweeping round
majestically from N. E. to S. E. We here encamped, after a long journey.
The banks were grassy to the water's edge. We saw large fishes in it;
ducks swam on it, and, at some distance, a pair of black swans. This
surpassed even the reach at camp III., and I must add, that such an
enormous body of permanent water could be seen nowhere else in New South
Wales save in the river Murray during its floods. The Anthistiria grew
abundantly where we encamped, which was in latitude, 28 deg. 13' 34" S. and
marked V. Thermometer, at sunrise, 63 deg.; at noon, 94 deg.; at 4 P. M., 97 deg.; at
9, 63 deg.;--with wet bulb, 62 deg..
10TH APRIL.--Pursuing a N. W. course, we crossed small grassy plains,
fringed with rosewood and other acacias; but, in order to keep near the
river, I was soon obliged to turn more towards the east, as Callitris
scrubs were before me. In avoiding these, I again came upon the more open
and firm ground adjacent to the river, and saw its course in the line of
large Yarra trees, which always point out its banks with their white and
gnarled arms. I may here state that the scrubs generally consist of a
soft red sandy soil; the land near the river, of clay, which last is by
far the best of the two soils for crossing with wheel carriages; the soft
red sand being almost as formidable an impediment in some situations as
mud. At length, in travelling N. eastward, we came upon a spacious
lagoon, extending westward, and covered with ducks. Perceiving, by drift
marks, that it came from the West, I kept along its margin, following it
as it trended round to N. E., where we arrived at the main channel, about
that part whence the waters of the lagoon emanate during high floods.
That lagoon presented an excellent place for a cattle-station. Water
could never fail, as the main stream was at hand, if even the lagoon
dried up, which seemed not at all likely. PSORALEA ERIANTHA was abundant
in the bed of the river, along with INDIGOFERA HIRSUTA, and CROTALARIA
MITCHELLII.[*] Thermometer, at sunrise, 44 deg.; at noon, 99 deg.; at 4 P. M.,
97 deg. at 9, 66 deg.;--with wet bulb, 58 deg..
[* C. MITCHELLII (Benth. MS.) erecta, ramulis flavescenti-tomentosis,
stipulis parvis subulatis, foliis ovali-ellipticis obtusis retusisve basi
angustatis supra glabris subtus calycibusque subsericeo-
pubescentitomentosis, bracteolis in pedicello brevissimo minutis
setaceis, legumine sessili glabro. Allied to C. RETUSA and SERICEA, but
flowers much smaller, in short dense spikes. It agrees in most respects
with the short character of C. NOVOE HOLLANDIOE, etc., but the leaf is
not articulated on the footstalk, and the stipules exist.]
11TH APRIL.--Proceeding due north we had the river close on our right
hand, when two miles on. After making a slight detour to avoid a gully
falling into it, we continued the same course over open forest land, and,
at length, saw an immense sheet of water before us, with islands in it.
This was also a lagoon supplied by floods in the Balonne. It was covered
with ducks, pelicans, etc. I called it Lake Parachute, no natives being
near to give me their name for it. I must here add that the true
aboriginal name is not Baloon, however, but Balonne, and this I the more
readily adopt to avoid the introduction of a name so inappropriate
amongst rivers. I was obliged to turn this lagoon, by moving some way
about to my right, for it sent forth a deep arm to the S. W. which lay
across my intended route. Continuing to travel northward, we arrived upon
the banks of a lagoon, where they resembled those of the main channel,
having trees of the same kind and fully as large. The breadth was very
uniform, and as great as that of the river, so that it seemed this had
once been the bed of the Balonne. We crossed it at a dry part of the
swamp, the waters extending and increasing in it to the eastward. In the
opposite direction it was equally uniform and continuous, but apparently
dry. On crossing this old channel, I turned sharply to the N. E., aware
that it is usually at acute angles in a river's course that such
overflowings break out. I found it necessary in the present case to turn
eastward, and even to the southward of east before I could find the river
again. At length we came upon the channel divided amongst ridges of sand,
where the waters took a sharp turn and broke thus into separate currents.
I was now very desirous to select a camp where the cattle might remain to
rest and refresh while I proceeded with a small party to the N. W. This
place did not please me, having been too scrubby, the water not well
tasted, and the grass dry, therefore liable to be set on fire by the
natives, or by accident. A bulbous species of CYPERUS grew on the bank of
the Balonne, and in the river we found the common European reed, ARUNDO
PHRAGMITES: a Loranthus allied to L. LINEARIFOLIUS, but with broader
leaves, grew on some of the trees, and we saw a fine new species of
ADRIANIA.[*] (No. VII.) Thermometer, at sunrise, 47 deg.; at noon, 102 deg.; at 4
P. M., 104 deg.; at 9, 69 deg.; with wet bulb, 62 deg.. Average height above the sea,
of camps V. VI. and VII., 559 feet.
[* A. HETEROPHYLLA (Hooker MSS.) foliis ovato-acuminatis grosse
sinuatoserratis integris cordatisve trifidis, utrinque bracteisque
glaberrimis.]
12TH APRIL.--I accordingly put the party in motion at an early hour, and
soon came upon the river, where it formed a noble reach of water and came
from the westward, a new direction, which, with the sand that had for
some days appeared in shallow parts of its bed, raised my hopes that this
river might be found to come from the north-west, a direction it
maintained for five miles. The breadth was uniform, and the vast body of
water was a most cheering sight. The banks were 120 yards apart, the
course in general very straight, contributing much to the perspective of
the scenery upon it. At one turn, denuded rocks appeared in its bed,
consisting of ironstone in a whitish cement or matrix, which might have
been decomposed felspar. I at length arrived at a natural bridge of the
same sort of rock, affording easy and permanent access to the opposite
bank, and at once selected the spot for a depot camp, which we
established on a fine position commanding long vistas both up and down
the river. It was, in fact, a tete-de-pont overlooking the rocky passage
which connected the grass on both sides. This was No. VIII., and in
latitude 28 deg. 1' 37''. Thermometer, at sunrise, 68 deg.; at noon, 104 deg.; at 4
P. M., 101 deg.; at 9, 74 deg.;--with wet bulb, 64 deg..
13TH APRIL.--Here I could leave the jaded cattle to refresh, while, with
a small party on horse-back, I could ascertain the farther course of the
river, and explore the country to the north-west where centred all my
hopes of discovery. I set on foot various preparations, such as the
stuffing of saddles, shoeing of horses, drying of mutton, and, first of
all in importance, though last likely to be accomplished, the making a
pair of new wheels for a cart to carry water. Thermometer, at sunrise,
47 deg.; at noon, 100 deg.; at 4 P. M., 101 deg.; at 9, 67 deg.;--with wet bulb, 62 deg..
15TH APRIL.--This day I sent Mr. Kennedy to examine the country in the
direction of 3311/2 deg., my intended route, and he returned about 10 P. M.,
having seen what he considered indications of the river on his right when
about twelve miles from the camp, and plains to the left. Upon the whole,
I resolved, from what he said of the scrubs he had met with, to travel
north-west, that direction being perpendicular to the general course of
this river, and therefore the most likely to lead the soonest to higher
ground. Thermometer, at sunrise, 68 deg.; at noon, 104 deg.; at 4 P. M., 103 deg.; at
9, 72 deg.;--with wet bulb, 67 deg..
16TH APRIL.--In order better to contend with the difficulty of wanting
water, and be better prepared for it, I formed my party rather of
infantry than cavalry, taking only two horses, drawing a cart loaded
chiefly with water, and six trusty men, almost all old soldiers. We were
thus prepared to pass several nights without requiring other water than
that we carried with us. I hoped thus to be enabled to penetrate the
scrubs, and reach, and perhaps cross, the higher land bounding this great
basin. Our first day's progress, being rather experimental, did not
extend above ten miles. I had been obliged to send back the shaft horse,
and exchange him for a better, as our load of water was heavy. The day
was very sultry. Thermometer 105 deg. Fahrenheit, in the shade. We had passed
over ground more open than I expected, but by no means clear of scrubs.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 64 deg.; at 4 P. M., 105 deg.; at 9, 71 deg.;--with wet
bulb, 67 deg..
17TH APRIL.--The messenger returned early with two horses, one being my
own second charger, which I put as leader to the cart. We then got
forward on foot as fast as the men could walk, or rather as fast as they
could clear a way for the cart. We passed through much scrub, but none
was of the very worst sort. The natives' marks on trees were numerous,
and the ground seemed at first to fall westward as to some water-course;
and, after travelling about five miles, there appeared a similar
indication of water to the eastward of our route. At one place even the
white-barked gum trees appeared; but, although they had the character of
river trees, we found they grew on an elevated piece of clay soil. After
completing about ten miles, I halted for two hours to rest the horses,
where there was a patch of good grass, and we gave them some water from
our stock. The mercurial column afforded no indication that we were at
all higher than our camp overlooking the river, and it seemed, therefore,
not improbable that we might meet with some other channel or branch of
that prolific river. After resting two hours we continued, passing
through woods partly of open forest trees, and partly composed of scrub.
Towards the end of our day's journey, we crossed land covered with good
grass, and having only large trees on it, so thinly strewed as to be of
the character of the most open kind of forest land. Saw thereon some very
large kangaroos, and throughout the day we had found their tracks
numerous. We finally set up our bivouac a little before sunset, on a
grassy spot surrounded by scrub. In this scrub I found the CLEOME FLAVA
of Banks, and the strong-smelling AMBRINA CARINATA. A very remarkable
whiteness appeared on the leaves of the EUCALYPTUS POPULIFOLIUS, which,
on very close examination, appeared to be the work of an insect.[*] On
the plains the SALSOLA AUSTRALIS formed a round bush, which, when loose
from its very slight root, was liable to be blown about. Thermometer at
sunrise, 71 deg.; at 9 P. M, 68 deg.;--with wet bulb, 64 deg..