4th July.
Travelling at a rapid pace on an average north-east course for upwards of
twenty miles, over plains mostly of rich loam, well grassed, and
extending to the southern foot of the Hamersley Range, we came upon a low
range of sandstone hills, covered with acacia bushes and triodia,
extending for three or four miles, when we again emerged on open plains,
in which was found a deep channel, thirty yards wide, containing pools of
rainwater retained in the clay. The amount of fine pasture country passed
over during the day could not be less than 200,000 acres; and although we
had not time to go in search for it, I have no doubt that abundance of
water will be found in the deep gorges of the range skirting the plain.
This tract of country is, I imagine, well suited for the growth of either
cotton or sugar, as it is apparently well-irrigated during the summer
months, and the soil is remarkably rich and strong, while its limits to
the westward are at present unknown, and most probably continues to skirt
the hills for at least thirty or forty miles. Halted at the waterholes
about four miles to the west of the pass through the Hamersley Range.
Camp 36.
5th July.
Two hours brought us to the head of the pass, which we entered by a
ravine a little more to the northward than on our outward route, and by
so doing saved a preliminary ascent of nearly 200 feet, and a similar
amount of descent, making a very successful passage through the range
without experiencing the same difficulties we had formerly met with, and
by 3 p.m. found ourselves once more in the open grassy country that forms
the Chichester Downs. At 6 p.m. encamped in an open flat without water.
Camp 37.