1st October, 1855.
Accompanied by Mr. H. Gregory, I left the camp to search for a
practicable route by which we could cross the MacAdam range; but, after
proceeding about a mile, shot an emu, with which we returned to camp, and
again started at 7.10 a.m., pursuing a south-east course, crossed a stony
ridge, and at 8.0 a.m. came on a creek about twenty yards wide, with good
pools of water and a grassy margin, but the country generally barren and
stony. After several ineffectual attempts, we ascended the hills to the
south-east of the creek, and traversed a very broken country of sandstone
formation till 11.0 a.m., when we reached the head of a creek trending to
the southward; this was followed down till 1.0 p.m. when we halted an
hour, and again proceeded till 4.30 p.m., the country being very poor and
rising into rocky hills on both banks of the creek; we then entered a
wide grassy flat destitute of trees, extending six miles north to south,
and fifteen miles east to west; on the south side there appeared to be a
creek or river, which we supposed to be the Fitzmaurice River. This plain
was bounded on all sides by steep rocky hills of sandstone of barren
aspect. Returned up the creek till 6.0 p.m. and halted for the night. The
day was hot and sultry, though a heavy thundershower somewhat cooled the
air. The MacAdam Range is of sandstone, the strata of which dip about 30
degrees to the south, in which direction, as we advanced, the rock was
more slaty, and broke into rhomboidal fragments. Water is abundant in the
creeks, but the grass is scanty, and the rough surface of the sandstone
and rocky ravines renders the country difficult to traverse. Timber is
scarce, chiefly small-sized eucalypti; the cotton-tree was observed in a
few of the valleys.
2nd October.
Returning to the camp we attempted to follow one of the creeks down to
the plain on the north-west side of the range, but found the ravine too
steep and rocky for the horses to pass, and were compelled to retrace our
steps and cross several steep and rocky hills, reaching the camp at 2.0
p.m., at which time the thermometer stood at 94 degrees in the shade and
114 degrees in the sun.
3rd October.
Three of the horses had strayed, and this detained us till 11.0 a.m.,
when I started with the party, leaving Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman to look
for the missing animals. Proceeding in a south-east direction to the
crossing of the first creek, ascended the MacAdam Range, and steered
east-south-east to the second creek; the course was then north-east and
east to the head of the creek tributary to the Fitzmaurice River, and
then encamped at 3.45 p.m. At the highest point on this day's route the
aneroid stood at 29.40, and at the camp 29.55; thermometer, 88 degrees.
The higher points of the range did not exceed 100 before the highest
ridge crossed.
By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude 14 degrees 33 minutes 26
seconds.
4th October.
At 10.0 a.m. Messrs. H. Gregory and Bowen reached the camp with one of
the missing horses, and, having obtained some provisions, returned to
search for the other two horses. At noon started with the party, and
followed down the creek in a south-south-east direction till 4 p.m., and
encamped at the termination of the hilly country. One of the horses,
Madman, showed symptoms of illness a short time before we started, and in
crossing the creek half a mile above where we encamped he fell down and
in less than three minutes died. This was a serious loss, as this animal
was one of the most serviceable of our horses, having stood the voyage
without losing his condition. The cause of death we were unable to
ascertain; but the probability is that some poisonous plants existed at
the place where we encamped last night.
By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude of the camp was 14
degrees 39 minutes 26 seconds. Thermometer: Sunrise, 80 degrees; at 11
a.m., 93 degrees; wet bulb, 80 degrees.
5th October.
This morning I started with C. Dean to examine the country to the east;
after traversing the plain for two hours, came to a running stream ten
yards wide, but the current very slow. The vegetation on its banks was
very luxuriant, presenting a striking contrast to the surrounding
country. Followed the creek to the east and south for one and a half
miles, when it changed to a salt creek, joining the Fitzmaurice River. We
then steered south-east to a detached conical hill, which consisted of
the same hard fine-grained sandstone as the ranges near the camp.
Steering north-east and east for three miles along a salt creek, came to
the termination of the salt water, where we saw four natives digging
roots; on observing us they decamped. Our course was now south-east to a
range of rocky hills, which we could not ascend with our horses from
their steep and rocky character. We therefore steered north-west to a
green patch of bushes in the plain, and at two miles came to a small
lagoon 200 yards long and 30 yards wide, on which were numerous ducks and
other water-fowl. Here we halted for one and a half hours, and then by a
north-west and west course, passing through grassy plains and patches of
forest, reached the camp at 8.30 p.m. Thermometer, 78 degrees to 104
degrees.
6th October.
Started at 8.10 a.m. with the whole party, and, steering east to the
running creek, crossed it at the head of the salt water, and proceeding
up the stream three-quarters of a mile, encamped. Near the creek we saw a
native man and two women, who were much alarmed at the sudden appearance
of the party, and retreated across the plain.
By a meridian altitude of a Cygni, the latitude was 14 degrees 40 minutes
4 seconds at this camp.
7th October.
At 8.0 a.m. steered an easterly course, crossing the grassy plain, beyond
which we passed a low stony ridge thinly wooded with small trees; at 9.40
crossed a deep watercourse, with waterholes and grassy flats, and at
10.15 p.m. came to a second creek, which was followed up to the
east-north-east till 11.20, when we halted at a small patch of grass; at
1 p.m. I rode to the north and east to seek a more suitable spot for an
encampment, and having found a grassy flat and pool of good water one and
a half miles higher up the creek, the party moved on to it at 4 p.m.
8th October.
Taking Dean with me, I proceeded to the south of the camp to ascertain
the most convenient ascent of the rocky hills which bounded the plain.
Following a small valley into the hills, after two hours' ride came to a
creek trending to the south, the valley of which afforded a practicable
line of route. We therefore returned to the camp at noon. At 3.0 p.m.
started with the party, and moved the camp to the creek found in the
morning. Thermometer, 114 degrees at 1 p.m.
9th October.
Started at 8.0 a.m., accompanied by Dean, and followed the creek through
a rocky valley between sandstone ranges, the strata of which dip to the
west at a high angle--30 degrees to 40 degrees; at 10.15 a.m. came to the
tide waters of the creek, and after crossing several stony ridges which
came close to the bank of the creek, at 11.30 a.m. reached a small
running stream with a patch of good grass; here we halted for two hours,
and then returned to camp; which we reached at 5.0 p.m., and found that
Mr. H. Gregory and Bowman had arrived with the two stray horses, having
found them about ten miles to the north-west of the camp, at the reedy
swamp from which they strayed. Thermometer, 6 a.m., 77 degrees; noon, 114
degrees; 6 p.m., 92 degrees.