12th October.
During the night the horses were several times disturbed, but it was not
till morning that the cause was ascertained, when we found that they had
been attacked by the alligators, and three were severely bitten and
scratched. At 8.0 a.m. started to follow up the river; but the rocky
hills approached so close to its banks as to leave no passage, and we had
to ascend the range, which was not an easy task; after three hours of
severe toil under a scorching sun we reached a more practicable country,
and at 3.30 p.m. encamped on the bank of the river, above the influence
of the tide, fifty yards wide. Two of the horses had been left about a
mile from the camp quite exhausted, but at sunset they were brought in to
the camp.
Latitude by observation a Cygni 14 degrees 51 minutes 37 seconds.
13th October.
At 7.0 a.m. crossed to the left bank of the river at a stony bar where
the water formed a rapid twenty yards wide and two feet deep; we then
followed the river up for half an hour and altered the course to
south-south-east, along a running creek ten to twenty yards wide; at 8.5
a.m. crossed a running stream from the west; at 10.30 a.m. two of the
horses were completely exhausted, but having rested them at a pool of
water, one revived, but were compelled to leave the other. We then
proceeded, but were obliged to return to the creek about a mile higher
up, as several of the horses began to fail, and though we rested till 3.0
p.m., the second horse was unable to proceed, and was therefore
abandoned. Since these horses were landed they have not had strength to
rise without assistance, and it has been necessary to even watch them
while feeding to lift them up when they fall down from exhaustion.
Continuing our route, the valley was about two miles wide, with
flat-topped hills bounding it on the east and west; there were a few
pools of water in the creek, but the country was poor and stony with a
few patches of grass; at 5.0 p.m. encamped.
Latitude by meridian altitude of a Cygni 15 degrees 1 minute 10 seconds.
14th October.
Started at 6.30 a.m. and pursued a south course till 8.0 a.m., when we
crossed the ridge at the source of the creek and ascended some stony
gullies to the south-west; at 10.40 a.m. halted at a small waterhole in a
small creek. Re-commenced our journey at 3.0 p.m., and followed a valley
to the south-east; but finding the country in that direction unsuited for
our object, turned to the west and reached the creek again at 5.15 p.m.;
followed it till 6.0 p.m. to the south-west, and encamped. There was
abundance of water in the creek, and the rank growth of the grass on its
immediate banks proved a great impediment to the horses. The back
country, however, was very rough and stony, thinly timbered with
white-gum eucalyptus of small size, and nearly destitute of leaves; and
though the whole country was grassy, it was so much parched by the
intense heat that it presented a very sterile aspect; at 4.30 p.m. there
was a heavy thundershower.
15th October.
As the creek below the camp trended to the west and entered a deep rocky
gorge in the sandstone range, we steered south at 7.0 a.m., crossing
several stony ridges with small gullies and creeks trending west; at
10.20 a.m. crossed the highest ridge, and observed a succession of low
stony ridges occupying the space between us and the Sea Range.
Descending, we reached a creek, on the bank of which we halted at 11.30
a.m. Here we caught several small fish in a deep pool in the creek.
15th October.
Resuming our route down the creek at 2.30 pm, the average course was
south-west till 5.30, when we were encamped at a large deep pool or reach
of water three-quarters of a mile long and fifty yards wide, supplied by
a small stream. Great numbers of large bats were seen hanging in the
trees on the margin of the creek, some of which we shot; the flesh was
white and was eaten, but it had an unpleasant flavour. The country during
this day's journey has not been so hilly as yesterday, and near the camp
the trees have retained a few leaves. The soil, however, shows no
improvement, being universally stony, and though well-grassed, the
country is useless for any purpose than feeding stock. The gouty-stemmed
tree (adansonia) is more frequent on the banks of the creeks; pandanus
and fig trees prevail near the water, and eucalypti on the hills.
Latitude 15 degrees 17 minutes 50 seconds.