2nd December.
Having filled our water-bags, we left the camp at 6.40 a.m., and steered
a course of north 200 degrees east towards a range of hills composed of
jasper rock, the highest point of which we reached at 10.0. The aneroid
stood at 29.15; thermometer 94 degrees. Three miles to the south-west of
this range the country rose into an elevated tableland higher than the
Jasper Range; towards this we continued our route, following a small
watercourse which gradually turned to the east. Finding the country very
dry and rocky, and no prospect of finding a spot where the tableland
could be ascended, we returned to the waterhole at which we camped last
night.
3rd December.
At 6.0 a.m. were again in the saddle, and steering north till 7.20,
ascended an isolated hill of trap-rock rising abruptly in the centre of
the open plain about 200 feet. Having taken bearings of the surrounding
ranges, steered north 30 degrees east till 10.30, across a level grassy
plain to the creek, which, though much larger than at the camp, was
destitute of water; but following its course downwards, at 10.50 halted
at a small pool. Judging from the height that drift-wood was lodged in
the branches of the trees, the floods rise about fifty feet; the regular
channel is thirty yards wide; on the banks red, green, and white shales
are exposed, but the bed of the creek is generally sandy. A large
tributary appears to join this creek from the west, in which direction a
large valley extends fifteen miles. At 3 p.m. steered east, and passed to
the south of a remarkable sandstone hill, which we named Mount Sandiman,
and at 5.30 reached the bank of the Victoria coming from the
south-south-east; followed it up for one mile and encamped where a ledge
of rock gave easy access to the water. In the evening there was a slight
shower, and a heavy thunderstorm passed to the north.
4th December.
About 5.45 resumed our journey up the river, passing through wide grassy
flats and over a sandstone ridge which was covered with triodia; from
this ridge there was an extensive view of the country to the south and
east, but no hills of greater elevation than the sandstone tableland were
visible, and for twenty miles the valley of the river expanded into a
wide plain thinly timbered with box-trees. Continuing a south-south-east
course through a fine grassy country till 10.0, halted in a patch of
green grass. The elevation of this part of the valley of the Victoria is
not great, as the barometer stood at 29.77 forty feet above the river;
thermometer, 101 degrees. The soil on the bank of the river is good and
well-grassed, but the inundations during the rainy season extend on each
side of the river several miles. The strata of the sandstone, where
exposed, dip to the north, but there is no alteration in the character of
the rocks. Abundance of portulaca grew near our halting place, and
furnished us with an agreeable vegetable; this plant was afterwards found
over the whole of Northern Australia, and proved a very valuable article
of food. At 3.20 continued our route, and at 5.30 bivouacked at a small
pool of rainwater in one of the back channels of the river, the banks of
which were inconveniently covered with high reeds. During the night there
was continuous light rain till 4.0 a.m.