11th October.
Leaving the camp at 7.0 a.m., steered an easterly course over somewhat
barren granite country, timbered with cypress and ironbark; passed close
to a hill on the highest point of the range, the summit of which, by
approximate measurement, rose to 2500 feet above the sea. Then following
a spur of the range we reached the well in the sandy creek at 1.5 p.m.
Having cleared out the sand and banked it up with stakes and brushwood, a
plentiful supply of water was obtained at about five feet below the
surface of the dry channel.
Latitude by e Pegasi 18 degrees 45 minutes 53 seconds.
12th October.
At 7.0 a.m. steered north 60 degrees east over undulating granite
country, timbered with ironbark and box, the grass scanty and very dry;
at 8.45 crossed a large creek coming from the south. Its channel was 100
yards wide, dry, sandy, and a few pools of shallow water; the banks ten
to twenty feet high. Crossing several gullies trending northward, at noon
came on a dry sandy creek, also trending to the north. On its right bank
was a level flat of cellular lava or basalt. Following the course of the
creek, at 1.50 p.m. camped at a fine lagoon a quarter of a mile long and
seventy yards wide, the water appearing to be about ten feet deep,
although unusually low at the present time. A high range of hills exist
to the north of this creek, and the watercourses all trend to the
north-west; and, as our latitude is the same as the Reedy Brook of
Leichhardt on the south-west side of the Valley of Lagoons, it is evident
that these streams do not join the Burdekin, but are tributary to the
Lynd, joining it probably at the southern bend.
Latitude by b Aurigae 18 degrees 38 minutes 12 seconds.
13th October.
At 6.25 a.m. steered east and traversed a slightly undulating granite
country, with small watercourses trending west-south-west. Ironbark and
box formed an open forest, the soil poor and gritty, with a few patches
of black soil, with blocks of lava on the surface. At 11.15 ascended a
small hill of lava, from which the country appeared very level to the
east. To the north-east large hills rose about twelve miles distant;
ranges also bounded the plain to the south, and some distant summits were
visible to the south-east. Continuing an east course, lava became more
frequent, and at length covered the whole surface. At 2.30 p.m. came on
several streams of lava, forming ridges of rugged rocks, which were
crossed with difficulty. These streams of lava appeared to have run from
north to south, the thickness twenty to thirty feet, and breadth very
variable. The level ground was lightly timbered with ironbark and box. At
5.25 turned to the south-east, following a small gully. Passed a small
native well; but very little water in it, and the rock prevented it being
enlarged. At 6.15 camped near some large rocks, in which five or six
gallons of rainwater had collected. Walking down the creek one and a half
miles in search of water, found two small pools of rainwater; but the
darkness of the night and broken nature of the ground prevented the party
moving to them.
14th October.
Moved the camp to the waterholes found last night, one and a half miles
down the gully. The country is here granite formation, undulating and
moderately grassed, and wooded with box and ironbark. The day was cloudy,
but cleared at night, and I took sights for time, latitude, and lunar
distance. Chronometer 2287 would not wind up in the morning, and stopped
during the day, but, having run down, wound again without difficulty.
Longitude by lunar distances 144 degrees 33 minutes 15 seconds; latitude
by e Pegasi 18 degrees 41 minutes 38 seconds; variation of compass 5
degrees 50 minutes east.
15th October.
Resumed our journey at 7.0 a.m., and followed the course of the creek to
the south-east. The north-east side was a plain of lava, and the
south-west consisted of granite ridges with sandstone on the summits.
Several small creeks joined from the south-west, and increased the
principal channel considerably. At 10.0 the country was more level and
openly timbered with box and bloodwood; grass was abundant and green,
owing to heavy rains, which appear to have been accompanied with hail, as
the west-north-west sides of the trees were much bruised and the soil
indented, and a great portion of the leaves torn from the trees. At 1.15
p.m. camped on a small tributary creek. The country appears to be chiefly
granite and mica schist, with thin beds or streams of lava, which have
come from the ranges to the north and advanced to various distances into
the more level land. The surface of the lava is more thinly wooded and
better grassed than the granite; but the roughness of the surface and
scarcity of water rendered it less convenient travelling. From one of the
higher ridges we had a wide but imperfect view of the country. The air
being hazy, only a few of the marked features of the ranges to the north
were visible; to the east a high hill twenty-five miles distant rose
beyond an undulating wooded country. At 6.0 a heavy thunderstorm caused
the creek to run for several hours.
Latitude by Capella 18 degrees 49 minutes 13 seconds.