31st October.
A rainy night was followed by a thick fog in the morning, so that when we
started at 6.30 a.m. it was with difficulty the deep gullies on the banks
of the Suttor were avoided; steering south-west for one hour, crossed to
the right bank of the Suttor, and then by an average south course passed
to the west of Mount McConnell, which, by its isolated character and
height (about 600 feet above the river) forms a very conspicuous
landmark. It is wooded to the summit, and has fine patches of grass on
the slopes, with cliffs of porphyry near the upper part, this being the
prevailing rock; on the right bank white shaly rocks and dark trap, with
veins of calcareous spar and limestone, prevailed on the left bank of the
Suttor; the country on both sides well grassed and openly timbered with
ironbark. The bed of the river was very irregular and sandy, with small
shallow pools of water at intervals; at 11.0 the river came from the
south-west, but continuing a south course we crossed some fine basaltic
plains, covered with fine grass and separated by open box forest; at noon
crossed a sandstone hill, the base of which was porphyry; traversing
ironbark ridges for an hour, we crossed a sandy creek coming from the
east, and at 1.0 p.m. encountered the first brigalow scrub; through this
scrub we steered south-west till 3.40, and camped on a small dry creek
with a narrow grassy flat; water was obtained from a small gully where it
had lodged during a shower on the previous night. The country till we
reached the brigalow scrub was well adapted for pastoral purposes; the
rock trap, slate, and porphyry, with veins of limestone. The brigalow
scrub grows on the detritus of a coarse conglomerate, the larger boulders
of which lay scattered over the surface of the ground; these boulders
consist of trap, porphyry, sandstone, and quartz, and show marks of being
water-worn. A range of hills, apparently sandstone, bounds the valley to
the east from three to seven miles from the river. They have no great
elevation, and we did not obtain a good view of them from any point.
Latitude by Capella 20 degrees 52 minutes 25 seconds.
1st November.
The horses had strayed so far into the scrub in search of grass that it
was 9.40 a.m. before they were collected and saddled; we then steered
south-west through the scrub, which gradually became more open, and at
11.15 we again reached the river coming from the south-south-east; it
gradually turned to south and south-south-west; two creeks joined the
river from the east, but neither of any importance; the brigalow scrub
came close to the bank of the river, only leaving a narrow flat open; the
west side of the river we could see but little, except that it consisted
of wooded ridges and scrub to the east at a distance of one to three
miles; rocky hills of moderate height existed, and from their flat tops
and red cliffs near the summit, evidently consisted of sandstone in
horizontal strata; sandstone was also exposed near the river with a dip
of 30 degrees to the south; at 3.30 camped on the right bank of the
Suttor, where a fine grassy plain extended about a mile back, and was
covered with beautiful green grass; water was abundant, as the river had
been running during the past week and had filled the hollows in the
channel, though it had now ceased to flow; the bed is very irregular, and
consists of three to six channels, which separate and rejoin so as to
form a complete network, with occasional isolated hollows. Being free
from scrub, the bed of the river was good travelling ground, large
flooded-gum trees and melaleuca-trees affording an agreeable shade.
Latitude by a Pegasi 21 degrees 4 minutes 43 seconds.
2nd November (Sunday).
Grass and water being abundant, we enjoyed a day's rest. Several
cockatoos were shot; they are similar in colour and form to the
sulphur-crested cockatoos of the Victoria and Gulf of Carpentaria, but
much larger in size.