He Ascertained That The Country
In General Is Very Unfertile:
The Lachlan he traced, till it seemed to
loose itself in a multitude of branches among marshy flats.
"Perhaps,"
observes Lieutenant Oxley, "there is no river, the history of which is
known, that presents so remarkable a termination as the present: its
course, in a strait line from its source to its termination, exceeds 500
miles, and including its windings, it may fairly be calculated to run at
least 1200 miles; during all which passage, through such a vast extent of
country, it does not receive a single stream in addition to what it derives
from its sources in the Eastern mountains." - "One tree, one soil, one
water, and one description of bird, fish, or animal, prevails alike for ten
miles, and for 100." There were, however, tracks, especially where the
limestone formation prevailed, of great beauty and fertility; but these
were comparatively rare and of small extent. Level, bare, sandy wastes,
destitute of water, or morasses and swamps, which would not support them,
formed by far the greatest part of the country through which they
travelled.
The second object Lieutenant Oxley had in view was the survey of the course
of the Macquarrie river; this he knew to be to the north-west of the
Lachlan. In crossing from the banks of the latter in search of the former,
they reached a beautiful valley; in the centre of which flowed a clear and
strong rivulet. This they traced till it joined a large river, which they
ascertained to be the Macquarrie.
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