I sent Mr. Roper forward to look for
water, of which he found a sufficient supply. He stated that the country
to the westward opened into fine plains, of a rich black soil; but it was
very dry. The bluff terminations of the left range bore E. by S., and
that on the right E.N.E.
March 9. - We moved to the water-holes found yesterday by Mr. Roper. On
our way we crossed a large scrub creek, coming from the northward and
joining Suttor Creek, which turned to the westward, and even W. by S. and
W.S.W.
Mr. Gilbert and Charley made an excursion to the westward, in which
direction Mr. Roper had seen a distant range, at the foot of which I
expected to find a large watercourse. Wind continued from the east and
south-east; about the middle of last night we had some rain.
A slender snake, about five feet long, of a greyish brown on the back,
and of a bright yellow on the belly, was seen nimbly climbing a tree. The
head was so much crushed in killing it that I could not examine its
teeth.
Mr. Roper and John Murphy succeeded in shooting eight cockatoos, which
gave us an excellent soup. I found in their stomachs a fruit resembling
grains of rice, which was slightly sweet, and would doubtless afford an
excellent dish, if obtained in sufficient quantity and boiled.
March 10. - We had slight drizzling showers towards sunset; the night very
cloudy till about ten a.m., when it cleared up. The variety of grasses is
very great; the most remarkable and succulent were two species of
Anthistiria, the grass of the Isaacs, and a new one with articulate ears
and rounded glumes. A pink Convolvulus, with showy blossoms, is very
common. Portulaca, with terete leaves, grows sparingly on the mild rich
soil.
Were a superficial observer suddenly transported from one of the reedy
ponds of Europe to this water-hole in Suttor Creek, he would not be able
to detect the change of his locality, except by the presence of
Casuarinas and the white trunks of the majestic flooded-gum. Reeds,
similar to those of Europe, and Polygonums almost identical as to
species, surround the water, the surface of which is covered with the
broad leaves of Villarsia, exactly resembling those of Nymphaea alba, and
with several species of Potomogeton. Small grey birds, like the warblers
of the reeds, flit from stem to stem; hosts of brilliant gyrinus play on
the water; notonectes and beetles, resembling the hydrophili, live within
it - now rising to respire, now swiftly diving. Limnaea, similar to those
of Europe, creep along the surface of the water; small Planorbis live on
the water-plants, to which also adhere Ancylus; and Paludina, Cyclas, and
Unio, furrow its muddy bottom.
