It
would end in a similar manner to the one we had already traced, until it
became no longer navigable for boats.
In pursuance of this intention we descended the hill, which was named
Farewell Hill, from its being the termination of our journey in a
north-west direction at least for the present, and proceeded up the
south bank of the stream. We were able to reach only a short distance
from the spot where we stopped last night, having been obliged to unload
the horses no less than four times in the course of the day, added to
which, the travelling loaded through those dreadful marshes had
completely exhausted them: my own horse, in searching for a better
track, was nearly lost, and it consumed four hours to advance scarcely
half a mile.
My disappointment at the interruption of our labours in this quarter was
extreme, and what was worse, no flattering prospect appeared of our
succeeding better in the examination of the south-west branch. I was
however determined to see the present end of the river in all its
branches, before I should finally quit it, in furtherance of the other
objects of the expedition.
May 13. - Returned to the point whence the river separates into two
branches; intending first to descend the south-west branch for some
distance before the boats and baggage should move down, being unwilling
the horses should undergo an useless fatigue in traversing such marshy
ground, unless the branch should prove of sufficient magnitude to take
us a considerable distance; conceiving it an object of the first
importance that the horses should start fresh, if I should find it
necessary to quit the river at this point of the coast.
May 14. - This branch of the river has fallen about a foot. Having
directed the casks in the boats to be prepared for slinging on the
horses, and the tools and arms to be put in order preparatory to leaving
the river, I proceeded to examine the branch. After going about four
miles down, it took a similar direction (north-westerly) to that which
we had previously traced. The banks on both sides were a mere marsh, and
about six miles down, a small arm from it supplied the marshes between
this and the north-west branch. The fall of the country from the
south-east to the north-west was very remarkable; the water in the
branch was here nearly level with the banks, and was narrowed to a
width of not more than twenty feet. Finding that it would be equally as
impracticable to follow this branch as the other, I returned and
commenced preparations for setting out for the coast, which I purpose
not to do until Sunday, in order that the horses may be refreshed, as
they will at first be most heavily laden.
My present intention is to take a south-west direction for Cape
Northumberland, since should any river be formed from those marshes,
which is extremely probable, and fall into the sea between Spencer's
Gulf and Cape Otway, this course will intersect it, and no river or
stream can arise from these swamps without being discovered. The body of
water now running in both the principal branches is very considerable,
fully sufficient to have constituted a river of magnitude, if it had
constantly maintained such a supply of water, and had not become
separated into branches, and lost among the immense marshes of this
desolate and barren country, which seems here to form a vast concavity
to receive them. It is impossible to arrive at any certain opinion as to
what finally becomes of these waters, but I think it probable, from the
appearance of the country, and its being nearly on a level with the sea,
that they are partly absorbed by the soil, and the remainder lost by
evaporation.
May 15. - Mr. Cunningham made an excursion under Mount Melville, and
found the country in that direction as full of stagnant water as to the
north-west. Some tracts rather more raised above the usual level were
barren, and covered with acacia scrubs. The natives had been recently
under Mount Melville, perhaps to the number of a dozen: abundance of
large pearl muscle-shells was found about their deserted fireplaces, but
these shells had been apparently some months out of water.
May 16. - Felled a tree of the acacia pendula, the wood extremely hard
and beautiful; a black resinous juice exuded from the heart, which much
resembled the black part of the lignum vitae. Our observations placed
this spot in latitude 33. 15. 34. S.; longitude 147. 16. E. and the
variation of the compass 7. 0. 8. E.
May 17. - After reducing our luggage as much as possible, we sent every
thing down the branch about two miles, and landed on the south shore;
got every thing in readiness for proceeding on our journey to-morrow;
hauled up the boats on the south bank, and secured them, together with
such heavy articles as we could not take with us. The provisions
occupied our whole fourteen horses, including my own, and each will
still be very heavily laden.
May 18. - At nine o'clock we commenced our journey towards the coast; at
three stopped within four miles of Mount Maude, on a dry creek, with
occasional pools of very indifferent water. The country through which we
passed from the branch was for the first three miles very low and wet,
with large lagoons of water. During the latter part of the journey the
country was more elevated though still level, the soil light and rotten,
and overrun with the acacia pendula. The horses being very heavily laden
fell repeatedly during the early part of the day.
