Water, which would have otherwise interrupted
our course, or rather our multitude of courses; for I never saw a stream
with such opposite windings, and no one reach was a quarter of a mile
long, so that it may be said to resemble a collar of SS. The opposite
plains were named Butterworth Plains.
Several new plants were the result of to-day's research, among them a
new species of amaryllis, upon which the botanists prided themselves
much; for in this country few were supposed to be in existence.
June 26 - The morning cold and frosty. At nine o'clock we proceeded down
the river, which inclined to the south of west for ten miles; when at
three o'clock we stopped for the evening. We passed through a country to
the full as barren as any we had yet seen. There were occasional clear
spaces, but for the greater part thick cypress bushes, acacia, and other
low shrubs, rendered it difficult for the horses to pass. On the plain,
the acacia pendula again made a very fine appearance.
The timber on the intermediate banks of the stream became scarcer and
smaller; and from the marks on the trees in the swamps, it sometimes
overflows them to the depth of two feet; but they have now apparently
been long dry, the little water remaining in the hollows or holes being
a milky white.
The abundance of white cockatoos and crows, which is constantly about
the banks of the river, is astonishing; the other smaller birds appear
to be also common to the east coast. Since we have been on the river, no
recent traces of the natives have been seen; here, as higher up the
river, they rather seem to shun it, and frequent the higher grounds in
preference: perhaps their food is more easily procured on those grounds
than on the river, particularly as they appear unacquainted with the
method of taking the fish by hook and line.
As the horses were by no means in a condition to be forced, I determined
to remain here to-morrow to refresh them, and set forward again on
Saturday morning.
June 27. - After breakfast, I sent two men down the river to examine our
route for to-morrow: one of them crossed over to the north side, to
endeavour to reach some open spaces of plains which we saw from our
tent. In the course of the afternoon they both returned; one, who had
gone a little way inland on this side, could make no progress for
extensive swamps, covered with water of the depth of from two to four
feet, and abounding with black swans and wild fowl. The other man was
also unable to reach the plains on the other side for water supplied
from a creek of the river, and forming an extensive and deep morass.
With these unfavourable reports before us, we determined to keep close
to this bank of the river during tomorrow's journey; and if we should he
prevented by its overflowing from proceeding, to return, and endeavour
to round the morasses to the southward. Latitude by observation
33. 22. S., long. 145. 24. 15. E.; and the variation of the compass
7. 30. E.
June 28. - Upon farther consideration, it appeared more advisable that
the horses should proceed round the south edge of the morasses rather
than be obliged to return; after keeping by the river for three or four
miles, which to all appearance was as far as we should be enabled to
proceed in that direction. However, that there might remain no doubt as
to which was the preferable route, I adhered to my determination to go
down the banks of the river myself as far as I could, and return by the
route which the horses were to take. Our principal object being to keep
as close to the stream as possible, with reference to the ability of the
horses to travel over the ground.
The horses set forward at nine o'clock$ and I proceeded down the stream
five or six miles, when I was obliged to return to the place from which
I set out, being unable to cross a small drain that led from the swamps
to the river. I could in no place deviate above fifty yards from the
river without being bogged, the water lying in some places eighteen
inches deep, and in holes, much deeper. I attempted several times to
proceed southerly, intending to cross the track which I presumed Mr.
Evans would be obliged to take, but I was unable to accomplish it. The
route taken by Mr. Evans and the horses led along the edge of extensive
morasses covered with water; we proceeded nine or ten miles, when the
morasses almost assumed the appearance of lakes; very extensive
portions of them being free from timber, and being apparently deep
water. South of the edge of the morass along which we travelled, the
country was a barren scrub, and in places very soft; the horses falling
repeatedly during the day.
At the place where we stopped for the evening, I calculated that we were
about five miles south of the river; on the edge of a very large lagoon,
or lake. The country was so extremely low, that before I returned up the
river to rejoin the horses, wishing to see what the openings on the
other side were, I ascended a large gum tree, which enabled me to see
that the flats opposite were similar to those on the south side. Our
progress, upon the whole although we had travelled upwards of ten miles,
did not exceed in a direct line five miles.
