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. Our course was nearly
south-west, and we performed about ten miles.
May 19. - At two miles passed over a low rocky range connected with Mount
Maude: the remainder of our day's journey (nearly twelve miles) lay
chiefly through a barren level country, the ground rather studded than
covered with grass, and that only in patches, by far the greater part
producing no grass at all. The trees were chiefly cypresses, a new
species of staculia, together with scrubs of the acacia pendula. The
soil a light red sand, the lower levels being stronger and more clayey.
We did not meet with any water, and were obliged to stop in the middle
of an acacia brush, the horses being too much fatigued to proceed
farther, and as the country had been lately burnt, the grass was a
little better than usual. At four o'clock sent two men to search for
water, and in about half an hour they returned, having found several
small ponds of good water about three quarters of a mile to the
south-west: the swamp appeared to extend to the northward a considerable
distance.
