Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 490 pages of information about Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2.

Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 490 pages of information about Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2.

Some natives being heard on the opposite bank, Piper advanced towards them as cautiously as possible; but he could not prevail on them to come over, although he ascertained that the name of the river was the Wimmera.

DIFFICULT PASSAGE OF ITS FIVE BRANCHES.

July 19.

On examining the Wimmera with Piper’s assistance I found that it was fordable in some places; but in order to effect a passage with greater facility we took over several of the loads in one of the boats.  Thus the whole party had gained what I considered to be the left bank by ten A.M.  On proceeding I perceived some yarra trees before me which grew, as we soon discovered, beside a smaller branch, the bottom of which was soft.  We had however the good fortune to pass the carts across this branch also.  At a quarter of a mile further we came upon another flowing stream, apparently very deep and having steep but grassy banks.  The passage of this occupied the party nearly two hours, one of the carts having sunk up to the axle in a soft bank or channel island.  While the men were releasing the cart I rode forward and found a FOURTH channel, deep, wide, and full to the brim.  In vain did Tally-ho (trumpeter, master of the horse, etc. to the party) dash his horse into this stream in search of a bottom; though at last one broad favourable place was found where the whole party forded at a depth of not more than 2 1/2 feet.  Beyond these channels another similar one still obstructed our progress; but this we also successfully forded, and at length we found rising ground before us, consisting of an open plain which extended to the base of the mountains.  On its skirt we pitched our tents at a distance of not quite one mile and a half from our last camp; a short journey certainly, but the passage of the five branches of the Wimmera was nevertheless a good day’s work.  I had frequently observed in the Australian rivers a uniformity of character throughout the whole course of each, and the peculiarities of this important stream were equally remarkable, it being obviously the same we had crossed in three similar channels when on our way to Mount William, twenty miles above this point.  The shrubs on the banks at the two places were also similar.

ASCEND MOUNT ZERO.

July 20.

While Mr. Stapylton conducted the party across the plains in a west-south-west direction I proceeded towards Mount Zero, the most western extremity of the mountain range and distant from our camp 8 1/2 miles.  I found this hill consisted also of highly micaceous sandstone; the whole being inclined towards the north-west.  Having planted my theodolite on the summit I intersected various higher points to the eastward, and also a very remote, isolated hill on the low country far to the northward which I had also seen from Mount William, and from several stations on our route.  Several specimens of shrubs and flowers that had not been previously seen by us were gathered on the sides of this rocky hill.  Among them was a very singular hairy Acacia covered with a profusion of the most brilliant yellow flowers.  In some respects it resembled A. lanigera, but it proved upon examination to be undescribed.*

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Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.