Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 251 pages of information about Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I.

Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 251 pages of information about Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I.
that I determined to ascertain before embarking upon it, whether the general course was in the desired direction.  Leaving Mr. White with half the party, I accordingly traced the Karaula downwards, and found that its course changed to south, a few miles below where I had made it, and that it was joined by the Gwydir only eight miles below where I had crossed that river.  Immediately below the junction of the Gwydir (which is in latitude 29 degrees 30 minutes 27 seconds, longitude 148 degrees 13 minutes 20 seconds) the course of the river continues southward of west, directly towards where Captain Sturt discovered the River Darling; and I could no longer doubt that this was the same river.  I therefore returned to the party, determined to explore the country further northward.

The results of my progress thus far were sufficient, I considered, to prove that the division of the waters falling towards the northern and southern shores of Australia is not, as has been supposed, in the direction of the Liverpool and Warrabangle range, but extends between Cape Byron on the eastern shore, towards Dick Hartog’s Island on the west; the greater elongation of this country being between these points, and intermediate between the lines of its northern and southern coasts.  The basin of the streams I have been upon must be bounded on the north by this dividing ground or water-shed, and although no rise was perceptible in the northern horizon, the river was traversed by several rocky dykes, over which it fell southward; their direction being oblique to the course, and nearly parallel to this division of the waters.  I beg leave to state, that I should not feel certain on this point without having seen more, were it not evident from Mr. Cunningham’s observations, made on crossing this division on his way to Moreton Bay.  Mr. Cunningham, on crossing the head of this river, nearly in the same latitude, but much nearer its sources, found the height of its bed above the sea to be 840 feet; at about forty-five miles further northward the ground rose to upwards of 1700 feet, but immediately beyond, he reached a river flowing north-west, the height of which was only 1400 feet above the sea.  He had thus crossed this dividing higher ground, between the parallels of 29 degrees and 28 degrees.  It appears, therefore, that all the interior rivers we know of to the northward of the Morumbidgee, belong to the basin of the Karaula; this stream flowing southward, and hence the disappearance of the Macquarie and other lower rivers may be understood, for all along the banks of the Karaula, the Gwydir, and the Nammoy, the country, though not swampy, bears marks of frequent inundation; thus the floods occasioned by these rivers united, cover the low country, and receive the Macquarie so that no channel marks its further course.

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Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.