Part 51 (1/2)

halt, I proceeded to reconnoitre the country to the west, and at length found a practicable route to the tributaries of the Warrego River, to which the party was advanced A heavy shower of rain had filled the gullies in this locality, and green grass clothed the country, for contrast to the dry and waterless valley of the Maranoa

15th to 16th April

Fine openly ties of scrub of brigalow acacia till we reached Mount Playfair, a basaltic hill on the sandstone ridge which separates the Warrego Valley from that of the Nive, a small branch of which was followed down to its junction with the rees 6 rassed, and openly tiues, covered with dense scrub of brigalow acacia So small fish were passed, on the bank of which the remains of numerous native camps were seen

17th April

Froh a nearly level sandy country, covered with a scrub of acacia, eucalypti, bottle-tree, etc, which offered great iress, till within six ed froht had been of such a long continuance that the whole of the vegetation had been destroyed and swept away by the wind, leaving the country to all appearance an absolute desert The bed of the Victoria was scarcely ten yards wide, and perfectly dry, so that it was only after a prolonged search along its course that a small puddle of water was found in a hollow of the clay flat, and near it, fortunately for our horses, a little grass growing in widely scattered tufts

THE BARCOO RIVER

19th April

Being now on the line of route which Dr Leichhardt had stated his intention of following, the party was divided, so that both sides of the river were exaht have been situated; but as the high floods appeared to have inundated the country for nearly a mile on each bank last year, all tracks of previous explorers were necessarily obliterated, and it was only by marked trees, or the bones of cattle, that we could hope to discover any trace During the first two days' journey down the river only a few small pools of water were seen, and these not of a peretation on the open dohich had excited the admiration of Sir T

Mitchell on his discovery of the country in a favourable season, had wholly passed away, leaving little but a bare surface of clay, the deep fissures in its surface giving evidence of long-continued drought

20th April

In latitude 24 degrees 37 rees 13 minutes, a small sandy creek, of equal size with the Victoria, joined from the east, and just below the first perht irass, but dense scrubs prevailed in the back country, and even approached the river at intervals

LEICHHARDT'S MARKED TREE

21st April

While collecting the horses near this pool of water I detected a party of ar one of the stockeneral ine that it was a knowledge that ere aware of their intentions which preventedable to establish any communication with theht, were the first natives seen during the journey Continuing our route along the river (latitude 24 degrees 35 rees 6 minutes), we discovered a Moreton-Bay ash (Eucalyptus sp), about two feet in diah the bark, about four feet froround, and near it the stumps of some small trees which had been cut with a sharp axe, also a deep notch cut in the side of a sloping tree, apparently to support the ridge pole of a tent, or so that a camp had been established here by Leichhardt's party The tree was near the bank of a small reach of water, which is noted on Sir T Mitchell's ether with its actual and relative position as regards other features of the country, prove it not to have been either one of Sir T Mitchell's or Mr Kennedy's camps, as neither encamped within several miles of the spot, besides which, the letter could not have been nate the nu passed his fiftieth camp, and the latter had not reached that number on the outward route, and numbered his camp from the farthest point attained on his return journey Notwithstanding a careful search, no traces of stock could be found This is, however, easily accounted for, as the country had been inundated last season, though the current had not been sufficiently strong to remove some e place within a few yards of the spot No other indications having been found, we continued the search down the river, exa every likely spot for eneral aspect of the country was extrees which were visible had but shest apparently not exceeding 200 or 300 feet Tih open plains existed, acacia scrubs were the principal feature Water became very scarce in the channels of the river, and ere principally dependent on small puddles of rainwater from a recent thunder-shower; but as we approached the northern bend some fine reaches of water were passed

THE ALICE RIVER

6th April to 28th April

In latitude 26 degrees 2from the north-east This I traced upwards for a few ard to the adjacent country, as well as the latitude, did not correspond with that of the Alice River on the chart, we continued our route Finding, however, that the general course of the river changed to south-west, I left the party at a s a second search, more especially at the junction of the small dry creek, which proved to be identical with the Alice River, though more than five miles to the south, as the Victoria River never reaches the parallel of 24 degrees Our position was now becoht had not only dried up all the water, except in the deepest hollows in the channel of the etation, and even the trees on the back country were annihilated, rendering the country almost impracticable from the quantity of fallen dead branches, and even in the bed of the river, where the inundation derived from heavy rain near the sources of the river last year had sorass, it was scarcely possible to find subsistence for the horses Under existing circumstances, it would have been certain destruction to attempt a north-west route from this point; and the only course that appeared opened to us was to follon the main river to the junction of the Thompson River, and ascend that watercourse so as to intersect Leichhardt's probable line of route, had he penetrated in that direction, favoured by a better season At the same time, it was probable that, like ourselves, he had been repulsed, and would then follon the river, and search for a more favourable point from which to commence his north-west course, in order to round the desert interior on its northern side; and we therefore continued our search doards the Thompson River

29th April to 2nd May

The country was perfectly flat on both sides of the river, and showed traces of tremendous floods The soil near the river was often deeply-cracked rass seldom seen The back country was covered with scrubs of dead acacia, the soil a red sand or gravel; and such was the unproan to fear that our horses would soon fail for want of food and water; but having ca Sunday to rest the party, heavy rain coreater portion of the water was absorbed by the dry soil, some of the channels of the river filled and coarded the want of water, and enabled us to seek for grass in positions which were otherwise inaccessible

3rd May

Just as ere leaving our cah they caet no useful information fro they were not observed, made an atteory, wheeling his horse quickly and presenting a revolver at the intending aggressors, they ran away, and left us to pursue our journey in peace

THE THOMPSON RIVER

4th May to 6th May