Volume II Part 3 (1/2)

We were naturally very anxious to proceed, and as soon as there was sufficient light to read the division of the bearing co onward in the direction of the bluff, and furthest land seen last evening to the South-East We had not proceeded far before we discovered a distant level range, beginning to show itself to the right of this projection, adding still more to the zest hich we pursued our search The tide, however, , ere compelled to anchor abreast, and distant three quarters of a mile from the north-west point of a bay two miles wide

The bluff headland, before alluded to, forms the south-east point of this bay, and to which Captain Wickham and myself hastened instantly the shi+p was secured

We found a few fossils on the side of this ridge, as we ascended, which at once induced us to name it, Fossil Head Our vieas decisive of the fact, that all further progress eastas at an end, but to the south sandbanks and patches of dark-coloured water bounding our view left still great hope The high land ter to the northward it appeared to subside in an East-North-East direction The base of this range was fronted by a low piece of land, stretching out on its north-west side, and forrees East five miles from Fossil Head

TABLE HILL

But the most remarkable feature in the scene was an isolated flat-topped hill, having all the appearance of a bastion or fortress, rising abruptly fro plain, to an elevation of 650 feet, the upper part being a line of cliffs, greatly adds to the appearance it presents, that of a corees East, fourteen miles from Fossil Head; and the country betas very low, and intersected by a creek about midway This remarkable piece of land is called in the chart Table Hill; an inlet trended in towards the foot of it

We noticed several old traces of natives; the country in the neighbourhood was of a stony desolate character, yet appeared to afford nourish two rove creeks of no i the shi+p, we returned

Our hopes of finding a river of sonitude were not in the least destroyed from e had seen from Fossil Head, and the southerly direction of the flood-streans, we felt that ere again entering upon a new part of the continent, and the thoughts thus engendered acted like a powerful stimulant, so that ere not easily cast down

The tide serving badly, and the day being far advanced, it was decided that we should notabreast of Fossil Head, we steered fro of the deep-water channel we had seen yesterday We proceeded cautiously, feeling our ith the boats ahead After passing so dry sandbank, ere obliged again to anchor, both boats signalizing a depth of only two fathoms

FIND A CHANNEL FOR THE shi+P

Table Hill bore North 46 degrees East, fifteen rees West It was now necessary to find a channel for the shi+p, which I succeeded in doing the next day, and on that following, the 12th, Captain Wickhae, while Messrs Fitz in towards the foot of Table Hill

By following a creek we ale in the boat; a line of cliffs stretched along near the summit, beneath which it sloped down rapidly to the plain We ascended by a slight valley, co the top that instead of being on a level, ere standing a the crest of a platforht as to appear in the distance one continuous plain It was, therefore, with sohest part, each, until we reached it, appearing to be so Ultimately I was coles

VIEW FROM TABLE HILL

The vieas very extensive, a wide inlet separating the range we stood on froularity, fro plain, similar to that which lay at our feet The latter was intersected by creeks that could be traced by the e which marked their course Many parts of the low lands were covered with a salt incrustation, and here and there were scattered trees deposited by the overflows of the water, that still appeared to flow froht of this driftwood and many minor appearances, was indeed most welcome, and added full confirmation to the opinion that ere noithin the e river

To the South-West, and distant thirteen e islands, which from the remarkable shape of two patches of trees on their northern ends, we named Quoin and Clump Islands A small patch of low land was discovered beyond them, bethich and Quoin Island appeared the proper channel That, however, lying between the islands see moreover within our immediate reach, it was determined that we should proceed by it

MACADAM RANGE

A ree here occurred in the character of the country, the hills being now composed of a white, and very compact kind of sandstone

In the cliffs the strata were very le of about thirty degrees with the horizon The base and sides of these heights were thickly streith sments of sandstone The appearance presented was precisely sione the i process invented by Mr McAdae

A large light-coloured kangaroo was the only living thingA short green-looking grass was thinly sprinkled over the country, i a freshness to it, which, in contrast with the aridity that had of late surrounded us, was quite delightful

Crossing the flat on returning to the boat, I was much struck by one particular spot on the border of a creek I came suddenly upon a nuh altogether covering about ten yards of ground, there was no appearance of any shape in their arrangement I am still puzzled, to determine whether they were merely the results of childish aical incantation or religious ceremony of the natives I am the more inclined to think it was the latter, as there was a native grave near, covered with the saht of about three feet We had not before observed anything like it, neither did we afterwards Several flights of large curleere seen passing over the boat, and resting on the flats in its neighbourhood Whilst endeavouring to procure some of the the risk of beco one

NARROW ESCAPE FROM AN ALLIGATOR

I had stripped to swi to the outer edge of the flat where ator rose close by, bringing his unpleasant countenance ed with shot, and the primitive state of nudity to which I had just reduceda second load To fire therefore was useless, and to retreat difficult, for I had wandered from the boat some distance across the bank, on which the water was fast rising

Thought, there was no time for, and before my companions could have reached me, the tide would have flooded the place sufficiently to enable the alligator to attackthe monster was to hasten back to the boat, and to cross the last creek before the alligator, who appeared fully aware of my intentions It was now, therefore, a an I started off with the ut pace with me in the water After a sharp and anxious race, I reached the last creek, which was now ravated byin I reached the opposite shore just in tiator extended close above the spot where I had quitted the water My deliverance was providential, and I could not refrain fro breath upon the bank afterabout as if still in hopes oftill the monster came close, I took a deliberate ai hiht, blew fro the first land-e had yet experienced The temperature re here 86, and the ot on board about noon, and the next day Mr Fitzmaurice returned He had found Table Hill to be a perfect natural fortress, accessible only at the South-East corner by a slight break in the line of cliffs surrounding it; the large inlet ter close at the southern foot of the hill, where it branched off in an east and north-east direction, and in the course of three miles, became lost at the western extremity of some low thickly-wooded plains, which extended eastward as far as the eye could reach To the south lay McAdath blended with the plain, the eye finding so where the hills ended and the plain commenced

HOPES OF DISCOVERING A RIVER

All the soundings and other data for the chart, in the ihbourhood, were collected by the 16th, when the shi+p was got underweigh, as soon as the tide, which here rose twenty feet, was high enough After passing through a channel, six and seven fatho the flat, extending off McAdah, we hauled over to the ard for a say in the sands, extending off the north-west end of Clu under the south end of McAdae, we found asof great i between Clump and Quoin Islands, we anchoredwhich the approach of high-water rendered necessary, as froed at that time to have at least seven fathoms We were now surrounded on all sides by flat shores, and fro the western side of the principal channel The high land south of McAdae, was found to terminate in a re successful, we nae beyond, yet the fact of the distance which really existed between them, did not escape our anxious observation; and it was indeed in the different shade of these two ranges, one being less distinct than the other, that we found ample confirmation of our hopes