Part 10 (1/2)
April 19--Continuing our journey in a north-west direction, we passed over some very rocky hills, composed of indurated clay, and thin strata of sandstone, and pudding-stone By h hills, we avoided all those deep gullies which intersected the banks of the river, and travelled with ease through a flat, well grassed Ironbark forest The hills were covered, as usual, with stunted silver-leaved Ironbark A large creek caood section on its right bank exposed to view the strata of indurated clay and sandstone; and I was induced to believe that coalover the flat between the creck and the river,a native busily occupied in burning the grass, and eagerly watching its progress: the operation attracted several crows, ready to seize the insects and lizards whichplaces by the fire Mr Calvert, Brown, and Charley, rode nearly up to the man before he are of their approach; when he took to his heels, and fled in the greatest consternation
Upon reaching the river, at about eight miles from our last camp, we found that it was joined by another river of almost the same size as the Burdekin: it had a stream, and came from the northward, whilst the course of the Burdekin at this place was froe trended to the north-east, and es bounded the valley of the river fro the left side of the Burdekin above the junction; and basaltic ridges, which had broken through the sandstone, approached on its right The cucurbitaceous plant with pale, of a fine scarlet colour when ripe; its rind is exceedingly bitter, but the seeds are eaten by birds Mr Phillips found a flesh-coloured drupaceous oblong fruit, about half an inch long, with a very glutinous pericarp, containing a slightly coh stone: in taste it resembled the fruit of Loranthus, and the birds, particularly the coekatoos, appeared very fond of it We all ate a great quantity of therew on a small tree, and had a persistent calyx
April 20--We travelled in a N 80 degrees W course to latitude 19 degrees 9 es frequently approached the river, and deep and intricate gullies descended froress was consequently very difficult, and ere coh hill to avoid its slopes towards the river, which were too steep for us to cross As a recompense, however, for the difficulty of the ascent, I had the pleasure of finding so plants on its summit; particularly a small Acacia with verticillate leaves, which Dr Binoe, the surgeon of H M S Beagle, had found on the north-west coast; and two other Acacias equally new to me, and which were afterwards found to extend to the heads of the South Alligator River
Fronificent view of the country before us: it was enclosed on all sides by high es, of which one in particular overtopped the rest Porphyry was observed on several spots; indurated clay frequently; and, on the top of the hill belohich we encamped, I found quartz porphyry, and at the foot a psammite? which I had met several times associated with talc-schiste
April 21--We continued our journey in a S 50 degrees W course to latitude 19 degrees 13 minutes The country beca, rew to a greater size than we had observed it at the lower part of the river The poplar-gum was very frequent in the hollow, and low stiff flats extended parallel to the river The prevailing rock was talc-schiste, alternating with layers of psammite On the hills and in the creeks, I frequently observed conglo Hakea of Kent's Lagoon (Hakea lorea, R Br; Grevillea lorea, R Br Prodr Nov Holl I p 380) was in blossom; and on the rocky slopes I found a new species of Hakea, having linear lanceolate leaves with axillary fascicules of small brownish flowers: it was an arborescent shrub, froh; and is nearly allied to H arborescens (R Br Prodr p 386)
A high ie was visible to the northward
April 22--We travelled about nine es ran parallel to the river at different distances: we left a very fine one to the south-west and south, froe creek we passed about two miles from our last cae or even larger than the Burdekin, joins the latter fro down froht to follow; but finding, after a close exa, whilst the south-west one contained only large, long, but unconnected reaches of water, I deter the north-west branch I called the south-west branch the ”Clarke,” in compliment to the Rev W B Clarke of Para to elucidate the y of this part of the world About three miles above the junction, a creek of considerable size joined the Burdekin froes approached the banks of the river, gullies which were scrubby at their heads, beca enca country The flat along the Burdekin was about two miles and a half broad, and was skirted by silver-leaved Ironbark ridges In approaching the Clarke, we cae, which bounded its fine broad openly timbered valley to the northward The bed of the river was formed by talc-schiste, in strata, the strike of which was fro alht dip to the eastward The strea The pebbles in its bed were lomerate, quartz, sienite, and porphyry I had observed the valley of this river frouished many headlands, which I now think were the bluff teres The valley was bounded on its southern side by a long low range
The blue mountain parrot was very frequent near our camp
I have mentioned a small round eatable tuber, which I found in the basket of a native gin on the 2nd January I here found it to be the large end of the tap root of a Potaenus; I found it with another interesting water-plant, with foliated spikes of blue flowers, in a small water-hole near our last camp
April 23--We travelled about north-west to latitude 19 degrees 4 minutes 41 seconds, over a succession of fine flats; one or two of which were alum, which always indicated a sound stiff soil These flats were separated by shallow gullies, and so ridges of the two rivers Ridges and ranges were seen on both sides, at different distances The Casuarina beca the banks of the river It was rather re the Burdekin, was altogether wanting at the Clarke
Several lagoons were observed at the foot of the ridges; and near theeon (Peristera histrionica)
Talc-schiste cropped out in one of the deep creeks Whilst travelling on the Burdekin, with the exception of soa to the Clarke, two flocks of kangaroos passed aht The waters are inhabited by four varieties of fish; one was probably a Gristes, about eight inches long, and from one and a half to two inches broad, of a lanceolate shape, with bright yellow spots all over the body; a second smaller than Gristes, with dark stripes; a third about a foot long, and three inches broad, belonging to the Percidae; and a fourth, a ser fish exist, probably, in the deep rocky basins of water which we occasionally passed; but we never succeeded in catching any; nor did we hear any of the splashi+ng, which was so incessant during the night at the Mackenzie The shell and bones of the turtle indicated its presence in the shady ponds fringed by drooping tea trees Large holes in the banks immediately above the water, were probably inhabited by water rats or lizards A coh open Vitex scrub, with its stiff loareat number of the conical constructions of the white ant: they were fro to a sharp point
April 24--To-day we travelled along the river over an open country, intersected by soullies; the course of the river was, for about four miles, from north to south, and, at that distance fro fro the ”Perry,” after Captain Perry, Deputy Surveyor-General, who has h plans sketched during the journey The Burdekin here coe bend round several mountains, composed of quartz porphyry, with a sub-crystalline felspathic paste The latitude was 19 degrees 1 minutes (Unclear:)18
April 25--We travelled al the river, our latitude being 19 degrees 1 rassed country; the grass being very dense: at a distance frou the rainy season A good sized creek joined the Burdekin; a range of high hills extended along its left side, and its right beca place
After establishi+ng our ca the necessary preparations, we killed one of our little steers, and found it in excellent condition The graziers will judge by this simple fact, hoell the country is adapted for pastoral pursuits; particularly when it is remembered that ere continually on the es, which made our cattle footsore; and that the season was not the h plentiful, was very dry
The steer gave us 120 lbs of dried beef
In this place I observed and calculated three sets of lunar observations; one gave longitude 144 degrees 4 rees 14 h not without considerable discussion, as to whether it would not be more advisable to eat the fat than to apply it to the leather; we also repaired our packs and pack-saddles, and put every thing in travelling order
On the 29th April we started frorees W; es now approached the banks of the river, and retarded our progress very much
April 30--In consequence of Charley's statement, that the banks of the river in advance were so steep and rocky that it would be impossible for us to pass, I left the river side, and crossed over the ranges, and had a very heavy stage for retted the more, as Mr
Calvert and Broho returned to our last camp for a sword, had found the route by the river quite practicable The ranges were composed of a Psa out-bursts of igneous rock Several familiar forlaucous suborbicular subcordate leaf, and the bark of the rusty gureat abundance on the ranges We passed a fine large but dry Casuarina creek, coe tree, with dark green broad lanceolate stinging leaves, grew on its banks; it reseed to neither of the two species growing in the bushes of the east coast
Our last day's travelling had not advanced us ht line, and we had not rees 59 minutes; but we had left thethe latter part of the stage, over well grassed, openly ties on the left side of the river extended several radually sunk into a level country
[Note 1: The following description of the fossiliferous limestone of the Burdekin, was communicated to me by the Rev W B Clarke, FGS
This rock consists of a sereyish-brown marble, very like some varieties of Wenlock limestone
Theto the faenus is perhaps new; but this the want of specimens hich to co It may, however, be classed provisionally as Cyathophyllureat reseh it is somewhat contrary to the present rules of classification to assign a specific name from a person, yet, in order to do honour to ence, and zeal as a naturalist, as well as a traveller, and as this is the first fossil coral brought away by the first explorer of the region in which its habitat is found, I venture to naiven as follows: