Explorations in Australia - The Journals of John McDouall Stuart by John McDouall Stuart
page 74 of 465 (15%)
page 74 of 465 (15%)
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old. Latitude, 28 degrees 45 minutes 4 seconds. Started at 12.30 on a
bearing of 313 degrees for the highest point of the range east, over stony table land. The creek runs in the same direction for four miles, it then turns to the westward, and is lost sight of among some hills. At ten miles struck a stony box-tree creek; its bed was sand and gravel, but no water. At 11.30 descended from the table land, and camped at a gum creek at sundown; the bed the same as the last, and no water. There were numerous native foot-tracks here also. I am sorry I could not reach the range to-night, but we had some very bad ground to travel over, and no water. Wednesday, 25th May, Dry Gum Creek. Examined the creek for water, but found none. Started on the same course as yesterday, 313 degrees, for the north-east highest point, which I suppose to be the Mount Margaret of Major Warburton. Native tracks seen in the creek. There may be water some distance down the creek, but here it is too sandy to retain it. At four miles struck another gum creek in turning round the south side of the range; it was of the same description as the others, too sandy to hold water. Proceeded towards the highest point of the range, and obtained an observation of the sun within a mile and a half of the mount. Left the horses in charge of Muller and ascended the mount, which was very difficult; it took us an hour to go up, and three-quarters of an hour to come down. The hill is composed of a greenish slate, lying horizontally at the base, and courses of quartz and granite, with ironstone; but I can see nothing of Major Warburton's quartz cliffs; they must be more to the south-west. The range has a very peculiar appearance from a short distance off; it seems to be an immense number of rugged conical hills all thrown together. From the top, the view to the north-west was hidden by a higher point of the range. To the north-north-west there is another range, about twenty miles distant, apparently higher than this, running |
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