Sunday 15 September 1861.
On the 15th September, left Mr Macintosh's station on a creek flowing into
the Nogoa, which I crossed on the 19th, and then went to the north to hit
Poma, which tributary of the Claude takes its rise at my pass over the
main range; this is a great detour, but by this means I avoided the dense
brigalow scrub which intervenes between the Nogoa River and Salvator Lake
and the pass.
Friday 20 September 1861.
On the 20th we reached the beautiful Emerald Downs, on Poma
Creek...
Saturday 21 September 1861.
... camped there the 21st ...
Monday 23 September 1861 [Camp 3].
... and arrived at the foot of the pass [Walker's Pass] and my
old camp on the 23rd; the grass had caught fire from my camp, and was now
a fine sward.
Wednesday 25 September 1861 [Camp 4].
We camped on the Nivelle the 25th. My first marked tree is
on Emerald Downs, as that was new ground to me.
Thursday 26 September 1861 [Camp 5].
The 26th we pushed down
to the Nive, about 5 miles above my old No. 11 camp.
Friday 27 September 1861 [Camp 6].
The next day, 27th,
crossed over to the Victoria, and camped (No. 6) below my No. 29 tree.
Saturday 28 September 1861 [Camp7].
On
the 28th, 29th, and 30th, pushed down the Victoria by fair stages ...
Sunday 29 September 1861 [Camp 8].
On
the 28th, 29th, and 30th, pushed down the Victoria by fair stages ...
Monday 30 September 1861 [Camp 9].
On
the 28th, 29th, and 30th, pushed down the Victoria by fair stages ...
1-6 October 1861 [Camp 10].
... and on
the morning of the 7th October found Camp 10 was in long. 146° 1' E.,
lat. 24° 34' S. Whilst camped here we searched for the L tree seen by
Gregory; but as we had seen his 22nd (XXII) tree on the north bank, we
searched on the same for the L tree and it was not until the 5th Jingle
and Mr Haughton found it on the south bank. In the meanwhile I had found
another L tree 2 miles below our camp on north side, and 7 below the tree
seen by Gregory. I looked for an open road NNW, but was checked by a
dense, almost impenetrable scrub of acacia. Mitchell calls this acacia
'brigalow,' but that is incorrect, for it differs much from it, and I
have seen but two or three real brigalow since we crossed the ridge
dividing the Nive watershed from that of the Victoria. The blacks call
this acacia 'gurrt.' Brigalow they call 'noorwool.' ...
7 October 1861 [Camp 10].
... A little below the
second L tree, I found I could pass round the termination of this scrub.
I surmise that Leichhardt intended leaving the Victoria at the tree seen
by Gregory; was stopped in his NNW course by the same barrier
encountered by me, and turned back to camp at the tree found by me,
subsequently clearing the scrub where I rounded it. His track, if he had
dry weather, would, on this basaltic soil, be soon obliterated. |