eet lightning during the night
to south and east, heavy clouds in that direction this morning. Started
at ---- a.m.; for the first half mile or more down the river bed east 8
degrees south; then crossed and on bearing of south 35 degrees east; the
river at crossing not more than 100 yards wide; first part through open
timber, and gentle ascent for one and a quarter miles to a basalt and
sandstone range, flat, well-grassed table-topped, and descended the same
at two and a quarter miles; the dip from the table-top to the slope only
a few yards; large boulders of basalt and sandstone; then well-grassed
but ridgy and occasionally scrubby country; crossed springy creek at
west-north-west (gum); at three and a quarter miles crossed fine gum
creek, running, with lots of palms (corkscrew) from west-south-west at
five miles; the country good till six miles, when it becomes more ridgy
and stony, with spinifex, but improves shortly after; at eight miles
crossed good creek; springs, etc., from south half east; close under
ranges towards the source of the creek the ridges open and apparently
well-grassed, though rather steep and stony; then over higher ranges and
stony ridges, well-grassed, and descended a very steep one, the river
close by on the left; at ten and a half miles rather rough, with ravines
at foot of the range running into the river; at eleven and a quarter
miles crossed a small creek from west-south-west with water in holes;
then rocky low ridges with but scant vegetation for a short distance;
then over rather flat travelling, well-grassed but indifferently
timbered, and a good deal of it inclined to be swampy in wet weather; a
good many poplar gums on it. The latter part rather rotten sandy ground.
Made the river at the point where it is forced by rocks on the opposite
side to this, sweeping out a very large piece of the bank on this side to
the distance of several hundred yards, making the river bed at this sweep
quite 800 yards across and well-timbered round the sweep on this side;
caught some excellent fish this afternoon, a black bream, the largest
five inches deep and fifteen to sixteen inches in length, excellent
firm-eating fish and a great help to our evening meal. Distance today
about fifteen and two-thirds miles. Rained a little during the afternoon
with first of all a strong gale from the southward accompanied with
thunder. Saw a platypus in the river this afternoon, first I have seen
during the journey. Cor