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John Oxley - Into the Interior of New South Wales
consequence which we should find between our present station and that place.
Rugged and uneven as the country generally was during this day's journey, there was considerable intermixture of the good
with the barren; many portions consisting of excellent pasture land, and even the rocky hills were divested of the appearance of
being so barren as they actually are, by being covered with shrubs and grass intermingled among the box and small gum trees,
that find support between the interstices of the stones.
August 28. - At eight o'clock we proceeded on our journey, and pursuing the ridge which separated the two streams, we found
that their general direction was from the southward, opening, as we advanced, into fine valleys, rounding gentle rising hills,
thinly wooded and covered with grass. The ridge itself was chiefly of slate-rock, intermixed with masses of coarse siliceous
granite. We followed the ridge for about six miles, when we descended into the valley through which the south-west rivulet
ran, and after travelling about four miles farther, we crossed it when it was running a strong stream. Waiting for the horses at
this spot, I took the opportunity of ascending a very lofty conical hill, forming part of the range bounding the north-east side of
the valley. From this hill our hopes and expectations were gratified by a view of Bathurst Plains, which I estimated to be
distant about twenty-two miles, bearing on the course we were pursuing. A Journal is but ill calculated to be the record of the
various hopes and fears, which doubtless in some degree pervaded every mind upon this intelligence: these feelings, whatever
they might be, were soon to be realized, and in an absence from our friends and connections of nineteen weeks how much
might have occurred in which we were all deeply interested!
After travelling about three miles farther, we stopped for the evening, under expectations that we might possibly reach Bathurst
on the morrow.
From the hill whence I saw Bathurst the view in every direction (except north-east, where it was bounded by a range of equal
height between me and the river) was very extensive; the country to the southward and south-west was broken into low grassy
hills with four intervening valleys. The rivulets derive their main supply from those hills, and from the range upon which we
had travelled the greater part of the day: almost every hollow contained a running stream, having its source in springs near the
summit of the hills.
Stringy bark trees were seen most generally on barren ridges, the larger sized blue gums in the valleys. In the evening the
weather was unsettled with flying showers.
August 29. - At eight o'clock we proceeded towards Bathurst, hoping to reach it by the evening; this we effected between eight
and nine o'clock, passing over a very hilly country with numerous running streams, joining the river near Pine Hill, and
afterwards keeping along its banks.
The hospitable reception which we met with from Mr. Cox went far to banish all present care from our minds: relieved, as they
were, by the knowledge that our friends were well, we almost forgot in the hilarity of the moment, that nineteen harassing
weeks had elapsed since we last quitted it.
Although the winter at Bathurst, we learnt, had been cold and severe, there had not been much rain; little or none had fallen in
the depot on the Lachlan, although the people there had observed some very high floods in the river; one particularly that
would nearly correspond with the time when an unexpected fresh surprised us on our return down the Lachlan on the 11th of
July.
PART II
- qua nulla pedum vestigia ducunt,
Nulla rotae currus testantur signa priores. GROTIUS.
TO THE RIGHT HON. ROBERT PEEL, M. P.
ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL,
etc. etc. etc.
THIS JOURNAL
IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,
BY HIS VERY FAITHFUL AND OBLIGED
HUMBLE SERVANT,
THE AUTHOR.
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