In crossing over to this point the ground was stony, but there was a good deal of grass growing in tufts upon it, and bare patches of blistered30 earth on which flat stools of gypsum were apparently31 in process of formation. Immediately to the left there were five remarkable conical hills. These we successively passed, and then entered a narrow, short valley, between the last of these cones and the hill we were about to ascend. The ground was covered with fragments of indurated quartz (of which the whole group was composed), in parallelograms of different dimensions. The scene was like that of a city whose structures had been shaken to pieces by an earthquake — one of ruin and desolation. The faces of the hills, both here and in other parts of the group, were cracked by solar heat, and thus the rock was scaling off. We were here obliged to dismount and walk. The day being insufferably hot, it was no pleasant task to climb under such exposure to an elevation32 of nearly 500 feet. We had frequently to take breath during our ascent, and reached the summit of the hill somewhat exhausted33. The view was precisely34 similar to that we had overlooked from the opposite point, which bore W. by N. from us. Again the two little peaks were visible to the N.N.W., and after taking bearings of several distant points, we descended35, as I had determined on returning for the night to the creek we had passed in the morning, and tracing it into the hills on my way to the westward. Accordingly, on the following morning we commenced our journey up it at an early hour, not knowing where we should next find the water. At about six miles we had entered a valley, with high land on either side, and at a mile beyond reached the head of the creek, and had the steep brow of a hill to ascend, which I thought it most prudent36 first to attempt on foot. Mr. Browne and I, therefore, climbed it, and on looking back to the north-east, saw there was a declining plain in that direction. Over the level outline the tops of the projections37 of this range were to be seen all exactly alike; but there was an open space to the north-east, as if the fall of waters was to that point. There were also some low scattered trees upon the plain, seeming to mark the course of a creek. Anxious to ascertain38 if we had been so fortunate, I looked for a practicable line for the horses to ascend, and having got them up the hill, we pushed forward. On arriving at the first trees, there was a little channel, or rather gutter39, and a greener verdure marked its course along the plain to the next trees. Gradually it became larger, and at last was fully40 developed as a creek. After tracing it down for some miles, having stony barren plains on both sides, we turned to look for the hill we had so lately left, and only for a red tint41 it had peculiar42 to itself, should we again have recognised it. We now pushed on in eager anticipation43 that sooner or later water would appear, and this hope was at last gratified by our arrival at a fine pool, into which we drove a brood of very young ducks, and might, if we had pleased, shot the mother; but although a roast duck would have been very acceptable, we spared her for her children’s sake. This was a nice pond, but small. It was shaded by gum-trees, and there was a cavernous clay bank on the west side of it, in which gravel44 stones were embedded45. Here we staid but for a short time, as it was early in the day. We had flushed numerous pigeons as we rode along, and flights came to the water while we stopped, but were not treated with the same forbearance as the duck. We shot two or three, and capital eating they were. About 3, we had left the creek, as it apparently turned to the eastward, and was lost on the plain, and crossing some stony ground, passed between two little ranges. We then found ourselves on the brow of a deep valley that separated us from the little cones we purposed ascending46. The side of it which trended to the north-west was very abrupt18 and stony, and it was with some difficulty we descended into it; but that done, we left Morgan and Flood with the cart, and ascended47 the nearer peak.
From the summit of the highest of the cones we had a clear view round more than one half of the horizon. Immediately at the base of the ranges northwards, there was a long strip of plain, and beyond it a dark and gloomy scrub, that swept round from S.W. to E., keeping equi-distant from the hills, excepting at the latter point where it closed in upon them. On the N.W. horizon there was a small low undulating range, apparently unconnected with any other, and distant about 40 miles. No change had taken place in the geological formations of the main range. The same abrupt points, and detached flat-topped hills, characterised their northern as well as the southern extremity48. We had now however reached their termination northwards, but they continued in an easterly direction until they were totally lost in the dark mass of scrub that covered and surrounded them, not one being of sufficient height to break the line of the horizon. To the S.W. a column of smoke was rising in the midst of the scrub, otherwise that desolate49 region appeared to be uninhabited. On descending50 from the peak, we turned to the N.W. along the line of a water-course at the bottom of the valley, tracing it for about four miles with every hope of finding the element we were in search of in its green bed, but we gained the point where the valley opened out upon the plains, and halted under disappointment, yet with good grass for the horses. Our little bivouac was in lat. 29 degrees 2 minutes 14 seconds S. The above outline will enable the reader to judge of the character of the hills, that still existed to the eastward of us, and the probability of their continuance or cessation. I must confess that they looked to me as if they had been so many small islands, off the point of a larger one. They rose in detached groups from the midst of the plains, as such islands from the midst of the sea, and their aspect altogether bore such a striking resemblance to many of the flat-topped islands round the Australian continent described by other travellers, that I could not but think they had once been similarly situated51.
On the 18th I passed into the plains until we had cleared the hills, when we rode along their base on a course somewhat to the east of north. We kept about half a mile from the foot of the ranges, with the brush about three miles to our left, and a clear space between us and them. I had been induced to take this direction in the hope that if there were any creeks falling from the hills into the plains we should intersect them, and accordingly after a ride of about seven miles we observed some gum-trees, about two miles ahead. On a nearer approach we saw flights of pigeons, cockatoos, and parrots winging round about them, and making the air resound52 with their shrill53 notes. The anticipations54 these indications of our approach to water raised, were soon verified by our arrival on the banks of a small creek coming from the hills. Under the trees there were two little puddles55, rather than pools of water. The one had been reduced to its last dregs, and smelt56 offensively, the other was very muddy but drinkable, and such as it was we were most grateful for it. The horses requiring rest here, I halted for the night, more especially as the day was unusually hot, and as we could see the creek line of trees extending to the N.W., towards the low range we had noticed in that direction from the little peak, I determined therefore to run it down in the morning, and to make for them, in the hope that something new would develop itself.
On the other side of the creek from that on which we remained, there was a new but unfinished hut. Round about it were the fresh impressions of feet of all sizes, so that it was clear a family of natives must have been engaged in erecting57 this simple edifice58 when we were approaching, and that we must have frightened them away. Under this idea Mr. Browne and I tried to find them, perhaps hid in some low brush near us, but we could not. The plains were exceedingly open on both sides, so that they must have seen us at a great distance, and thus had time for flight.
On the 19th we started at daylight, as I proposed if possible to gain the hills before sunset, that being as much as the horses would do. Running the creek down at three and a half miles we were again attracted by a number of birds, pigeons, the rose cockatoo, the crested59 paroquet, and a variety of others flying round a clump60 of trees at no great distance from us, but they were exceedingly wild and watchful61. We found a pool under, or rather shaded by the trees, of tolerable size, and much better than the water nearer to the hills. Close to it also, on a sloping bank, there was another more than half finished hut from which the natives could only just have retreated, for they had left all their worldly goods behind them; thus it appeared we had scared these poor people a second time from their work. I was really sorry for the trouble we had unintentionally given them, and in order to make up for it, I fastened my own knife with a glittering blade, to the top of a spear that stood upright in front of the hut; not without hopes that the owner of the weapon seeing we intended them no harm, would come to us on our return from the hills.
Below this water-hole the creek sensibly diminished. Crossing and abandoning it we struck away to the N.W. At about half a mile we entered the scrub, which had indeed commenced from the water, but which at that distance became thick. We were then in a perfect desert, from the scrub we got on barren sandy flats, bounded at first by sandy ridges62 at some little distance from each other, but the formation soon changed, and the sand ridges succeeded each other like waves of the sea. We had no sooner descended one than we were ascending another, and the excessive heat of so confined a place oppressed us greatly. We had on our journey to the westward found an abundance of grass on the sand ridges as well as the flats; but in this desert there was not a blade to be seen. The ridges were covered with spinifex, through which we found it difficult to force a way, and the flats with salsolaceous productions alone. There were no pine trees, but the brush consisted of several kinds of acacia, casuarina, cassia, and hakeae, and these were more bushes than shrubs63, for they seldom exceeded our own height, and had leaves only at the termination of their upper branches, all the under leaves having dropped off, withered64 by the intensity65 of the reflected surface heat. At one we stopped to rest the horses, but mounted again at half-past one, and reached the hills at 5 p.m. The same dreary66 desert extended to their base, only that as we approached the hills the flats were broader, and the fall of waters apparently to the east. The surface of the flats was furrowed67 by water, and there were large bare patches of red soil, but with the exception of a flossy grass that grew sparingly on some of them, nothing but rhagodia and atriplex flourished.
I had tried the temperature of boiling water at the spot where we stopped in the Rocky Glen, and found it to be 211 degrees and a small fraction; and as we descended a little after leaving the creek, we could not have been much above the sea level at one period of the day, although now more than 450 miles from the coast. Our ascent to the top of the little range was very gradual; its sides destitute68 alike of trees and vegetation, being profusely69 covered with fragments of indurated quartz, thinly coated with oxide70 of iron: when on the summit we could not have risen more than 120 feet. It extended for some miles to the N.E., apparently parallel to the ranges from which we had come, whose higher points were visible from it, but to the north and west the horizon was as level as that of the ocean. A dark gloomy sea of scrub without a break in its monotonous71 surface met our gaze, nor was there a new object of any kind to be seen indicative of a probable change of country. Had other hills appeared to the north I should have made for them, but to have descended into such a district as that below me, seemed to be too hazardous72 an experiment at this stage of our journey. I determined therefore to return to the main range, and examine it to the north-east. I could not but think, however, from the appearance of the country as far as we had gone, that we could not be very far from the outskirts73 of an inland sea, it so precisely resembled a low and barren sea coast. This idea I may say haunted me, and was the cause of my making a second journey to the same locality; but on the present occasion, as the sun had set, I retraced74 my steps to a small flat where we had noticed a little grass, and tethering our horses out laid down to rest.
The desert ridden through the day before, seemed doubly desolate as we returned. The heat was intolerable, in consequence of a hot wind that blew upon us like a sirocco from the N.W., and the air so rarified that we could hardly breathe, and were greatly distressed75. To our infinite relief we got back to the creek at half-past two, after a ride of about 37 miles.
The first thing we did on arriving, was to visit the hut of the natives to see if they had been there during our absence, but as my knife still dangled76 on the spear, we were led to conclude they had not. On examining the edifice, however, we missed several things that had been left untouched by us, and from the fresh footsteps of natives over our own of the day before, it was clear they had been back. The knife which was intended as a peace-offering, seems to have scared them away in almost as much haste as if we had been at their heels. There can be no doubt but that they took it for an evil spirit, at which they were, perhaps, more alarmed than at our uncouth77 appearance. Be that as it may, we departed from the creek without seeing anything of these poor people.
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1
lagoon
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| n.泻湖，咸水湖 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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5
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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8
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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12
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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outwards
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| adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形 | |
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crumbled
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| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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17
precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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milky
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| adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的 | |
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quartz
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| n.石英 | |
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granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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creeks
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| n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪 | |
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28
cones
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| n.（人眼）圆锥细胞；圆锥体( cone的名词复数 )；球果；圆锥形东西；（盛冰淇淋的）锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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29
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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projections
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| 预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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39
gutter
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| n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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41
tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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45
embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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46
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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49
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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50
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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51
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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52
resound
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| v.回响 | |
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53
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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54
anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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55
puddles
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| n.水坑， （尤指道路上的）雨水坑( puddle的名词复数 ) | |
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56
smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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57
erecting
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| v.使直立，竖起( erect的现在分词 )；建立 | |
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58
edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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59
crested
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| adj.有顶饰的，有纹章的，有冠毛的v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的过去式和过去分词 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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62
ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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63
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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64
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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65
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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67
furrowed
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| v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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69
profusely
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| ad.abundantly | |
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70
oxide
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| n.氧化物 | |
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71
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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72
hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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74
retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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76
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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uncouth
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| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
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