As the reader will have learnt from what I have stated at the conclusion of the last chapter, we pitched our tents at the place to which I have led him, and which I shall henceforth call the “Depot,” on the 27th of January, 1845. They were not struck again until the 17th of July following.
The Depot Glen
This ruinous detention5 paralyzed the efforts and enervated6 the strength of the expedition, by constitutionally affecting both the men and animals, and depriving them of the elasticity7 and energy with which they commenced their labours. It was not however until after we had run down every creek8 in our neighbourhood, and had traversed the country in every direction, that the truth flashed across my mind, and it became evident to me, that we were locked up in the desolate9 and heated region, into which we had penetrated10, as effectually as if we had wintered at the Pole. It was long indeed ere I could bring myself to believe that so great a misfortune had overtaken us, but so it was. Providence11 had, in its allwise purposes, guided us to the only spot, in that wide-spread desert, where our wants could have been permanently12 supplied, but had there stayed our further progress into a region that almost appears to be forbidden ground. The immediate13 effect, however, of our arrival at the Depot, was to relieve my mind from anxiety as to the safety of the party. There was now no fear of our encountering difficulties, and perhaps perishing from the want of that life-sustaining element, without which our efforts would have been unavailing, for independently of the beautiful sheet of water, on the banks of which the camp was established, there was a small lagoon14 to the S.E. of us, and around it there was a good deal of feed, besides numerous water-holes in the rocky gully. The creek was marked by a line of gum-trees, from the mouth of the glen to its junction15 with the main branch, in which, excepting in isolated16 spots, water was no longer to be found. The Red Hill (afterwards called Mount Poole), bore N.N.W. from us, distant 3 1/2 miles; between us and it there were undulating plains, covered with stones or salsolaceous herbage, excepting in the hollows, wherein there was a little grass. Behind us were level stony17 plains, with small sandy undulations, bounded by brush, over which the Black Hill, bearing S.S.E. from the Red Hill, was visible, distant 10 miles. To the eastward18 the country was, as I have described it, hilly. Westward at a quarter of a mile the low range, through which Depot Creek forces itself, shut out from our view the extensive plains on which it rises. This range extended longitudinally nearly north and south, but was nowhere more than a mile and a half in breadth. The geological formation of the range was slate19, traversed by veins20 of quartz21, its interstices being filled with magnesian limestone22. Steep precipices23 and broken rugged24 gullies alternated on either side of this creek, and in its bed there were large slabs25 of beautiful slate. The precipices shewed the lateral26 formation with the rock split into the finest laminae, terminating in sharp points. But neither on the ranges or on the plains behind the camp was there any feed for the cattle, neither were the banks of the creek or its neighbourhood to be put in comparison with Flood’s Creek in this respect, for around it there was an abundance as well as a variety of herbage. Still the vegetation on the Depot Creek was vigorous, and different kinds of seeds were to be procured27. I would dwell on this fact the more forcibly, because I shall, at a future stage of this journey, have to remark on the state of the vegetation at this very spot, that is to say, when the expedition was on its return from the interior at the close of the year.
A few days after we had settled ourselves at the Depot, Mr. Browne had a serious attack of illness, that might have proved fatal; but it pleased God to restore him to health and reserve him for future usefulness. At this time, too, the men generally complained of rheumatism28, and I suspected that I was not myself altogether free from that depressing complaint, since I had violent pains in my hip29 joints30; but I attributed them to my having constantly slept on the hard ground, and frequently in the bed of some creek or other. It eventually proved, however, that I had been attacked by a more fearful malady31 than rheumatism in its worst stage.
There being no immediate prospect32 of our removal, I determined33 to complete the charts up to thepoint to which we had penetrated. I therefore sent Mr. Stuart, on the 2nd February, to sketch34 in the ranges to the eastward, and connect them with the hills I had lately crossed over. I directed Lewis, who had been in the survey, to assist Mr. Stuart, and sent Flood with them to trace down the creek I had noticed from several of our stations on the northern ranges, as passing through a gap in the hills to the eastward. They returned to the camp on the 4th, Mr. Stuart having been very diligent35 in his work. Flood had also obeyed my orders; but could find no water in the lower branches of the creek, although there was so much in it nearer the hills. The party had fallen in with a small tribe of natives, for whom Flood had shot an emu. Mr. Stuart informed me that they were very communicative; but their language was unknown to him. He understood from them that they intended to visit the camp in a couple of days; but as I had some doubts on this head, and was anxious to establish a communication, and induce them to return with me to the camp, I rode on the 5th with Mr. Browne across the plain, at the farther extremity36 of which they were encamped near a little muddy puddle37. Flood and Joseph in the light cart accompanied us.
Great as the heat had been, it appeared rather to increase than diminish. The wind constantly blew from the E.S.E. in the morning, with the deep purple tint38 to the west I have already had occasion to notice. It then went round with the sun, and blew heavily at noon; but gradually subsided39 to a calm at sunset, and settled in the west, the same deep tint being then visible above the eastern horizon which in the morning had been seen in the west. The thermometer ranged from 100 degrees to 117 degrees in the shade at 3 p.m.; the barometer40 from 29.300 degrees to 29.100 degrees. Water boiled at 211 degrees and a fraction; but there was no dew point. I should have stated, that both whilst Mr. Browne and I were in the hills and at the camp, there was thunder and rain on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th, but the showers were too light even to lay the dust, and had no effect whatever on the temperature.
The morning we started to pay a visit to the blacks was more than usually oppressive even at daybreak, and about 9 it blew a hot wind from the N.E. As we rode across the stony plain lying between us and the hills, the heated and parching41 blasts that came upon us were more than we could bear. We were in the centre of the plain, when Mr. Browne drew my attention to a number of small black specks42 in the upper air. These spots increasing momentarily in size, were evidently approaching us rapidly. In an incredibly short time we were surrounded by several hundreds of the common kite, stooping down to within a few feet of us, and then turning away, after having eyed us steadily43. Several approached us so closely, that they threw themselves back to avoid contact, opening their beaks44 and spreading out their talons45. The long flight of these birds, reaching from the ground into the heavens, put me strongly in mind of one of Martin’s beautiful designs, in which he produces the effect of distance by a multitude of objects gradually vanishing from the view. Whatever the reader may think, these birds had a most formidable aspect, and were too numerous for us to have overpowered, if they had really attacked us. That they came down to see what unusual object was wandering across the lonely deserts over which they soar, in the hope of prey46, there can be no doubt; but seeing that we were likely to prove formidable antagonists47, they wheeled from us in extensive sweeps, and were soon lost to view in the lofty region from whence they had descended48.
Milvus Affinis
When we reached the place where the natives had been, we were disappointed in not finding them. They had, however, covered up their fires and left their nets, as if with the intention of returning. Nevertheless we missed them, and reached the tents late in the evening, after a ride of 40 miles.
After my return from this excursion, I was busily employed filling-in the charts; but the ink in our pens dried so rapidly, that we were obliged to have an underground room constructed to work in, and it proved of infinite service and comfort, insomuch that the air in it was generally from 7 degrees to 8 degrees cooler than that of the outer air.
Our observations and lunars placed us in latitude49 29 degrees 40 minutes 14 seconds S., and in longitude50 141 degrees 30 minutes 41 seconds E. Mount Hopeless, therefore, bore W. by S. {N.N.W. in published text} of us, as we were still 7 miles to the north of it {25 MILES TO THE SOUTH OF IT in published text}, the difference of longitude being about 110 {171 in published text} miles, and our distance from the eastern shore of Lake Torrens about 85 {120 in published text}. The result of our lunars, however, placed us somewhat to the westward of the longitude I have given; and when I came to try my angles back from the Depot to Williorara, I found that they terminated considerably51 to the westward of Sir Thomas Mitchell’s position there. My lunars at Williorara, however, had not been satisfactory, and I therefore gave that officer credit for correctness, and in the first chart I transmitted to the Secretary of State assumed his position to be correct. There was a small range, distant about 20 miles to the westward of the stony range connected with the Depot Creek. It struck me that we might from them obtain a distant view of Mount Serle, or see some change of country favourable52 to my future views. Under this impression, I left the camp on the 7th of the month, with Mr. Poole and two of the men. The ranges were at a greater distance than I had imagined, but were of trifling53 elevation54, and on arriving at them I found that the horizon to the westward was still closed from my view, by rising ground that intervened. I should have pushed on for it, but Mr. Poole was unfortunately taken ill, and I felt it necessary to give him my own horse, as having easier paces than the one he was riding. It was with difficulty I got him on his way back to the camp as far as the upper waterhole, just outside the Rocky Glen, at which we slept, and by that means reached the tents early on the following morning. I had anticipated rain before we should get back, from the masses of heavy clouds that rose to the westward, after the wind, which had been variable, had settled in that quarter; but they were dispersed55 during the night, and the morning of the 8th was clear and warm. We had felt it exceedingly hot the day we left the camp — there the men were oppressed with intolerable heat, the thermometer having risen to 112 degrees in the shade. We had not ourselves felt the day so overpowering, probably because we were in motion, and it is likely that a temporary change in the state of the atmosphere, had influenced the temperature, as the eastern horizon was banded by thunder clouds, though not so heavy as those to the westward, and there was a good deal of lightning in that quarter.
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1
depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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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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grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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detention
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| n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下 | |
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enervated
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| adj.衰弱的，无力的v.使衰弱，使失去活力( enervate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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elasticity
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| n.弹性，伸缩力 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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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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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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lagoon
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| n.泻湖，咸水湖 | |
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junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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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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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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slate
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| n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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quartz
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| n.石英 | |
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limestone
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| n.石灰石 | |
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precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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slabs
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| n.厚板，平板，厚片( slab的名词复数 )；厚胶片 | |
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lateral
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| adj.侧面的，旁边的 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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rheumatism
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| n.风湿病 | |
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hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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malady
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| n.病，疾病(通常做比喻) | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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diligent
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| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
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extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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puddle
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| n.(雨)水坑，泥潭 | |
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38
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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39
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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40
barometer
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| n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标 | |
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41
parching
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| adj.烘烤似的，焦干似的v.（使）焦干， （使）干透( parch的现在分词 )；使（某人）极口渴 | |
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42
specks
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| n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 ) | |
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43
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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44
beaks
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| n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 )；鹰钩嘴；尖鼻子；掌权者 | |
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45
talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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46
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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47
antagonists
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| 对立[对抗] 者，对手，敌手( antagonist的名词复数 )； 对抗肌； 对抗药 | |
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48
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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49
latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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50
longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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51
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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52
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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54
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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