Expeditions to South Australia, vol 2 | Page 4

GENERAL
RESOURCES OF THE COLONY OF NEW SOUTH WALES.
IN TWO VOLUMES
VOLUME II.
"For though most men are contented only to see a river as it runs by
them, and talk of the changes in it as they happen; when it is troubled,
or when clear; when it drowns the country in a flood, or forsakes it in a
drought: yet he that would know the nature of the water, and the causes
of those accidents (so as to guess at their continuance or return), must
find out its source, and observe with what strength it rises, what length
it runs, and how many small streams fall in, and feed it to such a height,
as make it either delightful or terrible to the eye, and useful or
dangerous to the country about it."...SIR WILLIAM TEMPLE'S
NETHERLANDS.

CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME
EXPEDITION DOWN THE MORUMBIDGEE AND MURRAY
RIVERS, IN 1829, 1830 AND 1831.
CHAPTER I.
Introductory--Remarks on the results of the former Expedition--The

fitting out of another determined on--Its objects--Provisions,
accoutrements, and retinue--Paper furnished by Mr. Kent--Causes that
have prevented the earlier appearance of the present work.
CHAPTER II.
Commencement of the expedition in November, 1829.--Joined by Mr.
George M'Leay--Appearance of the party--Breadalbane
Plains--Hospitality of Mr. O'Brien--Yass Plains--Hill of Pouni--Path of
a hurricane--Character of the country between Underaliga and the
Morumbidgee--Appearance of that river-- Junction of the Dumot with
it--Crossing and recrossing--Geological character and general aspect of
the country--Plain of Pondebadgery--Few natives seen.
CHAPTER III.
Character of the Morumbidgee where it issues from the hilly country--
Appearance of approach to swamps--Hamilton Plains--Intercourse with
the natives--Their appearance, customs, &c.--Change in the character
of the river--Mirage-- Dreariness of the country--Ride towards the
Lachlan river --Two boats built and launched on the Morumbidgee; and
the drays, with part of the men sent back to Goulburn Plains.
CHAPTER IV.
Embarkation of the party in the boats, and voyage down the
Morumbidgee-- The skiff swamped by striking on a sunken
tree--Recovery of boat and its loading--Region of reeds--Dangers of the
navigation--Contraction of the channel--Reach the junction of a large
river--Intercourse with the natives on its banks--Character of the
country below the junction of the rivers-- Descent of a dangerous
rapid--Warlike demonstrations of a tribe of natives--Unexpected
deliverance from a conflict with them--Junction of another river--Give
the name of the "Murray" to the principal stream.
CHAPTER V.

Character of the country--Damage of provisions--Adroitness of the
natives in catching fish--The skiff broken up--Stream from the
North-East supposed to be the Darling--Change of country in
descending the river--Intercourse with the natives--Prevalence of
loathsome diseases among them--Apparent populousness of the
country--Junction of several small streams--The Rufus, the Lindesay,
&c.--Rainy and tempestuous weather--Curious appearance of the
banks--Troublesomeness of the natives--Inhospitable and desolate
aspect of the country--Condition of the men--Change in the geological
character of the country--The river passes through a valley among hills.
CHAPTER VI.
Improvement in the aspect of the country--Increase of the river--Strong
westerly gales--Chronometer broken--A healthier tribe of natives--
Termination of the Murray in a large lake--Its extent and environs--
Passage across it--Hostile appearance of the natives-- Beautiful scenery
--Channel from the lake to the sea at Encounter Bay--Reach the beach--
Large flocks of water fowl--Curious refraction--State of provisions--
Embarrassing situation--Inspection of the channel to the ocean--Weak
condition of the men--Difficulties of the return.
CHAPTER VII.
Valley of the Murray--Its character and capabilities--Laborious
progress up the river--Accident to the boat--Perilous collision with the
natives --Turbid current of the Rufus--Passage of the Rapids--Assisted
by the natives--Dangerous intercourse with them--Re-enter the
Morumbidgee-- Verdant condition of its banks--Nocturnal encounter
with the natives-- Interesting manifestation of feeling in one
family--Reach the spot where the party had embarked on the
river--Men begin to fail entirely-- Determine to send two men forward
for relief--Their return--Excursion on horseback--Reach Pondebadgery
Plain, and meet the supplies from the colony--Cannibalism of the
natives--Return to Sydney--Concluding remarks.
CHAPTER VIII.

Environs of the lake Alexandrina--Appointment of Capt. Barker to
make a further survey of the coast near Encounter Bay--Narrative of his
proceedings--Mount Lofty, Mount Barker, and beautiful country
adjacent-- Australian salmon--Survey of the coast--Outlet of lake to the
sea-- Circumstances that led to the slaughter of Capt. Barker by the
natives-- His character--Features of this part of the country and
capabilities of its coasts--Its adaptation for colonization--Suggestions
for the furtherance of future Expeditions.
APPENDIX.
No. I. Geological Specimens found to the south-west of Port Jackson
No. II. Official Report to the Colonial Government
ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE SECOND VOLUME (Not included in
this etext)
View on the Morumbidgee River Junction of the supposed Darling with
the Murray Palaeornis Melanura, or Black Tailed Paroquet
Pomatorhinus Temporalis Pomatorhinus Superciliosus Chart of Cape
Jervis, and Encounter Bay Mass of Fossils of the Tertiary Formation
Bulla Conus Genus Unknown Chrystallized Selenite Selenite Single
Fossils of the Tertiary Formation

EXPEDITION DOWN THE MORUMBIDGEE AND