Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia | Page 6

barometrical observations of Mr. Cunningham--renders the climate
much cooler than its latitude would lead one to suppose; indeed, ice has
frequently been found, during the calm clear nights of winter. During
September and October, we observed at sunrise an almost perfect calm.
About nine o'clock, light westerly winds set in, which increased
towards noon, died away towards evening, and after sunset, were
succeeded by light easterly breezes; thunder-storms rose from south
and south-west, and passed over with a violent gust of wind and heavy
showers of rain; frequently, in half an hour's time, the sky was entirely
clear again; sometimes, however, the night and following day were
cloudy.
The plains, as we passed, were covered with the most luxuriant grass
and herbage. Plants of the leguminosae and compositae, were by far the
most prevalent; the colour of the former, generally a showy red, that of
the latter, a bright yellow. Belts of open forest land, principally
composed of the Box-tree of the Colonists (a species of Eucalyptus),
separate the different plains; and patches of scrub, consisting of several
species of Acacias, and of a variety of small trees, appear to be the
outposts of the extensive scrubs of the interior. There are particularly
three species of Acacias, which bestow a peculiar character on these
scrubs: the one is the Myal (A. pendula)--first seen by Oxley on
Liverpool Plains, and afterwards at the Barwan, and which exists in all
the western plains between the Barwan and Darling Downs--whose
drooping foliage and rich yellow blossoms render it extremely elegant
and ornamental. The second, the Acacia of Coxen, resembles the Myal
(without its drooping character), its narrow lanceolate phyllodia rather
stiff, its yellowish branches erect. The third, is the Bricklow Acacia,
which seems to be identical with the Rose-wood Acacia of Moreton
Bay; the latter, however, is a fine tree, 50 to 60 feet high, whereas the
former is either a small tree or a shrub. I could not satisfactorily
ascertain the origin of the word Bricklow [Brigaloe, GOULD.], but, as

it is well understood and generally adopted by all the squatters between
the Severn River and the Boyne, I shall make use of the name. Its long,
slightly falcate leaves, being of a silvery green colour, give a peculiar
character to the forest, where the tree abounds.
Oct. 1.--After having repaired some harness, which had been broken by
our refractory bullocks upsetting their loads, and after my companions
had completed their arrangements, in which Mr. Bell kindly assisted,
we left Jimba, and launched, buoyant with hope, into the wilderness of
Australia.
Many a man's heart would have thrilled like our own, had he seen us
winding our way round the first rise beyond the station, with a full
chorus of "God Save the Queen," which has inspired many a British
soldier,--aye, and many a Prussian too--with courage in the time of
danger. Scarcely a mile from Jimba we crossed Jimba Creek, and
travelled over Waterloo Plains, in a N. W. direction, about eight miles,
where we made our first camp at a chain of ponds. Isolated cones and
ridges were seen to the N. E., and Craig Range to the eastward: the
plains were without trees, richly grassed, of a black soil with frequent
concretions of a marly and calcareous nature. Charley gave a proof of
his wonderful power of sight, by finding every strap of a pack-saddle,
that had been broken, in the high grass of Waterloo Plains.
Oct. 2.--Bullocks astray, but found at last by Charley; and a start
attempted at 1 o'clock; the greater part of the bullocks with sore backs:
the native tobacco in blossom. One of the bullocks broke his
pack-saddle, and compelled us to halt.
Oct. 3.--Rise at five o'clock, and start at half-past nine; small plains
alternate with a flat forest country, slightly timbered; melon-holes;
marly concretions, a stiff clayey soil, beautifully grassed: the prevailing
timber trees are Bastard box, the Moreton Bay ash, and the Flooded
Gum. After travelling seven miles, in a north-west direction, we came
on a dense Myal scrub, skirted by a chain of shallow water-holes. The
scrub trending towards, and disappearing in, the S. W.: the Loranthus
and the Myal in immense bushes; Casuarina frequent. In the forest,
Ranunculus inundatus; Eryngium with terete simple leaves, of which
the horses are fond; Prasophyllum elatum, sweetly scented. A new
composite with white blossoms, the rays narrow and numerous. Sky
clear; cumuli to the S. W.; wind from the westward. Ridges visible to

the N.N.E. and N.E. At the outskirts of the scrub, the short-tailed
sleeping lizard with knobby scales was frequent: one of them contained
six eggs. We camped outside of the scrub, surrounded by small tufts of
the Bricklow Acacia. Droves of kangaroos entered the scrub; their
foot-paths crossed the forest in every