LABOUR OF TRACING ROUTE.
In pursuance of this plan Mr. Lushington returned this day to our last camp to bring up the provisions we had abandoned; whilst I went off with two men to endeavour to pick out a route by which the ponies could travel. A more toilsome day's work than we had could not be imagined. For eleven hours I was incessantly walking, exposed during the greater part of the time to the burning rays of a tropical sun; and we found nothing but rocky, almost impassable sandstone ranges and precipitous ravines. I however at last succeeded in discovering a path along which it was just possible we might be able, by using great care, to lead loaded horses; and on my return to the camp I found that all the remaining stores had been brought up.
DESCENT INTO A VALLEY.
February 6.
We began our descent this morning from the tableland into a deep valley, following the track we had yesterday marked off, which was still however so rugged and rocky as to be very difficult to get along. Heavy rains set in, and these were always so cold that the large drops falling upon us Occasioned quite a painful sensation. The valleys being all flooded there was no feed in them for the horses and sheep; I therefore was obliged to send them back under charge of Mr. Lushington to the camp, which we had this morning quitted.
I retained three men with me; and after the remainder of the party had moved off I left two of them in charge of the stores, and started with Corporal Coles, again to explore the country in front of us.
CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY. FLOODED RAVINE.
About half a mile to the south there was a deep ravine, bounded on each side by lofty cliffs. This ravine resembled in many respects the one we had first encamped in, but it was larger; and it was now impossible to travel either up or down in it on account of the great body of water which occupied its bed. Just opposite to where we were this ravine separated into three smaller ones, running up into the sandstone ranges along which I had previously sought for a route whereby to turn and travel round their heads; but I had found the country so rocky, so impracticable, and devoid of forage that I felt sure it was useless to attempt to traverse it.
My next object was to find a passage out of the main ravine, between the points where the subsidiary ravines ran into it, and where it joined the sea. If I could succeed in doing this our difficulties would, in a great measure, have terminated, for no other main ravine lay between us and the fertile plains which I had seen to the southward; and I knew that we should find no difficulty in traversing the intervening sandstone range, which consisted of a series of elevated plains or terraces, rising one behind the other.
With this view Coles and myself searched until after sunset, but without success. We found the ravine bounded throughout its southern side by inaccessible cliffs. Occasionally little branch ravines ran into it; but on penetrating for some distance up these they invariably terminated in precipitous cascades. A great portion of this afternoon was spent up to our middles in water as we waded about the flooded valley; and the only thing we had to compensate us for the fatigue and suffering we underwent was the wild beauty of the scenery, which was as lovely and picturesque as impetuous torrents, foaming cascades, lofty rocks, and a rich tropical vegetation could render it.