We there saw a beautiful parrot, but could not procure
it. The plain we next rode across was evidently subject to floods in many
parts; the soil was a mixture of sand and clay. There was a good deal of
grass here and there upon it, and box-trees stunted in their growth were
scattered very sparingly round about; but the country was otherwise
denuded of timber. There were large bare patches on the plains, that had
been full of water not long before, but too shallow to have lasted long,
and were now dry. We found several small pools, however, and halted at
one, after a journey of 17 miles, near some gum-trees.
The morning of the 20th was exceedingly calm, with the wind from the
west, but it had been previously from the opposite point. The channel of
the creek was broad, and we traced it to some distance on either hand,
but it contained no water, excepting that at which we stopped; but at
about two miles before we halted, Mr. Browne found a supply under some
gum-trees, a little to the right of our course, where we halted on our
return.
The Bauhinia here grew to the height of 16 to 20 feet, and was a very
pretty tree; the ends of its branches were covered with seed-pods, both
of this and the year before: it was a flat vessel, containing four or six
flat hard beans. I regretted, at this early stage of our journey, that
the horses were not up to much work, although we were very considerate
with them, but the truth is, that they had for about two or three months
before leaving the Depot, been living on pulpy vegetables, in which there
was no strength, they nevertheless looked in good condition.
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