or four miles from its left bank. I named
this after Mr. Robey, another friendly contributor to my outfit. A large
creek very probably carries the waters from this range to the Burdekin,
in latitude 20 degrees 23 minutes. The country was very ridgy and hilly;
and we found it exceedingly difficult to proceed along the river. We
observed the poplar-gum again in the open forest, and a fine drooping
loranthus growing on it. Pandanus was also very frequent, in clusters
from three to eight trees. The clustered fig-tree gave us an ample supply
of fruit, which, however, was not perfectly mellow.
Veins of calcareous spar and of quartz were again observed. I ascended a
lofty hill, situated about a mile and a half to the west of our
encampment, and found it composed of felspathic porphyry, with a greyish
paste containing small crystals of felspar; but, in the bed of the river,
the same rock was of a greenish colour, and contained a great number of
pebbles of various rocks, giving it the aspect of a conglomerate; but
recognisable by its crystals of felspar, and from its being connected
with the rock of the hill. From the top of the hill, which is wooded with
a silver-leaved Ironbark, I saw a very mountainous country to the N.N.W.
and northward, formed into detached ranges and isolated peaks, some of
which were apparently very high; but to the north-west and west no ranges
were visible.
A thunder-storm threatened on the 4th, but we had only some light
showers: the morning of the 5th was very hot, and the afternoon rainy.
Wind from north and north-east. Nights clear.
April 6.--We travelled about ten miles N. 35 degrees W. over a ridgy,
openly timbered, stony and sandy country, and crossed several sandy
creeks, in which a species of Melaleuca, and another of Tristania were
growing. No part of the country that we had yet seen, resembled the
northern parts of New England so much as this. The rock was almost
exclusively granitic isolated blocks; detached heaps, and low ridges
composed of it were frequently met with in the open forest. We passed two
small hillocks of milkwhite quartz; fragments of this rock, as well as of
calcareous spar, were often observed scattered over the ground. The river
here made a large bend to the northward, still keeping parallel to
Robey's Range, or a spur of it; and, when it again turned to the
westward, another fine high range was visible to the north by east and
north-east of it; which I named "Porter'
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