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Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales by John Oxley
page 280 of 298 (93%)
July 11.--Finding our efforts to travel in any direction north of east
useless, I altered my course for the north end of Arbuthnot's Range. The
country continuing nearly as yesterday, brushes and marshes alternately,
having gone about twelve miles, the last quarter of a mile of which was
at an almost imperceptible rise above the general level, I came to the
edge of a river, the stream of which was thirty or fort yards wide, but
the bed nearly one hundred yards, the banks being eight or nine feet
high: I forded it in the middle of a very long reach bearing north and
south, the stream clear, and running gently from the south, about three
feet deep, over a fine sandy bottom. After crossing this river, I
proceeded onwards about four miles, and halted on the edge of a brush,
having travelled sixteen or seventeen miles.

July 12.--After proceeding about four miles, we crossed a small stream
from the south-east; the country perfectly level, not a perceptible rise
in any direction, save Arbuthnot's Range: the space travelled over to-day
was a complete marsh, the soil good, being clearly alluvial. It will be
impossible for heavy loaded horses to walk over the country, traversed by
us these last three days; the trouble we have had is more than can well
be imagined. Travelled fifteen miles.

July 13.--A very cold morning, set off at sunrise: at the sixth mile
arrived on an open plain, over which was rather better travelling than we
had latterly experienced. Finding it unlikely that we should reach the
range, at least in time to view the country from it, I thought it best,
as I had no time to spare, to keep more southerly for a lofty eminence
about two miles distant, and apparently of easy ascent: this mount
afforded me a most extensive prospect. The south extreme of Arbuthnot's
Range bore south, the north extreme N. 20. E, then trends more easterly.
Westerly of the hill on which I stood and the range, the country is a
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