EVANS'S FIRST JOURNAL: JOURNEY TO THE BATHURST PLAINS
Monday, 3rd.
The Mountains have been fired; had we been on them we could not have escaped; the Flames rage with violence through thick underwood, which they are covered with. Bad travelling the stick of the Bushes here are worse than if their leaves had not been consumed; they catch my Chain which makes the measuring very fatiguing; also tears our clothes to pieces, and makes us appear as Natives from black dust off them. The Marks in the Trees are burnt out; therefore am obliged to go over them again; Our Horses now want Grass; the herbage in this spacious Valley is destroyed; we cut some sweet Rushes for them that grow on the edge of a stream of Water which runs through it.
distance, 4 Miles.
Tuesday, 4th.
The Mountains are as yesterday; fired in all directions; at 11 o'clock I was upon the high hill; all objects Eastward are obscured by thick smoke; We stopped where there was feed for the Horses and Water.
distance, 5¼ Miles.
Wednesday, 5th.
Still a thick Brush; the leaves of it are burnt. The weather is disagreeably warm and boisterous, which has been the case these last 3 days. I halted on the top of a Mountain, a ¼ of a Mile North of the Pile of Stones, with the hope that I shall be able to see the Hawkesbury from it, should it turn out a clear Morning. There is water and sufficient feed for our Horses.
distance, 4½ Miles.
Thursday. 6th.
The Fires have been in my favor, otherwise it would be impossible to measure; the flames have consumed the foliage from the highest Trees.
The Ridges continue as usual until the latter part of my journey which is Forest land for ½ a Mile; the timber on it is chiefly lofty stringy Bark and Oaks: there are small patches of Grass left that the fire missed. I was much disappointed this Morning, the mist was so thick that I could not see any long distance from the Mountains.
distance, 5¼ Miles.
Friday, 7th.
The Forest land continues a Mile farther; afterwards the brushy Ridge commences again, the thickest of it is consumed, which I consider fortunate, had it not I should be obliged to have given off measuring; at the end of today's Journey is a Lagoon of good Water, with tolerable grass round the edge of it.
distance, 5¾ Miles.
Saturday, 8th.
¾ of a Mile terminates the brush, the ridges then produce good sheep feed for 1½ Mile, when there is a gully which is the south side of Emu Island. I marked a Tree on the N.E. point of the Forest land nearly opposite the House on Captn. Woodriff's Farm on the Bank of the River Nepean.
distance 4¾ Miles.
The Track out is on one continued ridge of the Mountains with ravines right and left; for the first 10 Miles they are dry and fall immediately into the Nepean, without forming any considerable stream in wet weather. At 30 Miles those on my Right lead into the Grose River, afterwards they alter their course West of North and the Water from them runs into the riverlett I came upon, on my descent from the Mountains; as also does those on my left; in some places the Ridge is Narrow; when that is the case, the Ravines are steep and appear as Bluffs of Band do at Sea, the one projecting before the other; where it is broader, there are Gully's which are bare of Trees, with herbage and good Water; the points of Ridges that they are between lead some distance before the ravines or Gullys become steep and perpendicular.
The ascent from Emu Island is very regular and easy; 12 Men might clear a good Road in 3 Months for a Cart to travel over the Mountains and make the descent of them so easy that it might be drove down in safety.
There are no hills on the Ridge that their ascent or descent is any way difficult; I beg to observe that it will be impossible to drive Cattle or attempt sending a Cart until a Road is made; for reasons that the stumps of the Brush and sharp Granite Rocks will run into their feet and lame them.
I have the honor to be with every respect,
Your very obedient Servant,
G.W. EVANS.
