Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, logbook of a journey from Port Stephens to Peak Range, 1 October 1846-3 November 1847 - Page 77

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                                                                                              73
suffered very much and three were bagged at once at one of the numerous crossing places of the many winding creek, which had in general a WSW course. I found a species of Datura {perhaps that of the suttor, in the flat} Turnbull caught a great number of interesting grasshoppers and Marchflies with which the grass and herbage is swarming: there was particularly a bright yellow one, which excited my attention but which evaded Turnbull's hand most successfully.
I was sure that this creek would be either "Browns lagoon creek" or "Blackfellows creek" and I determined to follow it; but in order to see how the ground was, I rode with Brown about 6 miles down. I never had such a ride. The ground was so heavy that my mule sank in to the belly and yet then was a yellow foamy ground, which was allready [op cit] so hard and dry, that it dusted [?]  under the horses hoofs. [op cit] We had to return as my mule was scarcely able to bring me back. We saw a hill to our right which no doubt is the hill under which we camped at Myall camp. The long stretched hill to our left on the contrary is that for which Charley and myself steered in looking for water, when we were attracted by the Myall hill.- We ascended a fine ridge full of Bottle trees, on which I observed the bunches of empty dried seed capsules. [?]
When we came first to Erythnic [?] creek, a great number of blowflies suddenly appeared which not only blowed with maggots our sheepskins, but all our blankets our shirts and tarpaulings. [op cit] These nasty insects were equally frequented during the last 3 days and as the moist weather allowed the maggots to live we scarcely could defend ourselves against their numbers. My poncho [?] for instance had a piece of Opossum [?] cloak round the slit. This was blown and as it commenced to rain and as I put my head through the slit a thousand came into the hair of my head and beard and I was teaming with maggots all over my body.
 

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