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[Page 14]
but few places where there are any access to it and the freshes rise at least 50 feet, in the other on the right we never discovered any recent marks of its rising above 12 feet at most.
The entrance into the first fall is picturesque beyond description the stupendous Columns of Basaltes, on both sides together with the Narrow entrance up to the Cataract, has a very grand appearance, and what made it more so, was a Number of Black Swans who could not Fly, in the smooth Water close to the fall, had it not been for the Strength of the Stream we might have caught every one of them to the Number of about Twenty, - after being much fatigued in scrambling over the Rocks to get above the Cataracts we returned to the Vessel at 3 O'Clock P.M. The flax Plant is found every where in the same luxuriant State as that on the Banks of the Hawkesbury. Thunder at a distance in the E.S.E. Quarter and very dark Clouds, Wind from the same Quarter blowing Fresh.
In the Afternoon we weighed and Towed down about Three Miles, got on the Shoal Marked in the Chart, where we lay until next Morning the 6th Decr. when we made an attempt to get further down but the Channel is so very Narrow that we had proceeded only a few hundred Yards before the Vessel Stuck in the Mud where we remained waiting the return of Tide.
Mess. Piper and Mountgarrate went on Shore upon the right of the River going down, on their return they reported that the Ground was good in general and Plenty of excellent Water and Timber.
7th Decr. Came to Anchor as pr. Chart and Landed on the S. W. Side of the River Lieut Symmonds accompanied me, we walked about 8 Miles found no Water and the Soil very bad on the Hills but the Trees very lofty chiefly the Species of Gum peculiar to this Country. On the Bank of the River is an extensive Plain which appears to be flooded at times but the Valleys towards the Hills is good Soil with fine Grass and there is no doubt by Sinking, Water may be found in most places.
The other Party (Piper & Mountgarrate) landed on the other side, found the Soil good and plenty of Water, particularly a very fine run which they discovered running through an extensive Marsh and emptying itself into the Main River.
The Trees on the Tops of the Hills are very Lofty but the Soil not fit for Cultivation, on the Bank of the River quite the reverse.
In the Afternoon I visited the same Ground and found their report perfectly correct, in the Neighbourhood of the run (or rather a small River) is a very fine Lagoon with plenty of good Water, the party