Cambridge Gulf in 1819

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 28, 17 August 1886, Page 4

Cambridge Gulf in 1819

Captain King in the Mermaid, surveying ti»e northern coast of Australia in 1819 sailed up the Cambridge Gulf and landed ni its head. The scenery is thus described : — About three miles from tlie •{•arty was the base of a very remarkable quadrangular mass of hills. They ran itoruptly from the salt incrasted plain in steep slopes, which terminated in high cliffs and precipices, or rocky escarp- | ments, over tho grassy incline. The cliff protruded at times 8 •> as to resemble the va tipartM of a fortresn, with bastio s and eouuterscraps ; and King thought it only wanted a flag at the summit to make the appearance complete. Of course this was a piece of the usual sandstone tableland its shape is one of the many varieties of form which these monuments of former denudation assume as tbej slowly weather to the atmosphere. It was named Mount Coektrarn. AH aroand the country appeared most desolate ; the trass, which was quite dry. wanted but a spark to set the whole country in flames, and the scene required bat such, an addition to make its lurid appearance oomplete. The soil was a stiff clay covered with salt, and the only traces of life in this lonely land were the footsteps of some native dogs and the wfttchfires of the savages in the distance. There was no inducement fo remain in aueh a-ptace, and King turned his back upon it as upon a locality on which the curse of God had fallen."