5th September.
At daybreak we heard the blacks making a great noise up the river, and
while the horses were being brought in nineteen blacks came to the camp,
all armed with clubs and spears. They did not make any hostile
demonstration, and the approach of the horses appeared to keep them in
check; and a person unacquainted with the treacherous character of the
Australian might have thought them friendly. When we started at 6.50 a.m.
they followed the party to the bank of the river, and began to ship their
spears, and when we were crossing a deep ravine made a rush on us with
their spears poised ready to throw them at us, hoping to take advantage
of our position; but just as their leader was in the act of throwing his
spear he received a charge of small shot. This checked them, and we
charged them on horseback, and with a few shots from our revolvers put
them to flight, except one man, who climbed a tree, where we left him, as
our object was only to procure our own safety, and that with as little
injury to the blacks as possible. We did not pursue our advantage; by
following the fugitives. Proceeding down the river a short distance, at
7.40 crossed to the right bank on a ledge of flat rocks. It was here
about 100 yards wide, with shallow reaches of water, the banks rising
steep--thirty to forty feet. Very little vegetation grew on the banks,
which appeared to result from salt water occasionally reaching this part
at very high tides. We now steered east over level grassy plains, with
patches of box and terminalia. Passed a small but deep waterhole, near
which were two black gins, who did not appear to notice us. At 10.0 the
country was covered with an open scrub of terminalia, with silvery
leaves, and triodia replaced the grass. At noon passed a small rocky
gully with a waterhole, which our horses quite emptied of its contents.
Altering the course to north-east, the country was covered with melaleuca
scrub, with silver-leafed ironbark, triodia, and a little grass; but we
soon re-entered the open plains which extended to the north, and,
following a watercourse at 3.5 p.m. camped at a small muddy waterhole, on
the banks of which the blacks had often encamped, as shown by the heaps
of mussel-shells round their fireplaces. Our route has been along the
southern limit of the open grassy plains, and to the south the country
rises into low ridges and stony plains, covered with scrub and triodia.
Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 7 minutes 45 seconds.
6th September.
Starting at 6.25 a.m. our route was average east over a level country of
very bad quality; the soil ironstone gravel, producing terminalia,
triodia, and silk cotton-trees (Cochospermum gregoranum). Towards the
latter part of the stage the country improved, becoming more open and
grassy. At 12.15 camped on a large creek with a shallow pool of muddy
water.
Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 9 minutes 45 seconds.
7th September (Sunday).
Remained at the camp to rest the party. A strong south-east wind blew
during the night, and the day was cool and clear; the air very dry.
Repaired our saddle-bags, which, from frequent contact with rocks and
dead trees, were much dilapidated.
8th September.
Steered east-south-east from 6.40 am to 11.40, crossing low ironstone
ridges and wide grassy plains, with belts of box, terminalia, white-gum,
and silver-leafed ironbark of small size; the grass very inferior, with
patches of triodia on the ridges; then traversed a level country covered
with small trees and dry grass for two hours, after which we followed a
dry watercourse, with large hollows in its bed, to the north-north-west
for one hour; the shells of large unios abundant, but no water; altered
the course to the east; passed two lines of box-trees crossing the plain
from the south to the north, and at 5.50 p.m. camped in the plain without
water; a strong breeze from the south-east during the day had rendered
the heat less oppressive than usual.
Latitude by Vega 18 degrees 12 minutes 40 seconds; variation of compass 5
degrees east.