21st April.
While collecting the horses near this pool of water I detected a party of
armed natives watching one of the stockmen, evidently, from their
position in the scrub and general movements, inclined to hostilities, and
I imagine that it was a knowledge that we were aware of their intentions
which prevented my being able to establish any communication with them. I
may here remark that this party, which numbered about eight, were the
first natives seen during the journey. Continuing our route along the
river (latitude 24 degrees 35 minutes; longitude 36 degrees 6 minutes),
we discovered a Moreton-Bay ash (Eucalyptus sp.), about two feet in
diameter, marked with the letter L on the east side, cut through the
bark, about four feet from the ground, and near it the stumps of some
small trees which had been cut with a sharp axe, also a deep notch cut in
the side of a sloping tree, apparently to support the ridge pole of a
tent, or some similar purposes; all indicating that a camp had been
established here by Leichhardt's party. The tree was near the bank of a
small reach of water, which is noted on Sir T. Mitchell's map. This,
together with its actual and relative position as regards other features
of the country, prove it not to have been either one of Sir T. Mitchell's
or Mr. Kennedy's camps, as neither encamped within several miles of the
spot, besides which, the letter could not have been marked by either of
them to designate the number of the camp, as the former had long passed
his fiftieth camp, and the latter had not reached that number on the
outward route, and numbered his camp from the farthest point attained on
his return journey. Notwithstanding a careful search, no traces of stock
could be found. This is, however, easily accounted for, as the country
had been inundated last season, though the current had not been
sufficiently strong to remove some emu bones and mussel shells which lay
round a native camping place within a few yards of the spot. No other
indications having been found, we continued the search down the river,
examining every likely spot for marked trees, but without success. The
general aspect of the country was extremely level, and even the few
distant ridges which were visible had but small elevation above the
plain, the highest apparently not exceeding 200 or 300 feet. Timber was
wholly confined to the bank of the river, and though open plains existed,
acacia scrubs were the principal feature. Water became very scarce in the
channels of the river, and we were principally dependent on small puddles
of rainwater from a recent thunder-shower; but as we approached the
northern bend some fine reaches of water were passed.