3.--Carapace smooth, rather convex, and with three keels above; the beak,
longly produced, ending in a spine, simple on the side and produced into
a keel on each side behind; the central caudal lobe rather narrow,
indistinctly divided in half, and like the other lobes flexile at the
end, the lateral lobes with a central keel ending a slight spine; the
hands elongated, compressed, smooth, with a thickened, toothed, inner
margin, which is ciliated above; wrist with two conical spines on the
inner side.
Inhab. Western Australia, near Swan River.
3. The Port Essington Cray-fish. ASTACUS BICARINATUS, t. 3.f.
2.--Carapace smooth, rather flattened, with a keel on each side above in
front; the beak longly produced, flattened, three toothed at the top;
hands rather compressed, smooth, thinner and slightly toothed on the
inner edge; the wrist triangular, angularly produced in front; the
central caudal lobes with two slightly diverging keels continued, and
like the others thin and flexible at the end, the inner lateral lobes
with two keels, each ending with a spine.
Inhab. Port Essington, Mr. Gilbert.
The A. AUSTRALASIENSIS, Milne Edwards, Crust ii. 332. t. 24. f. 1--5.
agrees with this species in the form of the beak, but the keels on the
thorax are not noticed either in the description or in the figure; and
the caudal lobes in the figure appear most to resemble A. FRANKLINII.
As the genus ASTACUS is now becoming more numerous in species, it may be
divided, with advantage, into three sections, according to the form of
the caudal lobes; thus:--
A. The central caudal lobes divided by a transverse suture into two
parts, both being hard and calcareous, and with a small spine at the
outer angle of the suture (PATAMOBIUS, LEACH) as A. FLUVIATILIS of
Europe, and A. AFFINIS of North America, with an elongated rostrum, and
A. BARTONII of North America, with a short rostrum.
B. The central caudal lobe continued hard and calcareous to the end, as
ASTACUS FRANKLINII of Van Diemen's Land, and A. MADAGASCARIENSIS of
Madagascar; both have a very short beak, and the second abdominal ring
spinose.
C. The central caudal lobe continued or only slightly divided on the
middle of each side; but it and all the lateral lobes are thin and
flexible at the hinder parts, as ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, and A.
BICARINATUS of Australia, and A. CHILIENSIS of Chili.
CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH,
FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND,
BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY-GENERAL NEILL,
IN A LETTER TO J. E. GRAY, ESQ. BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON.
* * * * *
"Sir,--Although in the course of my life, I have had little opportunity
to pay attention to the study of Ichthyology, it occurred to me, as now
and then a leisure moment was afforded from official duties, that it
would perhaps be useful, as well as amusing, to collect and make drawings
of the fish about King George's Sound; and I have been in a great degree
stimulated to do so, from an accidental visit of my friend, His
Excellency Captain Grey, Governor of South Australia, who advised me to
forward the drawings to you for the purpose of being placed with others
of a similar kind in the British Museum, where ultimately sufficient
material may be collected to give some account of the New Holland fish.
"Nothing is assumed as to the execution of the drawings; in fact it often
occurred when I set off in my little skiff, (especially in the outset)
that seven or eight species were procured in the course of the excursion,
which compelled me to make drawings of all when I came home tired in the
evening; forwarding them to ensure, as far as possible, their colours
before they became extinct--a sort of forced effort in respect to the
execution has, therefore, only been effected. The outline of nearly every
specimen was taken from ACTUAL PROFILE, by laying the fish upon the
paper--in this way I defied error in outline--of course, afterwards
carefully drawing and correcting various parts which required it, in a
free or rough manner, time not admitting of much pains.
"In naming the fish, I have merely attempted to give the aboriginal and
popular names known to the sealers and settlers. In obtaining the former,
no little difficulty has been experienced. The younger natives generally
giving different names to those of the elder; but finding the fish named
by the latter more descriptive, I have, of course, in most instances,
adopted them.
"For instance, No. 1, KOJETUCK means the fish with the bones; which is
very descriptive, from Koje the bones, [Note 28: This was noticed by
Governor Grey.] having very singular bones placed vertically in the neck,
connecting the dorsal spines to the back, resembling small tobacco pipes.
"Also the KYNARNOCH, No 13, the bearded, etc. In many other instances the
savages of this province are equally clear in naming their animals; and
it is curious, even this applies to their children, who commonly receive
their name from some extraordinary circumstance at, or about the time of
their birth. I find, also, the old men are more minute in SPECIES; the
younger often call very different fish by the same name, as the MEMON,
Nos. 17, and 43, etc. but as this is curious, merely for the sake of fact,
it is otherwise of little importance to the naturalist,--the native name
being only useful to enable the collector to obtain any particular
species hereafter. As regards the fidelity of the drawings, it may be
worth while to mention a singular mistake made by my friend
TOOLEGETWALEE; one of the oldest and most friendly savages we have of the
King George tribe; who, in looking over my collection to assist me in
naming them, observed that the drawings were a little raised off the
paper; and like a monkey, began to touch them with his long talons; of
course I flew to their rescue, and asked what he meant?
"'INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!' which literally
means--'Ah! I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!' From want of
paper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand,
cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; which
circumstance gave rise to the poor savage's mistake, and it was not until
I actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he was
in error--a compliment I could hardly help smiling at. I have only to add
in conclusion, that no attempt has been made at ARRANGEMENT, having drawn
and numbered the fish as they were caught. Most have been taken by my own
hook; some by the native's spear, and some by the seine net.
"The natural SCALE of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and when
remarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considered
a more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, in
objects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be depended
on.
"A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number to
that on the drawing, is also added.
"The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still more
agreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge of
the subject.
"I remain, Sir,
"Your most obedient servant,
"J. NEILL.
"Albany, King George's Sound,
"Western Australia."
On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referred
the part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson of
Haslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindly
arranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as he
was able, the modern scientific names. I have done the same to the
Reptiles myself. I have retained the original numbers as they refer to
the drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of the
British Museum.--J. E. GRAY.
* * * * *
REPTILES.
Fam. Lialisidae.
LIALIS BURTONII. Native name KERRY-GURA. Considered by the natives as
harmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken is
sometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided and
rounded.
LIALIS BICATENATA. Native name WILLIAM LUNGER. Tongue not forked, broad,
and rounded off at the point. Not poisonous or at all dreaded by the
natives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equal
marks; has a lappel on each side of the vent.
Killed 10th of October, 1841.
FAM. COLUBRIDAE.
NAJA,--? Native name TORN-OCK or TOOKYTE. Colour dirty olive over the
whole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat down
to the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears as
if faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those of
the NOON; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and rather
blunt; scuta, 223.
Although the natives assert, if a person is bitten by this make, and
"gets down," i.e. lays in bed three days, he will recover, yet I am very
doubtful of this account, more particularly from the women differing from
the men, as well as the whole subject being hidden in superstition.
Another ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in Van
Diemen's Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very similar to
this; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes after the bite, although
the piece was almost instantaneously cut out.
The women of King George's Sound declare the bite of the Torn-ock mortal;
but the men laugh at that, and maintain the three days' "couple," (sleep)
will restore the patients.
The specimen was 4 ft. 9 in. long, but they have been seen 6 or 7 feet
long. This is a favourite food of the natives of King George's Sound.
COLUBER? Native name BARDICK. Dirty olive green over the whole back;
belly dirty white; scuta 130.
The natives state that the bite produces great swelling of the part for a
day or two, and goes off.
Never grows above 14 or 15 inches long. Caught October 1841.
COLUBER. Native name TORKITE or TORKYTE. Back, from the point of the tail
to the point of the nose, dark sepia brown; under the head yellow; and
towards the middle of the belly orange; scales minute; scuta 140; tongue
forked; teeth very minute; no fangs observable. Caught August 30th, 1844.
Not at all dreaded by the natives; venomous, but not deadly, the bite
merely producing a bad ulcer for a day or two.
ELAPS MELANOCEPHALUS. Native name WERR. Dirty olive green on the back,
from the neck to the tail; scuta 147, dirty reddish orange; head black
from the nose to neck; sides of the head white; tongue forked.
Doubtful if poisonous; little dreaded by the natives. Killed October
12th, 1845.
ELAPS. Native name NORN or NORNE. Whole body covered with spear shaped
scales; head shining black; the ground colours of the back rich umber,
almost black; scuta 161, of a dirty red orange; fangs two on each side of
the upper jaw near the lios, small, and bent inwards; tongue forked
This is the most fatal of the New Holland snakes; the animal bitten
seldom recovers. The Aborigines have a great dread of this reptile; they
however eat of it if they kill it themselves, but there is a superstition
amongst them about snakes, which prevents their eating them if killed by
a European.
The specimen I figured was a small one, 3 ft. 9 in. long; they are often
seen by the natives much larger. I have endeavoured to represent it as it
generally sleeps or lies in wait for its prey, small birds, frogs,
lizards, etc. It delights in swamps and marshes.
Killed October, 1844.
FAM. BOIDAE
PYTHON. Native name WAKEL or WA-A-KEL. This snake is considered by the
natives a great delicacy, and by their account resembles mutton in
flavour, being also remarkably fat. I requested them to let me taste the
specimen from which the drawing was made; but they devoured every atom
themselves, pretending they did not understand me. The WAKEL differs from
the NORN in its habits; although both ascend trees in pursuit of small
birds and the young of the opossums. The WAKEL delights in rocky, dry
places, near salt water; they are very sluggish, and easily caught by the
women, who seize them behind the head and wring their necks. They are
described to have been seen 9 or 10 feet long. My specimen, a young male,
was exactly 5 feet long. The scales of this species are firmly fixed to
the skin, in plates all over the back and belly. The colour is beautiful,
dark greenish brown, finely variegated with yellowish white spots.
It was killed by Paddy, a native constable, near Albany, October, 1841.
* * * * *
FISHES.
GOBIIDAE.
No. 58.--PATOECUS FRONTO. Rich. Ann. Nat. Hist. Oct. 1844, vol. xiv.p.
280, Ichth. Ereb. and Terr. p. 20, pl. 13, f. 1, 2.
Native name KARRACK. Colour, a rich dragon's blood, or mahogany; found by
a Danish boatman, named Byornsan, 80 miles off the east coast from King
George's Sound, December 11th, 1841. Anal rays imperfectly counted, and
there is a typographical error in the Zool. of Ereb. and Terr. The true
numbers of the rays follow: B. 6; D. 24-16; A. 11-5; C. 10; P. 8.
TRIGLIDAE.
No. 53.--SCORPOENA, or SEBASTES.--Native name, TYLYUCK, or TELUCK
(BIG-HEAD). "Rays, D. 12, 1-8; A. 3-5; P. 21; V. 1-5."
Uncommon. Inhabits rocky shores. Flesh firm and well-flavoured. Caught by
hook, 16th Aug. 1841.
No. 34.--SEBASTES?--Native name, CUMBEUK.
A common inhabitant of rocky shores. Good eating. The specimen was
speared by Munglewert, 17th May, 1841. "Rays, D. 14-17; A. 3-8; P. 14; V.
1-5."
No. 14.--APISTES. Apparently scaleless, and without free pectoral rays.
Does not correspond well with A. MARMORATUS. "Rays, D. 12," etc. Caught by
Seine, 18th March, 1841.
The fishermen dread wounds made by the species of this fish, as they
always fester.
Native name BOORA-POKEY, or POKY. SERGEANT of the settlers.
No. 36.--PLATYCEPHALUS.--Native name CUMBEL. Common Flat-head of the
settlers. Seems to differ from described species in the two dark bars of
the tail, being directly transverse, and followed by five large dark
purple round spots.
Inhabits sandy shores very commonly, all round the coast of New Holland.
A variety occurs at Maria Island, Van Diemen's Land. Caught by hook, 15th
May, 1841. Good eating.
MULLIDAE.
No. 13.--UPENEUS.--Native name, MINAME, or KGNARNUCK (the bearded); "Red
mullet" of the settlers.
PERCIDAE.
No. 46.--ENOPLOSUS ARMATUS. Cuv. et Val. 2, p. 133, pl. 20.--Native name,
KARLOCK. Speared by a native, June 1841. Inhabits rocky shores.
BERYCIDAE.
No. 2.--BERYX LINEATUS, C. and V. 3, p. 226.--Native name, CHETONG. Red
Snapper, or Tide-fisher of the sealers. Very common in the bays of rocky
shores. "Rays, D. 5-14; A. 4-13; P. 12; V. 1-7."
SPHYRAENIDAE.
No. 59.--SPHYROENA.--Native name, KORDONG. "Rays, D. 5, 1-9; A. 11; P.
13; V. 1-5."
The "Common Baracoota" is found off the whole coast of New Holland, but
the KORDONG seems to be peculiar to Western Australia. It comes into the
shallow bays in summer; and being a sluggish fish, is easily speared by
the natives, who esteem it to be excellent food. It will lay for a minute
looking with indifference at its enemy, while he poises the fatal and
unerring spear. Specimen caught in a net, December, 1841.
SILLAGINIDAE.
No. 25.--SILLAGO.--Native name, MURDAR. "Rock whiting" of the settlers.
"Rays, D. 10-23; A. 18; P. 13; A. 5."
Inhabits rocky shores and deep water. Caught by the seine, 3rd April,
1841. Good eating.
No. 11.--SILLAGO PUNCTATA, C. et V 3, P. 413.--Native name MURDAR.
"Common whiting" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 12, 1-26; A. 22; P. 11; V.
5."
Inhabits shallow sandy bays abundantly, and is much admired for the
delicacy of its flesh, but it is dryer eating than the whiting of Europe.
SCIAENIDAE.
No. 55.--CORVINA?--Native name T'CHARK or T'CHYARK. King-fish of the
sealers. "Rays, D. 9--1-27; A. 1-7; P. 15; V. 1-5."
Teeth strong and sharp. Grows to a great size; as I am informed by the
natives, that they often spear individuals weighing sixty or seventy
pounds. This fish enters the fresh-water periodically, like the Salmon of
Europe, to spawn, and it is the only fish in this country which I have
distinctly made out to do so. It is tolerably good eating. The specimen
was caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour by a hook, on the 30th August,
1841. (This may be the adult of the CORVINA KUHLII of the HISTOIRE DES
POISSONS, 5. p. 121.)
SERRANIDAE.
No. 19.--CENTROPRISTES TRUTTA. SCIAENA TRUTTA, G. Foster, Icon. 210.
(vide Ichth. of Ereb. and Terror, p. 30.)--Native name KING-NURRIE, or
IINAGUR. "Salmon" of the sealers. Pectorals yellow or orange coloured,
with dark bases; scales faintly fan-streaked; last rays of dorsal and
anal elongated. Faint oblong, orange-coloured spots on the sides, not in
vertical rows. "Rays, D. 9-16; A. 2-10; P. 16." Eye remarkably brilliant.
Good eating in the summer time, but far inferior to the SALMO SALAR. It
congregates in vast shoals, and pursues the fry of other fishes in
shallow bays, but never enters fresh-water. It is often taken of from
seven to ten pounds weight. It affords excellent sport to the angler. The
specimen was caught by the hook from my own door on the 4th May, 1841.
No. 3.--CENTROPRISTES (CIRRIPIS) GEORGIANUS. C. et V. 7. p. 451. Jenyn's
Zool. of Beagle, p. 13.--Native name WARRAGUIT. "Herring" of the
settlers. Rays, D. 9-14; A. 3-10; etc.
Inhabits rocky shores, and is taken in the summer, by net on sandy
beaches. Specimen caught by the hook, on the 27th March, 1841.
No. 23.--SERRANUS? vel CAPRODON (Schlegel.) aut PLECTROPOMA.--Native name
TANG or TAA (It bites.) The "Perch" of the Sealers. "Rays, D. 10-24; A.
2-9; P. 14; V. 1-5."
Eye fine crimson: pupil deep blue-black. Tail slightly rounded.
Remarkably strong canines, from which peculiarity it has obtained its
native name of TAA, as it bites severely when taken, if the fisher be not
on the alert. It is good to eat, but is not common. Caught by the hook on
9th of April, 1841.
No. 4.--PLECTROPOMA NIGRO-RUBRUM. C. et V. 2. p. 403.--Native name
BUNDEL. "Crab-eyed soldier" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-17; A. 3-9."
Inhabits rocky shores, and is not common. Specimen caught by the hook, on
the 4th April, 1841. Good eating.
No. 21.--HELOTES?--Native names, BOORA, BOWRU, also CHARLUP. The "Pokey,"
or "small Trumpeter" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 11--1-11; A. 2-11; etc."
Inhabits rocky places. Good to eat. Caught by the seine, on the 3rd
March, 1841.
CIRRHITIDAE.
No. 24.--CHEILODACTYLUS GIBBOSUS. Solander. Icon. Ined. Banks. No.
23.--Richardson Zool. Trans. 3, p. 102.--Native name KNELOCK (not
certain).
Inhabits sandy beaches; is little known to the sealers. Caught in a net,
3rd March, 1841.
No. 39. CHEILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS.--C. et V. 5. p. 362.--Native name
CHETTANG. "Jew-fish" of the sealers (the name "Jew-fish" is applied
otherwise by the colonists).
Inhabits rocky shores. Some specimens weigh upwards of sixteen pounds.
Caught by hook, 17th May, 1841.
No. 42.--CHEILODACTYLUS. Native name TOORJENONG. "Black Jew-fish" of the
sealers. "Rays, D. 16-26; A. 2-10; P. 13; V. 5."
Inhabits rocky points of sandy bays, where they love to run in and root
up the sand with their fleshy mouths. They are sluggish, and easily
speared by the Aborigines, whose chief food it constitutes at certain
seasons. The specimen was speared in my presence by Wallup, on the 8th of
June, 1841. The TOORJENONG grows to a large size, exceeding twenty pounds
in weight. It is a gross feeder, and its flesh is hard and dry, but the
head and sides are much prized by the natives, and the head of a large
one makes tolerable soup.
No. 45.--LATRIS? (vix. GERRES?)--Native name QUIKE or QUIK, (horned).
"Rays, 9-16; A. 3-16; P. 14; V. 1-5."
Caught by the hook, off Rocky Point, on the 17th of August, 1844. Good to
eat. (A spine before each nostril, probably springing from the heads of
the maxillaries).
SPARIDAE.
No. 1.--PAGRUS GUTTULATUS. C. et V. 6, p. 160.--Native name KOJETUCK.
"Common Snapper" of the sealers, "Rays, D. 12-9; A. 3-8; P. 1-5."
The Snapper grows to a large size, attaining from thirty to forty pounds
weight, and is very voracious. It devours crabs and shell fish, crushing
them with its strong teeth. It is common on all the rocky inlets of the
coast of New Holland, extending down the eastern shores to Sidney.
CHAETODONTIDAE.
No. 41.--CHAETODON SEXFASCIUTUS. Richardson Ann. of Nat. Hist.--Native
name KNELOCK.
Inhabits rocky places. Not common.
No. 40.--CHAETODON.--Native name MITCHEBULLER or METYEBULLAR. Teeth very
minute.
Inhabits rocky places. Speared by Warrawar, on the 27th of May, 1841.
No. 27.2.--CHAETODON.--Native name WAMEL or WAMLE. "Rays, D. 10-20; A.
3-17."
No. 6.--PLATAX?--Native names, TEUTUEK or KARLOCK, from the shape of the
fins, also MUDEUR. "Striped sweep" of the sealers, and Pomfret of the
settlers. D. 10; A. 2. Teeth small. Very common on rocky shores. Is a
gross feeder; but good to eat. Caught by a hook on the 12th of March,
1841.
No. 8--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS?--Native names, KGNMMUL or KARRAWAY.
The striped zebra fish of the settlers. "Rays, D. 14-12; A. 3 11; V.
1-5." Mouth, small; tail rather concave.
Inhabits rocky shores, is a gross feeder, bad eating, and is not common.
Caught by the hook on the 6th of April 1841.
No. 10.--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS? Schlegel.--Native names, KOWELANY,
KARRAWAY, or MEMON. Tail a little forked. "Rays, D. 14-13; A.3-11; P. 17;
V. 1-5." Eye, grey.
Inhabits rocky shores, and is not very common. Caught by a hook, on the
6th of April, 1841.
No. 17.--MELANICHTHYS.--Native name MEMON or MUDDIER. "Rays, D. 14-13; A.
3-11; P. 17; V. 1-5."
Eye greyish yellow; teeth in a trenchant series on the edge of the upper
and lower jaw, and also on the maxillaries. Is a gross feeder, and its
flesh has a strong disagreeable smell, but is much relished by the
Aborigines.
Inhabits rocky shores, and is rare. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841.
No. 33. Genus unknown.--Native name, TOOBETOET or TOOBITOO-IT. Rays, D.
17-11; A. 11; P. 11; V. 4.
Is a rare inhabitant of rocky places. Speared by Mooriane, 14th of May,
1841. This seems to be a new generic form, nearly allied to HOPLEGNATHUS,
Richardson; or SCARODON, Schlegel.
No. 43.--SCORPIS?--Native name, MEMON or MEEMON. "Sweep" of the sealers.
"Rays, D.; A. 1." Teeth minute. It is a gross feeder and poor eating.
Very common on rocky shores. Being a bold voracious fish, it is easily
speared or taken with a hook. The Aborigines generally select a rock
which jutts out into the sea, and sitting on their hams, beat crabs into
fragments with a little stone, and throw them into the sea to attract
this fish. The instant a fish comes to feed on the bait, the native,
whose spear is ready, suddenly darts it, and rarely fails in bringing up
the fish on its barbed point. Specimen caught by the hook, 15th of June,
1841.
No. 44.--KURTUS?--Native name, TELYUA, or TELLYA, "Rays, D. 13; A. 2-19;
V.5."
Thrown up on Albany beach, 14th of August, 1841.
PLATESSIDEAE.
No. 50.--PLATESSA? vel. HIPPOGLOSSUS? CHUNDELA.--Native name, CHONDELAR,
or CHUNDELA. The "Spotted sole" of the settlers. Very common in all the
shallow bays in the summer time, where it may be taken by the seine. The
natives detect it when its body is buried in the sand, by the glistening
of its eyes, and spear it. When fishing with the torch, in the night
time, the natives feel for this fish with their naked feet. Specimen
caught by seine, August, 1841. This fish is delicate eating.
SCOMBERIDAE.
No. 32.--CARANX MICANS, Solander, Icon. Parkinson, Bib. Banks, No.
89.--Native name, MADAWICK, "Skip-jack" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 8-28;
A. 2-23; P. 15." Very common in shallow sandy bays, and forming the
staple food of the natives, who assemble in fine calm days, and drive
shoals of this fish into weirs that they have constructed of shrubs and
branches of trees. Specimen caught by hook on the 12th of May, 1841.
No. 16.--TRACHURUS LUTESCENS. Solander (SCOMBER) Pisees Austr. p. 38.
Richard. Ann. Nat. Hist. x. p. 14.--Native name, WARAWITE and
MADIWICK. "Yellow tail" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 6; A. 2." Eye very
large.
Inhabits the edges of sandy banks. Good eating. Caught by hook 5th of
March, 1841.
MUGILIDAE.
No. 29. MUGIL vel. DAJAUS DIEMENSIS. Richardson, Ichth. of the Erebus and
Terror, p. 37, pl. 26, f. 1.--Native name, KNAMLER or KNAMALER. "Common
mullet" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 4-9; A. 1-13."
Frequents shores with sandy beaches, and forms a principal article of
food to the native youths, who are continually practising throwing their
spears at this fish. It is very common, and is good eating. Caught by the
seine, 12th April, 1841.
No. 57.--MUGIL.--Native name, MERRONG, or MIRRONG. "The flut-nosed mullet"
of the settlers.
This is the finest fish of New Holland that I am acquainted with. In
Wilson's Inlet, about forty miles west of King George's Sound, it abounds
in the winter months; and the different tribes, from all parts of the
coast, assemble there, by invitation of the proprietors of the ground,
(the MURRYMIN,) who make great feasts on the occasion. The fish attains a
weight of three and a-half pounds, and a fat one yields about three
quarters of a pound of oil, which the natives use for greasing their
heads and persons. This fish runs up the rivers during the floods, and so
becomes very fat. In summer it retires to the ocean. Caught in September,
1841.
LABRIDAE.
No. 47.--LABRUS LATICLAVIUS. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 139.--Native
name, KANUP, or PARILL, (Green-fish.)
Is a rare inhabitant of rocky shores. Caught by hook, 17th August, 1841.
Poor eating.
No. 20.--LABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICK, KIELMICK, or KIELNMICK.
"Rock-cod" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 22; A. 14."
Tail square. Very common on rocky coasts. Soft, indifferent eating.
Caught by the hook, 3rd May, 1841.
No. 9.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL. "Common rock-fish of the sealers.
"Rays, D. 9-11; A. 2-11, etc."
Mouth furnished with small sharp teeth. Caught by hook, 12th March, 1841.
No. 37.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL, KUHOUL, or BOMBURN. "Black
rock-fish" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-11; A. 3-10 seconds, etc."
Inhabits rocky shores, and grows to the size of fifteen or twenty pounds
weight. Poor, soft eating. Speared by Warrawar, 12th May, 1841.
No. 7.--LABRUS?--Native name, POKONG. "Brown rock-fish" of the sealers.
"Rays, D. 9-12; A. 3-10," etc.
Flesh soft and poor. Inhabitants rocky shores; very common. Caught by
hook, 12th March, 1841.
No. 18.--CRENILABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICH, MINAME, or MINAMEN. Common
"rock-fish" or "Parrot" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 8-11; A. 2-10," etc.
Poor and soft. Inhabits bold rocky shores, where it is troublesome to the
fisher by carrying off his bait. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841.
No. 12.--LABRUS?--Native name IANON'T, WOROGUT, or CUMBEAK. "Rays, D. 30;
A. 12." Tail rounded, teeth very small.
Inhabits weedy places in deep water, and along sandy bays. Sometimes
taken by the natives on the edge of banks. Excellent eating. Caught by
hook, 18th March, 1841.
No. 30.--COSSYPHUS? CRENILABRUS?--Native name MOOLET or CHETON.
"Red rock-fish" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 11-10; A. 3-11; P. 15."
etc.--Teeth very strong; tail rounded; its rays oblong.
Inhabits rocky shores. Bites eagerly, and is a gross feeder. Indifferent
eating. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841.
No. 35.------? Genus not ascertained.--Native name KOOGENUCK, QUEJUIMUCK,
or KNOWL. Little known to the sealers. "Rays, 11-12; A. 2 or 3; P. 16 or
18." Dorsal spines remarkable; scales large; grows to a large size; the
flank scales of one weighing twenty-eight pounds, measure an inch and a
half in length, and an inch and a quarter in breadth. (They are
cycloid.--J. R.)
Inhabits rocky shores. The specimen was speared by Warrawar, 12th May,
1841.
CYPRINIDAE.
No. 5.--RYNCHANA GREYI. Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Erebus and Terror,
p. 44 pl. 29. f. 1. 6.--Native name, PINING or WAUNUGUR, not certain. Not
known to the sealers. Pupil like that of the shark elliptical, with the
long axis vertical.
When the skin was removed the flesh was very fat, resembling that of the
eel, had an unpleasant smell, and could not be eaten. The natives also
were averse to eating it, and only one man acknowledged to have seen it
before. Caught by seine, by Corporal Emms of the 51st regiment, 7th
April, 1841. (This fish is also an inhabitant of Queen Charlotte's Sound,
New Zealand.--J. R.)
SALMONIDAE.
No. 48.--AULOPUS PURPURISSATUS. Richardson, Icones Piscium, p. 6, pl. 2,
f. 3.--Native name, KARDAR. "Rays, D. 19; A. 14; V. 9; P. 10."
Very rare. Caught by hook, on a rocky shore, by Mr. Sholl of Albany, 14th
July, 1841. (Mr. Niell's figure differs slightly from that of Lieutenant
Emery, published in the ICONES PISCIUM above quoted, and chiefly in the
dorsal occupying rather more space, by commencing before the ventrals,
and extending back to opposite the beginning of the anal. The anus is
under the fourteenth dorsal ray. Mr. Niell's drawing also shews a series
of six large roseate spots on the sides below the lateral line, and a
more depressed head, with a prominent arch at the orbit.--J. R.)
ESOCIDAE.
No. 22.--HEMIRAMPHUS.--Native name, IIMEN. "Guardfish" of the settlers.
"Rays, D. 16, delicate black rays; A. 15, do; P. 12; V. 6." Lower jaw
equal to the head in length. Caught by the seine, 3rd March, 1841.
Inhabits sandy bays, but approaches the shore only in summer. It is very
delicate eating.
MURAENIDAE.
No. 52.--MURAENA? vel SPHAGEBRANCHUS.--Native name KALET. The eel figure,
nat. size. Dorsal fin continuous for about three and a half inches behind
the snout to the point of the tail: its rays very delicate; anal like the
dorsal, but commencing behind the vent. One small lobe in the gills,
about the size of a pin's head; no other perceptible opening.
Caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour, 16th August, 1841.
LOPHOBRANCHI.
No. 56.--OSTRACIAN FLAVIGASTER, Gray. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 164,
p. 11, f. 1.--Native name, CONDE or KOODE. "Rays, D. 10; A. 9; P. 11,
etc."
This fish is not eaten by the natives, who abhor it. It is seen only in
the summer, and in shallow sandy bays, Caught in a net in October, 1841.
No 51.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, TABADUCK. Rays, D. 28; A. 26; P. 12;
C. 12.
Very rare, scarcely ever seen by the Aborigines. Caught by hook, August,
1841.
No. 49.--MONACANTHUS.--Not known to the Aborigines. Rays, D. 32; A. 30;
C. 12; P. 11. Eye yellow; dorsal spine short.
Taken in deep water by Mr. Johnson, off the Commissariat stores, near a
sunken rock, in deep water.
No. 15.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, CAUDIEY. "Small leather-jacket" of
the sealers.
Inhabits deep water, with a rocky bottom; is good to eat. Caught by a
net, 18th March, 1841. Dorsal spine toothed behind.
No. 31.--MONACANTHUS, or (ALEUTERES, no spinous point of the pelvis
visible in figure.--J. R.)--Native name, TABEDUCK. The "yellow
leather-jacket" of the sealers. Dorsal spine toothed. D. 33; A. 32; P.
13. Caudal rounded, its rays very strong.
Inhabits deep water in rocky places, and is very common. It is esteemed
for food by the Aborigines; is much infested by an Isopode named NETTONG,
or TOORT, by the natives. This insect inserts its whole body into a
pocket by the side of the anus, separated from the gut by a thin
membrane. The fish to which the insect adheres are yellow; those which
are free from it are of a beautiful purple colour. Caught by hook, 12th
May, 1841.
CARCHARIDAE.
No. 54.--CARCHARIAS (PRIONODON) MELANOPTERUS, Muller and Henle.--Native
name, MATCHET. "Common blue shark" of the settlers. Specimen four feet
and a half long; have been seen longer. A female had four young alive
when taken. Spiracles behind the eyes. Caught by hook, 16th August, 1841.
No. 26--CESTRACION PHILIPPI, Mull. and Henle.--Native names, MATCHET,
KORLUCK, or QUORLUCK. "Bull-dog-shark" of the sealers. Specimen two feet
and a half long.
Inhabits rocky shores, and is very sluggish; it does not grow to a very
large size. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841.
TRYGONES.
No. 38.--UROLOPHUS.--Native name, KEGETUCK or BEBIL. "Young sting-ray" of
the sealers. Caught by seine, 4th May, 1841.
No. 28.--Near PLATYRHINA.--Native name, PARETT. "Fiddler" of the sealers;
Green skate of the settlers. Eye dullish yellow; pupil sea-green, glaring
in some lights; teeth transverse, like a file; spiracles two, large,
behind the eye, in the same cavity; belly white, terminating at the
caudal fin.
Very common in the sheltered bays, close in shore among the weeds. Not
eaten by the Aborigines, who greatly abhor them, as they do also the
sting-ray. Specimen two feet nine inches and a half long.
* * * * *
(D.) DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS.
BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S.
The four insects here figured and described are, as far as I am aware,
new. Petasida, and Tettigarcta are interesting in the shape of the
Thorax, differing widely from that in any of the allied genera, while the
new species of Eurybrachys and Chrysopa are striking from their colouring
and marks.
PETASIDA EPHIPPIGERA, pl. 4. fig. 1.
Thorax much dilated behind, depressed and rounded at the end; the side
deeply sinuated behind; head pointed, antennae long; of a yellowish
orange; antennae with a few greenish rings, cheek below the eye with a
greenish line, head above with a longitudinal greenish line. Thorax with
a slight keel down the middle, wrinkled behind of a dusky blueish green,
a large patch of an orange colour on each side in front, and a small spot
of the same colour on each edge of the produced part at base; elytra
orange with numerous black spots, and black at the tip, lower wings pale
orange at the base, clouded with black at the tip; abdomen orange,
slightly ringed with green; legs orange, with three greenish spots on the
outside of the femora of hind legs.
Length 1 inch 9 lines.
Hab. Australia.
CHRYSOPA MACULIPENNIS, pl. 4. fig. 2.
Head red, with a black spot on the crown; antennae short brownish black;
thorax hairy; thorax, abdomen, and legs, brownish black. Wings brown,
with iridescent hues, the upper with transverse yellowish lines and spots
at the base; a long yellowish line parallel to the outer edge at the end,
and emitting a whitish spot which reaches the edge, three spots on the
apical portion, the two on the outer edge large; basal half lower wings
pale, some of the areolets yellowish; a few clouded with brown, tip of
the wing yellowish.
Expanse of wings 1 inch 4 1/2 lines.
Hab. Australia.
EURYBRACHYS LAETA, pl. 4, fig. 3.
Head thorax and upper wings of a rich brown colour, the outer edge of the
last is deep black, with a transverse yellowish spot just before the
middle, the remainder of the edge slightly spotted with black, upper side
covered with short blackish hairs; lower wings deep black; abdomen of a
bright red, with a round white tuft on the upper side near the end; first
two pairs of legs of a deep brown, with some reddish lines; hind legs
ferruginous with blackish spines.
Expanse of wings 7 lines.
Hab. Australia.
TETTIGARCTA, n. genus, WHITE. Fam. CICADIDAE.
Head very small in front, blunt; lateral ocelli close to the eyes, space
between them with long hairs.
Prothorax very large, extending back in a rounded form beyond the base of
hind wings, the sides sharp pointed, the back very convex and wrinkled.
Body and under parts densely clothed with hair.
This very singular genus differs from all the Stridulantes in the size
and shape of the prothorax; in the neuration of the elytra it is allied
to PLATYPLEURA (Amyst and Serville) in the size of head and hairiness of
body it approaches CARINETA of the same authors. The Pupa, (fig. 5.)
differs in the form of fore legs from those of the other Cicada.
TETTIGARCTA TOMENTOSA, pl. 4, fig. 4, and 5 its pupa.
Of a brownish ash colour, the hairs on upper part of body short and deep
brown, on the sides and under parts long and grey; prothorax varied with
black, in front, two large patches covered with grey hairs, mixed with
longer; elytra spotted and varied with brown, wings clear, somewhat
ferruginous at the base.
Expanse of wings 3 inches 4 lines.
Hab. Australia.
* * * * *
DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA,
BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S.
Lamarck separated the mother-of-pearls shell (MARGARITA) from the
swallow-tail muscles (AVICULA) on account of its more orbicular shape.
Other Conchologists have been inclined to unite them, as some of the
species of AVICULA approach to the shape of the other genus. The new one
just received from Australia, which I am now about to describe, in this
respect more resembles the Margarita than any before noticed; yet I am
inclined to think that the pearl-shells deserved to be kept separate, as
the cardinal teeth are quite obliterated in the adult shells, which is
not the case with any AVICULAE I am acquainted with; and the young
pearl-shells are furnished with a broad serrated distant leafy fringe,
while the AVICULAE are only covered with very closely applied short
concentric slightly raised minutely denticulated lamina, forming an
epidermal coat on the surface.
1. AVICULA LATA, pl. 6. f. 1.
Shell dark brown; half ovate; broad obliquely truncated, and scarcely
notched behind; covered with close regular very thin denticulated
concentric lamina, forming a paler external coat. The front ear rather
produced, with a distant inferior notch; internally pearly, with a broad
brown margin on the lower-edge.
Inhab. North and West coasts of Australia.
2. SPATANGUS ELONGATUS, pl. 6. f. 2.
Body elongate, cordate, with a deep anterior grove and notch; covered
above with minute hair-like spines, with scattered very elongated tubular
minutely striated spines on the sides; the anterior groves and
circumference of the vent with larger equal hair-like spines on each
side; the under surface with a triangular disk of similar spines beneath
the vent, and with elongated larger tubular spines.
Inhab. Western Australia.
Having only a single specimen completely covered with spines, it is
impossible to describe the form of the ambulacra or the disposition of
the tubercles. The lower figures represent the mouth and vent of the
animal in detail.
* * * * *
DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS
BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ., F.L.S., etc.
THYRIDOPTERYX NIGRESCENS, pl. 5. f. 1.
Head densely clothed with long whitish hairs; thorax and abdomen with
black hairs; wings hyaline, the nervures and nervules brown, with a few
black scales: base of the anterior and abdominal fold of the posterior
more or less covered with black hairs; antennae and legs fuscous brown.
Exp. 10--12 lines.
The larva of this species forms a dwelling for itself, similar in form
and structure to that of its American congener, the EPHEMERAEFORMIS,
Steph.
CALLIMORPHA SELENAEA, pl. 5. f. 2.
Wings of a brilliant silvery white; the anterior traversed by a fulvous
band commencing at the base on the costa, which it follows for about
one-third of its length, then crossing the wings directly to the anal
angle, where it unites with a vitta of the same colour, extending from
the angle nearly to the base along the inner margin; this vitta is
bordered interiorly with thickly placed black dots; the transverse
portion of the fulvous band is bordered on both sides with black, and has
a sinus about the middle; cilia fulvous; posterior wing with a black spot
near the outer angle: below, the wings are white, except the cilia of the
anterior, and a large blotch, red anteriorly, black posteriorly, near the
outer angle; head rufous; antennae fuscous; thorax and abdomen white, the
former with the shoulders rufous.
Exp. 2 1/2 inches.
CHELONIA PALLIDA, pl. 5. f. 3.
Anterior wings pale brown, with white nervures and nervules, and marked
with several whitish spots, of which four are on the costa, two
longitudinal before, two transverse beyond the middle of the wing, and on
the inner margin are three irregular patches, sometimes confluent, beyond
which is a band parallel with the outer margin, commencing above the
upper median nervule, and terminating on the inner margin; posterior
wings white, with a discoidal spot, a macular band near the outer margin,
and a less distinct marginal one, all brownish; head white; thorax white,
with three black vittae; abdomen above rufous, with six transverse black
spots, the sides varied with black and white; antennae black; femora red;
tibiae and tarsi black.
Exp. 2 1/4 inches.
CHELONIA FUSCINULA, pl. 5. f. 4.
Anterior wings fuscous, with a pale vitta commencing near the base on the
subcostal nervure, reaching the costa before the middle, and extending
along it to the apex, where it joins a flexuous submarginal band,
connected with a vitta occupying the whole inner margin; beyond the cell
is an abbreviated flexuous striga; followed by a subquadrate dot;
posterior wings pale dull red, with a broad submarginal fuscous band, and
a discoidal spot of the same colour; head and anterior part of thorax
pale, posterior black; abdomen above red, with a black dorsal line;
antennae fuscous; femora red; tibiae and tarsi fuscous.
Exp. 1 1/4 inch.
ACONTIA? PULCHRA, pl. 5. f. 5.
Wings of a somewhat chalky white, the anterior with three rufous dots on
the costa before the middle, of which the third is the largest, and near
the apex a large brown spot, fulvous towards the costa, clouded with
bluish white, connected with the inner margin by four indistinct yellow
dots; forehead red; head, thorax, and abdomen, white; palpi red at the
apex; feet white first and second pairs spotted with red.
Exp. 2 inches.
* * * * *
LIST OF BIRDS, KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA,
BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.R.S.
ORDER RAPTORES.
Aquila fucosa, CUV.
Ichthyiaetus leucogaster, GOULD.
Pandion leucocephalus, GOULD.
Haliastur sphenurus.
Falco melanogenys, GOULD.
----- sub-niger, G. R. GRAY.
----- frontatus, GOULD.
Ieracidea Occidentalis, GOULD.
--------- Berigora.
Tinnunculus Cencroides.
Astur approximans, VIG. and HORSF.
----- Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.?
Accipiter torquatus, VIG. and HORSF.
Buteo melanosternon, GOULD.
Milvus isurus, GOULD.
------ affinis, GOULD.
Elanus axillaris.
------ scripta, GOULD.
Circus assimilis, JARD.
------ Jardinii, GOULD.
Strix personata, VIG.
----- delicatulis, GOULD.
Athene connivens.
------ Boobook
ORDER INSESSORES.
Hirundo neoxena, GOULD.
Cotyle pyrrhonota.
Acanthylis caudacuta.
Eurostopodus guttatus.
Podargus humeralis, VIG. and HORSF.
Aegotheles Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.?
Merops ornatus, LATH.
Dacelo gigas, BODD.
Halcyon sanctus, VIG. and HORSF.
------- pyrrhopygia, GOULD.
Alcyone azurea.
Falcunculus frontatus, VIG. and HORSF.
Oreoica gutturalis.
Xerophila leucopsis, GOULD.
Colluricincla cinerea, VIG. and HORSF.?
Pachycephala gutturalis, VIG. and HORSF.
------------ inornata, GOULD.?
------------ pectoralis, VIG. and HORSF.
------------ rufogularis, GOULD.
Artamus sordidus.
------- personatus, GOULD.
Cracticus destructor, TEMM.
Gymnorhina leuconota, GOULD.
Grallina melanoleuca, VIEILL.
Strepera ----------?
Campephaga humeralis, GOULD.?
Graucalus melanops, VIG. and HORSF.
Cinclosoma punctatum, VIG. and HORSF.
---------- castanotus, GOULD.
Malurus cyaneus, VIEILL.
------- melanotus, GOULD.
------- leucopterus, QUOY AND GAIM.
------- Lamberti, VIG. and HORSF.
Stipiturus malachurus, LESS.
Cysticola exilis?
Hylacola pyrrhopygia.
-------- cauta, GOULD.
Acanthiza pusilla, VIG. and HORSF.
--------- uropygialis, GOULD.
--------- inornata, GOULD.
--------- lineata, GOULD.
--------- chrysorrhoea.
Epthianura aurifrons, GOULD.
---------- tricolor, GOULD.
Sericornis frontalis.
Pyrrholaemus brunneus, GOULD.
Calamanthus campestris.
Anthus pallescens, VIG. and HORSF.
Cincloramphus cantillans, GOULD.
Petroica multicolor, SWAINS.
-------- phoenicea, GOULD.
-------- Goodenovii, JARD. AND SELB.
-------- rosea, GOULD.
-------- bicolor, SWAINS.
Drymodes brunneopygia, GOULD.
Zosterops dorsalis, VIG. and HORSF.
Pardalotus punctatus, TEMM.
---------- striatus, TEMM.
Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Estrelda bella.
-------- temporalis.
Amadina Lathami.
------- castanotus, GOULD.
Rhipidura albiscapa, GOULD.
--------- Motacilloides.
Seisura volitans, VIG. and HORSF.
Microeca macroptera, GOULD.
Smicrornis brevirostris, GOULD.
Corvus Coronoides, VIG. and HORSF.
Chlamydera maculata, GOULD.
Corcorax leucopterus, LESS.
Pomatorhinus trivirgatus, Temm.
------------ temporalis, VIG. and HORSF.
Cacatua galerita, Vieill.
------- Leadbeateri.
Licmetis nasicus, Wagl.
Calyptorhynchus Banksii, VIG. and HORSF.
--------------- Leachii
--------------- xanthonotus, GOULD.
Polytelis melanura.
Platycercus Baueri, VIG. and HORSF.
----------- Barnardi, VIG. and HORSF.
----------- Adelaidiae, GOULD.
----------- flaveolus, GOULD.
Psephotus multicolor.
--------- haematonotus, GOULD.
Melopsittacus undulatus.
Euphema aurantia, GOULD.
------- elegans, GOULD.
Pezoporus formosus.
Trichoglossus Swainsonii, JARD. and SELB.
Trichoglossus concinnus, VIG. and HORSF.
------------- pusillus, VIG. and HORSF.
------------- porphyrocephalus.
Climacteris scandens, TEMM.
----------- picumnus, TEMM.
Sittella melanocephala, GOULD.
Cuculus inornatus, VIG. and HORSF.
------- cineraceus, VIG. and HORSF.
Chalcites lucidus, VIG. and HORSF.
Meliphaga Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.
--------- Australasiana, VIG. and HORSF.
Glyciphila fulvifrons, SWAINS.
---------- albifrons, GOULD.
---------- ocularis, GOULD.
Ptilotis sonora, GOULD.
-------- cratitia, GOULD.
-------- ornata, GOULD.
-------- penicillata, GOULD.
Zanthomyza Phrygia, SWAINS.
Melicophila picata, GOULD.
Acanthogenys rufogularis, GOULD.
Anthochaera carunculata, VIG. and HORSF.
----------- mellivora, VIG. and HORSF.
Acanthorynchus tenuirostris.
Melithreptus gularis, GOULD.
------------ lunulata, VIEILL.
Myzantha garrula, VIG. and HORSF.
ORDER RASORES.
Phaps chalcoptera.
----- elegans.
Ocyphaps Lophotes.
Geopelia cuneata.
Dromeceius Novae-Hollandiae, VIEILL.
Otis Australasianus, GOULD.
OEdicnemus longipes, VIEILL.
Haematopus fuliginosus, GOULD.
---------- longirostris, VIEILL.
Eudromias Australis, GOULD.
Lobivanellus lobatus.
Sarciophorus pectoralis.
Charadrius Virginianus?
Hiaticula monacha.
--------- nigrifrons.
--------- ruficapilla.
Erythrogonys cinctus, GOULD.
Leipoa ocellata, GOULD.
Pedionomus torquatus, GOULD.
Turnix varius.
------ velox, GOULD.
Coturnix pectoralis, GOULD.
Synoicus Australis.
-------- Sinensis.
ORDER GRALLATORES.
Grus Antigone?
Platalea regia, GOULD.
-------- flavipes, GOULD.
Ardea cinerea?
----- pacifica, LATH.
----- Novae-Hollandiae, LATH.
Nycticorax Caledonicus, LESS.
Botaurus Australis, GOULD.
Ibis Falcinellus, LINN.
Numenius Australasianus.
Numenius uropygialis, GOULD.
Recurvirostra rubricollis, TEMM.
Chladorhynchus pectoralis.
Himantopus leucocephalus, GOULD.
Limosa ----------?
Glottis Glottoides.
Pelidna ----------? like P. MINUTA.
Scolopax Australis, LATH.
Rhynchaea Australis, GOULD.
Porphyrio melanotus, TEMM.
Tribonyx ventralis, GOULD.
Gallinula immaculata.
Rallus Philipensis? LINN.
ORDER NATATORES.
Cygnus atratus.
Anseranas melanoleuca.
Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD.
Cereopsis Novae-Hollandiae, LATH.
Casarka Tadornoides.
Biziura lobata, SHAW.
Bernicla jubata.
Anas Novae-Hollandiae, LATH.
---- naevosa, GOULD.
---- castanea.
Nyroca Australis, Eyton.
Rhynchapsis Rhynchotis, STEPH.
Malacorhynchus membranaceus, SWAINS.
Podiceps Australis, GOULD.
-------- poliocephalus, JARD. and SELB.
-------- gularis, GOULD.
Phalacrocorax pica.
------------- leucogaster, GOULD.
Phalacrocorax sulcirostris.
------------- melanoleucus.
Plotus Le Vaillantii?
Pelecanus spectabilis, TEMM.
Sula Australis, GOULD.
Spheniscus minor.
Lestris catarrhactes.
Laras leucomelas.
Xema Jamesonii, WILS.
Sterna poliocerca, GOULD.
------ velox, GOULD.
Sternella nereis, GOULD.
Hydrochelidon fluviatilis.
Diomedea exulans, LINN.
-------- cauta, GOULD.
-------- melanophrys, TEMM.
-------- chlororhyncha, LATH.
-------- fuliginosa.
Procellaria gigantea, GMEL.
----------- perspicillata, GOULD.
----------- hasitata, FORST.
----------- leucocephala.
----------- Solandri, GOULD.
Daption Capensis, STEPH.
Prion vittata, CUV.
----- Banksii.
----- Turtur.
----- Ariel, GOULD.
Puffinus brevicaudus, GOULD.
Puffinuria urinatrix, LESS.
Thalassidroma Wilsoni.
------------- nereis, GOULD.
------------- melanogaster, GOULD.
The preceding list comprises the birds inhabiting the settled districts
of South Australia: viz. the Murray, from the great bend to the sea, the
fertile districts sixty miles northward and southward of Adelaide,
Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, etc. When the remote parts of the colony
have been explored, it will doubtless become necessary to add to it many
other species common to New South Wales and Western Australia.--J. G.
VOLUME II
JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1840-1.
Chapter I.
THE CAMP PLUNDERED--NIGHT OF HORRORS--PROCEED ON TO THE WESTWARD--THE
BOYS FOLLOW US--THEY ARE LEFT BEHIND--FORCED MARCHES--DESERT
COUNTRY--BANKSIAS MET WITH--TRACES OF NATIVES--TERMINATION OF THE
CLIFFS--FIND WATER.
Glancing hastily around the camp I found it deserted by the two younger
native boys, whilst the scattered fragments of our baggage, which I left
carefully piled under the oilskin, lay thrown about in wild disorder, and
at once revealed the cause of the harrowing scene before me.
Upon raising the body of my faithful, but illfated follower, I found that
he was beyond all human aid; he had been shot through the left breast
with a ball, the last convulsions of death were upon him, and he expired
almost immediately after our arrival. The frightful, the appalling truth
now burst upon me, that I was alone in the desert. He who had faithfully
served me for many years, who had followed my fortunes in adversity and
in prosperity, who had accompanied me in all my wanderings, and whose
attachment to me had been his sole inducement to remain with me in this
last, and to him alas, fatal journey, was now no more. For an instant, I
was almost tempted to wish that it had been my own fate instead of his.
The horrors of my situation glared upon me in such startling reality, as
for an instant almost to paralyse the mind. At the dead hour of night, in
the wildest and most inhospitable wastes of Australia, with the fierce
wind raging in unison with the scene of violence before me, I was left,
with a single native, whose fidelity I could not rely upon, and who for
aught I knew might be in league with the other two, who perhaps were even
now, lurking about with the view of taking away my life as they had done
that of the overseer. Three days had passed away since we left the last
water, and it was very doubtful when we might find any more. Six hundred
miles of country had to be traversed, before I could hope to obtain the
slightest aid or assistance of any kind, whilst I knew not that a single
drop of water or an ounce of flour had been left by these murderers, from
a stock that had previously been so small.
With such thoughts rapidly passing through my mind, I turned to search
for my double-barelled gun, which I had left covered with an oilskin at
the head of my own break wind. It was gone, as was also the
double-barelled gun that had belonged to the overseer. These were the
only weapons at the time that were in serviceable condition, for though
there were a brace of pistols they had been packed away, as there were no
cartridges for them, and my rifle was useless, from having a ball
sticking fast in the breech, and which we had in vain endeavoured to
extract. A few days' previous to our leaving the last water, the overseer
had attempted to wash out the rifle not knowing it was loaded, and the
consequence was, that the powder became wetted and partly washed away, so
that we could neither fire it off, nor get out the ball; I was,
therefore, temporarily defenceless, and quite at the mercy of the
natives, had they at this time come upon me. Having hastily ripped open
the bag in which the pistols had been sewn up, I got them out, together
with my powder flask, and a bag containing a little shot and some large
balls. The rifle I found where it had been left, but the ramrod had been
taken out by the boys to load my double-barelled gun with, its own ramrod
being too short for that purpose; I found it, however, together with
several loose cartridges, lying about near the place where the boys had
slept, so that it was evident they had deliberately loaded the fire-arms
before they tried to move away with the things they had stolen; one
barrel only of my gun had been previously loaded, and I believe neither
barrels in that of the overseer.
After obtaining possession of all the remaining arms, useless as they
were at the moment, with some ammunition, I made no further examination
then, but hurried away from the fearful scene, accompanied by the King
George's Sound native, to search for the horses, knowing that if they got
away now, no chance whatever would remain of saving our lives. Already
the wretched animals had wandered to a considerable distance; and
although the night was moonlight, yet the belts of scrub, intersecting
the plains, were so numerous and dense, that for a long time we could not
find them; having succeeded in doing so at last, Wylie and I remained
with them, watching them during the remainder of the night; but they were
very restless, and gave us a great deal of trouble. With an aching heart,
and in most painful reflections, I passed this dreadful night. Every
moment appeared to be protracted to an hour, and it seemed as if the
daylight would never appear. About midnight the wind ceased, and the
weather became bitterly cold and frosty. I had nothing on but a shirt and
a pair of trowsers, and suffered most acutely from the cold; to mental
anguish was now added intense bodily pain. Suffering and distress had
well nigh overwhelmed me, and life seemed hardly worth the effort
necessary to prolong it. Ages can never efface the horrors of this single
night, nor would the wealth of the world ever tempt me to go through
similar ones again.
April 30.--At last, by God's blessing, daylight dawned once more, but sad
and heart-rending was the scene it presented to my view, upon driving the
horses to what had been our last night's camp. The corpse of my poor
companion lay extended on the ground, with the eyes open, but cold and
glazed in death. The same stern resolution, and fearless open look, which
had characterized him when living, stamped the expression of his
countenance even now. He had fallen upon his breast four or five yards
from where he had been sleeping, and was dressed only in his shirt. In
all probability, the noise made by the natives, in plundering the camp,
had awoke him; and upon his jumping up, with a view of stopping them,
they had fired upon and killed him.
Around the camp lay scattered the harness of the horses, and the remains
of the stores that had been the temptation to this fatal deed.
As soon as the horses were caught, and secured, I left Wylie to make a
fire, whilst I proceeded to examine into the state of our baggage, that I
might decide upon our future proceedings. Among the principal things
carried off by the natives, were, the whole of our baked bread, amounting
to twenty pounds weight, some mutton, tea and sugar, the overseer's
tobacco and pipes, a one gallon keg full of water, some clothes, two
double-barrelled guns, some ammunition, and a few other small articles.
There were still left forty pounds of flour, a little tea and sugar, and
four gallons of water, besides the arms and ammunition I had secured last
night.
From the state of our horses, and the dreadful circumstances we were
placed in, I was now obliged to abandon every thing but the bare
necessaries of life. The few books and instruments I had still left, with
many of the specimens I had collected, a saddle, and some other things,
were thrown aside to lighten somewhat more the trifling loads our animals
had to carry. A little bread was then baked, and I endeavoured once more
to put the rifle in serviceable condition, as it was the only weapon we
should have to depend upon in any dangers that might beset us. Unable in
any way to take out the breech, or to extract the ball, I determined to
melt it out, and for that purpose took the barrel off the stock, and put
the breech in the fire, holding the muzzle in my hand. Whilst thus
engaged, the rifle went off, the ball whizzing close past my head; the
fire, it seems, had dried the powder, which had been wetted, not washed
out; and when the barrel was sufficiently heated, the piece had gone off,
to the imminent danger of my life, from the incautious way in which I
held it. The gun, however, was again serviceable; and after carefully
loading it, I felt a degree of confidence and security I had before been
a stranger to.
At eight o'clock we were ready to proceed; there remained but to perform
the last sad offices of humanity towards him, whose career had been cut
short in so untimely a manner. This duty was rendered even more than
ordinarily painful, by the nature of the country, where we happened to
have been encamped. One vast unbroken surface of sheet rock extended for
miles in every direction, and rendered it impossible to make a grave. We
were some miles away from the sea-shore, and even had we been nearer,
could not have got down the cliffs to bury the corpse in the sand. I
could only, therefore, wrap a blanket around the body of the overseer,
and leaving it enshrouded where he fell, escape from the melancholy
scene, accompanied by Wylie, under the influence of feelings which
neither time nor circumstances will ever obliterate. Though years have
now passed away since the enactment of this tragedy, the dreadful horrors
of that time and scene, are recalled before me with frightful vividness,
and make me shudder even now, when I think of them. A life time was
crowded into those few short hours, and death alone may blot out the
impressions they produced.
For some time we travelled slowly and silently onwards. Wylie preceding,
leading one of the horses, myself following behind and driving the others
after him, through a country consisting still of the same alternations of
scrub and open intervals as before. The day became very warm, and at
eleven, after travelling ten miles to the west, I determined to halt
until the cool of the evening. After baking some bread and getting our
dinners, I questioned Wylie as to what he knew of the sad occurrence of
yesterday. He positively denied all knowledge of it--said he had been
asleep, and was awoke by the report of the gun, and that upon seeing the
overseer lying on the ground he ran off to meet me. He admitted, however,
that, after the unsuccessful attempt to leave us, and proceed alone to
King George's Sound, the elder of the other two natives had proposed to
him again to quit the party, and try to go back to Fowler's Bay, to the
provisions buried there. But he had heard or knew nothing, he said, of
either robbery or murder being first contemplated.
My own impression was, that Wylie had agreed with the other two to rob
the camp and leave us;--that he had been cognisant of all their
proceedings and preparations, but that when, upon the eve of their
departure, the overseer had unexpectedly awoke and been murdered, he was
shocked and frightened at the deed, and instead of accompanying them, had
run down to meet me. My opinion upon this point received additional
confirmation from the subsequent events of this day; but I never could
get Wylie to admit even the slightest knowledge of the fatal occurrence,
or that he had even intended to have united with them in plundering the
camp and deserting. He had now become truly alarmed; and independently of
the fear of the consequences which would attach to the crime, should we
ever reach a civilized community again, he had become very apprehensive
that the other natives, who belonged to quite a different part of
Australia to himself, and who spoke a totally different language, would
murder him as unhesitatingly as they had done the white man.
We remained in camp until four o'clock, and were again preparing to
advance, when my attention was called by Wylie to two white objects among
the scrub, at no great distance from us, and I at once recognized the
native boys, covered with their blankets only, and advancing towards us.
From Wylie's account of their proposal to go back towards Fowler's Bay, I
fully hoped that they had taken that direction, and left us to pursue our
way to the Sound unmolested. I was therefore surprised, and somewhat
alarmed, at finding them so near us. With my rifle and pistols I felt
myself sufficiently a match for them in an open country, or by daylight.
Yet I knew that as long as they followed like bloodhounds on our tracks
our lives would be in their power at any moment that they chose to take
them, whilst we were passing through a scrubby country, or by night.
Whatever their intention might be, I knew, that if we travelled in the
same direction with them, our lives could only be safe by their
destruction. Although they had taken fully one-third of the whole stock
of our provisions, their appetites were so ravenous, and their habits so
improvident, that this would soon be consumed, and then they must either
starve or plunder us; for they had already tried to subsist themselves in
the bush, and had failed.
As these impressions rapidly passed through my mind, there appeared to me
but one resource left, to save my own life and that of the native with
me: that was, to shoot the elder of the two. Painful as this would be, I
saw no other alternative, if they still persisted in following us. After
packing up our few things, and putting them upon the horses, I gave the
bridles to Wylie to hold, whilst I advanced alone with my rifle towards
the two natives. They were now tolerably near, each carrying a
double-barrelled gun, which was pointed towards me, elevated across the
left arm and held by the right hand. As I attempted to approach nearer
they gradually retreated.
Finding that I was not likely to gain ground upon them in this way, I
threw down my weapons, and advanced unarmed, hoping that if they let me
near them I might suddenly close with the eldest and wrest his gun from
him. After advancing about sixty or seventy yards towards them, I found
that they again began to retreat, evidently determined not to let me
approach any nearer, either armed or unarmed. Upon this I halted, and
endeavoured to enter into parley with them, with a view to persuading
them to return towards Fowler's Bay, and thus obviate the painful
necessity I should have been under of endeavouring, for my own security,
to take away the life of the eldest whenever I met with him, should they
still persist in going the same road as myself. The distance we were
apart was almost too great for parley, and I know not whether they heard
me or not; though they halted, and appeared to listen, they did not reply
to what I said, and plainly wished to avoid all closer contact. They now
began to call incessantly to Wylie, and in answer to my repeated efforts
to get them to speak to me, only would say, "Oh massa, we don't want you,
we want Wylie." Thus fully confirming me in the opinion I had formed,
that Wylie had agreed to go with them before the deed of violence was
committed. It was now apparent to me that their only present object in
following us had been to look for Wylie, and get him to join them. In
this they were unsuccessful; for he still remained quietly where I left
him holding the horses, and evidently afraid to go near them. There was
no use wasting further time, as I could not get them to listen to me. The
sun, too, was fast sinking in the horizon, we had been four days without
finding water, and the probability was we had very far still to go before
we could hope to procure any; every moment, therefore, was precious.
Having returned to Wylie, I made him lead one of the horses in advance,
and I followed behind, driving the rest after him, according to the
system of march I had adopted in the morning. As soon as the two natives
saw us moving on, and found Wylie did not join them, they set up a wild
and plaintive cry, still following along the brush parallel to our line
of route, and never ceasing in their importunities to Wylie, until the
denseness of the scrub, and the closing in of night, concealed us from
each other.
I was now resolved to make the most of the opportunity afforded me, and
by travelling steadily onwards, to gain so much distance in advance of
the two natives as to preclude the possibility of their again overtaking
us until we had reached the water, if indeed we were ever destined to
reach water again. I knew that they would never travel more than a few
miles before lying down, especially if carrying all the bread they had
taken, the keg of water, guns, and other articles. We had, however, seen
none of these things with them, except the fire-arms.
Our road was over scrubby and stony undulations, with patches of dry
grass here and there; in other parts, we passed over a very sandy soil of
a red colour, and overrun by immense tufts of prickly grass (spinifex),
many of which were three and four yards in diameter. After pushing on for
eighteen miles, I felt satisfied we had left the natives far behind, and
finding a patch of grass for the horses, halted for the remainder of the
night. It was quite impossible, after all we had gone through, to think
of watching the horses, and my only means of preventing from them
straying, was to close the chains of their hobbles so tight, that they
could not go far; having thus secured them, we lay down, and for a few
hours enjoyed uninterrupted and refreshing sleep.
Moving on again on the 1st of May, as the sun was above the horizon, we
passed through a continuation of the same kind of country, for sixteen
miles, and then halted for a few hours during the heat of the day. We had
passed many recent traces of natives both yesterday and to-day, who
appeared to be travelling to the westward. After dividing a pot of tea
between us, we again pushed on for twelve miles, completing a stage of
twenty-eight miles, and halting, with a little dry grass for the horses.
It was impossible they could endure this much longer, they had already
been five days without water, and I did not expect to meet with any for
two days more, a period which I did not think they could survive. As yet
no very great change had taken place in the country; it was still scrubby
and rocky, but the surface stone now consisted of a cream-coloured
limestone of a fine compact character, and full of shells. The cliffs,
parallel with which we were travelling, were still of about the same
height, appearance, and formation as before, whilst the inland country
increased in elevation, forming scrubby ridges to the back, with a few
open grassy patches here and there. One circumstance in our route to-day
cheered me greatly, and led me shortly to expect some important and
decisive change in the character and formation of the country. It was the
appearance for the first time of the Banksia, a shrub which I had never
before found to the westward of Spencer's Gulf, but which I knew to
abound in the vicinity of King George's Sound, and that description of
country generally. Those only who have looked out with the eagerness and
anxiety of a person in my situation, to note any change in the vegetation
or physical appearance of a country, can appreciate the degree of
satisfaction with which I recognised and welcomed the first appearance of
the Banksia. Isolated as it was amidst the scrub, and insignificant as
the stunted specimens were that I first met with, they led to an
inference that I could not be mistaken in, and added, in a tenfold
degree, to the interest and expectation with which every mile of our
route had now become invested. During the day the weather had been again
cloudy, with the appearance of rain; but the night turned out cold and
frosty, and both I and the native suffered extremely. We had little to
protect us from the severity of the season, never being able to procure
firewood of a description that would keep burning long at once, so that
between cold and fatigue, we were rarely able to get more than a few
moments rest at a time; and were always glad when daylight dawned to
cheer us, although it only aroused us to the renewal of our unceasing
toil.
May 2.--We again moved away at dawn, through a country which gradually
become more scrubby, hilly, and sandy. The horses crawled on for
twenty-one miles, when I halted for an hour to rest, and to have a little
tea from our now scanty stock of water. The change which I had noticed
yesterday in the vegetation of the country, was greater and more cheering
every mile we went, although as yet the country itself was as desolate
and inhospitable as ever. The smaller Banksias now abounded, whilst the
Banksia grandis, and many other shrubs common at King George's Sound,
were frequently met with. The natives, whose tracks we had so frequently
met with, taking the same course as ourselves to the westward, seemed now
to be behind us; during the morning we had passed many freshly lit fires,
but the people themselves remained concealed; we had now lost all traces
of them, and the country seemed untrodden and untenanted. In the course
of our journey this morning, we met with many holes in the sheets of
limestone, which occasionally coated the surface of the ground; in these
holes the natives appeared to procure an abundance of water after rains,
but it was so long since any had fallen, that all were dry and empty now.
In one deep hole only, did we find the least trace of moisture; this had
at the bottom of it, perhaps a couple of wine glasses full of mud and
water, and was most carefully blocked up from the birds with huge stones:
it had evidently been visited by natives, not an hour before we arrived
at it, but I suspect they were as much disappointed as we were, upon
rolling away all the stones to find nothing in it.
After our scanty meal, we again moved onwards, but the road became so
scrubby and rocky, or so sandy and hilly, that we could make no progress
at all by night, and at eight miles from where we dined, we were
compelled to halt, after a day's journey of twenty-nine miles; but
without a blade even of withered grass for our horses, which was the more
grievous, because for the first time since we left the last water, a very
heavy dew fell, and would have enabled them to feed a little, had there
been grass. We had now traversed 138 miles of country from the last
water, and according to my estimate of the distance we had to go, ought
to be within a few miles of the termination of the cliffs of the Great
Bight.
May 3.--The seventh day's dawn found us early commencing our journey. The
poor horses still crawled on, though slowly. I was surprised that they
were still alive, after the continued sufferings and privations they had
been subject to. As for ourselves, we were both getting very weak and
worn out, as well as lame, and it was with the greatest difficulty I
could get Wylie to move, if he once sat down. I had myself the same kind
of apathetic feeling, and would gladly have laid down and slept for ever.
Nothing but a strong sense of duty prevented me from giving way to this
pleasing but fatal indulgence.
The road to-day became worse than ever, being one continued succession of
sandy, scrubby and rocky ridges, and hollows formed on the top of the
cliffs along which our course lay. After travelling two and a half miles,
however, we were cheered and encouraged by the sight of sandy hills, and
a low coast stretching beyond the cliffs to the south-west, though they
were still some distance from us. At ten miles from where we had slept, a
native road led us down a very steep part of the cliffs, and we descended
to the beach. The wretched horses could scarcely move, it was with the
greatest difficulty we got them down the hill, and now, although within
sight of our goal, I feared two of them would never reach it. By
perseverance we still got them slowly along, for two miles from the base
of the cliffs, and then turning in among the sand-drifts, to our great
joy and relief, found a place where the natives had dug for water; thus
at twelve o'clock on the seventh day since leaving the last depot, we
were again encamped at water, after having crossed 150 miles of a rocky,
barren, and scrubby table land.
Chapter II.
REFLECTIONS UPON SITUATION--WATCH FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NATIVE
BOYS--THEIR PROBABLE FATE--PROCEED ON THE JOURNEY--FACILITY OF OBTAINING
WATER--KILL A HORSE FOR FOOD--SILVER-BARK TEA-TREE--INTENSE COLD--FIRST
HILLS SEEN--GOOD GRASS--APPETITE OF A NATIVE--INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF
UNWHOLESOME DIET--CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--GRANITE FORMS
THE LOW WATER LEVEL--TREE WASHED ON SHORE--INDISPOSITION.
Having at last got fairly beyond all the cliffs bounding the Great Bight,
I fully trusted that we had now overcome the greatest difficulties of the
undertaking, and confidently hoped that there would be no more of those
fearful long journeys through the desert without water, but that the
character of the country would be changed, and so far improved as to
enable us to procure it, once at least every thirty or forty miles, if
not more frequently.
Relieved from the pressure of immediate toil, and from the anxiety and
suspense I had been in on the subject of water, my mind wandered to the
gap created in my little party since we had last been at water; more than
ever, almost, did I feel the loss of my overseer, now that the last and
most difficult of our forced marches had been successfully accomplished,
and that there was every hope of our progress for the future, being both
less difficult and more expeditious. How delighted he would have been had
he been with us to participate in the successful termination of a stage,
which he had ever dreaded more than any other during the whole of our
journey, and with what confidence and cheerfulness he would have gone on
for the future. Out of five two only were now present; our little band
had been severed never to be reunited; and I could not but blame myself
for yielding to the overseer's solicitation to halt on the evening of the
29th April, instead of travelling on all night as I had originally
intended: had I adhered to my own judgment all might yet have been well.
Vain and bootless, however, now were all regrets for the irrecoverable
past; but the present was so fraught with circumstances calculated to
recal and to make me feel more bitterly the loss I had sustained, that
painful as the subject was, the mind could not help reverting to and
dwelling upon it.
Having given each of the horses a bucket of water, Wylie watched them
whilst I cooked our dinner and made some tea, after getting which we
again gave the horses another bucket of water a-piece, hobbled them out
for the night, and then lay down ourselves, feeling perfectly secure from
being overtaken by the native boys. We were obliged to place ourselves
close to the hole of water to keep the horses from getting into it, as
they were thirsty and restless, and kept walking round the well nearly
the whole night, and feeding very little. We ourselves, too, although
dreadfully tired and weak, were so cold and restless, that we slept but
little. I had also a large swelling on two of the joints of the second
finger of the right hand, which gave me very great pain.
May 4.--After an early breakfast we gave the horses as much water as they
chose to drink, and removing their hobbles gave them full liberty to
range where they liked. I then left Wylie to continue his slumbers, and
taking my rifle, walked about three miles among the sand-drifts to search
for grass, but could find none, except the coarse vegetation that grew
amongst the sand-drifts. I found two other places where the natives got
water by digging, and have no doubt that it may be procured almost
anywhere in these drifts, which extend for some miles, along the coast.
Some black cockatoos made their appearance near the sand-hills,
indicating, in connection with the change I had noticed in the
vegetation, that we were now about entering a different and less
difficult country than any we had yet traversed. These birds I knew never
inhabited that description of country we had been so long travelling
through. We had not seen one before, during our whole journey, and poor
Wylie was quite delighted at the idea of our vicinity to a better region.
During the day a strict look out was kept for the other two natives, and
at night, after watering the horses and concealing the saddles, we took
our provisions and arms up among the sand-hills, and slept there at some
distance from the water: that if they travelled onwards by moon-light,
they might not come upon us unawares whilst sleeping. If they had
continued their route to the westward, they would, I knew, both have a
severe task to reach the water, and be unable to go to it without our
knowledge; the youngest boy I did not think would prove equal to so
arduous a task, but the elder one I thought might, if his courage and
perseverance did not fail him in travelling so far, without any
indications to lead him to hope for final success, save the fact of our
having gone on before. Upon the whole, however, I thought it more than
probable that on finding they could not get Wylie to join them, and that
they could not keep pace with us, they would turn back, and endeavour to
put in practice their original intention of trying to reach Fowler's Bay.
Still it was necessary to be cautious and vigilant. A few days at most
would decide whether they were advancing this way or not, and until
satisfied upon this point, I determined to take every precaution in my
power to guard against a surprise. My hand was dreadfully painful at
night, and quite deprived me of all rest.
May 5.--Up before day-break, and moved down to the water to breakfast,
then examined carefully round the wells, and between the sand-drifts and
the sea, to see if any foot-prints had been made during the night, but
none had. There were many pigeons about, and as I had still some
ammunition left, I felt the loss of my gun severely. During the morning a
very large eagle came and settled near us, and I sent Wylie with the
rifle to try to shoot it; he crept within a very few yards of it, and
being a good shot, I felt sure of a hearty meal, but unfortunately the
rifle missed fire, having got damp during the heavy fall of dew a few
evenings before. We lost our dinner, but I received a useful lesson on
the necessity of taking better care of the only gun I had left, and being
always certain that it was in a fit and serviceable state; I immediately
set to work, cleaned and oiled it, and in the afternoon made some
oil-skin covers for the lock and muzzle to keep the damp from it at
nights. For the last day or two I had been far from well, whilst my
inflamed hand, which was daily getting worse, caused me most excruciating
pain, and quite destroyed my rest at nights. In the evening we again
retired among the sand-hills to sleep.
May 6.--After breakfast we carefully examined the sand-drifts and the
sea-shore, to see if the two boys had passed, but there were no traces of
them to be found, and I now felt that we were secure from all further
interruption from them. Three days we had been in camp at the water,
making altogether a period of six since we last saw them. Had they
continued their course to the westward, they must have arrived long
before this, and I now felt satisfied that they had turned back to
Fowler's Bay for the sake of the provisions buried there, or else they
had fallen in with the natives, whose traces we had so repeatedly seen,
and either joined them, or been killed by them.
It was now apparent to me beyond all doubt, that in following us on the
30th of April, so far out of the direction they ought to have taken if
they intended to go to the eastward, their only object had been to get
Wylie to accompany them. As he was the eldest of the three, and a strong
full grown man, they would have found him a protection to them from his
superior age, strength and skill. As it was they had but little chance of
making their way safely either to the east or west. At the time I last
saw them they were sixty-three miles from the nearest water in the former
direction, and eighty-seven miles from that in the latter. They were
tired and exhausted from previous walking, and in this state would have
to carry the guns, the provisions, and other things they had taken. This
would necessarily retard their progress, and lengthen out the period
which must elapse before they could obtain water in any direction. On the
night of the 29th April they must have had one gallon of water with them,
but when we saw them on the 30th, I have no doubt, that with their usual
improvidence, they had consumed the whole, and would thus have to undergo
the fatigue of carrying heavy weights, as well as walking for a
protracted period, without any thing to relieve their thirst. Their
difficulties and distress would gradually but certainly increase upon
them, and they would then, in all likelihood, throw away their guns or
their provisions, and be left in the desert unarmed, without food or
water, and without skill or energy to direct them successfully to search
for either. A dreadful and lingering death would in all probability
terminate the scene, aggravated in all its horrors by the consciousness
that they had brought it entirely upon themselves. Painfully as I had
felt the loss of my unfortunate overseer, and shocked as I was at the
ruthless deed having been committed by these two boys, yet I could not
help feeling for their sad condition, the miseries and sufferings they
would have to encounter, and the probable fate that awaited them.
The youngest of the two had been with me for four years, the eldest for
two years and a half, and both had accompanied me in all my travels
during these respective periods. Now that the first and strong
impressions naturally resulting from a shock so sudden and violent as
that produced by the occurrences of the 29th April, had yielded, in some
measure, to calmer reflections, I was able maturely to weigh the whole of
what had taken place, and to indulge in some considerations in
extenuation of their offence. The two boys knew themselves to be as far
from King George's Sound, as they had already travelled from Fowler's
Bay. They were hungry, thirsty, and tired, and without the prospect of
satisfying fully their appetites, or obtaining rest for a long period of
time, they probably thought, that bad and inhospitable as had been the
country we had already traversed, we were daily advancing into one still
more so, and that we never could succeed in forcing a passage through it;
and they might have been strengthened in this belief by the unlucky and
incautiously-expressed opinions of the overseer. It was natural enough,
under such circumstances, that they should wish to leave the party.
Having come to that determination, and knowing from previous experience,
that they could not subsist upon what they could procure for themselves
in the bush, they had resolved to take with them a portion of the
provisions we had remaining, and which they might look upon, perhaps, as
their share by right. Nor would Europeans, perhaps, have acted better. In
desperate circumstances men are ever apt to become discontented and
impatient of restraint, each throwing off the discipline and control he
had been subject to before, and each conceiving himself to have a right
to act independently when the question becomes one of life and death.
Having decided upon leaving the party, and stealing a portion of the
provisions, their object would be to accomplish this as effectually and
as safely as they could; and in doing this, they might, without having
had the slightest intention originally, of injuring either myself or the
overseer, have taken such precautions, and made such previous
arrangements as led to the fatal tragedy which occurred. All three of the
natives were well aware, that as long as they were willing to accompany
us, they would share with us whatever we had left; or that, if resolutely
bent upon leaving us, no restriction, save that of friendly advice, would
be imposed to prevent their doing so; but at the same time they were
aware that we would not have consented to divide our little stock of food
for the purpose of enabling any one portion of the party to separate from
the other, but rather that we would forcibly resist any attempts to
effect such a division, either openly or by stealth. They knew that they
never could succeed in their plans openly, and that to do so by stealth
effectually and safely, it would first be necessary to secure all the
fire-arms, that they might incur no risk from our being alarmed before
their purpose was completed. No opportunity had occurred to bring their
intentions into operation until the evening in question, when the scrubby
nature of the country, the wildness of the night, the overseer's sound
sleeping, and my own protracted absence, at a distance with the horses,
had all conspired to favour them. I have no doubt, that they first
extinguished the fires, and then possessing themselves of the fire-arms,
proceeded to plunder the baggage and select such things as they required.
In doing this they must have come across the ammunition, and loaded the
guns preparatory to their departure, but this might have been without any
premeditated intention of making use of them in the way they did. At this
unhappy juncture it would seem that the overseer must have awoke, and
advanced towards them to see what was the matter, or to put a stop to
their proceedings, when they fired on him, to save themselves from being
caught in their act of plunder. That either of the two should have
contemplated the committal of a wilful, barbarous, cold-blooded murder, I
cannot bring myself to believe--no object was to be attained by it; and
the fact of the overseer having been pierced through the breast, and many
yards in advance of where he had been sleeping, in a direction towards
the sleeping-place of the natives, clearly indicated that it was not
until he had arisen from his sleep, and had been closely pressing upon
them, that they had fired the fatal shot. Such appeared to me to be the
most plausible and rational explanation of this melancholy affair--I
would willingly believe it to be the true one.
Wylie and I moved on in the evening, with the horses for two miles, and
again pitched our camp among the sand-drifts, at a place where the
natives were in the habit of digging wells for water, and where we
procured it at a very moderate depth below the surface. Pigeons were here
in great numbers, and Wylie tried several times with the rifle to shoot
them, but only killed one, the grooved barrel not being adapted for
throwing shot with effect.
At midnight we arose and moved onwards, following along the beach. I
intended to have made a long stage, as I no longer had any fears about
not finding water; but at nine miles one of the horses knocked up, and
could proceed no farther, I was compelled, therefore, to turn in among
the sand-drifts, and halt at five in the morning of the 7th. We were
again fortunate in procuring water by digging only two feet under the
sand-hills, which were here very high, and were a continuation of those
in which we had first found water on the 3rd. In the afternoon, I again
tried to advance upon our journey, but after proceeding only four miles,
the jaded horse was again unable to move further, and there was no
alternative but to halt and search for water. This was found among the
sand-hills, but we could procure nothing but the coarse grass growing
upon the drifts for the animals to eat.
May 8.--About two hours before daylight, rain began to fall, and
continued steadily though lightly for three hours, so that enough had
fallen to deposit water in the ledges or holes of the rocks. The day was
wild and stormy, and we did not start until late. Even then we could only
get the tired horse along for three miles, and were again compelled to
halt. Water was still procured, by digging under the sand-hills, but we
had to sink much deeper than we had lately found occasion to do. It was
now plain, that the tired horse would never be able to keep pace with the
others, and that we must either abandon him, or proceed at a rate too
slow for the present state of our commissariat. Taking all things into
consideration, it appeared to me that it would be better to kill him at
once for food, and then remain here in camp for a time, living upon the
flesh, whilst the other horses were recruiting, after which I hoped we
might again be able to advance more expeditiously. Upon making this
proposal to Wylie, he was quite delighted at the idea, and told me
emphatically that he would sit up and eat the whole night. Our decision
arrived at, the sentence was soon executed. The poor animal was shot, and
Wylie and myself were soon busily employed in skinning him. Leaving me to
continue this operation, Wylie made a fire close to the carcase, and as
soon as he could get at a piece of the flesh he commenced roasting some,
and continued alternately, eating, working and cooking. After cutting off
about 100 pounds of the best of the meat, and hanging it in strips upon
the trees until our departure, I handed over to Wylie the residue of the
carcase, feet, entrails, flesh, skeleton, and all, to cook and consume as
he pleased, whilst we were in the neighbourhood. Before dark he had made
an oven, and roasted about twenty pounds, to feast upon during the night.
The evening set in stormy, and threatened heavy rain, but a few drops
only fell. The wind then rose very high, and raged fiercely from the
south-west. At midnight it lulled, and the night became intensely cold
and frosty, and both Wylie and myself suffered severely, we could only
get small sticks for our fire, which burned out in a few minutes, and
required so frequently renewing, that we were obliged to give it up in
despair, and bear the cold in the best way we could. Wylie, during the
night, made a sad and dismal groaning, and complained of being very ill,
from pain in his throat, the effect he said of having to work too hard. I
did not find that his indisposition interfered very greatly with his
appetite, for nearly every time I awoke during the night, I found him up
and gnawing away at his meat, he was literally fulfilling the promise he
had made me in the evening, "By and bye, you see, Massa, me 'pta' (eat)
all night."
May 9.--The day was cold and cloudy, and we remained in camp to rest the
horses, and diminish the weight of meat, which was greater than our
horses could well carry in their present state. On getting up the horses
to water them at noon, I was grieved to find the foal of my favourite
mare (which died on the 28th March) missing; how we had lost it I could
not make out, but as its tracks were not any where visible near the camp,
it was evident that it had never come there at all. In leaving our last
halting place my time and attention had been so taken up with getting the
weak horse along, that I had left it entirely to Wylie to bring up the
others, and had neglected my usual precaution of counting to see if all
were there before we moved away. The little creature must have been lying
down behind the sand-hills asleep, when we left, or otherwise it would
never have remained behind the others. Being very desirous not to lose
this foal, which had now accompanied me so far and got through all the
worst difficulties, I saddled the strongest of the horses, and mounting
Wylie, I set off myself on foot with him to search for it. We had not
gone far from the camp, when Wylie wished me to go back, offering to go
on by himself; and as I was loth to leave our provisions and ammunition
to the mercy of any native that might chance to go that way, I acceded to
his request, and delivering to him the rifle, returned to the encampment.
Wylie had pledged himself to the due execution of this errand, and I had
some confidence that he would not deceive me. Hour after hour passed away
without his return, and I began to be uneasy at his long delay, and half
repented that I had been so foolish as to trust the rifle in his hands.
At last, a little after dark, I was delighted to see him return, followed
by the foal, which he had found six miles away and still travelling
backwards in search of the horses. Having given him an extra allowance of
bread as a reward for his good conduct, we took our tea and lay down for
the night.
During the day, whilst Wylie was absent, I had employed my time in
collecting firewood from the back of the sand-hills. In this occupation I
was pleased to meet with the silver-bark tea-tree, another change in the
vegetation, which still further convinced me that we were rapidly
advancing into a more practicable country.