In the Spinifex Desert--Arrival at the Lake--The Remnant of a Tribe.
The next morning when they started the forest country still continued
for many miles, until they at length came to another broad plain, and
a couple of hours before sundown sighted some timber nearly on their
course. This proved to be a double line of gutta-percha-trees, with
a broad flat between them. The trees grew on low banks of sand, on
which were countless quantities of tiny shells; the whole had the
appearance of a shallow water-course, but the bed was covered with
blue-bush. The two lines of trees stretched on like a limitless
avenue, and as it followed much the same course as that they were
travelling, they proceeded along it. They passed one or two empty
holes, with a ring of polygonum bushes, dry and withered, around the
top of the bank. It grew late, and as everything still bore a
parched appearance Morton pulled up for a consultation.
While discussing the best thing to do, a flight of galar and corrella
parrots passed overhead, flying in the direction they were going, and
evidently making for their nightly drink. This put new life into
everybody, and they pushed on once more. At dusk they were rewarded
by coming to a somewhat deeper hole than those they had passed.
There was, however, only sufficient water for their wants in the
bottom, and it was fast drying up, and could not be depended on for
their return journey.
Next morning they still kept on along the avenue of
gutta-percha-trees, and Morton began to hope that it would turn out
to be one of the water-courses supplying the lake. In this, however,
he was disappointed, for the trees grew fewer in number and further
apart, until they passed the last one, and before them stretched once
more a boundless plain.
The country now suddenly changed for the worse; the ground was sandy
and covered with the detestable spinifex, and both Morton and Brown
felt rather doubtful as to going on, for there was no knowing how far
this desert might extend.
However, they made up their minds to proceed, as there was really
nothing else to do. Then commenced one of the weariest rides they
had yet experienced during the trip. It was even worse than the
scrub. The prickly needles of the spinifex irritated the shins of
the horses, so that it was with great trouble the pack-horses were
urged along. Hour after hour went on, and still there was no change
in the unbroken horizon that bounded them.
"I should fancy those old cannibals found it mighty rough on their
shins if they had to cross a belt of desert like this," said Brown.
"I expect they kept it burnt down on the track they used to
patronize," replied his friend.
"Fancy what the feelings of poor hopeless Stuart and his companions
must have been when toiling through this waste."
"Yes. If we find it bad, what must starving men on foot have found
it?"
That night fell on them still in the desert. They had an ample
supply of water for themselves in the canvas bags, but their horses
had to go both hungry and thirsty.
"Things begin to look rather queer," said Morton, as they prepared to
start.
"Yes, it's a case if we don't get out of this by to-night."
They had hardly mounted, when Billy and Columbus gave a mutual
exclamation, and pointed to the westward of their track. A curious
looking dark mass was travelling swiftly along just above the
horizon. Suddenly it dipped down and disappeared.
"Hurrah!" shouted Brown. "Flock pigeons going in for their morning
drink. That must be the lake."
Much elated, they pressed eagerly on in the new direction, the horses
seeming to understand what was ahead as well as their masters. The
spinifex now began to grow scantier, and patches of grass appeared in
its place; the earth changed from red sand to good chocolate soil,
and before them stretched a very large expanse of downs, well grassed
with Mitchell grass and other good grasses.
Suddenly and unexpectedly they crossed the crest of an imperceptible
rise, and before them lay the goal of their hopes. Unanimously they
halted and gazed at the locality where the man, whose journal they
had read, had passed many weary years of exile.
No fairer scene could have been found anywhere in the interior of
Australia. A blue expanse of water, apparently some miles in length,
lay outstretched before them. The low sloping banks were verdant
with grass, kept green by the soakage from the lake. Great gnarled
coolibah-trees of immense girth grew round the water's edge, and the
gently rising downs on either side were studded with clumps of the
beautiful weeping myall and shady bauhinia trees. At the end of the
lake nearest to them was a small hill crowned with great gray
boulders of granite.
"After all, there must be something in the influence of
surroundings," said Morton. "The natives living here, are, or were,
according to Stuart, a gentle and friendly tribe, whilst those living
amongst the barren rocks alongside of that boiling spring were about
the biggest devils I ever met."
"How about Columbus?" asked Charlie. "If there are any natives left,
won't they try and kill him?"
"No doubt they will make it pretty sultry for him, but he seems quite
cheerful over it. He has put the onus of the whole thing on our
shoulders. He must take his chance."
They rode on in suppressed excitement, hoping against hope that
Stuart might still be there.
"What's that ahead?" suddenly cried Morton.
The object when approached turned out to be the bald, dried,
half-decomposed body of a blackfellow.
"This is some of your men's doings, my friend," said Brown, glancing
at Columbus, who grinned complacently.
The sides of the lake were firm and hard, and the thirsty horses ran
eagerly in and commenced drinking greedily. Overhead the white
correllas and pink and gray galars chattered noisily amongst the
boughs, on the opposite side a group of objects like native gunyahs
were visible. When the horses finished drinking, they rode round the
edge of the lake to them.
Not a sound was heard, and nothing was seen to move as they
approached the spot, nor was any smoke visible. Gorged carrion crows
and hawks arose as they drew near, and flapped unwillingly away; the
crows protesting loudly at being disturbed, after the manner of their
kind. Two or three eagle-hawks gazed fiercely down from the branches
of neighbouring trees. A pestilential smell hung heavy in the air,
an odour soon accounted for, for around the ravished camp lay at
least a score of corpses, all in the same stage of decay as the one
they had first passed on the plain. These appeared to be mostly old
men and women, although here and there the smaller bodies of children
could be seen amongst their slaughtered parents. Brown and the
others drew a long breath as they gazed on this scene of murder.
"What a blessing it is," he said, "to know that all those wretches
who did this are crushed into jelly underneath tons of rock."
"Yes," replied Morton in a low voice; "and for two pins I could find
it in my heart to send that hoary old sinner there to keep them
company."
This sentiment was a common one, and Columbus received some very
savage glances, even Billy looking at him, and handling his carbine
as though anxious to use it on the blackfellow. The old cannibal,
however, was quite unconscious of the feeling he had aroused, and
smiled sweetly as though he was showing them a highly interesting
little exhibition.
"They must have killed and captured the whole tribe," said Morton at
last. "No hope of finding Stuart now."
"I am afraid not. We had better look out a camp as far to windward
of these poor wretches as possible," returned Brown.
Just then Billy whistled, and when his master looked towards him, he
indicated by a motion of his head the direction of the hill with the
granite boulders on it.
A thin column of smoke was stealing up from the back of it.
Morton whispered hastily to Charlie to take Billy and ride round the
foot of the hill to the back of it, leaving the loose horses feeding
about on the green grass at the edge of the water.
He and Brown rode straight over the crest of the hill, and underneath
them saw the mockery of a camp. A wretched remnant, who had escaped
massacre, they found huddled together near some rocks. Two old men,
about half a dozen gins and children, and one young fellow, badly
wounded. Too startled and frightened to attempt flight, they
gathered timorously together. Their fear seemed augmented when
Charlie and the black boy came up.
Brown dismounted and walked up to them. At once a cry of surprise
and pleasure broke from the old men. They commenced jumping about,
shouting and laughing uproariously. Instantly it flashed across the
minds of the whites that they were mistaken for a reincarnation or
resurrection of their countrymen who had formerly lived here. Morton
and Charlie left their horses and joined Brown, when the conference
was abruptly interrupted by the appearance of a riderless horse. A
difference of opinion had arisen between Columbus and his steed when
the others left him alone, which resulted in the discomfiture of the
native, who now followed limping after his horse.
The old men recognized their enemy at once. They stamped, raved, and
spat at him; and one, picking up a spear, drove at him with such
vigour, that only a nimble jump saved Columbus from being transfixed.
For his part he returned their vituperation with interest, and the
gins joining in, a perfect tempest of words ensued. Seeing that
nothing could be done until they were alone, Morton told Charlie to
go and round up the pack and spare horses, and, with Billy and
Columbus, to take them some distance up the lake and camp on the
bank, where he and Brown would join them.
Once their enemy was out of sight the blacks quietened down, and one
of them commenced a voluble speech to Brown, addressing him as
"Tuartee", from which it was evident that their first surmise was
correct. After some trouble they made the natives understand that
they were not going away, but were going to make a camp at the lake.
They promised to return shortly, and rode away to join Charlie and
Billy.
Everybody enjoyed a good swim in the lagoon, and ate a hearty meal
afterwards. Brown and Morton then strolled back to interview the
blacks.