Another Remnant--An Exodus--Search for the Gold Reef and its
Discovery.
As he neared the spot he saw two or three dark figures spring up, as
though they then first noticed him. Fearful that they would run
away, he called to them and held up one hand. Presently an old man
came to the edge of the scrub. He peered at Brown from under his
hand, for the afternoon sun was in his eyes; then he burst into a
shout of "Tuartee! Tuartee!" so like the blacks at the lake that
Brown thought some of them must have followed him. This, of course,
he knew to be almost impossible, and as they were evidently of a
friendly disposition, he walked boldly up. There were only five
blacks in all, the old man and four youths. The young fellows hung
back, but the old man laughed and stroked Brown affectionately,
murmuring "Tuartee" all the while. There was no doubt that this was
another wretched remnant of the tribe formerly camped at the
mountain, who had escaped alive from the murderous attacks of the
Warlattas. Stuart would have lived affectionately in the remembrance
of those who were old enough to remember him as their deliverer on
two occasions from their enemies.
It was getting late, however, and Brown told them he would come back
after the sun went down, and left them, and rode hastily to camp. It
did not take long to replace the packs on the horses, and by dusk
they were all at the lake. The horses drank the water freely, and
were soon enjoying the young grass. The number of the blacks had
been augmented by two gins, who had been digging roots on the other
side of the lake when Brown first appeared.
"I've another brilliant idea," said Brown, when they had finished
their meal.
"Let's have it," replied Morton.
"These poor beggars have evidently sought refuge in this howling
wilderness from the Warlattas. As things go, I should not think it
was a very choice place of residence--they look miserable enough."
"I know what you are going to propose," interrupted Morton. "Get
them on to the lake and let them mate up with the others."
"Exactly. I think it feasible enough; we shall have to make this our
headquarters while we hunt up that reef. We are not pressed for time
nor rations, thanks to the game at the lake."
"And we sha'n't find that reef in a day, either," returned Morton.
"We'll sleep on the idea."
Next morning Morton proposed an amendment. Before the blacks left
(if they could induce them to do so), they should get the old man to
guide them to the soakage spring where Stuart camped the night after
he found the reef. This would probably be on the usual route
travelled by the blacks, and would considerably contract the area of
their search. While this was going on, Billy, who had learnt a
little of the lake language, would explain to the natives the
advantage of the change.
"We seem to be constituting ourselves a kind of special providence
for this part of the world," said Morton, as he finished.
"We have plenty of time to go to the spring to-day, if we can make
the old fellow understand what we want."
This they did after some trouble, but it was evident the native did
not enjoy the idea of going in that direction. However, as the two
whites started with him he finally consented. When about what they
considered half-way, Morton and Brown parted, Brown going on with the
blackfellow, and Morton intending to devote a few hours to searching
around and then returning to the salt lake. He found no indications,
however, to reward his trouble.
Brown turned up early the next day, the old fellow having travelled
sturdily. He had found the spring well supplied with fresh water,
but had vainly tried to get anything out of his guide of a heap of
white stones anywhere in the neighbourhood of the track they
followed. However, Brown thought by the formation of the country
about the spring that they could trace the line back.
"How have you got on with these fellows with regard to an exodus.
This old fellow knows all about the lake, but I don't think he has
been there."
"Oh, Billy has turned out a splendid orator. He has been
gesticulating to them, and fired their imaginations with his
descriptions of thousands of wild ducks and millions of fish," said
Charlie.
"Now, who is to go back and introduce them to their future
companions?"
"I'm all right now," returned Charlie; "Billy and I will shepherd
them across."
"It's a good road all the way, I think you will manage it," replied
Morton. "How about Lee-lee?"
"We must take him with us when we go out reef-hunting. He might run
away if left by himself here," said Brown.
"He is a pretty cute fellow and will help us, if we make him
understand what we are looking for. Our camp and horses will be safe
enough all day; for, one way and another, the district is getting
pretty well depopulated."
The arrangements were so decided on, and the next morning, under
convoy of Charlie and Billy, the survivors of the mountain tribe
departed for the promised land flowing with birds and fish. After
their custom the gins were loaded up with what little camp furniture
they possessed, while the lordly male strode along with nothing but a
boomerang and a small throwing-stick, without which no
self-respecting blackfellow would be seen.
Charlie, however, equalized matters by putting what he could on one
of the pack-horses, and giving the gins a chance.
Morton, Brown, and Lee-lee set out in the opposite direction. The
first day they exhaustively searched for some distance on either side
of the track taken by Brown and the old man, but reached half-way to
the spring without finding out anything, and returned to the salt
lake. Next day Brown proposed that they should go straight to the
spring and work back. This they did, taking a pack-horse with
rations, and leaving a note for Charlie in a conspicuous place, lest
they should be detained and he should come back before they did.
The spring was at the foot of a small hillock strewn with granite
boulders. They turned out the horses and started on foot to try and
follow the line of country whereon rock was visible on the surface.
They managed with great care to keep to it until it was time to
return. Next morning they took their horses and rode out to where
they had left off. In the middle of the day they turned out for a
spell, having been encouraged by finding occasional belts of quartz
and slate crossing the granite formation.
As they were smoking after their meal, Lee-lee, who was sauntering
about, came back, and pointing on ahead, indicated that a heap of
white stones was there. Both men got up, and in a few steps saw an
outblow of quartz about a hundred yards away. Hastening to it, they
were soon busy breaking stones and investigating.
They soon found that they had struck Stuart's reef, or an outcrop on
the same line. The stone appeared to the finders fabulously rich,
some of it being powdered throughout with gold.
"Well, I suppose there's a fortune or two there," said Brown when
their inspection was over. "But it's in a deuce of an outlandish
place."
"Wonder how far we are across the border into Western Australia?"
"A good way, I expect; but we will keep the reckoning very carefully
as we go back."
"We have got all we want now; we will pick out the best of the
specimens and take them with us."
"Yes; and go straight back to the salt lake and wait for Charlie."
Picking out the richest and smallest specimens, they packed them on
the pack-horse and struck in for the salt lake on a compass line.
This gave them the bearing from the salt pan, and was all they wanted
to find the place again.
Charlie did not return for a couple more days, but as they had
instructed him to take things easy, they did not feel anxious.
He had taken his convoy safely to the lake, and duly introduced the
survivors of the two tribes. Billy and he waited a day to make sure
that amicable relations were properly established and had then
returned, everything being peaceful and satisfactory.
Another start was now made for the spring, Brown, Billy, and Lee-lee
going straight there with the pack-horses, and Morton taking Charlie
round by the reef to show him the rich find.
From the top of the hillock at the back of the spring the country
looked scrubby, waste, and desolate; but the outlook was not
extensive, and they could see nothing of the mountain they were
making for. It behoved them, then, to be very careful, for the
country ahead was evidently very dry, and the direction to the creek
with the brackish water in it, of the vaguest.
They had a good many things at stake, the safety of Stuart's journal
containing the solution of the Leichhardt mystery, and the knowledge
of the gold reef. They did not, then, wish to meet with any disaster
on their homeward way.
"This is not an exciting sort of road," said Brown, as they turned
from fruitlessly scanning the ocean of dull gray tree-tops, "but I
think it is a little superior to that abominable desert."
"Yes, we'll patronize this track if ever we come back here; and I
suppose we shall come some day to sink on that reef, and see if it
goes down."
"If that is the only big show, the gold will be pretty dear before we
get it home; but if there is plenty more about, you will soon see a
road out here and a township too."
"Go on. A railway, and those gas-lamps and bridges you reported
seeing in the scrub."
"Why not? Both you and I have seen those things spring up like magic
in Australia, before now."
"Well, I hope our luck will stick to us to-morrow and see us on to
that creek."