PARTY REDUCED BY THE RETURN OF MR. HODGSON AND CALEB--MEET FRIENDLY
NATIVES--NATIVE TOMB--THE DAWSON--VERVAIN PLAINS--GILBERT'S RANGE--LYND'S
RANGE--ROBINSON'S CREEK--MURPHY'S LAKE--MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRY--EXPEDITION
RANGE--MOUNT NICHOLSON--ALDIS'S PEAK--THE BOYD.
Nov. 3.--For the past week, the heat was very oppressive during the day,
whilst, at night, it was often exceedingly cold; for two or three hours
before dawn, and for an hour after sunset, it was generally delightful,
particularly within the influence of a cheerful cypress-pine fire, which
perfumes the air with the sweet scent of the burning resin.
It had now become painfully evident to me that I had been too sanguine in
my calculations, as to our finding a sufficiency of game to furnish my
party with animal food, and that the want of it was impairing our
strength. We had also been compelled to use our flour to a greater extent
than I wished; and I saw clearly that my party, which I had reluctantly
increased on my arrival at Moreton Bay, was too large for our provisions.
I, therefore, communicated to my companions the absolute necessity of
reducing our number: all, however, appeared equally desirous to continue
the journey; and it was, therefore, but just that those who had joined
last, should leave. Mr. Gilbert, however, who would, under this
arrangement, have had to retire, found a substitute in Mr. Hodgson, who
had perhaps suffered most by additional fatigues; so that he and Caleb,
the American negro, prepared for their return to Moreton Bay. Previous,
however, to their departure, they assisted in killing one of our steers,
the meat of which we cut into thin slices, and dried in the sun. This,
our first experiment--on the favourable result of which the success of
our expedition entirely depended--kept us, during the process, in a state
of great excitement. It succeeded, however, to our great joy, and
inspired us with confidence for the future. The little steer gave us
65lbs. of dried meat, and about 15lbs. of fat. The operation concluded,
we took leave of our companions; and although our material was reduced by
the two horses on which they returned, Mr. Hodgson left us the greater
part of his own equipment. The loss of the two horses caused us some
little inconvenience, as it increased the loads of the animals. The daily
ration of the party was now fixed at six pounds of flour per day, with
three pounds of dried beef, which we found perfectly sufficient to keep
up our strength.
Whenever it was necessary to delay for any time at one place, our cattle
and horses gave us great trouble: they would continually stray back in
the direction we came from, and we had frequently to fetch them back
five, seven, and even ten miles. Mr. Hodgson's horses had returned even
to the camp of the 21st October, and three days were required to find
them and bring them back. These matters caused us considerable delay; but
they were irremediable. On the 30th October, towards evening, we were
hailed by natives, from the scrub; but, with the exception of one, they
kept out of sight. This man knew a few English words, and spoke the
language of Darling Downs; he seemed to be familiar with the country
round Jimba; and asked permission to come to the camp: this, however, I
did not permit; and they entered the scrub, when they saw us handle our
guns, and bring forward two horses to the camp. On the 3rd of November
they visited us again, and communicated with us, behaving in a very
friendly way: they pointed out honey in one of the neighbouring trees,
assisted in cutting it out and eating it, and asked for tobacco; it was,
however, impossible to make any presents, as we had nothing to spare.
They particularly admired the red blankets, were terror-struck at the
sight of a large sword, which they tremblingly begged might be returned
into the sheath, and wondered at the ticking of a watch, and at the
movement of its wheels. The greater part were young men of mild
disposition, and pleasing countenance; the children remained in the
distance, and I only saw two women.
According to their statements, the scrub extends to the Condamine.
The scrub was crossed in every direction by tracks of wallabies, of
which, however, we could not even get a sight. The glucking bird--by
which name, in consequence of its note, the bird may be
distinguished--was heard through the night. They live probably upon the
seeds of the cypress-pine; the female answers the loud call of the male,
but in a more subdued voice.
A Gristes, about seven inches long, resembling the one described in Sir
Thomas Mitchell's journey, but specifically different from it, was caught
in the water-holes of the creek, which I called "Dried-beef Creek," in
memorial of our late occupation.
A Goodenoviaceous shrub, a pink Hibiscus, and a fine prostrate Sida, were
found between the camp of the 27th October and Dried-beef Creek.
Nov. 4.--Having previously examined and found a passage through the
scrub, we travelled through it for about eight miles on a north by west
course. The head of Dried-beef Creek, was found to be formed by separate
water-holes, in a slight hollow along the scrub; and, when these
disappeared, we were moving over a perfectly level land, without any sign
of drainage, but occasionally passing isolated holes, now for the greater
part dry. On our left, our course was bounded by a dense Bricklow scrub;
but, on our right, for the first four miles, the country was
comparatively open, with scattered Acacias; it then became densely
timbered, but free from scrub. Farther on, however, scrub appeared even
to our right. A natural opening, which had recently been enlarged by a
bush fire, enabled us to pass into a dense Ironbark and cypress-pine
forest; and then, bearing a little to the right, we came on a slight
watercourse to the northward, which rapidly enlarged as it descended
between ranges, which seemed to be the spurs of the table land we had
just left.
Nov. 5.--We observed the tomb of a native near our camp. It was a simple
conical heap of sand, which had been raised over the body, which was
probably bent into the squatting position of the natives; but, as our
object was to pass quietly, without giving offence to the aborigines, we
did not disturb it. It is, however, remarkable that, throughout our whole
journey, we never met with graves or tombs, or even any remains of
Blackfellows again; with the exception of a skull, which I shall notice
at a later period. Several isolated conical hills were in the vicinity of
our camp; sandstone cropped out in the creek, furnishing us with good
whetstones.
After travelling about four miles in a north-west direction, through a
fine open undulating country, we came to, and followed the course of, a
considerable creek flowing to the westward, bounded by extensive flooded
gum-flats and ridges, clothed with a forest of silver-leaved Ironbark.
Large reedy lagoons, well supplied with fish, were in its bed. Our
latitude was 26 degrees 4 minutes 9 seconds.
Nov. 6.--The arrangement for loading our cattle enabled me at last to
mount every one of my companions, which was very desirable; for the
summer having fairly set in, and no thunder-storms having cooled the
atmosphere since we left the Condamine, the fatigue of walking during the
middle of the day had become very severe. From Jimba we started with a
few horses without load, which only enabled us to ride alternately; but,
as our provisions gradually decreased in quantity, one after the other
mounted his horse; and this day I had the pleasure of seeing everybody on
horseback.
We travelled along the valley of the river about ten miles, in a
west-northerly course; our latitude of this day being 26 degrees 3
minutes 44 seconds Fine box and apple-tree flats were on both sides of
the creek, now deserving the appellation of a "River," and which I called
the "Dawson," in acknowledgment of the kind support I received from R.
Dawson, Esq., of Black Creek, Hunter's River. At the foot of the ridges
some fine lagoons were observed, as also several plains, with the soil
and the vegetation of the Downs, but bounded on the northward by
impenetrable Bricklow scrub. In a watercourse, meandering through this
scrub, sandstone cropped out, in which impressions of fossil plants were
noticed by me. It was interesting to observe how strictly the scrub kept
to the sandstone and to the stiff loam lying upon it, whilst the mild
black whinstone soil was without trees, but covered with luxuriant
grasses and herbs; and this fact struck me as remarkable, because, during
my travels in the Bunya country of Moreton Bay, I found it to be exactly
the reverse: the sandstone spurs of the range being there covered with an
open well grassed forest, whilst a dense vine brush extended over the
basaltic rock. The phenomenon is probably to be explained by the
capability of the different soils of retaining moisture, and, at the same
time, by taking into account the distance of the localities from the
seacoast. I called these plains "Calvert's Plains," after my companion,
Mr. Calvert. Farther to the westward we passed over open ridges, covered
with Bastard-box and silver-leaved Ironbark: the former tree grows
generally in rich black soil, which appeared several times in the form of
ploughed land, well known, in other parts of the colony, either under
that name, or under that of "Devil-devil land," as the natives believe it
to be the work of an evil spirit.
Nov. 7.--The first two hours of the day were cloudy, but it cleared up
and became very hot; the atmosphere was hazy and sultry; cumuli with
undefined outlines all round the horizon: wind from south-west and south.
I travelled west by north about eight miles, along the foot of
Bastard-box and silver-leaved Ironbark ridges. The country was
exceedingly fine; the ground was firm; the valley from two to three miles
broad, clothed with rich grass, and sprinkled with apple-tree,
flooded-gum, and Bastard-box; the hills formed gentle ascents, and were
openly timbered. The water-holes seemed to be constant; they are very
deep, densely surrounded by reeds, and with numerous heaps of broken
muscle-shells round their banks. Scrub was, however, to be seen in the
distance, and formed the dark spot in the pleasant picture. Game became
more frequent; and last night every body had a duck. As we were pursuing
our course, Mr. Gilbert started a large kangaroo, known by the familiar
name of "old man," which took refuge in a water-hole, where it was
killed, but at the expense of two of our kangaroo dogs, which were
mortally wounded. As we were sitting at our dinner, a fine half-grown emu
walked slowly up to us, as if curious to know what business we had in its
lonely haunts; unfortunately for us, the bark of our little terrier
frightened it; and, although one of my Blackfellows shot after it, it
retired unscathed into the neighbouring thicket. Mr. Roper killed a
Rallus, which Mr. Gilbert thought to be new. The high land from which we
came, appears at present as a distant range to the south-east.
Fine-grained sandstone, with impressions of leaves, was again observed,
and a few pieces of silicified wood. A Thysanotus with fine large
blossoms now adorns the forest. The native carrot is in seed; the
Eryngium of Jimba, and a leguminous plant, prostrate with ternate leaves
and bunches of yellow flowers, were frequent; several beautiful species
of everlastings were occasionally seen, and the little orange-tree of the
Condamine grew in the scrub.
Nov. 8.--We followed the Dawson for about eight miles lower down. About
four miles from our camp, it is joined by a fine chain of ponds from the
north-east. The flats on both sides are covered by open Bastard-box
forest, of a more or less open character. In the rainy season, the whole
valley is probably covered with water; for we frequently observed the
marks of torrents rushing down from the hills; and, along the foot of the
ridges, ponds and lagoons were frequent. The heat of summer had already
burnt up a great part of the grasses; and it was only in the immediate
neighbourhood of the river that there was any appearance of verdure. The
bed of the river became drier, and changed its character considerably.
Charley stated, that he had seen a large plain extending for many miles
to the south-west, and a high mountain to the north. Several emus,
pigeons, and ducks were seen. Mr. Calvert found concretions of marl in
the creek. John Murphy caught a great number of crawfish. For the first
time since leaving the Condamine, we were visited by a thunder-storm.
Cumuli generally during the afternoon, with wind from the W.N.W; during
the night it usually clears up.
Nov. 10.--The country along the river changed, during the last two
stages, considerably for the worse. The scrub approached very near to the
banks of the river, and, where it receded, a disagreeable thicket of
Bastard-box saplings filled almost the whole valley: fine lagoons were
along the river, frequently far above its level; the river itself divided
into anabranches, which, with the shallow watercourses of occasional
floods from the hills, made the whole valley a maze of channels, from
which we could only with difficulty extricate ourselves. "I never saw
such a rum river, in my life," said my blackfellow Charley.
The open forest was sometimes one large field of everlasting flowers with
bright yellow blossoms; whilst the scrub plains were thickly covered with
grasses and vervain. Almost all the grasses of Liverpool Plains grow
here. Ironstone and quartz pebbles were strewed over the ground; and, in
the valley, fine-grained sandstone with layers of iron-ore cropped out.
Large fish were seen in the lagoons; but we only succeeded in catching
some small fish of the genus Gristes. Muscles continued to be frequent;
and we saw the gunyas of the natives everywhere, although no native made
his appearance.
It was here that I first met, growing on the scrubby hills, a species of
Bauhinia, either shrubby or a small shady tree, with spreading branches;
the pods are flat, of a blunt form, almost one inch in breadth, and from
three to four inches long. The Bricklow seems to prevent the growth of
almost all other vegetation, with the exception of a small shrub, with
linear lanceolate aromatic leaves. An Acacia, with long drooping, almost
terete leaves, grew along the river; and Crinums grew in patches amongst
the everlasting flowers, on a sandy soil. Our latitude, of the 9th
November, was 25 degrees 53 minutes 55 seconds; and that of the 10th, 25
degrees 47 minutes 55 seconds, at about eleven miles north-west from the
camp of the 8th November.
Until the 14th of November, we travelled down the Dawson. In order to
avoid the winding course of the river, and the scrub and thickets that
covered its valley, which rendered our progress very slow, we had
generally to keep to the ridges, which were more open. We several times
met with fine plains, which I called "Vervain Plains," as that plant grew
abundantly on them. They were surrounded with scrub, frequently sprinkled
with Bricklow groves, interspersed with the rich green of the Bauhinia,
and the strange forms of the Bottle-tree; which imparted to the scene a
very picturesque character. From one of these plains we obtained, for the
first time, a view of some well-defined ranges to the west-north-west.
The general course of the river, between the latitudes of 25 degrees 41
minutes 55 seconds and 25 degrees 37 minutes 12 seconds, was to the
northward; but, as it commenced to turn to the east, I was induced to
cross it, and to follow my former direction to the northwest. Between
those two latitudes, the river had commenced to run, which was not the
ease higher up, notwithstanding it was formed by long reaches of water,
upon which pelicans and ducks were abundant. Mr. Calvert and the black,
Charley, who had been sent back to one of our last camping places, had,
on returning, kept a little more to the north-east, and had seen a river
flowing to the northward, and a large creek; both of which, probably,
join the Dawson lower down. At that part of the river where it commences
to run, its bed was more confined, and was fringed by Melaleucas and
drooping Acacias.
Our provisions had been increased by an emu, which Charley shot; our
remaining two kangaroo dogs also succeeded in catching an "old man"
kangaroo on the Vervain Plains of the 14th November. I made it an
invariable practice to dry the meat which remained after the consumption
of the day's allowance, and it served considerably to save our stock of
dried beef, and to lengthen the lives of our bullocks. The utmost economy
was necessary;--for we were constantly exposed to losses, occasioned by
the pack bullocks upsetting their loads; an annoyance which was at this
time of frequent occurrence from the animals being irritated by the
stings of hornets--a retaliation for the injuries done to their nests,
which, being suspended to the branches of trees, were frequently torn
down by the bullocks passing underneath.
A large turtle was seen; and Mr. Gilbert caught two fine eels in one of
the lagoons. We had thunder-storms on the 12th and 13th of November: the
morning is generally cloudy, the clouds come from the north-east and
north, clearing away in the middle of the day; and the afternoon is
exceedingly hot.
Nov. 14.--A dense scrub, which had driven us back to the river, obliged
me to reconnoitre to the north-west, in which I was very successful; for,
after having crossed the scrub, I came into an open country, furnished
with some fine sheets of water, and a creek with Corypha palms, growing
to the height of 25 or 30 feet. The feelings of delight which I
experienced when, upon emerging from the more than usually inhospitable
Bricklow scrub, the dark verdure of a swamp surrounding a small lake
--with native companions (ARDEAANTIGONE) strutting round, and swarms of
ducks playing on its still water, backed by an open forest, in which the
noble palm tree was conspicuous--suddenly burst upon our view, were so
great as to be quite indescribable. I joyfully returned to the camp, to
bring forward my party; which was not, however, performed without
considerable trouble. We had to follow the Dawson down to where the creek
joined it; for the scrub was impassable for loaded bullocks, and, even on
this detour, we had to contend with much scrub as we proceeded down the
valley. It, however, became more free from scrub at every step, and
opened out into flats of more or less extent on either side, skirted by
hills, clothed with an open forest, rising into regular ranges. On my
RECONNAISSANCE I crossed the Gilbert Ranges, which were named after my
companion Mr. Gilbert, and came on waters which fall to the eastward, and
join the Dawson lower down. From the summit of an open part of the range,
I saw other ranges to the northward, but covered with Bricklow scrub, as
was also the greater part of Gibert's Range. To the east, however, the
view was more cheering; for the hills are more open, and the vegetation
composed of the silver-leaved and narrow-leaved Ironbark trees and an
open Vitex scrub. Several rocky gullies were passed, that were full of
palm trees. The valley of Palm-tree Creek extends about nineteen miles
from west to east The ranges which bound it to the south, I called
"Lynd's Range," after my friend R. Lynd, Esq. Gilbert's Range bounds it
to the northward: Middle Range separates the creek from the Dawson up to
their junction. Several large swamps are within the valley; one of which,
the small lake which first broke upon my view, received the name of
"Roper's Lake," after one of my companions.
Nov. 17.--We went about nine miles up the valley, on a south branch of
Palm-tree Creek, which derives its waters from Lynd's Range. The fine
water-hole which I selected for our camp, was not only shaded by stately
Coryphas and flooded gums, but the drooping Callistemon, the creek
Melaleuca, and the Casuarina, gave to it the character of the rivers and
creeks of the Moreton Bay district. It changed, however, into a shallow
waterless channel, communicating with one of the large swamps which
generally extend along the base of the hills. I rode up Lynd's Range,
passing plains similar to those I have before mentioned, composed of
black soil intermingled with fossil wood and decomposed sandstone, and
densely covered with Burr, (a composite plant) and Verbena, and scattered
tufts either of Bricklow, or of Coxen's Acacia, or of the bright green
Fusanus, or of the darker verdure of Bauhinia, with here and there a
solitary tree of a rich dark-green hue, from forty to fifty feet in
height. From the summit I had a fine view down the valley of the Dawson,
which was bounded on both sides by ranges. A high distant mountain was
seen about N.N.E. from Lynd's Range, at the left side of the Dawson.
The water-holes abounded with jew-fish and eels; of the latter we
obtained a good supply, and dried two of them, which kept very well. Two
species of Limnaea, the one of narrow lengthened form, the other shorter
and broader; a species of Paludina, and Cyclas and Unios, were frequent.
The jew-fish has the same distoma in its swimming bladder, which I
observed in specimens caught in the Severn River to the southward of
Moreton Bay: on examining the intestines of this fish, they were full of
the shells of Limnaea and Cyclas. Large specimens of helix were frequent
on the Vervain Plains, but they were only dead shells. The fat-hen
(Atriplex) and the sow-thistle (Sonchus) grew abundantly on the reedy
flats at the upper end of the creek; Grewia, a prostrate Myoporum, and a
bean with yellow blossoms, were frequent all over the valley. Atriplex
forms, when young, as we gratefully experienced, an excellent vegetable,
as do also the young shoots of Sonchus. The tops of the Corypha palm eat
well, either baked in hot ashes or raw, and, although very indigestible,
did not prove injurious to health when eaten in small quantities. In the
vicinity of the swamps of Palm-tree Creek, I noticed a grass with an ear
much resembling the bearded wheat: with the exception of the cultivated
Cerealia, it had the largest seed I ever met with in grasses; even my
Blackfellow was astonished at its remarkable size.
During the night we experienced a strong wind from the northward, and,
during the afternoon, a gust of wind and rain from west and north-west;
but no thunder.
Nov. 18.--Clouds gathered from the west and north-west, a few drops of
rain fell, and a few low peals of thunder were heard; but, although
charged with electric fluid, and, in appearance, threatening an
approaching thunder-storm, no discharge of lightning took place. We were
very much annoyed and harassed, during the evening and the early part of
the night, by sand-flies and mosquitoes; but the clear night grew so
cold, that these great enemies of bush comforts were soon benumbed. The
latitude of the camp of the 18th November was 25 degrees 30 minutes 11
seconds.
Nov. 19.--No air stirring, night very cold and bright; dew heavy; the
surface of the creek covered with vapour; the water very warm.
Having no apparatus for ascertaining the height of our position above the
level of the sea, this very interesting fact could not be determined;
but, from the cold experienced, at a period so near the summer solstice,
the elevation must have been very considerable.
We travelled during the day in a westerly direction over a level country,
partly covered with reeds and fat-hen, and came to a broad sandy creek,
which turned to the south-east and south. Having crossed it, we passed
several large lagoons and swamps covered with plovers and ducks; and, at
a short mile farther, came again on the creek, which now had a deep
channel and a broad sandy bed lined with casuarinas and flooded-gum
trees. I called this "Robinson's Creek." At its left bank, we saw a wide
sheet of water, beyond which rose a range densely covered with scrub: I
called them "Murphy's Lake and Range," after John Murphy, one of my
companions.
I believe that Robinson's Creek is a westerly water; and, if so, it is
very remarkable that the heads of Palm-tree Creek, which flows to the
eastward, should be scarcely a mile distant; and that the interesting
space, separating the two systems of waters, should be, to all
appearance, a dead level.
I had descended--from a scrubby table land, the continuation of Darling
Downs--into a system of easterly waters. I had followed down the Dawson
for a considerable distance, and then, following up one of its creeks,
found myself again on westerly waters. I could not decide, to my entire
satisfaction, whether my views were right; for the country was difficult
for reconnoitring; and I was necessarily compelled to move quickly on, to
accomplish the object of my expedition: but it is a very interesting
point for geographical research, and I hope, if I am not anticipated by
other explorers, to ascertain, at some future period, the course of these
creeks and rivers.
Nov. 20.--The first part of the night till the setting of the moon was
very clear; after this it became cloudy, but cleared again at sunrise,
with the exception of some mackerel-sky and stratus to the north-west.
During the forenoon it was again cloudy, and a thunder-storm occurred at
half-past two o'clock from the north-west and west-north-west, with
little rain, but a heavy gust of wind.
In travelling to the westward, along Robinson's Creek, although two or
three miles distant from it, we passed two lakes, one of which was a
fine, long, but rather narrow, sheet of water, with swamps to the
south-east. About six miles farther on, the country began to rise into
irregular scrubby ridges; the scrub generally composed of Vitex
intermingled with various forest trees. The small orange-tree, which we
had found in blossom at the Condamine, was setting its fruit. Farther on,
the dense Bricklow scrub compelled me to approach the banks of the creek,
where we travelled over fine flats, but with a rather sandy rotten soil.
The apple-tree, flooded-gum, silver-leaved ironbark, and the bastard-box
grew on the flats and on the ridges. The creek was well provided with
large water-holes, surrounded by high reeds.
We now entered a mountainous country; and the banks of the creek became
sometimes very steep and broken by narrow gullies, rendering our progress
slow and difficult. We had to wind our way through narrow valleys, and
over ranges from which the descent was frequently very steep and
dangerous. The latitude of our camp of the 21st November was 25 degrees
28 minutes 12 seconds; that of the 22nd was 25 degrees 25 minutes; that
of the 23rd, about 32 miles west of Murphy's Lake, was 25 degrees 27
minutes 12 seconds. Here the ranges were, for the most part, openly
timbered, with the exception of the higher points, which were generally
covered with vine-brush; in one of which we found the nests of the brush
turkey (Talegalla Lathami), and observed the bird itself. Some
considerable stretches of beautiful country were now travelled over; the
leading feature being low ridges, openly timbered with the silver-leaved
ironbark, covered with an abundance of grass and herbs, and furnished
with large lagoons; there was also a constant supply of water in the
creek itself. On the banks of the latter, a species of Sterculia grows to
a large size, and is one of the most pleasing and ornamental trees of the
country; it is probably different from, although nearly allied to S.
heterophylla. Very disagreeable, however, was the abundance of Burr and
of a spear-grass (Aristida), which attached themselves to our clothes and
blankets, and entered (particularly the latter) into the very skin. I
have also to mention, that a yellow Villarsia was found on one of the
lakes; which were generally surrounded by high sedges. We have not seen
black swans since leaving Murphy's Lake; at which place we first saw a
species of whistling duck, (Leptotarsis, GOULD.)
Appearances indicated that the commencement of the ranges was a favourite
resort of the "Blackfellows." The remains of recent repasts of muscles
were strewed about the larger water-holes, and, as I passed a native
camp, which had only lately been vacated, I found, under a few sheets of
bark, four fine kangaroo nets, made of the bark of Sterculia; also
several bundles of sticks, which are used to stretch them. As I was in
the greatest want of cordage, I took two of these nets; and left, in
return, a fine brass hilted sword, the hilt of which was well polished,
four fishing-hooks, and a silk handkerchief; with which, I felt
convinced, they would be as well pleased, as I was with the cordage of
their nets. It was to this spot that Mr. Pemberton Hodgson penetrated,
when he afterwards followed my tracks, to ascertain the truth of the
rumours, which had been carried by the blacks to Moreton Bay, of my
having been either killed by the natives, or destroyed by a hurricane,
which was said to have passed through the narrow valley of the confined
creek.
The high mountain ranges, at the head of Robinson's Creek, which we
observed from the tops of the hills, at the entrance into the mountainous
country, bore W.N.W., and N.W. from the position I now occupied. We had a
thunder-storm on the 21st November, followed by continued rain and a
perfect calm During the night occasional showers of rain fell; at sunrise
light fleecy clouds from W.N.W.: the nights, when clear, were very cold.
Until very lately we had all suffered severely from diarrhoea, which I
could not account for, othewise than by attributing it to our change of
diet. Fresh meat had almost invariably affected us; but after a time our
continued exposure to the air, the regularity of our movements, and
constant state of exertion, rendered us more hardy, and sharpened our
appetites. Iguanas, opossums, and birds of all kinds, had for some time
past been most gladly consigned to our stewing-pot, neither good, bad,
nor indifferent being rejected. The dried kangaroo meat, one of our
luxuries, differed very little in flavour from the dried beef, and both,
after long stewing, afforded us an excellent broth, to which we generally
added a little flour. It is remarkable how soon man becomes indifferent
to the niceties of food; and, when all the artificial wants of society
have dropped off, the bare necessities of life form the only object of
his desires.
One of our bullocks had torn one of the flour-bags, and about fifteen
pounds of flour were scattered over the ground. We all set to work, to
scrape as much of it up as we could, using the dry gum leaves as spoons
to collect it; and, when it got too dirty to mix again with our flour,
rather than leave so much behind, we collected about six pounds of it
well mixed with dried leaves and dust, and of this we made a porridge,--a
mess which, with the addition of some gelatine, every one of us enjoyed
highly.
No new insects, few new birds, and but few plants, attracted our
attention. Mr. Gilbert's parrot, which he first met with on the downs,
was very frequent; the glucking-bird and the barking-owl were heard
throughout the moonlight nights. Several native dogs were killed, and
their howling was frequently heard. Only one kangaroo had been shot since
we left the Dawson, although their tracks were met with every where.
Charley had taken several opossums; the presence of these animals
generally indicates a good country. Quails were abundant, but not worth
our powder; flocks of spur-winged plovers were living at the lakes and
swamps, and a shy hornbill (Scythrops) was seen and heard several times.
The nests of the white ant were rarely seen; but the soldier ant, and the
whole host of the others, were every where. The funnel ant digs a
perpendicular hole in the ground, and surrounds the opening with an
elevated wall, sloping outwards like a funnel; the presence of this
insect generally indicates a rotten soil, into which horses and cattle
sink beyond their fetlocks. This soil is, however, by no means a pure
sand, but is well mixed with particles of clay, which allow the ant to
construct its fabric. In rainy weather this soil forms the best
travelling ground, and is by no means so rotten as when dry.
Large hornets of a bright yellow colour, with some black marks, made
their paper nests on the stems of trees, or suspended them from the dry
branches; most of us were several times severely stung by them. When
found near our encampment we generally destroyed them, by quickly raising
a large fire with dry grass.
A species of Gristes was abundant in the water-holes, but it was of small
size: the eels have disappeared.
Nov. 25.--We travelled about eight miles, north by west, ascending a
spur, from which the waters flowed, both to the south-west and to the
eastward, but both collecting in Robinson's Creek. Every time we turned
to the westward we came on tremendous gullies, with almost perpendicular
walls, whereas the easterly waters formed shallow valleys of a gently
sloping character. The range was openly timbered with white-gum,
spotted-gum, Ironbark, rusty-gum, and the cypress-pine near the gullies;
and with a little dioecious tree belonging to the Euphorbiaceae, which I
first met with at the Severn River, and which was known amongst us under
the name of the "Severn Tree:" it had a yellow or red three-capsular
fruit, with a thin fleshy pericarp, of an exceedingly bitter taste; the
capsules were one-seeded. The gullies were full of bush-trees, amongst
which the Bottle-tree, and the Corypha-palm were frequent. Pomaderris and
Flindersia were in fruit and blossom. According to Mr. Gilbert, rock
wallabies were very numerous. On a RECONNOISSANCE I traversed the
continuation of the range, which I found to be of a flat, sandy, and
rotten character, having, with the exception of the Blackbutt, all the
trees and other characteristics of the sandstone country of Moreton Bay:
Xylomelum, Xanthorrhaea, Zamia, Leptospermum, a new species of forest
oak, which deserves the name of Casuarina VILLOSA, for its bark looks
quite villous; Persoonia falcata, R. Br., a small tree about fifteen feet
high, with stiff glaucous falcate leaves, and racemose inflorescence; a
dwarf Persoonia, with linear leaves, the stringy-bark, and a species of
Melaleuca along the creek. In my excursion I crossed the main branch of
Robinson's Creek, and found the gullies of its right bank as steep and
tremendous as those of the left. Water was very scarce. The whole country
is composed of a fine-grained sandstone.
As the water-holes on the range are very few and distant from each other,
they are frequented by the bronze-winged pigeons in great numbers. Mr.
Gilbert shot eight of them, and Mr. Roper, John Murphy, and Charley,
added to the number, so that we had a fine pigeon supper and breakfast,
each having his bird--a rare occurrence in our expedition. A few drops of
rain fell in the morning.
Nov. 26.--When we were waiting for our bullocks, four emus came trotting
down the slope towards the camp. Messrs. Gilbert, Roper, Murphy, and
Brown, having their horses ready, gave chase, and, after a dangerous
gallop, over extremely rocky ground, succeeded, with the assistance of
our kangaroo dog, Spring, in securing one of them. When Charley returned
to the camp with the bullocks, he told us that he had found these emus
walking amongst the bullocks, and that he had struck one of them with his
tomahawk. On our road to the water, which I had found on my
reconnoisance, about seven miles W.N.W., under a still higher range,
rising at the right of Robinson's Creek, we started a herd of eight
kangaroos, when our horsemen, assisted by Spring, were again successful
in taking one of them.
Nov. 27.--A thunder-storm during the night, which passed, however, to the
other side of the range. After a gust of wind of short duration, we had
some very light showers; so light indeed, as not to interrupt our
meat-drying process.
Proceeding on our journey, we ascended the range, and travelled between
four and five miles on its level summit, which was covered with open
forest, interspersed with thickets of Acacias and Casuarinas. From the
extremity of the range we enjoyed a very fine and extensive view. Ranges
of mountains with conspicuous peaks, cupolas, and precipitous walls of
rock, were observed extending at various distances from west by north to
north-west. The most distant range was particularly striking and
imposing; I called it "Expedition Range," and to a bell-shaped mountain
bearing N. 68 degrees W., I gave the name of "Mount Nicholson," in honour
of Dr. Charles Nicholson, who first introduced into the Legislative
Council of New South Wales, the subject of an overland expedition to Port
Essington; and to a sharp peak N. 66 degrees W., the name of "Aldis's
Peak," in acknowledgment of the kind assistance received from Mr. Aldis
of Sydney. We then descended, with great difficulty into a broad valley,
bounded on either side by fine slopes and ridges, openly timbered with
silver-leaved Ironbark. On the small well-grassed flats along the
watercourse, the flooded-gum and apple-trees grew to a considerable size.
The morning was cloudy, with occasional drops of rain; but it cleared up
towards noon, and, near sunset, a wall of dark clouds rose in the west,
over the ranges. Thunder-storms very generally come with westerly cloudy
weather, with north-westerly, and northerly winds. We busied ourselves in
extracting the oil from the skin of the emu: this operation was performed
by suspending it on sticks before a gentle fire, the oil dripping from it
into a shallow vessel. It is of a light amber colour, and is very useful
in oiling the locks of our fire-arms; it has been considered a good
anti-rheumatic, and I occasionally used it for that purpose.
Mr. Gilbert skinned the tail of the kangaroo to make a bag for holding
fat; but it broke and ripped so easily when dry, as to render it unfit
for that purpose. We used the skins of the kangaroos to cover our
flour-bags, which were in a most wretched condition. Our latitude was 25
degrees 19 minutes 19 seconds.
Nov. 28.--Charley and Brown informed us that they had followed the
watercourse, and had come to a broad river with precipitous banks, which
would not allow any passage for our horses and cattle; they also stated
that the watercourse on which we were encamped, became a rocky gully, and
that it would be impossible to cross it lower down. From this information
I supposed that a river, like the Robinson, rising in many gullies of the
north-east ranges, and flowing in south-west direction was before us; I,
therefore, decided upon heading it. It was, however, very difficult to
find a leading spur, and we frequently came on deep and impassable
gullies, surrounded by a dense thicket of cypresspine, and a great
variety of shrubs peculiar to sandstone rock. After travelling about nine
miles in a N. 15 degrees E. direction, we came to a subordinate range,
and having found, in one of its watercourses, some tolerable grass and a
fine water-hole, we were enabled to encamp. Mr. Roper and Charley, who
had kept a little more to the left, reported that they had been on one of
the heads of the Boyd, and had seen a fine open country to the westward,
and south-west. The "Boyd" was so named in acknowledgment of the liberal
support I had received from Benjamin Boyd, Esq.
Amongst the shrubs along the gullies, a new species of Dodonaea, with
pinnate pubescent leaves, was frequent. Towards evening we had a
thunderstorm from the westward.
Nov. 29.--In reconnoitring the country in the neighbourhood of the camp,
I ascended three mountains, and ascertained that there are five parallel
ranges, striking from north to south, of which the three easterly ones
send their waters to the eastward; whereas the two westerly ones send
theirs to the Boyd, the valley of which has a south-westerly direction.
To the north of the Boyd, there is a steep mountain barrier, striking
from east to west. All these ranges are composed of sandstone, with their
horizontal strata, some of which have a very fine grain. Impressions of
Calamites were observed in one of the gullies. We also saw two kangaroos.
In the water-hole near our camp, there were numerous small brown leeches,
which were very keen in the water, but dropped off as soon as we lifted
our feet out of it. The hornets also were very troublesome. Recent bush
fires and still smoking trees betokened the presence of natives; who
keep, however, carefully out of sight. This country, with its dry scrubby
ranges and its deep rocky gullies, seems to be thinly inhabited; the
natives keeping, probably, to the lower course of Robinson's Creek and of
the Boyd. The descent to the easterly waters is much more gentle; water
remains longer in the deep rocky basins or puddled holes of its creeks,
and the vegetation is richer and greener. Instead of the cypress-pine
scrub, the Corypha-palm and the Casuarina grew here, and invited us to
cool shaded waters; the Corypha-palm promised a good supply of cabbage.
We had a thunder-storm from the southward, which turned from the range to
the eastward. The two last days were cloudless and very hot; but, on the
ranges, a cool breeze was stirring from the northward.
Nov. 30.--I wished to move my camp to a small water-hole about eight
miles east by north, which I had found yesterday; but, though I kept more
to the northward than I thought necessary, we were everywhere intercepted
by deep rocky gullies. Losing much time in heading them, I ventured to
descend one of the more practicable spurs, and, to my great satisfaction,
my bullocks did it admirably well. The valley into which I entered was
very different from these barriers; gentle slopes, covered with open
forest of silver-leaved Ironbark, and most beautifully grassed,
facilitated my gradual descent to the bottom of the valley, which was
broad, flat, thinly timbered with flooded-gum and apple-trees, densely
covered with grass, and, in the bed of the creek which passed through it,
well provided with reedy water-holes. Before I ventured to proceed with
my whole party, I determined to examine the country in advance, and
therefore followed up one of the branches of the main creek, in a
northerly direction. In proceeding, the silver-leaved Ironbark forest
soon ceased, and the valley became narrow and bounded by perpendicular
walls of sandstone, composed of coarse grains of quartz, rising out of
sandy slopes covered with Dogwood (Jacksonia) and spotted-gum. The rock
is in a state of rapid decomposition, with deep holes and caves inhabited
by rock-wallabies; and with abundance of nests of wasps, and wasp-like
Hymenoptera, attached to their walls, or fixed in the interstices of the
loose rock. Through a few gullies I succeeded in ascending a kind of
table-land, covered with a low scrub, in which the vegetation about
Sydney appeared in several of its most common forms. I then descended
into other valleys to the eastward, but all turned to the east and
south-east; and, after a long and patient investigation, I found no
opening through which we could pass with our bullocks. Although I
returned little satisfied with my ride, I had obtained much interesting
information as to the geological character of this singular country.