SYSTEMATIC GRASS BURNINGS OF THE NATIVES--NATIVE CARVING--AUDACITY OF THE
NATIVES OVERAWED--THE ALBERT, OR MAET SUYKER--NATIVE MODE OF MAKING SURE
OF A DEAD EMU--BULLOCK BOGGED; OBLIGED TO KILL IT--NATIVE DEVICE FOR
TAKING EMUS--BEAMES'S BROOK--THE NICHOLSON--RECONNOITRE BY NIGHT--SMITH'S
CREEK--THE MARLOW.
August 1.--We travelled about seven miles west by north. Silver-leaved
Ironbark ridges, of a dreary aspect, and covered with small shining brown
iron pebbles, alternating with small plains and box-flats, extended
generally to the northward. Some of the hills were open at their summits,
timbered with apple-gum, and covered with white ant-hills; their bases
were surrounded with thickets of the Severn tree. We encamped at a fine
Nymphaea lagoon, in the rich shade of a white drooping gum tree. A large
but dry creek was near us to the westward. The grass was excellent.
August 2.--We travelled twelve miles west-north-west, over a fine
box-flat, crossed a good sized creek, about five miles from the camp,
and, to the westward of it, passed over seven miles of Ironbark ridges.
We descended from them into the valley of a creek fringed with the
white-gum tree, and followed it down for about three miles before we
found water. We encamped at a good water-hole, at the foot of the ridges,
in latitude 18 degrees 0 minutes 42 seconds. Brown and Charley, who had
gone two miles lower down, told me that they had found salt-water, and
deposits of very fine salt. Many lagoons were on the flats, surrounded by
Polygonums, and frequented by ducks, spoonbills, and various aquatic
birds. They had shot, however, only one teal and a spoonbill. In
travelling down the creek, we frequently started wallabies. Geophaps
plumifera was very frequent on the Ironbark ridges. A cormorant with
white breast and belly, and the rose cockatoo were shot; the former
tasted as well as a duck. Brown collected a good quantity of the gum of
Terminalia, and the seeds of the river bean, which made an excellent
coffee. The native bee was very abundant.
The natives seemed to have burned the grass systematically along every
watercourse, and round every water-hole, in order to have them surrounded
with young grass as soon as the rain sets in. These burnings were not
connected with camping places, where the fire is liable to spread from
the fire-places, and would clear the neighbouring ground. Long strips of
lately burnt grass were frequently observed extending for many miles
along the creeks. The banks of small isolated water-holes in the forest,
were equally attended to, although water had not been in either for a
considerable time. It is no doubt connected with a systematic management
of their runs, to attract game to particular spots, in the same way that
stockholders burn parts of theirs in proper seasons; at least those who
are not influenced by the erroneous notion, that burning the grass
injures the richness and density of the natural turf. The natives,
however, frequently burn the high and stiff grass, particularly along
shady creeks, with the intention of driving the concealed game out of it;
and we have frequently seen them watching anxiously, even for lizards,
when other game was wanting.
August 3.--We travelled, for the first two miles, N. 60 degrees W. over
scrubby ironstone ridges, and then entered upon a fine plain, from which
smoke was seen to the west and north-west. I chose the latter direction,
and passed over ironstone ridges covered with stunted silver-leaved
Ironbark; and a species of Terminalia, a small tree, with long spathulate
glaucous leaves, slightly winged seed-vessels, and with an abundance of
fine transparent eatable gum; of which John and Brown gathered a great
quantity. Some of the ridges were openly timbered with a rather stunted
white-gum tree, and were well grassed; but the grass was wiry and stiff.
At the end of our stage, about sixteen miles distant from our last camp,
we crossed some rusty-gum forest; and encamped at a fine water-hole in
the bed of a rocky creek, shaded by the white drooping gum, which seemed
to have taken the place of the flooded gum. Groves of Pandanus spiralis
grew along the creek, which ran to the north by east. All the small
watercourses we passed, inclined to the eastward. Charley found the shell
of a Cytherea on an old camping-place of the natives, which indicated our
approach to the salt water.
A native had carved a representation of the foot of an emu in the bark of
a gum-tree; and he had performed it with all the exactness of a good
observer. It was the first specimen of the fine arts we had witnessed in
our journey.
August 4.--We travelled about ten miles west-north-west, over scrubby
ridges, plains, and box-flats. In a patch of rusty-gum forest we found
Acacia equisetifolia, and the dwarf Grevillea of the upper Lynd in
blossom; the thyrsi of scarlet flowers of the latter were particularly
beautiful. As we entered into the plains, Binoe's Trichinium and
Salicornia re-appeared.
I steered towards the smoke of a Blackfellow's fire, which we saw rising
on the plains; the fire was attended to by a gin. Charley went forward to
examine a belt of trees visible in the distance; and John Murphy followed
a hollow in the plain, and succeeded in finding a fine lagoon, about half
a mile long, partly rocky and partly muddy, surrounded by Polygonums, and
fields of Salicornia. A few gum trees, and raspberry-jam trees grew
straggling around it; but no dry timber was to be found, and we had to
make a fire with a broken down half dried raspberry-jam tree. Our meat
bags were now empty, and it was necessary to kill another bullock,
although the spot was by no means favourable for the purpose. Natives
were around us, and we saw them climbing the neighbouring trees to
observe our proceedings. When Charley joined us, he stated that a fine
broad salt-water river was scarcely a quarter of a mile from the lagoon;
that he had seen a tribe of natives fishing, who had been polite enough
to make a sign that the water was not drinkable, when he stooped down to
taste it, but that freshwater was to be found in the direction of the
lagoon, at which we were encamped. No time was to be lost, and, as the
afternoon had advanced, we commenced operations immediately. Though the
bullock was young, and in excellent working condition, the incessant
travelling round the gulf had taken nearly all the fat out of him, and
there was scarcely enough left to fry his liver. At sunset, we saw the
natives approaching our camp, with loud vociferations, swinging their
spears, and poising and putting them into their wommalas. We immediately
saddled and mounted two of our horses, and discharged a pistol. The
latter stopped their noise at once; and some cowered down to the ground.
John and Charley rode slowly towards them; at first they tried to face,
and then to surround the horsemen; but John and Charley separated, and
threatened to cut them off from the river. As soon as they saw their
supposed danger, they ran to the river, plunged in, and crossed it. We
were very watchful during the night, but were not disturbed. Next
morning, natives passed at some distance, but showed no inclination to
molest us.
August 5.--We cut our meat into slices, and, although we were reduced in
number, we had become so expert, that we had finished a full sized
bullock by half past eleven, A. M. The process occupied four of us about
four hours and a half; John and Brown were employed in putting it out on
the kangaroo net to dry. The strong sea breeze dried it beautifully; but
it attracted much moisture again in the night, and was very moist when we
packed it into the bags at starting.
The sea breeze set in on the 4th at 11 o'clock, became very strong during
the afternoon, lessened at sunset, and died away about 9 o'clock, P. M.
when it became thick and foggy. This was the case on the 5th, 6th, and
7th, and was very regular.
August 6.--We left the large lagoon, which, as I was prevented from
making an observation, I supposed to be in latitude 17 degrees 47 minutes
v. 48 minutes, and followed the winding course of the river up to
latitude 17 degrees 57 minutes. The river, I am inclined to think, is the
Albert of Captain Stokes, and the Maet Suyker of the Dutch Navigators,
and its general course is from south-south-west, to north-north-east.
Plains, forest country, open scrub frequently broken by gullies,
alternated with each other. Several large and deep basins parallel to the
river, were dry. The rough-leaved fig tree, the white cedar, and a
stiff-leaved Ipomoea with pink blossoms, grew on its sandy banks; and
some low straggling mangroves at the water's edge. The day was far
advanced, and I became very anxious about our moist meat; and feared that
we should have to encamp without water. We saw burnt grass every where,
and logs were even still burning; and fresh water could not be very far
off, but yet we were unable to detect it. At last, I observed some trees,
of a fresher appearance than usual, beyond a small rise; and, riding up
to it, found a small water-hole surrounded by Polygonums: on examination,
it was found to contain only a very small quantity of water, yet what
remained was good. Charley, who returned afterwards, said that he had
been before at this water-hole, and had found a tribe of natives encamped
on it, one of whom lifted his spear against him, but his courage forsook
him upon observing Charley still riding towards him, when he and the
whole camp took to their heels, leaving a good supply of Convolvulus
roots, and of Terminalia gum behind them. We found shells of Cymbium and
Cytherea, an enormous waddie, which could have been wielded only by a
powerful arm, nets and various instruments for fishing, in their deserted
camp.
August 7.--I thought it advisable to stop here, and give our meat a fair
drying. The natives were not seen again. Charley and John took a ride to
procure some game, and came to a salt-water creek, which joined the river
about three miles from our camp; the river flowed in a very winding
course from the eastward. They found some good fresh water-holes, at the
head of the salt-water.
August 8.--We travelled about seven miles E.S.E. over plains and Ironbark
ridges. The approaches of the creek, broken by watercourses and gullies,
were covered with thickets of raspberry-jam trees. The rock cropped out
frequently in the creek, which was said to be very rocky lower down. The
salt-water Hibiscus, a species of Paritium, Adr. Juss. (Hibiscus
tiliaceus? Linn. D.C. Prodr. I. p. 454) grew round the water-holes. We
found the same little tree at the salt-water rivers on the west coast of
the gulf, and at Port Essington. I had formerly seen it at the sea coast
of Moreton Bay; its bark is tough and fibrous, and the heart-wood is
brown with a velvety lustre.
August 9.--When Charley returned with the horses, he told us, that, when
he was sitting down to drink at a water-hole about three miles up the
creek, ten emus came to the other side of the water; keeping himself
quiet, he took a careful aim, and shot one dead; then mounting his horse
immediately, he pursued the others, and approaching them very near,
succeeded in shooting another. He broke the wings of both and concealed
them under water. It is a singular custom of the natives, that of
breaking the wings upon killing an emu; as the wings could only slightly
assist the animal in making its escape, should it revive. But in
conversation with Brown as to the possibility of one of the emus having
escaped, he said very seriously: "Blackfellow knows better than white
fellow; he never leaves the emu without breaking a wing. Blackfellows
killed an emu once, and went off intending to call their friends to help
them to eat, and when they came back, they looked about, looked about,
but there was no emu; the emu was gone--therefore the Blackfellows always
broke the wings of the emus they killed afterwards." This was, however,
very probably one of Brown's yarns, made up for the occasion.
I sent Mr. Calvert and Charley to fetch the game, whilst we loaded the
bullocks, and by the time they returned, we were ready to start. The emus
were fine large birds, but not fat; this season seemed to be unfavourable
for them. When we came out into the plain, we saw the smoke of the
natives to the southward, and I steered for it, supposing that they were
either near the river, or at all events not far from fresh water. After
two miles travelling, we crossed another creek with fine Polygonum
water-holes, and, emerging from it into a second plain, we saw a flock of
emus in the distance. Chase was given to them, and with the assistance of
Spring, one was caught. Loaded with three emus, we travelled over a
succession of plains, separated by narrow belts of timber, mostly of-box,
bloodwood, and tea-tree. The plains were broken by irregular melon-holes,
which rendered our progress slow and fatiguing. We came to Ironbark
ridges, and to the very spot where the natives had been burning the
grass, but no watercourse, nor lagoon was seen. Brown rode farther to the
southward, and observed the tracks of the natives in that direction, but
found nothing but box-tree flats. I sent Charley forward to the westward,
and followed slowly in the same direction; night overtook us, when we
were crossing a large plain, but Charley had lighted a large fire, which
guided us, and made us believe that he had found water. He was indeed at
the steep banks of the river Albert, but it was still salt. We hobbled
and tethered all the horses, and watched the bullocks. Fortunately we had
provided ourselves with some water, which allowed half a pint to every
man, so that we felt the inconvenience of a waterless camp less than
formerly. Besides, we had fresh meat, which made a great difference in
our desire for water. It was a beautiful night, and even the dew was
wanting, which had been such a hindrance to drying our meat during the
previous nights. During my watch, I seated myself on one of the
prominences of the steep banks, and watched the loud splashings of
numerous large fish which momentarily disturbed the tranquillity of the
mirror-like surface of the water. Brown had found a bar across the river,
and, on examination it proved perfectly dry during low water, and allowed
us to cross, after having brought our bullocks and horses down the steep
banks, which, however, was not effected without great difficulty. We had
most fortunately hit the very spot where such a crossing was possible.
Brown saw a great number of fine fish in the river, which he called
"Taylors." The natives had been here frequently: the grass had been
recently burnt, and fish bones indicated this as one of their habitual
camping places. We could not, however, discover where they quenched their
thirst. I sent Charley forward in a north-west direction to look for
water. When we came out into the plains which stretched along both sides
of the river as far as the eye could reach, we saw smoke very near us on
the right. I went towards it, until I found that it rose on the opposite
side of the river we had just crossed; Brown, however, detected a pool of
slightly brackish water in a deep creek at a short distance from its
junction with the river. It was too boggy for our cattle to approach, but
it allowed us to quench our own thirst. We now re-entered the plains, and
followed the track of Charley, who soon returned with the pleasing
intelligence that he had found some fine water-holes. These were in the
bed of a creek, surrounded by a band of forest composed of box,
raspberry-jam trees, and the broad-leaved Terminalia, the fruit of which
was eaten by the black cockatoo. The slopes of the water-holes were steep
and boggy, and one of our bullocks was so exhausted that he slipped on
the steep banks, rolled into the water, and got so severely bogged, that
we were compelled to kill him, after trying everything in our power to
extricate him. On the 12th August we cut him up. The night, however, was
very foggy with heavy dew, which prevented the meat from drying. The
miserably exhausted state of the animal had rendered the meat very flabby
and moist, and it not only dried badly, but was liable to taint and to
get fly-blown.
August 13.--We had a fine sea-breeze from the northward, which dried the
outside of the meat well enough, but not the inside, so that it became in
many parts so putrid that I had to throw them away, although we saved a
good deal by splitting the puffed pieces, and exposing the inside to the
air.
The natives had surrounded the water-hole on which we encamped with a
barricade or hedge of dry sticks, leaving only one opening to allow the
emus to approach the water. Near this the natives probably kept
themselves concealed and waited for the emus; which in these parts were
remarkably numerous. On the 11th, John, Charley, and Brown, rode down
three birds, and, on the 14th, they obtained four more, two of which were
killed by John Murphy, who rode the fleetest horse and was the lightest
weight. The possibility of riding emus down, clearly showed in what
excellent condition our horses were. Even our bullocks although
foot-weary upon arriving at the camp, recovered wonderfully, and played
about like young steers in the grassy shady bed of the creek, lifting
their tails, scratching the ground with their fore feet, and shaking
their horns at us, as if to say, we'll have a run before you catch us.
The latitude of these water-holes was 18 degrees 4 minutes 27 seconds,
and they were about nine miles from the crossing place of the river,
which I calculated to be in longitude 139 degrees 20 minutes (appr.). The
plains were covered with flocks of small white cockatoos, (Cocatua
sanguinea, GOULD.) which Mr. Gilbert had mentioned as having been found
in Port Essington: their cry was rather plaintive, and less unmelodious
than the scream of the large cockatoo; nor were they so shy and wary,
particularly when approaching the water.
August 15.--Our beasts were so heavily laden with the meat of two
bullocks, that I found it rather difficult to carry the additional meat
of the emus. We, however, divided every emu into four parts--the chest,
the rump, and the two thighs--and suspended each of the latter to one of
the four hooks of a packsaddle; the remaining parts were carried on our
horses.
We travelled about eight miles north-north-west, over a succession of
plains, interrupted by some watercourses, and a good sized creek. At the
end of the day's stage, we found a small pool of water in a little creek
which we had followed down. According to Charley's account, salt-water
existed a mile lower down. Though our arrival at the camp was very late,
we set immediately to work, and cut up the four emus, which I put on
ropes and branches to dry. Fortunately, a cold dry south-east wind set
in, which very much assisted us in the operation of drying. The sea
breeze was strong, as usual, during the day; clouds gathered very
suddenly about 11 o'clock, P. M. to the southward and south-east, and
rose very quickly with a strong south-east wind; they passed as quickly
as they came; when the wind ceased. Another mass of clouds formed, and
rose quite as suddenly, and, having passed, the sky became quite clear,
and a cold strong wind set in from the south-east, which lasted for the
next two days, and rendered the nights of the 16th and 17th August cold,
dry, and dewless.
We had forgotten to drive our bullocks to the water, which they had
passed not five yards off, and in sight of which they had been unloaded;
the poor brutes, however, had not the instinct to find it, and they
strayed back. Charley started after them the same night, and went at once
to our old camp, supposing that the bullocks had taken that direction;
but they had not done so; they had wandered about seven miles from the
camp, without having found water.
August 16.--We travelled about twelve miles west-north-west, first over
plains, but afterwards, and for the greater part of the stage, over
openly timbered well-grassed box-flats, which seemed to bound the plains
to the southward; they were drained by no watercourse, but contained many
melon-holes. I changed my westerly course a little more to the northward,
and again crossed a succession of plains, separated by hollows. These
hollows were covered with thickets of small trees, principally
raspberry-jam trees; and contained many dry water-holes, either in
regular chains or scattered. They, no doubt, formed the heads of creeks;
as we invariably came on decided watercourses whenever we followed
hollows of this character down to the northward. After sunset, we came to
a dry creek, and were compelled to encamp without water. We took care,
however, to watch our bullocks, and hobble and tether our horses, which
enabled us to start early in the morning of the 17th, when we followed
the creek about seven miles north-east, and there found some very fine
water-holes within its bed, in latitude 17 degrees 51 minutes, at which
we encamped, to allow our cattle to recover; for they had had very little
water during the two last days. Smoke was seen to the north-west, north,
and north-east. Charley shot two more emus, and I felt the loss of our
bullock very much, as it became difficult to carry the additional meat,
which, however, was too valuable to be wasted or thrown away. Although we
had followed the creek for seven miles, we did not find it joined by any
of those hollows we had crossed the day before; and it would appear that
the intervening plains extended far to the north-ward, and that the
hollows and creeks converged only very gradually towards each other.
August 18.--Last night we were busily employed in cutting up and drying
our two emus, in which operation we were favoured by a slight breeze from
the south-east. As we had no fat nor emu oil to fry the meat with, I
allowed a sufficient quantity of meat to be left on the bones, which made
it worth while to grill them; and we enjoyed a most beautiful moonlight
night over a well grilled emu bone with so much satisfaction, that a
frequenter of the Restaurants of the Palais Royal would have been
doubtful whether to pity or envy us.
We travelled to the north-west, because, whenever I kept a westerly
course, I had almost always to follow creeks down to the northward to
obtain water; and, notwithstanding a north-west course, had, on previous
occasions, generally brought us to salt-water.
For the first three miles, we passed several plains, and crossed a creek
in which we recognised a Casuarina, which tree we had not seen since we
left the Mitchell. We then came to a river from thirty to forty yards
broad, and apparently very deep; the water was very soft, but not
brackish, although affected by the tide, which caused it to rise about
two feet. A narrow belt of brush, with drooping tea-trees, the Corypha
palm, the Pandanus, and Sarcocephalus, grew along the water's edge. The
box, the broad-leaved Terminalia, and the Inga moniliformis (articulate
podded Acacia), covered the gullies which came down from the plains, and
the flats along the river. We proceeded four or five miles up the river,
in a south-west direction, in order to find a crossing place. Large
plains occupied both sides, on which numerous patches of grass had been
lately burnt; which indicated the presence of natives. Fish were very
plentiful, and Charley said he had seen a crocodile. The plains and banks
of the river were well grassed, and adapted for cattle and horses. We
encamped in latitude 17 degrees 57 minutes. [This cannot possibly be
17 degrees 57 minutes--it is about 17 degrees 52 minutes--(Note by
Mr. Arrowsmith.)]
August 19.--The river was joined by a running creek from south-south-west,
which we had to follow up about five miles, where it formed a very
narrow channel between thickets of palm trees, drooping tea-trees,
Sarcocephalus, and particularly Pandanus, which crowded round the
tiny stream. We again travelled north-west, over several plains,
separated by belts of timber, and, at the end of about five miles, came
to a fine brook, whose pure limpid waters flowed rapidly in its deep but
rather narrow channel, over a bed of rich green long-leaved water plants.
Magnificent tea-trees, Casuarinas, and Terminalias, gave a refreshing
shade, and Pandanus and Corypha palms added to the beauty of the spot.
The plains were well-grassed, but full of melon-holes. I observed on them
a few small trees, belonging to the Sapindaceae, with pinnate and rather
drooping leaves, with a light grey bark, exuding a good eatable gum.
I called the brook "Beames's Brook," in acknowledgment of the liberal
support I received from Walter Beames, Esq. of Sydney.
We again enjoyed here the young shoots of the Corypha palm.
August 20.--We crossed Beames's brook without difficulty, and travelled
about two miles north-west, over a plain, when we came to a river with a
broad sandy bed and steep banks, overgrown with large drooping tea-trees.
Its stream was five or six yards broad and very shallow. Parallel lines
of deep lagoons covered with Nymphaeas and Villarsias were on its west
side. The bergue between the river and the lagoons was covered with
bloodwood and leguminous Ironbark; and fine box flats were beyond the
lagoons.
I called this river the "Nicholson," after Dr. William Alleyne Nicholson,
of Bristol, whose generous friendship had not only enabled me to devote
my time to the study of the natural sciences, but to come out to
Australia. The longitude of the Nicholson was 138 degrees 55 minutes
(approx.)
After passing the box flats along-the river, we entered into a country
covered with thickets and scrub, rarely interrupted by small patches of
open forest, and travelled about fourteen miles north-west from the
river, when the setting sun compelled us to encamp, without having been
able to find water. Just on entering the scrub, we saw four emus walking
gravely through a thicket of the little Severn tree, picking its bitter
fruit, and throwing occasionally a wondering but distrustful glance at
our approaching train. Charley and Brown, accompanied by Spring, gave
chase to them, and killed one, which was in most excellent condition.
When we came to the camp, we secured the horses, and watched the
bullocks, as was usual on such occasions, and fried and enjoyed our fresh
meat as well as we could. To satisfy my companions I determined to
reconnoitre the country in advance by moonlight; and allowed them to
return to the lagoons of the Nicholson, should I not have returned by 10
o'clock next morning. Accordingly, I started with Charley when the moon
was high enough to give me a fair view of the country, and followed the
star Vega as it declined to the westward. As we advanced, the country
improved and became more open. It was about midnight when Charley, in
passing a patch of thick scrub, noticed a slight watercourse, which
increased rapidly into large water-holes. These were dry, and covered
with withered grass, but, on resuming our westerly course, we came in a
very short time to a creek with a succession of rocky basins. It was
unaccountable how these deep holes could have become so soon dry, as
every one of them must have been full immediately after the rainy season.
After following the creek for about two hours, Charley remarked that the
cracked mud of one of the large water-holes was moist, and, on digging
about a foot deep, a supply of water collected, abundantly sufficient for
ourselves and for our horses. The channel divided several times, and
Charley examined one branch, and I took the other. Thus separated from my
companion, I caught the cheerful glance of a fire before me, and, as I
approached, a great number of them became visible, belonging to a camp of
the natives. Though I wished to ascertain whether they were encamped near
a water-hole, or near wells, several of which we had observed higher up
the creek, I thought it prudent, unarmed as I was, to wait for Charley. I
cooeed, which disturbed the dogs of the camp; but the cold wind blew so
strong from the east, that I feared Charley would either not hear my
cooee, or I not his. The discharge of his gun, however, showed me where
he was, and we were soon together again. We passed the camp; the fires
sparkled most comfortably in the cold night. We examined the creek, but
saw neither natives nor water. Two miles lower down, however, we came to
fine water-holes with a good supply. We stopt here for an hour, to make a
pot of tea, and to allow our horses to feed. We had followed the creek so
far to the north-east and east, that we were, according to my
calculation, about ten miles N.N.E. from our camp. Trusting in Charley's
almost instinctive powers, I allowed him to take the lead, but he, being
drowsy in consequence of a sleepless night, kept too much to the right,
and missed our tracks. As the appointed time for my return had elapsed,
and I was sure that my companions had gone back, I changed my course to
go at once to the lagoons of the Nicholson; and came on the tracks of the
returning party, which we followed to the lagoons, where my companions
had already safely arrived. We had been on the saddle from 10 o'clock at
night, to 6 o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, and, with the
exception of one hour, had ridden the whole time through the most dreary
and scrubby country, and were, of course, extremely fatigued. Most
annoying, however, was the idea that all our fatigues had been to no
purpose, except to show to my companions that I was right in my
supposition, that a good day's journey parallel to the coast would
invariably bring us to water.
August 22.--We travelled about eighteen miles N.N.W., to those
water-holes we had found on our reconnoitring ride. Their latitude was 17
degrees 39 minutes. The country was so very scrubby and difficult, that
we travelled from morning until long after sunset before we reached the
place. The long journey had both tired and galled our bullocks and
horses, and our packs had been torn into pieces by the scrub. This
induced me to stay a day at this creek (which I called Moonlight Creek,
as it had been found and explored during moonlight), to allow some rest
both to my bullocks and myself, whom the long riding had much exhausted,
and also to re-arrange our packs.
The composition of the scrub depended on the nature of the soil. The
narrow-leaved tea-tree, in shrubs from five to seven feet high, and the
broad-leaved tea-tree from twenty to twenty-five feet high, grew on a
sandy loam, with many ant-hills between them; the little Severn tree and
the glaucous Terminalia preferred the light sandy soil with small
ironstone pebbles, on which the ant-hills were rare, or entirely wanting;
the raspberry-jam tree crowded round water-holes, which were frequently
rocky; and the bloodwood, the leguminous Iron-bark, the box, and
apple-gum, formed patches of open forest.
We collected a great quantity of Terminalia gum, and prepared it in
different ways to render it more palatable. The natives, whose tracks we
saw everywhere in the scrub, with frequent marks where they had collected
gum--seemed to roast it. It dissolved with difficulty in water: added to
gelatine soup, it was a great improvement; a little ginger, which John
had still kept, and a little salt, would improve it very much. But it
acted as a good lenient purgative on all of us.
We found the days, when travelling in the scrub, excessively hot, for the
surrounding vegetation prevented us from feeling the sea-breeze; very
cold easterly and south-easterly winds prevailed during the night.
August 24.--Mr. Calvert and Brown, whom I had sent to reconnoitre the
country, returned with the sad intelligence that they had found no water.
They had crossed a great number of creeks of different sizes, with fine
rocky water-holes, which seemed all to rise in scrubby ironstone hills,
and had a course from S. W. to N. E. and E. N. E.; but towards their
heads they were dry, and lower down they contained salt water. The two
explorers had unfortunately forgotten their bag of provisions, and were
consequently compelled to return before they could accomplish their
object. As I anticipated a very long stage, and perhaps a camp without
water, I had some wallabi skins softened and tied over our quart pots
filled with water, which enabled us to carry about eight quarts with us.
August 25.--We accordingly started early, and travelled for several miles
through a pretty open broad-leaved tea-tree forest, formed by small trees
from twenty to thirty feet high. This changed, however, into dense scrub,
which we could only avoid by keeping more to the westward, in which
direction the tea-tree forest seemed to extend to a great distance. Here
we passed several tea-tree swamps, dry at this time, level, like a table,
and covered with small trees, and surrounded by a belt of fine box-trees
and drooping water-gum trees. In order to come to a watercourse, I again
crossed the thick scrub which covered the undulations of iron-stone to
the northward, and came to a fine rocky creek, which Brown recognised as
one of those he had seen, but which contained only salt water lower down.
We consequently continued our journey to the north-west, through tea-tree
forest, and over some very large tea-tree swamps, and came at last to a
creek and to a small river, along which we travelled until darkness
compelled us to encamp. It had fine water-holes, and was densely shaded
with drooping tea-trees; but the holes were dry, with some few exceptions
of small wells of the natives. The latitude of our camp was 17 degrees 25
minutes.
We had seen a great number of pigeons and white cockatoos, and we were
sure that a greater supply of water was near, as many patches of burnt
grass showed that the natives had been here very lately. Next morning,
the 26th, when Charley returned with the horses, he told us that we had
passed a fine lagoon, not a mile and a half off, at the left bank of the
river, which the night had prevented us from seeing, and which the horses
had found when returning on their tracks. We moved our camp to this
lagoon, which was covered with Villarsia leaves, and contained a reddish
water coloured by very minute floating bodies of that colour. The natives
had surrounded it with dry sticks, leaving an opening on one side, for
the purpose of taking emus, as before described. These birds were very
numerous, and lived exclusively on the fruit of the little Severn tree,
which was excessively bitter and imparted its quality to the meat;
Charley and Brown, assisted by the dog, killed one of them. A cockatoo
was shot, which in form and colours resembled the large white cockatoo,
but was rather smaller, and the feathers of the breast were tipped with
red. We saw the bones of a Jew fish, and a broken shell of Cymbium, in an
old camp of the natives near the lagoon.
The apple-gum, the box, and the Moreton Bay ash composed a very open
well-grassed forest, between the lagoon and the river; the latter had an
E. N. E. and almost easterly course. I called this river or large creek,
"Smith's Creek," after Mr. Smith, a gentleman who had shown us the
greatest kindness and attention when we were staying at Darling Downs.
Our journey round the head of the gulf had shown that the "Plains of
Promise" of Capt. Stokes extended from Big Plain River to the Nicholson,
and that they extended farthest to the southward, along two large salt
water rivers in the apex of the gulf, the more westerly of which was no
doubt the Albert of Capt. Stokes, and the Maet Suyker of the Dutch
navigators. These plains were bounded to the southward by box-flats, and
drained by numerous creeks, which in their lower course were tolerably
supplied with water. The most interesting fact, and which had already
been observed by Capt. Stokes, was the moderate temperature of this part
of the country. If my readers compare my observations on the weather from
lat. 15 degrees 55 minutes at the east coast, to lat. 17 degrees 39
minutes on the west coast of the gulf, they will be struck by the general
complaint of "cold nights." If they compare the direction of the winds,
they will find that at the east coast the southerly and
south-south-westerly winds were very cold, and that they became southerly
and south-easterly at the apex, and turned still more to the eastward, at
the west coast. In comparing these directions of the wind, I was led to
the conclusion, that the large plains were the origin and the cause of
these winds.
The bracing nature of the winds and of the cold nights, had a very
beneficial influence on our bodies; we were all well, with the exception
of Mr. Roper, who still suffered from the wound in his loins, and from a
distressing diarrhoea. I am not aware of the season in which Capt. Stokes
explored this part of the country; but it must not be forgotten, that the
same causes which would produce cold winds in the winter, might be the
cause of hot winds in the summer.
August 27.--We travelled about seventeen miles N. N. W. to lat. 17
degrees 11 minutes 9 seconds, through an uninterrupted scrub and
broad-leaved tea-tree forest. Half way we crossed a broad watercourse,
with long tracks of burnt grass. The Pandanus and the bloodwood grew on
its limited flats. At the end of our stage, we came to a rocky
watercourse, which we followed down, and in which a native dog betrayed
to us a deep pool of water, covered with Villarsia leaves, and surrounded
by Polygonums. Many of the dry water-holes we had passed were surrounded
by emu traps; the tracks of these birds were exceedingly numerous, A
grove of Pandanus was near the water on the sandy banks of the creek.
August 28.--We travelled about eleven miles N. N. W. to lat. 17 degrees 2
minutes 12 seconds, through the bleakest scrubby country we had ever met:
nothing but tea-tree scrub, and that not even cheered by the occasional
appearance of a gum tree, or of the blood-wood. After ten miles, we came
to a salt water creek, rocky, with detached pools of water and deposits
of salt. Following it up, we came to a well beaten foot-path of the
natives, which brought us in a short time to a good supply of drinkable,
though very brackish water. The sandstone hills before us and to the
northward, were covered with low shrubs and the broad-leaved tea-tree,
with wiry and stiff grasses, and looked very unpropitious. The rock was
composed of quartz pebbles of different colours, imbedded in a red clayey
paste.
We have commenced to carry with us not only our quart pots, but also our
two gallon pot full of water.
August 29.--We travelled to lat. 16 degrees 58 minutes 27 seconds long.
138 degrees 25 minutes; a distance of about eight miles N.N.W. and N.W.
over a more open country, with occasional patches of thick scrub. We
crossed several watercourses and creeks; and came to a small river which
flowed to the N. by E. and which I called the "Marlow," after Capt.
Marlow of the Royal Engineers, who had kindly assisted me in the outfit
of my expedition. We went down the river about two or three miles, and
came to a plentiful supply of water, which was indicated, a long time
before we arrived at it, by the call of the red-breasted cockatoos,
noticed a few days since; but which was probably only a variety of the
common species.
A low shrubby Acacia with sigmoid phyllodia was frequent on the hills. A
little fly-catcher (Givagone brevirostris?) charmed us with its pretty
note at our last camps. Bronze-winged pigeons were very numerous, and I
saw a pair of Geophaps plumifera rising from under a shady rock, as I was
riding down a rocky creek. Two black ducks and three cockatoos were shot;
the long reaches of water down the river were covered with water-fowl,
and Charley and Brown were so desirous of procuring some messes of black
ducks, that they did their best to persuade me to stop; but, being
anxious to escape from this scrubby country, I did not yield to their
solicitations.
The crops of the large cockatoos were filled with the young red shoots of
the Haemodorum, which were almost as pungent as chillis, but more
aromatic; the plant abounded on the sandy soil. The small cockatoo of the
plains, which we saw again in great numbers, seems to feed on a white
root and on the honey of the whole seed-vessel, or the flower-bud, of the
drooping tea-tree.
The first part of the night was clear, but it became foggy and cloudy
after midnight. In the morning, the dew was dropping from the trees, but
the grass and our things were not at all wet.
August 30.--We travelled about ten miles N. 60 degrees W. over a scrubby
though a little more open country, full of enormous massive ant-hills,
surpassing even those of Big Ant-Hill Creek, in height and circumference,
and came, at the distance of eight miles from our camp, to a low scrub on
sandy soil with shallow watercourses. Salicornia grew in abundance; and
emu tracks were very frequent. Coming on a broad foot-path of the
natives, I followed it to the south-west, and came to some fine fresh
water-holes in the bed of a creek, surrounded by high drooping tea trees,
which were in blossom and covered with swarms of white cockatoos. These
water-holes were in lat. 16 degrees 55 degrees, and situated to the
south-west of some low scrubby hills. We encamped in a grove of Pandanus.
The natives had just left, and the tea-tree bark was still smoking from
the fire which had spread from their camp.
Large flights of the small white cockatoo came to the water. The
flying-fox visited the blossoms of the tea-tree at night, and made an
incessant screeching noise. Charley shot one of them, which was very fat,
particularly between the shoulders and on the rump, and proved to be most
delicate eating.
August 31.--It rained the whole day; in consequence of which I gave my
cattle a rest. The rain came from the westward, but continued with a
southerly wind; it ceased with wind from the S.E. and E.S.E. Lightning
was observed to the south-west. We erected our tents for the first time
since Mr. Gilbert's death; using tarpaulings and blankets for the
purpose. Our shots amused themselves by shooting Blue Mountainers for the
pot; and a strange mess was made of cockatoo, Blue Mountainers, an eagle
hawk, and dried emu. I served out our last gelatine for Sunday luncheon;
it was as good as when we started: the heat had, however, frequently
softened it, and made it stick to the bag and to the things with which it
was covered.
The fire places of the natives were here arranged in a straight line, and
sheltered from the cold wind by dry branches: they were circular, the
circumference was slightly raised, and the centre depressed and filled
with pebbles, which the natives heat to cook their victuals.
The bell which one of our horses carried, was unaccountably broken at our
last camp; and it was quite a misery to hear its dull jarring sound,
instead of the former cheerful tinkling. One of our horses had separated
from the rest, and had gone so far up the creek, that Charley did not
return with it until very late in the afternoon of the 1st September,
which compelled us to stop at our camp.