Commencement of the homeward journey.
The cattle begin to fail.
Halt and endeavour to lighten the carts.
Rain comes on.
Native conversations at a distance.
Party separated to watch the cattle.
Illness of some of the men from scurvy.
Mr. Larmer's excursion into the country to the eastward.
The Spitting tribe again.
Return of Mr. Larmer, who had found water and inhabitants.
A day's halt.
Ride to Greenough's group.
View from the summit.
Barter with natives beyond the Darling.
The Red tribe again.
New species of caper eaten by the natives.
Importunity of the Red tribe.
Cross the Darling.
View from the summit of Mount Macpherson.
Rain again threatens.
Absence of kangaroos and emus on the Darling.
The Occa tribe again.
Hints to Australian sportsmen.
Meet the Fort Bourke tribe.
Mr. Hume's tree.
Return to Fort Bourke.
Description of that position.
Saltness of the Darling.
The plains.
The rivers supported by springs.
Traces of floods.
Extent of the basin of this river.
Its breadth.
Surface of the plains.
Geology of the Darling.
Woods.
Gum acacia abundant.
Grasses.
General character of the natives.
Their means of existence.
Nets used by them.
Superstitions.
Condition of the females.
Singular habits of a rat.
Security of a species of ants.
Birds.
Fishes.
Apprehended scarcity of water on leaving the Darling.
Six of the cattle dead from exhaustion.
Rest of two days at Fort Bourke.
Visited by the Fort Bourke tribe.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY.
July 12.
Early this morning ten men returned to the river with orders to raise the
bullock to the bank, but after they had done so it again lay down, unable
to move, the legs having become probably cramped or benumbed from
remaining so long fast in the mud. They then descended the river about
two miles to where the other bullock lay, which they were equally unable
to move. No natives appeared or were even heard; and thus we might be
considered to occupy the left bank of the river, all along our front. We
broke up the camp at ten A.M. and turned our faces homewards. Our old
track was a tolerably well beaten road, and therefore much easier for the
bullocks, especially those of the leading cart; it was also no longer
necessary to face bush or scrub. To me the relief in travelling homewards
was considerable, as I was much more at liberty to attend to arrangements
necessary for our defence than when the direction of our route required
my attention. This day we cut off a corner by which we shortened our way
about a mile; and we reached our second encampment back from that which
we left in the morning, thus effecting two days' journey in one.
THE CATTLE BEGIN TO FAIL.
We only got to our ground however by eight o'clock at night; and before
we arrived one bullock, which had been some time weakly, lay down to rise
no more, and we were compelled to shoot it. The camp we reached was near
the large native village on the river, and the hill with the natives'
tombs (see July 8) and the same spot where the gin and the tall man first
came up to us. We approached the place with some caution but found nobody
in occupation, and we encamped with a strong guard on our cattle.
HALT AND ENDEAVOUR TO LIGHTEN THE CARTS.
July 13.
As there was good food here and our animals were much exhausted by the
last journey I considered it highly advisable to halt this day. We
examined the loads and, in order to lighten the carts as much as
possible, we burned some heavy articles no longer required.
RAIN COMES ON.
The morning was damp and cloudy and at nine it began to rain heavily. We
had still to traverse about 400 miles of level country, subject to
floods, and peopled by cunning savages with whom we were now likely to be
involved in war.
NATIVE CONVERSATIONS AT A DISTANCE. PARTY SEPARATED TO WATCH THE CATTLE.
About 11 o'clock a long, loud cooey from the hill of tombs announced that
the natives had already overtaken us; but we were under arms immediately
and prepared for defence. Natives were soon after seen to pass along the
riverbank, but as none of them approached us I sent four armed men
towards the huts or village with orders to ascertain what number was
there and, in case they met a single native, to bring him to me. I was
desirous to prevent any messenger whom the tribe might have sent back to
the country through which we had to pass from arriving before we could
dispel by our peaceful demeanour any fears that might be raised to
provoke hostility on the part of the inhabitants there. The men found two
natives hiding behind trees, who ran off when observed and swam the
river. About two o'clock one of the guard with the cattle came in and
reported that twelve or fourteen natives were watching on the other side
of the Darling, and asked what he was to do. I instructed him and the
other men to motion to all such to go away, but not to fire at any unless
it became necessary to do so in their own defence. The afternoon cleared
up a little but after dark the sky was overcast. The night passed quietly
without further alarm of natives.
The vicinity of the river was an advantage to us here which the ground,
for several stages on, would not afford; for in case of need it enabled
all our men to be at hand.
THREE FEMALES FOLLOW THE PARTY.
July 14.
The morning was fair but the sky continued to be cloudy when we commenced
our journey. After we had proceeded some miles the cooeys of the natives
were heard around us, and we once more expected an attack. We were then
in a close scrub and the cattle were advancing slowly, for the ground had
been softened by the rain. We halted the carts in a small open space and
prepared for defence. The men forming our rear guard, having concealed
themselves behind bushes, intercepted three gins and a boy who appeared
to be following our movements. When discovered they called out loudly
"Wainba! Wainba!" and we concluded from this that the male savages were
not far off, and that they employed these women on outpost duty. Our men
beckoned to them to go back and, no other natives appearing, we resumed
our march. The gins however were not to be driven from their object so
easily; and indeed from the barking of our dogs towards the scrub during
the night, and by the tracks observed in the sand across our route next
morning, it appeared that these poor creatures had passed the night, a
cold one too, in the scrub near our camp without fire or water, and that
they had preceded us in the morning.
NATIVE CONVERSATIONS.
In the calm evening of that day and as the sun was setting I distinctly
heard the women, at a distance of nearly two miles, relating something
respecting us to a party of their tribe beyond the Darling. It may be
difficult for those unused to the habits of Australian natives to
understand how this could be; but it must be remembered that these people
having no fixed domicile, the gins generally form a separate party, but
may thus often carry on a conversation from a great distance with their
male companions--consequently when a mile apart only these people may be
said to be in company with each other. As the gins are always ordered by
their lords and masters to meet them at such places of rendezvous as they
may think proper, we may account for the well-known accuracy of these
natives in the names which belong to every locality in their woods.
Nearly the whole day's journey led through a bushy scrub and over ground
rather soft and heavy. We reached however our former place of encampment
which we again occupied; and we sent our cattle to the river for the
night with a party of four armed men. The evening was extremely cold and
raw, the wind blowing from south-west, with drizzling rain. Between us
and the river the country was open, but the above-mentioned scrub and low
hills were close behind us; and through this scrub (as appeared by the
foot-marks seen this morning) the gins had passed our camp, and preceded
us along our line of route, making towards the river as soon as our track
approached an open plain, probably because they could not have continued
on the track of the party there, without having been seen by us.
July 15.
The men returned from the river in good time with the cattle, having
neither seen nor heard the natives. The morning was beautiful, and we
proceeded, hoping that the fine weather might last. We passed the place
where we had halted on the 5th, and continued the journey for a mile or
two further in a new direction, by which we cut off a considerable
detour, and gained in direct distance about five miles. We encamped near
a bare hill beyond which the river was about a mile distant.
WEAK STATE OF THE CATTLE.
There was scrub all round us and I did not like our position; but it was
impossible to drive the wearied cattle further. As we approached this
camp I heard the voice of one of the gins answered by that of a male, and
"wite ma" was the subject of conversation; they might have been two miles
from us, as the voices of the natives in the woods are audible, as just
stated, a long way off, in a still evening.
July 16.
After a cold frosty night the morning was fine, and we continued our
journey. At about a mile and a half we entered on our former track, and
after five miles more we encamped on the ground which we had occupied on
the 4th instant. By this short journey I hoped to refresh the cattle a
little, and to make out a better one next day by getting through the
brush and past the natives' bivouac. This camp of ours was a good mile
from the river, and it was very necessary to send a separate party to
remain on its bank all night with the cattle.
July 17.
In these times, when I saw the animals brought up by the men all safe
from the river in the morning, I was wont to thank God in my heart for
their preservation. This morning I set out on a direct line for our
former camp, not so much for the sake of cutting off two miles, which we
did, as to avoid the very soft and heavy ground through which we had
travelled with difficulty in the journey down. In this last and more
direct line we found excellent firm plains for nearly the whole of the
way; and we fell in with our old route where I wished, exactly at our
former camp. Thus we had got over a day's stage by half-past one o'clock.
The cattle were tired, but as we would be here in the midst of scrub and
brush, and close to a large camp of natives, we continued our route about
five miles further, to the spot where we had before repaired the wheels,
and we reached it at five o'clock. One poor bullock laid down by the way
and we were obliged to leave it. We heard no natives on the river,
although it was here that we first fell in with the tribe which followed
us down; and from the absence of all natives now it seemed that they had
heard of the affair on the river, and kept out of our way perhaps from
fear of us; at all events their absence was a great comfort, and we hoped
it might continue.
July 18.
Two men went back early this morning and brought on old Pistol, the
bullock which had lain down the day before. We started at ten o'clock,
passing our encampment of the 1st July and halting on the bank of the
river bed where, on coming down, we had found some water. It was now
however dried up, but we had taken the precaution to bring on enough for
the party, and there was good food for the cattle, and great appearance
of rain falling. We had no occasion therefore to send to the river, which
was a long way off. Pistol again fell behind this afternoon, and it was
really distressing to see the animals in so weak a state with such a long
journey still before them.
ILLNESS OF SOME OF THE MEN FROM SCURVY.
Some men now showed symptoms of scurvy and Robert Whiting, being unable
to walk, had to be carried on the carts. The clover-leaved plant* growing
here was therefore cooked for the men as a vegetable; and such medicines
were administered as were likely to check the complaint: near this lagoon
we also found the Plantago varia of Mr. Brown. The weather appeared
unsettled; the sky again lowering, and at sunset it was overcast with
portentous rainy-looking clouds. The air had become mild when the wind,
which had blown some days from the south and south-west, suddenly came
round to the north, and a few drops of rain fell in the evening.
(*Footnote. Trigonella suavissima, Lindley Manuscripts see above.)
July 19.
The wind blew strongly all night from the north-west, and in the morning
huge clouds darkened the sky, but there was no immediate prospect of
rain. The air was warm and parching, and we proceeded with our thirsty
cattle to the next stage of our journey (the camp of the 30th June)
distant about five miles. This we reached by half-past eleven, and I sent
the cattle with four armed men to the river, which was about a mile from
our position. In the course of the afternoon the wind from north-west
increased to a gale, but the air was still warm, and the sun set in a
clear sky, while the heavy clouds sank to the eastern horizon where sheet
lightning played incessantly until after midnight. The air brought by
that wind from the north-west was so dry as to occasion a most unpleasant
heat and parched sensation in the skin of the face and hands, and several
men complained of headache. That air seemed to contain no moisture, and
in all probability blew over extensive deserts.
July 20.
The morning was clear with a cold and gentle breeze from north-west. We
this day reached the spot which we had occupied on the 29th June and
again encamped there, with the intention of halting two days in order to
refresh the cattle. During the afternoon the sky became again overcast
and the wind, shifting to the south-west, blew strongly with drizzling
rain.
MR. LARMER'S EXCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY TO THE EASTWARD.
July 21.
Very tempestuous weather, unlike any we had hitherto met with in the
interior. I sent Mr. Larmer with four men to examine the dry creek which
we had now left higher up towards the hills on the east, that he might
ascertain if any ponds remained there, as it lay in our best line of
route homewards. That creek afforded the only prospect during this dry
season of a line of route by which we might avoid the great detour in
following the Bogan river, which route would otherwise be unavoidable
merely from the general scarcity of water. Two of the men were now
invalids, one with scurvy, the other with dysentery.
THE SPITTING TRIBE AGAIN.
July 22.
The wind blew very keenly all night, and in the morning the sky was
cloudy, but no rain fell; towards noon the sun appeared, and the air
became milder. About two P.M. I was informed that the Spitting tribe was
on the riverbank, and in communication with our men in charge of the
cattle; also that three had come over and sat down, asking as usual for
tomahawks. These were the old man already mentioned (as wanting part of
his nose) and two strong men. Our party beckoned to them to keep back,
but they came over in three canoes. They had been fishing on the river,
and had been roasting and eating the fish on the opposite bank. Overseer
Burnett offered them his clasp-knife in exchange for a cod* weighing
about 19 pounds but they would only give a small fish weighing not above
one pound; and then coolly went over and sat down to eat the fish
themselves. Our camp was established about a quarter of a mile from the
river, on the edge of a plain and near a scrub, for the sake of fuel. At
four P.M. the alarm was given that the natives were close to the camp,
and we no sooner saw them than the whole of the scrub proved to be on
fire, to the imminent danger of our equipment. I sent five men with
muskets to them (au pas de charge); and in five minutes they had retired
across the river, two shots having been fired over their heads as they
ascended the opposite bank. It appeared that this party consisted of
eight men, each carrying a spear and a waddy, besides the same boy who
had been seen higher up, and who was observed on this occasion very busy
lighting branches in the scrub; the vile old fellow sans nose was one,
and also the sullen man, who was the first we had ever seen throw dust.
These latter stood on our side, covering the passage of the others, and
crossing last, which manly conduct was the best trait I had seen in their
character. On reaching the top of the opposite bank they commenced their
usual chant and demoniac dance, waving burning branches over their heads,
brandishing their spears, and throwing their waddies high in the air,
even above the lofty trees, all the time retreating in leaping and
singing order. It was evident that our dogs had frightened them; and at
the report of the guns the tall fellow fell flat on the earth as he was
ascending the opposite bank. Later in the evening some natives were seen
driving the bullocks about on the opposite side, but as they desisted
when called to, and afterwards cooeyed to the others before they joined
them, it was supposed that these had just arrived from a distance.
(*Footnote. Gristes peelii.)
RETURN OF MR. LARMER, WHO HAD FOUND WATER AND INHABITANTS.
Mr. Larmer returned at dusk having seen two more fine ponds of water in
the direction of the river bed which we had lately left. He reported
however that the watercourse ran eastward, or contrary to that of the
Darling, a direction also opposed to the fall of the hills, where it no
doubt originated. The party met a tribe of blacks in huts at the largest
and most eastern of these ponds. They were perfectly inoffensive, only
looking from their huts and asking, as it seemed, which way the party was
going. Mr. Larmer reported that he saw from the range which he ascended a
higher one about 40 miles to the southward, and smoke in the intermediate
valley, the country being covered with a thick scrub.
July 23.
We proceeded at first 5 1/2 miles along our former route, then eight
miles in a north-east direction, by which course we avoided the former
camp of the Spitting tribe, and a portion of our route which led over a
very soft, cracked plain: we also shortened the distance so much as to
gain one day upon three of our former stages. In making this new cut we
had the good fortune to meet with firm open ground, so that we encamped
by three P.M. within sight of the river and our former route, and five
miles beyond the camp of June 27 where the Spitting tribe had probably
remained, expecting us.
July 24.
Early in the morning we observed a smoke in the woods near the river, at
a distance of about two miles. At length I saw through my glass a native
with a skin cloak advancing over the naked plains towards us, but he soon
disappeared, then I perceived two others coming rapidly forward; at
length I heard them calling, and observed that one held high up a green
branch in his right hand. The intervening country was an extensive, open,
dusty plain, and our camp was partially concealed by trees. The savages
came to a stand for a moment at a low bush, a quarter of a mile off, but
on my turning for a short time and again looking I perceived them already
far away, scampering at amazing speed back towards the river. It seemed
as if they had become alarmed at our silence, or on discovering our
numbers and the extent of our camp. Of course we expected a visit from
their tribe, either during the day's journey or in the evening. By
proceeding in a direction 72 degrees 45 minutes East of North we
travelled along a fine plain, and hit exactly a sharp angle in our former
route (June 24). Thus a distance of a mile and a half was gained upon
that line, and some very soft and heavy ground avoided. This day's route
was consequently almost a straight line, and we halted opposite to a bend
of the river, 2 1/2 miles short of the camp of June 23. As we approached
this part of the river a dense column of smoke, such as the natives send
up as signals, arose from it. We saw no more of the natives however that
night, although the men with the cattle noticed their fires on the other
side of the river.
July 25.
As we journeyed along the former tract and over a plain near the Darling
we observed smoke to arise from the same place in which it had appeared
on the preceding evening; but still no natives came to us. On passing our
old camp we perceived that two men and a boy had that morning stood on
the ashes of our former fires, and gone all over the ground. We saw
nothing however of the natives during the whole of this day; and we
finally halted within half a mile of our encampment of June 23. Here we
found a species of Atriplex related to A. halimus.*
(*Footnote. Atriplex halimoides; fruticosa erecta squamuloso-incana,
foliis rhombeo-ovatis integris, perianthiis fructiferis axillaribus
solitariis sessilibus spongiosis, dorsi alis ovatis integris. Lindley
manuscripts.)
A DAY'S HALT.
June 26.
The cattle having had a fatiguing journey I thought it best to give them
a day's rest, especially as I wished to examine the country and a group
of hills to the eastward.
COUNTRY EASTWARD OF THE DARLING.
I therefore set out with three men for the highest summit (bearing 124
degrees from North) and distant thirteen miles. We passed over four miles
of firm open ground, with some small rough gumtrees upon it. We then
crossed a track on which I saw the angophora for the first time since we
traversed Dunlop's range; and near it we passed a hollow about half a
mile wide and a mile and a half long; in which, although the surface was
of clay, there was no appearance of water ever having lodged, a
circumstance for which we could only account by supposing that much rain
seldom falls, at any season, in this part of the interior. We next
entered a scrub of dwarf casuarinae, and Myoporum montanum (R. Br.) the
latter bush prevailing so as to form a thick scrub at the foot of the
hills, and even upon them.
RIDE TO GREENOUGH'S GROUP. VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT.
The range, like all those which I had examined near the Darling, was of
exactly the same kind of rock as D'Urban's group, Dunlop's range, etc.
etc., namely quartz rock breaking naturally into irregular polyhedrons,
but at the base I noticed ferruginous sandstone. The summit afforded a
very extensive view of the country to the eastward, which rose towards a
range extending south-east and north-west, its two extremities bearing
103 and 122 degrees from north. At the foot of which a blue mist might be
supposed to promise a river or chain of ponds in an ordinary season; and
a rather high and isolated range of yellow rock, in the direction of
Oxley's Mount Granard, seemed to overlook some extensive piece of water
or spacious plain to the south of it. An intervening valley appeared also
to form a basin falling southwards, but immediately beyond the group I
was upon a vast extent of country, not low, but without any prominent
features, although chequered with plain and bush, stretched far to the
eastward. There were no large trees visible on any side, but a thick
scrub of bushes covered much of the country. Upon the whole I considered
that in a wet season we might have travelled straight home, as there were
many dry waterholes in the surface where it consisted of clay, but that,
unless rain fell, it would be wiser, considering the exhausted state of
our cattle, to keep to the beaten track, for the animals travelled much
better upon it, and going back or homewards along that track, was more
convenient in various respects than to travel where there was no road at
all. As it now became necessary to distinguish the different ranges on my
map I attached to this remarkable cluster of hills the name of Mr.
Greenough, a gentleman who has done so much in uniting geology with
geography, to the great advantage of both.
BARTER WITH NATIVES BEYOND THE DARLING.
On returning to the camp I found that two natives had been in
communication with our party on the river during my absence; and that
overseer Burnett had made a good brargain, having obtained from one of
them a very well made net in exchange for a clasp knife, with which the
native seemed much pleased. These visitors were young men, carrying each
a net, and seemed to belong to the other side of the river.
THE RED TRIBE AGAIN. THEIR IMPORTUNITY.
Soon after I returned our old friends of the Red tribe came up in a body
of about twelve, carrying boughs. It was near sunset, and still they
showed no disposition to go back to the river, but on the contrary they
seemed about to make up their fires and remain with us for the night. As
their calls for tomahawks were incessant it was easy to foresee that it
would soon be necessary to frighten them away with our guns if they were
allowed to continue near us. I therefore directed Burnett to point to the
river, and request them to go thither to sleep, which they at length did.
We also took care not to allow them to come close to the carts, to
prevent which several men met them at a little distance, where they took
their stand.
NEW SPECIES OF CAPER EATEN BY THE NATIVES.
On the bank of the river at this place we found beside the native fires
the remains of a fruit,* different from any I had seen before. It seemed
to be of a round shape, with a rind like an orange, and the inside, which
appeared to have been eaten, resembled a pomegranate. We here lost a
bullock, which fell into a deep part of the river and was drowned, having
been too weak to swim to the other side.
(*Footnote. Since ascertained to have been Capparis mitchellii, Lindley
manuscripts. See below.)
IMPORTUNITY OF THE RED TRIBE.
July 27.
Early this morning the Red tribe come up and again begged for tomahawks.
It was evident now how injudicious we had been in giving these savages
presents; had we not done so we should not have been so much importuned
by them. To avoid their solicitations, which were assuming an insolent
tone, evinced by loud laughing to each other at our expense, we loaded
and moved off as quickly as possible, and they remained behind to examine
the ground which we had quitted. Upon the whole however the conduct of
this tribe was much better than that of any we had seen lower down the
river. They brought no arms, and had never attempted any warlike
demonstrations, or to come forward when told to keep back; neither did
they follow us. We got over our journey by two o'clock and encamped near
the old ground of June 23. Here the bed of the Darling consisted of
ferruginous clay with grains of sand.
July 28.
We proceeded by the beaten route and pitched our tents within about a
mile of our former camp. The cattle being very weak I was desirous to
avoid some soft ground near that position by taking a shorter cut next
morning. The part of the river adjacent to this spot was fordable, the
bed consisting of a variety of sandstone composed of small siliceous
grains cemented by decomposed felspar.
July 29.
The day being clear and the party within thirteen or fourteen miles of
Mount Macpherson, a fine hill beyond the river (bearing 301 1/2 degrees
from North) I determined to give the cattle a day's rest, and to ascend
that hill in order to take another look at the western interior beyond
the Darling. I thought I might thus be enabled to fix many of the points
observed from Mount Murchison, or at all events to ascertain the nature
of the country to the north-west.
CROSS THE DARLING.
I accordingly crossed the Darling with four men, and proceeded straight
for the hill over a very open country and plains which were tolerably
firm. On my way however I saw nothing new as to ground. The clay plains
were bounded by a ridge of red sand (extending south-west and north-east)
at a distance of four miles. On this ridge were divers casuarinae and
beyond it was a low polygonum hollow, and a watercourse in which water
evidently sometimes ran north-east (!) and a duck-net stake, fixed
opposite to a tree, still remained there. It appeared that in all these
side channels or tributaries of the Darling the water flowed upwards, or
FROM the river, a circumstance not unlikely to happen where the main
channel rolls the accumulated waters of distant regions through absorbent
plains on which partial rains can have but little effect.
At about eight miles we reached firm gravel consisting of small and very
hard stones, precisely similar in character and position to that near
Mount Murchison. The pebbles were mixed with red earth which also formed
part of the lower features connected with the height before us. We
crossed a deep gully, the bed of a creek in rainy seasons, but which had
now been long dried up. The very hard sandstone still appeared, weathered
to a purple colour; the lower part was most ferruginous, and not so hard
as above; in the creek below I observed a red crust of clay and nodules
of ironstone.
NEW SPECIES OF CASSIA.
There were several rocky and deep ravines in the side of the principal
height, and in these the oat-grass, or anthisteria, appeared (for the
first time since we had left the upper Bogan) also several plants which
were new to me, and among them a bush of striking beauty, with a rich
yellow flower, being a species of cassia.*
(*Footnote. This plant was found by Mr. Cunningham in 1817 on Mount
Flinders, when he called it C. teretifolia. Dr. Lindley had described it
as follows:
C. teretifolia, Cunningham manuscripts; incano-tomentosa, foliis pinnatis
5-6-jugis eglandulosis: foliolis teretibus filiformibus obtusis,
paniculis terminalibus, ramulis corymbosis sub-5-floris, bracteolis
ovatis obtusis concavis calycibusque tomentosis.)
VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT MACPHERSON.
The summit of Mount Macpherson was clear but did not afford the view I
expected. The height consisted of some ridges which did not appear much
higher further to the westward: those in that direction being connected
with the summit, and also with each other, and extending to the north and
south, prevented me from seeing almost any of the features observed from
Mount Murchison, which hill was barely visible. The only striking feature
I could perceive east of the Darling was Greenough's group, which rose
upon the horizon, level on that side, save where one or two summits of
the higher ground to the eastward just appeared to break the sharpness of
the bounding line. But the flatness of the north-western line of vision
was still more remarkable, and it was difficult to understand how the
basin of the Darling, which appeared so narrow below, could find limits
there. The country to the northward, if not a dead level, was varied by
only some slight undulations, and it was partially covered with stunted
bushes, alternating with a few naked plains. As far as I could see with
my glass no smoke appeared to rise from the vast extent visible in that
direction. After taking the bearings of the different points we returned
and recrossed the Darling about sunset. At the base of the hill we met
with several kangaroos, and had some shots (with bullets) at a very tame
bustard. There was a rocky channel where water can be but seldom scarce.
We saw none but, from the presence of kangaroos, we thought that there
must have been some very near the hill. This hill I named Mount
Macpherson after the collector of internal revenue at Sydney.
July 30.
Proceeded on our journey by our former route and arrived by four P.M. at
our old camp of the 18th and 19th June, which we again occupied. We were
still at a loss to know for what purpose the heaps of one particular kind
of grass* had been pulled and so laid up hereabouts. Whether it was
accumulated by the natives to allure birds, or by rats, as their holes
were seen beneath, we were puzzled to determine. The soft ground retained
no longer the footsteps imprinted on it by the haymakers, whoever they
had been. The grass was beautifully green beneath the heaps and full of
seeds, and our cattle were very fond of this hay. I found there also two
other kinds of grass which were equally new to me, the one being an
Andropogon allied to A. bombycinus; the other apparently a species of
Myurus.
(*Footnote. Panicum laevinode, Lindley manuscripts; for description see
above.)
July 31.
Continued along our route to our former camp of 17th June.
RAIN AGAIN THREATENS.
August 1.
Two smart showers of about two minutes duration each fell during the
night, but the wind which had been blowing from the north-west was so
parching that the canvas of our tents was quite dry by daybreak. The sky
was overcast with heavy clouds in the morning but by noon it became
clear. We travelled so as to make a short cut on our two days' journey of
the 16th and 17th June, and thus, at about eight miles, we made that part
of the river which we had seen formerly when nearly three miles from it,
and here we encamped. As we crossed the plain on which the last kangaroo
had been killed we saw many fresh tracks of these animals; and the dogs
took after one which they killed, as appeared by their mouths when they
returned.
ABSENCE OF KANGAROOS AND EMUS ON THE DARLING.
It may be observed that lower down on the Darling we saw neither
kangaroos nor emus, a sufficient proof of the barrenness of the adjacent
country. This day the ground somewhat resembled forest land, and we saw
one or two trees of substantial timber of the description which the
colonists term mahogany.
August 2.
We proceeded in a direction by which we reached our former route after
four miles travelling; and at a distance of five miles more we came to a
spot near the river where we encamped with the intention of avoiding next
morning the detour we made on approaching the camp, when we formerly
occupied the spot in the bend of the river.
THE OCCA TRIBE AGAIN.
As soon as our people approached the bank we met with a gin and two young
girls, upon which they called to an old man, who soon came up. He
appeared no way alarmed, and seemed to have seen us before. The fatal
tea-kettle again attracted the attention of a gin, and she pointed it out
to her grey lord and master who, pronouncing the well-known word "Occa"
(give) reminded us of the greedy tribe in whose precincts we had now
arrived, and which was in fact distinguished by the name of the Occa
boys, from their constant use of the word, and coveting everything they
saw. The old man however continued his journey down the river without
obtaining the kettle, or yet a knife which he also demanded from one of
our men whom he saw cutting tobacco.
August 3.
We continued in a northern direction till we cut upon the route to our
last camp, and we thus avoided two bad miles without lengthening the
journey to the next of our former encampments, which we reached in good
time to allow the cattle to feed.
August 4.
We set off about eight this morning and reached by five P.M. our
encampment of the 12th and 13th of June. On the way the ranges on our
right, as they rose in view, afforded some relief to our eyes, so long
accustomed to a horizon as flat as the ocean; and a gentle cooling breeze
from the east felt very different from the parching west winds to which
we had been exposed. This day and the one before were warm, and breathed
most gratefully of spring. We recrossed a gravel bed of irregular
fragments of quartz and flint at the base of some slight hills which
reach from the range to the river. Between these undulations were soft
plains the surface of which was cracked and full of holes; and it seemed
that the torrents which fall from the hills are imbibed by this thirsty
earth. As we approached our camp the dogs were sent after two emus, and
at dusk one of them returned having killed his bird, though we did not
find it until early next morning. The emu came to hand however in good
time even then, for the men had been long living on salt provisions. Our
former lagoon had become a quagmire of mud and we were forced to send for
water from the river. The pigeons and parrots which swarmed about this
hole at dusk, the quantity of feathers, and the tracks of emus and
kangaroos around it, showed how scarce this essential element had become
in the back country. At such small pools water becomes an object of
desire and contest and, so long as it lasts, these spots in times of
scarcity are invariably haunted by that omnivorous biped man, to whom
both birds and quadrupeds fall an easy prey. We however during a sojourn
of more than two months in the Australian wilderness had been abundantly
supplied with the finest water from that extraordinary river which we had
been tracing, and without which those regions would be deserts,
inaccessible to and uninhabitable by either man or beast.
RESOLVE TO AVOID THE NATIVES.
August 5.
As the last journey had been a long one and we had some rough ground
before us, we rested a day here while the blacksmith repaired one of the
cartwheels. The calls of the natives were heard very early in the
morning, and two fellows came to our men on the river, impudently
demanding tomahawks; but little attention was paid to them, and they did
not visit the camp. We had no longer any desire to communicate with the
aborigines, for we had too long in vain held out to them the olive branch
and made them presents; and as we could not hope to gain their friendship
we were resolved to brook no longer the sight of their burning brands and
other gestures of hostility; still less were we inclined to give
tomahawks on demand, since our presents had not been received with that
sense of obligation which might have been shown by any class of human
beings, however savage. I therefore now determined to avoid the natives
wherever I could and, if they came near the party, to encourage their
approach as little as possible.
THEIR HABITS.
August 6.
We continued along our old route, but at about seven miles we cut off a
considerable angle in that point of it where we formerly saw the Puppy
tribe, and were thus enabled to pass two miles beyond our former ground,
and to pitch our tents near the river. At this encampment we perceived
smoke arising from the same native bivouac which I visited in my journey
on horseback before the party left Fort Bourke. From this smoke and other
circumstances it would appear that some of the tribes on the Darling are
not migratory, but remain, in part at least, the gins and children
possibly, at some particular portion of the river. This seems probable
too, considering how much better they must thus become acquainted with
the haunts of the fishes which are here their chief food. The ground we
now occupied was upon the whole the best piece of country, in point of
soil, that I had seen upon the Darling. Dunlop's range was just behind,
an extremity of it extending to the river, at three miles west from our
camp. Three miles further eastward our old route was crossed by a hollow
which appeared to be the outlet of an extensive watercourse coming from
the south-east, along the base of Dunlop's range, or the low country
between it and D'Urban's group. We had scarcely started this morning when
the dogs killed another emu, and in the course of the day we passed and
recognised the spot where our first emu was killed. Thus in one day on
our outward journey we had traversed the country in which all the emus we
had ever killed on the Darling, three in number, had been found.
The hill which we crossed in our route consisted of a different sort of
rock from any of those that we had seen further down the Darling, being a
splintery quartz in which the grains of sand or quartz are firmly
embedded in the siliceous cement.
HINTS TO AUSTRALIAN SPORTSMEN.
August 7.
The morning was calm and sultry but we continued the homeward route along
our former track, and over a fine, firm plain. As soon as we had crossed
what may be termed Dunlop's creek (the dry hollow above-mentioned) we
started four kangaroos; of which the dogs first killed one which we got,
and afterwards another, in a scrub into which they had pursued the rest.
These two were the only kangaroos that we killed on this river; and the
circumstance afforded another proof of the superiority of the grass in
the adjacent country compared with that lower down. Neither these animals
nor emus can approach the Darling (owing to the steepness of its banks)
except by descending in the dry channels of watercourses, or by gullies;
hence probably their appearance near Dunlop's creek, which affords an
easy means of access; and hence also perhaps the chief motive for the
establishment of the native camp in that neighbourhood, from the facility
afforded for killing the animals as they approached to drink. Of the
kangaroo and emu it may be observed that any noise may be made in hunting
the latter without inconvenience; but that the less made in chasing the
former the better. The emu is disposed to halt and look, being, according
to the natives, quite deaf; but having an eye proportionally keen. Thus
it frequents the open plains, being there most secure from whoever may
invade the solitude of the desert. The kangaroo on the contrary bounds
onward while any noise continues; whereas, if it be pursued silently, it
is prone to halt and look behind, and thus to lose distance. Dogs learn
sooner to take the kangaroo than the emu, although young ones get sadly
torn in conflicts with the former. But it is one thing for a swift dog to
overtake an emu, and another thing to kill, or even seize it. Our dogs
were only now learning to capture emus, although they had chased and
overtaken many. To attempt to lay hold by the side or leg is dangerous,
as an emu could break a horse's leg with a kick; but if a dog fastens
upon the neck, as good dogs learn to do, the bird is immediately
overthrown and easily killed. The flesh resembles a beef-steak, and it
has a very agreeable flavour, being far preferable to that of the
kangaroo.
MEET THE FORT BOURKE TRIBE.
We passed our old camp of the 10th of June and, taking a new route thence
in a north-east direction, we avoided a bad scrub, and encamped in fine
open ground on the river. We were soon hailed by some of our old friends
of the Fort Bourke tribe, by far the best conducted natives that we had
seen on the Darling. They asked our men for tomahawks, and I had
instructed them to explain that for three large cod-perch they should
have one in exchange. We could catch none of these fishes ourselves,
which was rather singular as some of our poor fellows were indefatigable
in making the attempt every night, with hook and line and all kinds of
bait. The natives seemed to understand our wants and they promised to
bring us fish in the morning. At sunset the wind changed to the
south-west and the sky became overcast: the air also was cooler, and
after such heat as that which we experienced today, at this season, a
fall of rain might have been expected; but I felt less apprehensive here,
from four months' experience of the climate of the interior.
August 8.
Early this morning a number of natives came near our camp, but without
bringing any fish. The man to whom the promise of a tomahawk had been
made was not however amongst them. I went up to the party when we were
about to continue our journey, and I recognised one of the Fort Bourke
tribe, the total gules man, who had formerly appeared very shy and timid.
Now however in half a minute his hand was in my pocket; on which I
instantly mounted my horse and rode on. We crossed the tracks of our
horses' feet on my first excursion, and entered a plain where we struck
into the old route. In this plain we saw three emus and killed one after
a hard run.
MR. HUME'S TREE.
On coming to the hollow which leads to the tree marked with Mr. Hume's
initials (and which may therefore be called Hume's Creek) I measured with
the chain its channel to the river so as to connect the tree with the
survey. I found that it bore due north from where our route crossed this
hollow, the distance being sixty-nine chains. We reached our camp of the
9th of June by half-past two o'clock and took up the same ground.
August 9.
We continued our journey along the old track to our camp of the 8th of
June where we once more rested for the night. This was a very convenient
station, being nearly on the margin of the river, the bank of which,
consisting of concretionary limestone, afforded easy access for the
cattle to the water while surrounding hollows supplied them with plenty
of grass. I was now enabled to reduce the cattle guard from four to two
men, which was a great relief to them. The backward journey allowed me a
little time to look about me, and the river scenery here was fine. Indeed
the position of our camp was most romantic, being a little eminence in
the midst of grassy hollows, and recesses of the deepest shade, covered
by trees of wild character and luxuriant growth.
RETURN TO FORT BOURKE.
August 10.
The whole party was ready to start early this morning and we proceeded in
good time, in hopes of reaching our old home at Fort Bourke. Our dogs
caught two of the largest kind of kangaroo as we crossed the plains. The
cattle, although now weak, seemed also eager to get back to their old
pasture on which they had fed so long formerly. We accomplished by four
P.M. the journey of fourteen miles. From Fort Bourke we had been absent
two months and two days, having travelled during that time over 600
miles, even in DIRECT distance.
DESCRIPTION OF THAT POSITION.
On our return from the lower country this place looked better than ever
in our eyes. The whole of the territory seen by us down the river did not
present such another spot, either for security, extent of good grazing
land, or convenient access to water. The fort was uninjured except that
the blacks had been at infinite pains to cut out most of the large spike
nails fastening the logs of which the block-house was constructed. We all
felt comparatively at home here; and indeed we were really about halfway
to our true home, for we had retraced about 300 miles and were not more
than the same distance from Buree, which is only 170 miles from Sydney.
The cattle had done so well that I resolved to give them two days' rest;
and more could not be afforded them as the weather, though beautiful,
might change, and we had some very soft ground still to go over. It was
remarkable that the water of the river, which for the last three days'
journey had been brackish, was here again, as formerly, as pure and sweet
as any spring water. Fort Bourke consists of an elevated plateau
overlooking a reach of the river a mile and a half in length, the hill
being situated near a sharp turn at the lower end of the reach. At this
turn a small dry watercourse, which surrounds Fort Bourke on all sides
save that of the river, joins the Darling, and contains abundance of
grass.
THE PLAINS.
The plateau consists of about 160 acres of rich loam, and was thinly
wooded before it was entirely cleared by us in making our place of
defence. There are upon it various burying-places of the natives, who
always choose the highest parts of that low country for the purpose of
interment, their object being probably the security of the graves from
floods. The tribe frequenting that neighbourhood consists of a very few
inoffensive individuals, less mischievous, as already observed, than any
we had seen on the banks of the Darling.
SALTNESS OF THE DARLING. THE RIVER SUPPORTED BY SPRINGS.
We were about to leave, at last, this extraordinary stream on which we
had sojourned so long, enjoying abundance of excellent water in the heart
of a desert country. From the sparkling transparency of this water, its
undiminished current, sustained without receiving any tributary
throughout a course of 660 miles, and especially from its being salt in
some places and fresh at others, it seems probable that the river, when
in that reduced state, is chiefly supported by springs. It would appear
that the saltness occurs in the greatest body of water where no current
was perceptible, and as this was excessive when the river was first
discovered, it may be attributed to saline springs, due to beds of
rock-salt in the sandstone or clay. The bed of the river is on an average
about sixty feet below the common surface of the country. To this depth
the soil generally consists of clay in which calcareous concretions and
selenite occur abundantly; but at some parts the clay, charged with iron,
forms a soft kind of rock in the bed or banks of the river. There are no
traces of watercourses on these level plains such as might be expected to
fall from the hills behind; though the latter contain hollows and
gullies, which must in wet seasons conduct water to the plains. The
distance of such heights from the river is seldom less than twelve miles;
and it would appear that the intervening country is of such an absorbent
nature that any water falling in torrents from the hills is imbibed by
the soft earth, or is received in the deep broad cracks which sear the
hollow parts, and in wet seasons must take up much water and retain it,
until either evaporated or sunk to lower levels. The water may thus be
absorbed and retained for a considerable time, or until it is carried by
slow drainage into the river, especially where the lower parts of such
plains are shut in by hills approaching the channel. Thus, where the
extremity of Dunlop's range shot forward into the wide level margin, we
found that the water had lost all taste of salt, a circumstance most
easily accounted for by supposing that springs, being more abundant there
from the near vicinity of the hills, had diluted the water which we had
found salt higher up. That some tributary or branch joins the river from
the opposite bank, at or near the sweep it describes round the hill, is
not unlikely. I could not conveniently examine that part from our side,
and hence it remains doubtful whether the problem admits of such easy
solution.
TRACES OF FLOODS.
The marks of high floods were apparent on the surface, frequently to the
extent of two miles back from the ordinary channel. Within such a space
the waters appear to overflow and then to lodge in hollows (covered with
Polygonum junceum) and which were at the time of our visit full of
yawning cracks. Such parts of the surface would naturally be the first
saturated in times of flood, and the last to part with moisture in
seasons of drought. I observed that there was less of that kind of low
ground where the water was saltest, which was to the westward of
D'Urban's group.
EXTENT OF THE BASIN OF THIS RIVER.
The basin of the Darling, which may be considered to extend, in parts, at
least, to the coast ranges on the east, appears to be very limited on the
opposite or western side; a desert country from which it did not receive,
as far as I could discover, a single tributary of any importance. A
succession of low ridges seemed there to mark the extent of its basin,
nor did I perceive in the country beyond any ranges of a more decidedly
fluviatile character.
ITS BREADTH.
The average breadth of the river at the surface of the water, when low,
is about fifty yards, but oftener less than this, and seldom more.
Judging from the slight fall of the country and the softness and evenness
of the banks (commonly inclined to an angle with the horizon of about 40
degrees) I cannot think that the velocity of the floods in the river ever
exceeds one mile per hour, but that it is in general much less. At this
time the water actually flowing, as seen at one or two shallow places,
did not exceed in quantity that which would be necessary to turn a mill.
The banks everywhere displayed one peculiar feature, namely the effect of
floods in parallel lines, marking on the smooth sloping earth the various
heights to which the waters had in different floods arisen.
Some of the hollows behind the immediate banks on both sides contained
lagoons; in several of these reeds had taken the place of water; in
others the first coating of vegetation which the alluvium receives on
exposure to the sun consisted of fragrant herbs, and amongst them we
found the scented trefoil (calomba*) which proved an excellent
anti-scorbutic vegetable when boiled. It was found however only at three
places.
(*Footnote. Trigonella suavissima, for the description of which plant see
above.)
SURFACE OF THE PLAINS.
The surface of the plains nearest the river is unlike any part of the
earth's face that I have elsewhere seen. It is as clear of vegetation as
a fallow field, but it has greater inequality of surface and is full of
holes. The soil is just tenacious enough to crack, when the surface
becomes so soft and loose that the few weeds which may have sprung up
previous to desiccation seldom remain where they grow, being blown out by
the slightest wind. Over such ground it was very fatiguing to walk, the
foot at each step sinking to the ankle, and care being necessary to avoid
holes always ready to receive the whole leg, and sometimes the body. It
was not very safe to ride on horseback even at a walk, and to gallop or
trot in that country was quite out of the question. The labour which this
kind of ground cost the poor bullocks, drawing the heavy carts, reduced
them to so great a state of weakness that six never returned from the
Darling. The work was so heavy for the two first teams on our advancing
into these regions that one team was rendered quite unserviceable by
leading; but on returning we found the beaten track much easier for the
whole party. Notwithstanding these disadvantages we were much indebted to
Providence for the continued dryness of the winter; for although it
seemed then as if nothing short of a deluge could have completed the
saturation, there were also many proofs that great inundations sometimes
occurred; and it was still more obvious that had rainy weather, or any
overflowing of the river happened, we could no longer have travelled on
the banks of the Darling.
GEOLOGY OF THE DARLING.
The rocks about the surface of this country are few and simple. Besides
the clay nothing occurred in the river bed except calcareous concretions,
selenite, and in some parts sandstone similar to that seen at the base of
almost all the hills. Back from the river the first elevation usually
consisted of hillocks of red sand, so soft and loose that the cattle
could scarcely draw the carts through. The clay adjacent to the sand was
firmer than any clay seen elsewhere on the plains because the sand there
acted like a sponge, taking up the water from the adjacent clay which
consequently preserved its tenacity at all seasons. This edge of clay
along the skirts of plains at the base of the red sand ridges I found the
most favourable ground for travelling upon. Still further back gravel,
consisting of fragments, not much water-worn, of various hard rocks,
appeared, forming low undulations towards the base of more remote hills
which consist of a very hard sandstone. I may here mention however that
the extremity of Dunlop's range which, by approaching the river, there
occupied the place of the hard gravel in other situations, seemed to be
composed of the same rock of which much of that gravel consisted.
Of the hills in general it may be observed that those on the left bank
are most elevated at the higher parts of the river, whereas those on the
right bank rise to greatest height towards the lower parts of the river,
as far as explored by us. The plains extend on each side of the channel
to a distance of six or seven miles and are in general clear of timber.
That deep and extensive bed of clay, so uniformly filling the basin of
this river, has every appearance of a mud deposit.
WOODS AND GRASSES.
Behind the plains the country is sparingly wooded except by the stunted
bush (Myoporum montanum) which forms a thick scrub, especially on the
side of the low hills. On the riverbank trees peculiar to it grow to so
large a size that its course may be easily traced at great distances; and
they thus facilitated our survey most materially. These gigantic trees
consist of that species of eucalyptus called bluegum in the colony; and
their searching roots seem to luxuriate in the banks of streams, lakes,
or ponds, so that the thirsty traveller soon learns to recognise the
shining trunk and white, gnarled arms, as the surest guides to water. The
alluvial portion of the margin of the Darling is narrow, and in most
places overgrown with the dwarf box, which is another species of
eucalyptus. In it are hollow places as already observed, covered with the
Polygonum junceum, which is an unsightly leafless bush or bramble. Grass
is only to be found on the banks of the river and, strictly speaking, the
margin only can be considered alluvial, for this being irrigated and
enriched by the floods it is everywhere abundantly productive of grass,
though none may appear in the back country.
GUM ACACIA ABUNDANT.
In the ground beyond the plains some casuarinae and eucalypti are
occasionally seen in the scrubs which grow on the red sand, and an acacia
with a white stem and spotted bark there grows to a considerable size,
and produces much gum. Indeed gum acacia abounds in these scrubs, and
when the country is more accessible may become an article of commerce.
GRASSES.
The plants were in general different from those nearer the colony, and
though they were few in number, yet they were curious. Of grasses I
gathered seeds of twenty-five different kinds, six of which grew only on
the alluvial bank of the Darling. Among them were a poa, and the Chloris
truncata, and Stipa setacea of Mr. Brown. The country was nevertheless
almost bare, and the roots, stems, and seeds, the products of a former
season, were blown about on the soft face of the parched and naked earth
where the last spring seemed indeed to have produced no vegetation
excepting a thin crop of an umbelliferous weed.
GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE NATIVES.
The character and disposition of the natives may be gathered from the
foregoing journal of our progress along the river. It seldom happened
that I was particularly engaged with a map, a drawing, or a calculation,
but I was interrupted by them, or respecting them. It was evident that
our presents had the worst effect, for although they were given with
every demonstration of goodwill on our part, the gifts seemed only to
awaken on theirs a desire to destroy us, and to take all we had. While
sitting in the dust with them, conformably to their custom, often have
they examined my cap, evidently with no other view than to ascertain if
it would resist the blow of a waddy. Then they would feel the thickness
of my dress and whisper together, their eyes occasionally glancing at
their spears and clubs. The expression of their countenances was
sometimes so hideous that after such interviews I have found comfort in
contemplating the honest faces of the horses and sheep; and even in the
scowl of the patient ox I have imagined an expression of dignity when he
may have pricked up his ears, and turned his horns towards these wild
specimens of the lords of creation. Travellers in Australian deserts will
find that such savages cannot remain at rest when near, but are ever
ready and anxious to strip them by all means in their power of
everything, however useless to the natives. It was not until we proceeded
en vainqueur that we knew anything like tranquillity on the Darling; and
I am now of opinion that to discourage at once the approach of such
natives would tend more to the safety of an exploring party than
presenting them with gifts. These rovers of the wilds seem to consider
such presents as the offerings of fear and weakness; and I attribute much
of their outrageous conduct to such mistaken notions and their
incorrigible covetousness, against which the best security, unfortunately
for them and us, appeared to be to keep them at a distance.
The further we descended the river the more implacably savage we found
the blacks. I have already remarked that the more ferocious had not lost
their front teeth, and that those we had seen on the Upper Darling had
all lost one tooth. Indeed it was precisely where we first witnessed the
inauspicious ceremony of the green branch burnt and waved at us in
defiance that we first found natives who retained both front teeth. A
considerable portion of the river, quite uninhabited, lay between these
fire-throwers and the less offensive natives, and there was a difference
in the pronunciation, at least, if not in the words, of the tribes.
The old men on the Darling are by far the most expert at stealing; and
notwithstanding my marks of respect to them in particular, they were not
the less the instigators and abettors of everything wrong. A mischievous
old man is usually accompanied by a stout middle-aged man and a boy; thus
the cunning of the old one, the strength of him of middle age, and the
agility of the youth are combined with advantage; both in their
intercourse with their neighbours and in seeking the means of existence.
The old man leads, as fitted by his experience to do so; and he has also
at his command, by this combination, the strength and agility of the
other two.
THEIR MEANS OF EXISTENCE.
The natives of the Darling live chiefly on the fish of the river, and are
expert swimmers and divers. They can swim and turn with great velocity
under water, and they can both see and spear the largest fish, sometimes
remaining beneath the surface a considerable time for this purpose. In
very cold weather however they float on pieces of bark; and thus also
they can spear the fish, having a small fire beside them in such a bark
canoe.
NETS USED BY THEM.
They also feed on birds, and especially on ducks, which they ensnare with
nets, in the possession of every tribe. These nets are very well worked,
much resembling our own in structure, and they are made of the wild flax
which grows in tufts near the river. These are easily gathered by the
gins, who manage the whole process of net-making. They give each tuft
(soon after gathering it) a twist, also biting it a little, and in that
state it is laid about on the roof of their huts until dry. Fishing nets
are made of various similar materials, being often very large; and
attached to some of them I have seen half-inch cordage which might have
been mistaken for the production of a rope-walk. But the largest of their
nets are those set across the Darling for the purpose of catching ducks
which fly along the river in considerable flocks. These nets are strong,
with wide meshes; and when occasion requires they are stretched across
the river from a lofty pole erected for the purpose on one side to some
large opposite tree on the other. Such poles are permanently fixed,
supported by substantial props, and it was doubtless one of them that
Captain Sturt supposed to have been erected to propitiate some deity.
The native knows well the alleys green through which at twilight the
thirsty pigeons and parrots rush towards the water; and there, with a
smaller net hung up, he sits down and makes a fire ready to roast the
birds which may fall into his snare.
These savages have a power of manipulating with their toes so as to do
many things surprising to men who wear shoes.* This power they acquire
chiefly by ascending trees from infancy, their mode of climbing depending
as much on the toes as the fingers. With the toes they gather freshwater
mussels (unio) from the muddy bottom of the rivers or lagoons; and the
heaps of these shells beside their old fireplaces, which are numerous
along the banks, show that this shellfish is the daily food of at least
the gins and children. In their attempts to steal from us their feet were
much employed. They would tread softly on any article, seize it with the
toes, pass it up the back, or between the arm and side, and so conceal it
in the armpit, or between the beard and throat.
(*Footnote.
Morruda, yerraba, tundy kin arra,
Morruda, yerraba, min yin guiny wite ma la.
Song of Wollondilly natives; meaning:
On road the white man walks with creaking shoes;
He cannot walk up trees, nor his feet-fingers use.)
SUPERSTITIONS.
The hoary old priest of the Spitting-tribe was intense on tricks of this
kind, assisted by his people, and while he was thus plotting or effecting
mischief he chanted that extraordinary hymn to some deity, or devil. It
was evident that these people were actuated by superstitious ideas of
some kind; but which, judging by their acts, had no connection with any
good principle. When the two old men paced thrice round our lowest
position on the Darling, chanting their song, throwing their arms to the
sky, and rubbing themselves with dust, arrangements were no doubt in
progress for the destruction of strangers, of whose goodwill towards them
they had seen abundant proofs, not only in our conduct, but in the useful
presents we had made them. They had no grounds for any suspicion of
danger from us; yet, that these ceremonies were observed the better to
ensure success in the plans for our destruction admitted of little doubt,
for they were connected with all their hostile movements. Yet even in
defence of such an implacable disposition towards the civilised intruder,
much may be urged. No reflecting man can witness the quickness and
intelligence of the aborigines as displayed in their instant
comprehension of our numerous appliances without feelings of sympathy. He
must perceive that these people cannot be so obtuse as not to anticipate
in the advance of such a powerful race the extirpation of their own, in a
country which barely affords to them the means of existence. Such must be
the conclusion in their minds, although it is to be hoped that the
results of our invasion may be different; and that if these savage people
do not learn habits of industry, a breed of wild cattle may at least
compensate them for the loss of the kangaroo and opossum.
The population of the Darling seemed to have been much reduced by
smallpox, or some cutaneous disease which must have been very virulent,
considering their dirty mode of living; and its violence was indeed
apparent in the marks on those who survived.
CONDITION OF THE FEMALES.
Considering the industry and skill of their gins or wives in making nets,
sewing cloaks, mussel fishing, rooting, etc., and their patient
submission to labour, always carrying the bags which contain the whole
property of the family, the great value of a gin to one of these lazy
fellows may be easily imagined. Accordingly the possession of them
appears to be associated with all their ideas of fighting; while on the
other hand the gins have it in their power on such occasions to evince
that universal characteristic of the fair, a partiality for the brave.
Thus it is that after a battle they do not always follow their fugitive
husbands from the field, but frequently go over, as a matter of course,
to the victors, even with young children on their backs; and thus it was,
probably, after we had made the lower tribes sensible of our superiority,
that the three gins followed our party, beseeching us to take them with
us.
Depending chiefly on the river for subsistence, they do not wander so
much as those who hunt the kangaroo and opossum in the higher country
near our colony. Hence the more permanent nature of the huts on the
Darling; and it would appear that different tribes occupy different
portions of the river. The Spitting tribe desired our men to pour out the
water from the buckets, as if it had belonged to them; digging at the
same time a hole in the ground to receive it when poured out; and I have
more than once seen a river chief, on receiving a tomahawk, point to the
stream and signify that we were then at liberty to take water from it, so
strongly were they possessed with the notion that the water was their
own.
We saw no kangaroos lower down than Dunlop's range, neither did we see
any emus. In the red sandhills were many burrows of the wombat, but these
also became scarce as we proceeded downwards.
SINGULAR HABITS OF A RAT.
A species of rat* was remarkable for the ingenious fabric it raised to
secure itself from the native dog or birds of prey. The structure
consisted of a rick or stack of small branches, commonly worked around
and interlaced with some small bush, the whole resembling a pile laid for
one of the signal fires so much used by the natives. As these heaps of
dead boughs drew the attention of our dogs we at length examined several
of them and always found a small nest in the centre occupied by the same
kind of rat. This animal had ears exactly resembling those of a small
rabbit, soft downy wool and short hind legs; indeed but for the tail it
might have passed for a small rabbit.
(*Footnote. Conilurus constructor. Ogilby.)
SECURITY OF A SPECIES OF ANTS.
The work of an ant peculiar to the country also attracted our attention.
Instead of a mound these insects made a habitation or excavation under
the surface, about six feet in diameter, and it was quite smooth, level
and clean, as if constantly swept. It was also nearly as hard as stone;
and the only access to it was by one or two small holes. This surface
was, to us, on first advancing into the interior, one of its wonders.
Thus this variety of ant dwells securely at some depth below, for nothing
less than a pickaxe can penetrate to the larvae; but those of another
variety of the common kind which construct mounds are eaten by the native
females and children, who carry wooden shovels for the purpose of digging
them out.
BIRDS.
The bronze-wing pigeon was here as elsewhere the most numerous of that
kind of bird. Next in abundance was the crested pigeon which seems more
peculiar to these low levels. There were large flocks of a brown pigeon
with a white head, and not an uncommon bird elsewhere; also a small
species of dove with very handsome plumage. The large black cockatoo was
sometimes seen, and about the riverbanks the common white cockatoo with
yellow top-knot (Plyctolophus galeritus). The smaller bird of this genus
with a scarlet and yellow crest and pink wings (Plyctolophus leadbeateri)
was rarely noticed, and it appeared to come from a distance, flying
usually very high. The pink-coloured wings and glowing crest of this
beautiful bird might have embellished the air of a more voluptuous
region; and indeed, from its transient visits, it did not seem quite at
home on the banks of the Darling. The plumage of several kinds of parrots
was extremely rich, and even the small birds were clothed in pink and
blue. But the air, however much adorned by the feathered race, had its
thieves, as well as the earth. The crows were amazingly bold, always
accompanying us from camp to camp. It was absolutely necessary to watch
our meat while in kettles on the fire and, on one occasion,
notwithstanding our cook's vigilance, a piece of pork weighing three
pounds was taken from a boiling pot and carried off by one of these
birds! The hawks were equally voracious. A pigeon had been no sooner shot
by Burnett than an audacious hawk carried it away and, as if fearless of
a similar fate, he flew but a very short distance from the fowler before
he had taken half the feathers off.
FISHES.
The species of fish most abundant in the Darling is the Gristes peelii,
or cod-perch, and they are caught of a very large size by the natives. We
also saw the thick-scaled mud-tasted fish (Cernua bidyana, see above). We
did not on this occasion see that very remarkable fish, the Eel-fish
(Plotosus tandanus) so abundant in the higher parts of the river. The
water was too clear and the weather too cold for fishing with bait, one
of each of the two species first mentioned caught during our first
occupation of Fort Bourke, being all we ever procured.
APPREHENDED SCARCITY OF WATER ON LEAVING THE DARLING.
No rain had fallen during the four months which had elapsed since we left
the colony, and it was probable that the ponds of the Bogan, many of
which our cattle had drunk up during our advance, would not afford a
sufficient supply of water, nor even be numerous enough on the route for
our daily wants, considering the short stages we were obliged to travel
on account of the exhausted cattle.
SIX OF THE CATTLE DEAD FROM EXHAUSTION.
We had already lost six bullocks on our return journey, some having got
bogged, and others having lain down from weakness, never to rise. For
three hundred miles we were now to depend on the ponds of the Bogan, and
again to contend with the scarcity of water, a disadvantage from which we
had been quite free while on the banks of the Darling.
REST OF TWO DAYS AT FORT BOURKE.
August 11.
Having at length two days of leisure, I was anxious to complete my
surveys of this river. I found that the distance from D'Urban's group to
Mr. Hume's tree, the furthest point attained by Captain Sturt, was 17
miles and 22 chains, not 33 miles as stated by that traveller; and that
the highest summit of D'Urban's group bore from it 53 degrees East of
South not 58 degrees East of South, the latter bearing, as given by
Sturt, being probably a clerical or typographical error.
VISITED BY THE FORT BOURKE TRIBE.
August 12.
About ten A.M. the calls of the natives were heard, and four or five came
towards the camp asking for tomahawks. I sent two of our people to them,
but they were restless and importunate; soon after I saw them running,
having set the grass on fire. We then sallied forth in pursuit to make
them retire across the Darling, but they had crossed ere we saw them. I
believe these were strangers, for the gins of the Fort Bourke tribe
continued all the while quietly to fish for mussels in the river without
taking notice of them.