Beyond That, However, The
Country Became More Undulating, And We Crossed, For About Four Miles, A
Most Wretched Sandstone Scrub.
Here we saw some natives, but they avoided
us.
The scrub opened upon fine box flats, with numerous shallow
watercourses; farther on, they were interrupted by scrubby or thickly
timbered elevations, on which we met with some Cycas palms from thirty to
fifty feet high, thick at the butt, and tapering gradually towards the
crown. At one of the shallow creeks, which suddenly became rocky, and
probably formed falls and rapids in the wet season, we struck upon a well
beaten foot-path of the natives, which led us through Cypress pine
thickets, and over open lawns to a creek, whose right bank was covered
with Cycas groves of the most strikingly picturesque appearance; and here
I observed that the Cycas, although it generally has a simple stem,
frequently grew with two or three arms. The foot-path went up the creek:
lower down, I found broad, deep, but dry water-holes; and, still lower,
Salicornia indicated the approach to the salt water. The foot-path
conducted us from one Zamia grove to another, which alternated with fine
forest composed principally of white-gum, the fresh green foliage of
which was extremely pleasing to the eye. I observed some large wells, ten
or twelve feet deep, and eight or ten in diameter, which the natives had
dug near the Zamia groves, but they were without the slightest indication
of moisture. I continued to follow the path for five miles, until I came
to a broad-leaved tea-tree forest. The sun was then low, and my
companions far behind: I, therefore, returned to ascertain the cause of
their delay; and found that our old bullock had refused to carry his
pack, and it had been put on a horse; but that, even then, the poor beast
was scarcely able to crawl before us. His weakness had been occasioned by
a diarrhoea brought on by the green feed and the brackish water at Seven
Emu River; and I congratulated myself on not having remained there
longer, as probably all my bullocks would have been equally affected. We
encamped without water, hobbled our horses, and watched the bullocks,
which were all very tired and little inclined to feed during the greater
part of the night.
Our emu meat became tainted, in consequence of the heat and the long
stage.
Sept. 16. - We continued our course N. 25 degrees W. and, at the end of
two miles, came to another foot-path of the natives, which I requested
Charley to follow. We passed through tea-tree forest, and a succession of
Cycas groves, and came out into plains, and to the heads of sandy creeks
with tea-tree shrubs and Salicornia. We were just turning to the
westward, expecting to find a large salt-water river before us, when we
heard Charley's gun, the signal of his having found water. He soon after
joined us, and guided us on the foot-path, three miles south-west, to a
large well, near a much frequented camping place of the natives, under
the banks of a magnificent salt-water river. Its banks were covered with
a close forest of Cycas palms. The well was formed by the natives, who
had raised a wall of clay, by which they caught the fresh water which
sparingly oozed out of a layer of clay very little above the mark of high
water.
We unloaded our bullocks: but, having watered our horses, we found that
the supply of the well was not even sufficient for them, and that it was
filling very slowly. The poor bullocks had, therefore, to wait until the
water could again collect. We had fairly to defend it against our horses,
which eagerly pressed towards the water, or stood anxiously waiting on
the steep slopes, like cats and dogs round a dog's meat cart, now and
then uttering a neigh of discontent. When Charley first discovered the
well, he saw a crocodile leaning its long head over the clay wall,
enjoying a drink of fresh water.
The river or creek at which we encamped, and which I called "Cycas
Creek," at two miles lower down, entered a still larger river coming from
the westward, which I called the "Robinson," in acknowledgment of the
liberal support which I received from J. P. Robinson, Esq., in the outfit
of my expedition. Charley saw a shoal of porpoises in it when he went
down the river to fetch the horses. Wishing to ascertain how far the salt
water extended, and whether any fresh water lagoons were near us, I took
Charley, and followed a foot-path of the natives which led up Cycas
Creek, and passed a succession of Cycas groves, of tea-tree forest with
bloodwood and white-gum, and some Cypress pine thickets. After seven
miles, the salt water ceased, and a ledge of rock separated it from a
fine pool of slightly brackish water, on which some natives were
encamped, but they left the place directly we made our appearance. I
crossed, and found on the left side a fine rocky lagoon, above the level
of the water in the creek. After paying a visit to the deserted camp, we
returned to our companions, made our dinner on tainted emu meat, reloaded
our bullocks and horses, and travelled by moonlight up to the lagoon.
About three miles before we reached it, we were obliged to leave our old
bullock, as he refused to walk any farther: but Mr. Calvert and Brown
brought him next morning to the camp.
As we passed the Cycas groves, some of the dry fruit was found and tasted
by several of my companions, upon whom it acted like a strong emetic,
resembling in this particular the fruit of Zamia spiralis, (R. Br.) of
New South Wales. The natives, at this season, seemed to live principally
on the seeds of Pandanus spiralis, (R. Br.) and Cycas; but both evidently
required much preparation to destroy their deleterious properties.
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