At The
Deserted Camp Of The Natives, Which I Visited Yesterday, I Saw Half A
Cone Of The Pandanus Covered
Up in hot ashes, large vessels (koolimans)
filled with water in which roasted seed-vessels were soaking;
seed-vessels which
Had been soaked, were roasting on the coals, and large
quantities of them broken on stones, and deprived of their seeds. This
seems to show that, in preparing the fruit, when ripe, for use, it is
first baked in hot ashes, then soaked in water to obtain the sweet
substance contained between its fibres, after which it is put on the
coals and roasted to render it brittle when it is broken to obtain the
kernels.
I also observed that seeds of Cycas were cut into very thin slices, about
the size of a shilling, and these were spread out carefully on the ground
to dry, after which, (as I saw in another camp a few days later) it
seemed that the dry slices are put for several days in water, and, after
a good soaking, are closely tied up in tea-tree bark to undergo a
peculiar process of fermentation.
The Cycas disappeared where the fresh water commenced; and it seemed to
be confined to the sandy soil near the salt water.
Sept. 17. - I stopped at Cycas Creek, to allow our old bullock to recover,
as it was easier for us to drive him than to carry his meat, heavily
laden as our other bullocks were.
The emu meat became so tainted that it affected our bowels, and I had
consequently to reserve it for the dog. As the nutritious qualities of
our meat decreased, I had increased the daily allowance from five pounds
to seven; allowing two pounds and a half for breakfast, the same quantity
for luncheon, and two pounds for dinner. Mr. Roper had slowly recovered,
but sufficiently to mount his horse without assistance.
We were sadly distressed for want of clothing. The few shirts which we
had taken with us, became so worn and threadbare, that the slightest
tension would tear them. To find materials for mending the body, we had
to cut off the sleeves, and, when these were used, pieces were taken from
the lower part of the shirt to mend the upper. Our trowsers became
equally patched: and the want of soap prevented us from washing them
clean. We had, however, saved our shoes so well, by wearing mocassins
while travelling along the eastern coast, that every one was well
provided, particularly after the death of Mr. Gilbert, whose stock of
clothes I divided among my companions.
Sept. 18. - I went with Charley to reconnoitre the country between Cycas
creek and the Robinson. A foot-path led us from one to the other, passing
through a series of Cycas groves, box and tea-tree forest, and thickets
of tea-tree and Cypress pine. The latter covered long tracts near the
Robinson, and frequently attained a large size.
The river was about two hundred yards broad, with sleep banks intersected
by deep gullies. Two tea-tree creeks, which entered it at the point where
our examination stopped, contained fresh water in the upper part of their
short courses. We crossed the river by a rocky bar, and, below it, was
another, on which the natives had erected a rude wall of stone, for
catching fish. The upper bar was not covered even by the tide; but, above
it, the water although very bitter, was not salt. We found here the
carcase of a crocodile; and the skull of another was found near our camp
at Cycas Creek. After crossing the river, we followed down its left bank
to the lower ford, in order to find some fresh water, and at last came to
a small tea-tree gully with two pools of water, near which some natives
were encamped; there were, however, only two very old men in the camp at
the time, who, on seeing us, began to chaunt their incantations. We were
too anxious to examine the water to stand upon ceremony, and, when they
saw us approach, they retired across the river to their friends, who were
probably occupied at no great distance in collecting the seeds of
Pandanus and Cycas. In the camp, we observed Cycas seeds sliced and
drying on the ground; and some Pandanus seeds soaking in large vessels;
emu bones were lying in the ashes, and the feet of the emu were rolled up
and concealed between the tea-tree bark of the hut. A small packet
contained red ochre to colour their bodies, and larger packets contained
soaked Cycas seeds, which seemed to be undergoing fermentation. They were
of a mealy substance, and harmless; but had a musty taste and smell,
resembling that of the common German cheese. There was also a very large
stone tomahawk made of greenstone; and some fans of emu feathers.
In returning, we chased and shot an emu.
Sept. 19. - We moved our camp to the water-holes at the left bank of the
Robinson, about six miles and a half west by north, from the head of the
salt-water in Cycas Creek. The longitude of the Robinson is, according to
my reckoning, 136 degrees 43 minutes. On our way we again met the
natives, men, women, and children, who ran away screaming loudly. I
visited their camp again, and found that they had been there to fetch the
emu feet; but had left all the other things behind. I went with Brown to
examine the country before us. The first three or four miles lay through
an open well-grassed forest and over some small plains, on which we gave
an unsuccessful chase to three emus. The Cycas disappeared as we receded
from the river. We passed a small scrubby creek, and a long tract of
stringy-bark forest, mixed with bloodwood and Pandanus, and patches of
Cypress pine. Here we again observed the gum-tree with orange blossoms
and large ribbed seed-vessels, which we found at the upper Lynd, and had
called Melaleuca gum.
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