Some Fine Shallow Sandy Watercourses, Quite Dry, Went Down To
The North By East.
At the end of the stage, the uniform colour of the
country was interrupted by the green line of
A river-bed, so pleasing and
so refreshing to the eye, with the rich verdure of its drooping tea-trees
and myrtles, interspersed with the silver leaves of Acacia neurocarpa and
Grevillea chrysodendron. The river was formed by two broad sandy beds,
separated by a high bergue, and was full 700 yards from bank to bank. It
contained large detached water-pools fringed with Pandanus, which were
very probably connected by a stream filtering through the sands, I called
it the "Wickham," in honour of Captain Wickham, R.N. of Moreton Bay, who
had recently commanded a survey of the north-west coast of New Holland,
in H.M.S. Beagle.
The red wallabi (Halmaturus agilis, GOULD) was very numerous along the
gullies of the river: and we started a flock of red foresters (Osphranter
Antilopinus, GOULD) out of a patch of scrub on the brow of a stony hill.
Charley and Brown, accompanied by Spring, pursued them, and killed a fine
young male. I had promised my companions that, whenever a kangaroo was
caught again, it should be roasted whole, whatever its size might be. We
had consequently a roasted Red Forester for supper, and we never rolled
ourselves up in our blankets more satisfied with a repast.
Brown found a Eugenia, with large white blossoms and large coriaceous
oblong lanceolate shining leaves; it was a tree of thirty or forty feet
high, with a grey bark, and a good hard wood. It was growing at the upper
part of the creek on which we were encamped last night. Its fruit was two
inches in diameter, with longitudinal ribs, scarlet red, and very eatable
when dropt from the tree, but when gathered on the tree, it had an
aromatic pungency. This tree was very common along the well watered
creeks of Arnheim's Land; particularly along the South Alligator River,
and at Raffles Bay. Brown brought from the same locality a Melastoma,
which, according to him, was a shrub, three or four feet high.
Oct. 15. - We continued our journey in a north-west direction. The first
five or six miles was over a succession of very lightly timbered
box-flats, alternating with small plains. They were bounded by scrubs and
ranges, which we crossed, and from the top of one obtained the view of a
remarkable system of parallel ranges, all steep mountain walls of a white
colour indicating the nature of their rock, and separated from each other
by perfectly level flats covered with broad leaved tea-tree forest. At
their foot a richer tree vegetation existed, principally composed of the
leguminous Ironbark, Blood-wood, and Pandanus. The darker verdure of
these trees, which we also observed at the foot of the most distant
range, made us believe that a river was near it. After travelling about
five miles over a flat, we crossed a broad sandy creek, which we did not
follow, although beaten foot-paths of the natives led down it, as we
firmly believed that a river was before us. At five miles farther, we
came to the foot of the range, which rose suddenly from the level
country, and, although a small watercourse existed in the tea-tree flat,
our anticipated river proved to be like the Dutchman's "Cape Fly-away."
In ascending the range, our poor bullocks suffered severely, and, when we
reached the summit, they stood panting with their tongues hanging out of
their mouths; I therefore halted a short time, to allow them to recover.
The east slopes of all these ranges were steep, but to the north-west
they were very gentle, and covered with stringy-bark forest. A long
succession of similar ranges was seen to the north-west. A small
watercourse brought us to a creek containing large but dry water-holes.
Finding that it turned to the eastward, round the range we had just
crossed, and that it almost disappeared in the scrubby tea-tree flats, we
turned to the northward, passed several more ridges, and encamped long
after sunset, near a dry but promising creek, without water. I
immediately sent Mr. Calvert and Charley down the creek, in search of
water, and they returned, towards midnight, with the welcome intelligence
that they had found some fine pools.
I had been absent during the latter part of the stage, and most
unfortunately our kangaroo dog had been left behind, whereby this most
valuable animal was lost. He had been the means of our obtaining so much,
and indeed the greatest part of our game, that his loss was severely felt
by us.
Our lat. was 15 degrees 10 minutes.
Oct. 16. - We travelled down to the water, about four miles north-east
along the creek, which was covered with Cypress pine thickets, and
tea-tree scrub. Mr. Calvert and Charley returned on our tracks to
endeavour to recover our poor dog. They found him almost dead, - stretched
out in the deep cattle track, which he seemed not to have quitted, even
to find a shady place. They brought him to the camp; and I put his whole
body, with the exception of his head, under water, and bled him; he lived
six hours longer, when he began to bark, as if raving, and to move his
legs slightly, as dogs do when dreaming. It seemed that he died of
inflammation of the brain. If we become naturally fond of animals which
share with us the comforts of life, and become the cheerful companions of
our leisure hours, our attachment becomes still greater when they not
only share in our sufferings, but aid greatly to alleviate them. The
little world of animated beings, with which we moved on, was constantly
before our eyes; and each individual the constant object of our
attention. We became so familiar with every one of them, that the
slightest change in their walk, or in their looks was readily observed;
and the state of their health anxiously interpreted.
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