The layers of clay were white,
grey, or slate-coloured; with many shining leaflets of mica.
The days were very hot; the east-breeze very strong during the afternoon,
and particularly towards sunset; the nights were warm, clear, and without
dew.
Some sheldrakes and wallabies were seen, and a bustard was shot by
Charley: large fish were splashing in the water. I gathered the large
vine-bean, with green blossoms, which had thick pods containing from one
to five seeds. Its hard covering, by roasting, became very brittle; and I
pounded the cotyledons, and boiled them for several hours. This softened
them, and made a sort of porridge, which, at all events, was very
satisfying. Judging by the appearance of large stones which were
frequently found, in the camps of the natives, still covered with the
mealy particles of some seed which had been pounded upon them, it would
seem that the natives used the same bean; but I could not ascertain how
they were able to soften them. It did not make good coffee; and, when
boiled in an iron pot, the water became very dark. Our latitude was 14
degrees 44 seconds.
Oct. 25. - We travelled about seven miles northwest to lat. 14 degrees 39
minutes, following the river in its various windings over more than
twelve miles. The country was well grassed, and openly timbered with
white gum, box, and leguminous Ironbark; but occasionally broken by deep
gullies, which were fringed with the articulate-podded Acacia (Inga
moniliformis), and the broad-leaved Terminalia. Several ranges with rocky
slopes approached or bounded the river; and three remarkable bluff hills,
two on its right, and one on its left side, formed characteristic
landmarks. Their summits were surrounded by perpendicular precipices,
from the foot of which steep rocky, but uniform slopes went down to the
level country. Thick high reeds covered the approaches of the river, and
the lower parts of the gullies; and noble Casuarinas rivalled the
drooping tea-tree in beauty. Grevillea pungens (R. Br.) was observed on
the hills; it is, therefore, not particular to the coast scrub. A species
of native tobacco, with smaller blossoms than that of the Hunter, and
with its radical leaves spreading close over the ground, was growing on
the open spaces round the water-holes. The river was well supplied with
long reaches of water connected by a small stream.
In the morning, we had a pleasant westerly breeze, which veered to the
north-west and northward; the regular sea breeze set in from the
northeast in the afternoon; the night was hot and sultry; but the weather
during the day was cooler than that we experienced for the last week.
The red wallabies were very numerous, particularly in the kind of jungle
along the river. Sheldrakes and Ibises abounded at the water-holes.
Charley shot two wallabies.
Oct. 26. - We enjoyed most gratefully our two wallabies, which were
stewed, and to which I had added some green hide to render the broth more
substantial. This hide was almost five months old, and had served as a
case to my botanical collection, which, unfortunately, I had been
compelled to leave behind. It required, however, a little longer stewing
than a fresh hide, and was rather tasteless.
We accomplished about eight miles in a straight line to the westward, but
went over a much greater extent of ground; as I mistook a large though
dry creek from the northward for the river, and followed it about four
miles; when, finding my mistake, I crossed about four or five miles of
rich treeless plains, and reached the river again at the foot of a long
high range to the westward. Other ranges appeared to the eastward and
northward. As we approached the river, we passed some sandstone hills
covered with a dense scrub exactly like that of the sea coast south of
Limmen Bight. It was principally composed of several species of Acacia of
Grevillea chrysodendron (R. Br.), and of the Bossiaea with broad stem.
All along the outside of the scrub, we observed old camps of the natives;
several of whom were seen crossing the plains.
The bed of the river became excessively wild: the Pandanus channel was
still full of water, and running; but the dry bed was full of rocky
water-holes or chains of them, composed of, and scattered over with
blocks of sandstone; and overgrown with most magnificent Casuarinas, with
tea-trees and flooded-gum (or its representative).
Large camps of the natives were full of the shells of lately roasted
mussels (Unios), the posterior part of which appeared to be much broader,
and more sinuated, than those we had hitherto seen. John and Charley
found the head of an alligator; and the former caught the broad-scaled
fish of the Mackenzie (Osteoglossum), which weighed four pounds. The
mosquitoes, and a little black ant, were very annoying during the warm
but slightly dewy night.
As we were slowly winding our way among the loose rocks, Brown's horse
got knocked up, and we were compelled to encamp. After the disasters
which had lately befallen us, I became more alive to the chances to which
we were exposed, even more so than after Mr. Gilbert's death; up to which
time we had travelled more than a thousand miles, without any great
misfortune. At the commencement of our journey, the cooee of my
companions, who were driving the bullocks and horses after me, had
generally called me back to assist in re-loading one of our restive
beasts, or to mend a broken packsaddle, and to look for the scattered
straps. This was certainly very disagreeable and fatiguing; but it was
rather in consequence of an exuberance of animal spirits, and did not
interfere with the hope of a prosperous progress:
