Bilge Had
Promised To Go With Us To Balanda, But, Having Probably Talked The Matter
Over During The Night, With
His wife, he changed his intentions; but
invited us in the most urgent manner, to stay a day at their
Camp.
Although no place could be found more favourable for feed and water, and
a day's rest would have proved very beneficial to our cattle, yet our
meat bags, on which we now solely depended, were so much reduced, that
every day of travelling was of the greatest importance; as the natives
told us that four days would bring us to the Peninsula, and two more to
Balanda. We crossed the plain to the westward, in order to avoid the low
rocks and rocky walls which bounded this fine country to the north and
east. After about three miles, however, we turned to the northward, and
travelled with ease through an open undulating forest, interrupted by
some tea-tree hollows. Just before entering the forest, Brown observed
the track of a buffalo on the rich grassy inlets between the rocks. After
proceeding about five miles we crossed a chain of fine Nymphaea ponds;
and, at five miles farther, we came upon a path of the natives, which we
followed to the eastward, along a drooping tea-tree swamp, in the outlet
of which we found good water. Our lat. was 11 degrees 56 minutes; about
ten miles and a half north by east, from Bilge's lagoon. Mitrasacme
elata, and all the other little plants I have before mentioned, were
growing in the stringy-bark forest. A flight of whistling ducks came at
night, and alighted on the ground near our camp; but departed as soon as
they saw us moving. Tracks of buffaloes were again observed by Charley.
The night was clear and very dry.
Dec. 10. - We travelled about seven miles to the northward; but kept for
the first three miles in a N.N.W. direction from our camp, when we came
to a small plain, with a Mangrove creek going to the westward; scarcely
two miles farther, we crossed a drooping tea-tree swamp, of which a
Pandanus creek formed the outlet; and, two miles farther still, a large
plain opened upon us, in which we saw a great number of natives occupied
in burning the grass, and digging for roots. All the country intervening
between the creeks and the plain was undulating stringy-bark forest. I
left my companions in the shady belt of drooping tea-trees, and rode with
Charley towards the natives, in order to obtain information. They were,
however, only women and children, and they withdrew at my approach,
although I had dismounted and left my horse far behind with Charley. They
had, however, allowed me to come near enough to make them understand my
incessant calls for "obeit," water, adding occasionally "Balanda; very
good; no good." When they had disappeared in the forest, Charley came
with the horse, and we reconnoitred along the boundaries of the plain to
find water, but not succeeding, we returned; and, when opposite to the
place where I had left my companions, I cooeed for them to come over to
me. My cooee was answered by natives within the forest, and, shortly
afterwards four men came running out of it, and approached us most
familiarly. They spoke English tolerably, knew the pipe, tobacco, bread,
rice, ponies, guns, etc.; and guided us to a fine lagoon, which I named
after the leading man of their tribe, "Nyuall's Lagoon." Two of them
promised to pilot us to Balanda and to "Rambal," which meant houses. They
were very confiding, and women and children entered for the first time
freely into our camp.
They examined every thing, but made not the slightest attempt to rob us
even of a trifle. When the women returned at night, they did not bring
"Allamurr," or, as it was here called, "Murnatt," but plenty of
"Imberbi," the root of Convolvolus, which grow abundantly in the plain:
they gave us a very seasonable supply of it, but would not taste our
dried beef, which they turned, broke, smelled, and then with a feeling of
pity and disgust returned to us. Nyuall gave an amusing account of our
state: "You no bread, no flour, no rice, no backi - you no good! Balanda
plenty bread, plenty flour, plenty rice, plenty backi! Balanda very
good!"
He, Gnarrangan, and Carbaret, promised to go with us; and the first
intended to take his wife with him. They imitated with surprising
accuracy the noises of the various domesticated animals they had seen at
the settlement; and it was amusing to hear the crowing of the cock, the
cackling of the hens, the quacking of ducks, grunting of pigs, mewing of
the cat, etc. evident proofs that these natives had been in Victoria.
A heavy thunder-storm passed over at 6 o'clock P. M. and the natives
either crowded into my tent, or covered their backs with sheets of
tea-tree bark, turning them to the storm, like a herd of horses or cattle
surprised by a heavy shower in the middle of a plain. Imaru lay close to
me during the night, and, in order to keep entire possession of my
blanket, I had to allow him a tarpauling.
Dec. 11. - We travelled about seven miles N.N.W. over an immense plain,
with forest land and rising ground to the eastward, in which direction
four prominent hills were seen, one of which had the abrupt peak form of
Biroa in Moreton Bay. The plain appeared to be unbounded to the westward.
When we approached the forest, several tracts of buffaloes were seen;
and, upon the natives conducting us along a small creek which came into
the plain from the N.N.E., we found a well beaten path and several places
where these animals were accustomed to camp. We encamped at a good-sized
water-hole in the bed of this creek, the water of which was covered with
a green scum.
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