They Had Attempted To Keep The Large Tomahawk, But
Had Given It Up When Brown Asked Them For It.
I was very sorry at their
having left us, as the cloudy sky had prevented me for several days from
taking any latitude, and determining my position.
We crossed a great
number of small creeks, coming from the eastward, and draining the ridges
of the neck of the Peninsula. Scattered Pandanus and drooping tea-trees
grew on their banks as far as the fresh water extended; when they were
succeeded by the salt-water tea-tree and the mangrove, covering and
fringing their beds, which enlarged into stiff plains, without
vegetation, or into mangrove swamps. The latter were composed of
Aegiceras, Bruguiera, and Pemphis. The tracks of the buffaloes increased
in number as we advanced, and formed broad paths, leading in various
directions, and made me frequently mistake them for the foot-path of the
natives, which I eventually lost. A course north 30 degrees west, brought
us to easterly creeks, one of which I followed down, when Brown called
out that he saw the sea. We, therefore, went to the sea-side, and found
ourselves at the head of a large bay, with an island to the north-east,
and with headlands stretching far into the ocean, which was open and
boundless to the northward. It was Mount Morris Bay, with Valentia and
Crocker's islands; the latter, however, appeared to us to be a
continuation of the main land. We now went to the north-west and
westward, until we came again on westerly waters. The country in the
centre of the neck of the Peninsula, was very hilly, and some of the
ridges rose, perhaps, from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet
above the level of the sea; one or two hills were still higher. They were
all composed of a clayey ironstone, and clothed with patches of scrub,
formed principally of Calythrix, and with a more open forest of Cypress
pine, white-gum, tea-trees, bloodwood, Livistona palms, Pandanus, with
shrubby Terminalias and Coniogetons. The grass was dry, but high and
dense; and buffalo tracks spread in every direction, particularly down
the creeks, both to the eastward and westward.
We followed a westerly creek in all its windings, in order to detect
water in one of its rocky water-holes. The rock was shaly, of a greyish
colour, like the clay shale of Newcastle above the layers of the coal,
but more indurated. Patches of vine brush grew along the banks, and their
verdure led me frequently to expect the presence of water. We met,
however, only with salt-water, where the mangroves commenced, and had
consequently to continue our journey. Here we again came on the foot-path
of the natives, which skirted the mangrove swamps, and I followed it for
about three miles farther, crossed several dry watercourses, and at last
found some pools of rain water, in a small creek. I was fortunate enough
to make my latitude by an observation of Regulus, 11 degrees 32 minutes
11 seconds.
Dec. 15. - I followed the foot-path of the natives, with the intention of
continuing on it, until I came in sight of Mounts Bedwell and Roe. If I
had done so, much trouble would have been saved. But, after we had
travelled more than three hours, the country became very hilly and ridgy,
and I supposed that we were close to those mountains, but were prevented,
by the ridges, from seeing them. We went consequently to the northward,
and after an hour's riding over a hilly, but openly timbered country,
came to an easterly creek, which we followed down, until we found an
abundance of water. The upper part of this creek was very scrubby, and
with but little grass. I imagined that we had arrived at the west side of
Port Essington, and that the creek on which we encamped was probably the
Warvi. To ascertain this, I rode down the creek with Charley: it became
more open; limited flats of sandy alluvium were clothed with the
refreshing verdure of young grass, and with groves of Banksias; its
hollows were fringed with large drooping tea-trees. The creek itself was
a succession of shady water-holes, out of which, at our approach dashed
buffaloes, three and four at a time, shaking their muddy heads, as they
scrambled up the steep banks, and galloped to the neighbouring thickets.
The stiff sedges of the salt-water, and the salt-water tea-trees, made
their appearance about three miles from our camp; and it is probable that
the sea was scarcely half a mile farther. High hills rose to the
northward, openly timbered, but at their base with patches of scrub, and
very stony. Here we heard the distant cooees of natives, which we
answered, going in their direction, until we came to a camp, in which we
found an old lame man, "Baki Baki," and a short sturdy fellow, "Rambo
Rambo;" both of whom knew a great number of English words, and were quite
familiar with the settlement, and knew the Commandant, Mr. Macarthur.
They promised the guide us the next morning to Balanda, after having made
many inquiries about our stock of provisions and of tobacco. I made my
latitude 11 degrees 26 minutes 18 seconds, by an observation of Regulus;
which, allowing a possible error of a few miles, confirmed me in my
belief, that we were at the head of the harbour; particularly as Baki
Baki had told me that he had come this very morning from the settlement.
Dec. 16. - When we arrived with our whole train at the camp of the
natives, their behaviour was quite altered, and they now showed as little
inclination to guide us to the settlement, as they had been eager last
night to do so. I persuaded Baki Baki, however, to go, at least part of
the way; and, when we saw that he became tired, we mounted him on one of
the horses, and led it by the bridle.
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