But events
subsequently proved that I was wrong, and that a decided and severe
punishment would have saved me great trouble. I was, however, glad to
find that their conduct met with the general indignation of my
companions.
The Blackfellows told us, that they had caught a ring-tailed opossum, and
had seen a black kangaroo with a white point at the end of the tail.
Brown brought the fruit of a tree, which, according to his account, had
the simple pinnate-leaf of the red cedar (Credela) with a dark
purple-coloured fruit half an inch long, and one inch in diameter, with a
thin astringent pericarp: the stony seed-vessel consisted of many
carpels, which, if I remember rightly, were monosperme. It belongs
probably to an Ebenaceous tree.
The wood-duck (Bernicla jubata) abounded on the larger water-holes which
we passed; and the swamp-pheasant (Centropus Phasianus, GOULD) was heard
several times among the trees surrounding the grassy hollows.
The smoke of extensive bush-fires was observed under Lord's Table Range,
and along the western and south-western ranges. As we approached the
place of our encampment of the 12th February, some Blackfellows were
bathing in the water-hole, but fled as soon as we made our appearance.
