The Gins Had Previously
Retired; A Proof That Mischief Was Intended.
June 28.
- We crossed the creek, near which we had encamped, and travelled
about nine miles wost, over most beautifully varied country of plains, of
forest land, and chains of lagoons. We crossed a large creek or river,
which I believed to be the main branch of the Nassau. It was well
supplied with water-holes, but there was no stream. Loose clayey
sandstone cropped out in its bed, and also in the gullies which joined
it. A small myrtle tree with smooth bark, and a leafless tree resembling
the Casuarina, grew plentifully on its banks. We saw smoke rising-in
every direction, which showed how thickly the country was inhabited. Near
the lagoons we frequently noticed bare spots of a circular form, about
twelve or fifteen feet in diameter, round each of which was a belt of
ten, twelve, or more fire places, separated from each other by only a few
feet. It seems that the natives usually sit within the circle of fires;
but it is difficult to know whether it belonged to a family, or whether
each fire had an independent proprietor. Along the Lynd and Mitchell, the
natives made their fires generally in heaps of stones, which served as
ovens for cooking their victuals. Bones of kangaroos and wallabies, and
heaps of mussel-shells, were commonly seen in their camps; but fish bones
were very rarely observed. It was very different, however, when we
travelled round the head, and along the western side, of the gulf; for
fish seemed there to form the principal food of the natives.
At the end of our stage, we came to a chain of shallow lagoons, which
were slightly connected by a hollow. Many of them were dry; and fearing
that, if we proceeded much farther, we should not find water, I encamped
on one of them, containing a shallow pool; it was surrounded by a narrow
belt of small tea trees, with stiff broad lanceolate leaves. As the water
occupied only the lower part of this basin, I deposited our luggage in
the upper part. Mr. Roper and Mr. Calvert made their tent within the belt
of trees, with its opening towards the packs; whilst Mr. Gilbert and
Murphy constructed theirs amongst the little trees, with its entrance
from the camp. Mr. Phillips's was, as usual, far from the others, and at
the opposite side of the water. Our fire place was made outside of the
trees, on the banks. Brown had shot six Leptotarsis Eytoni, (whistling
ducks) and four teals, which gave us a good dinner; during which, the
principal topic of conversation was our probable distance from the sea
coast, as it was here that we first found broken sea shells, of the genus
Cytherea. After dinner, Messrs. Roper and Calvert retired to their tent,
and Mr. Gilbert, John, and Brown, were platting palm leaves to make a
hat, and I stood musing near their fire place, looking at their work, and
occasionally joining in their conversation.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 155 of 272
Words from 80256 to 80766
of 141354
