- We followed the tea-tree creek about four miles lower down, and
encamped near some fine rocky water-holes, in which I discovered a yellow
Villarsia, resembling in its leaves Villarsia inundata, R. Br.
Our day's journey was a short one in consequence of our having started so
late. The delay was caused by Charley having captured an emu, a flock of
which he met when fetching the horses. By holding branches before him, he
was enabled to approach so close to them, that he shot one dead with a
charge of dust shot. It was a welcome prize, and repaid us for the delay.
To our wounded friends the delay itself was a welcome one.
The mussel-shells of these water-holes appeared to be narrower and
comparatively longer than those we had previously seen. Pandanus was, as
usual, very frequent; but a middle sized shady wide spreading tree,
resembling the elm in the colour and form of its leaves, attracted our
attention, and excited much interest. Its younger branches were rather
drooping, its fruit was an oblong yellow plum, an inch long and half an
inch in diameter, with a rather rough kernel. When ripe, the pericarp is
very mealy and agreeable to eat, and would be wholesome, if it were not
so extraordinarily astringent. We called this tree the "Nonda," from its
resemblance to a tree so called by the natives in the Moreton Bay
district. I found the fruit in the dilli of the natives on the 21st June,
and afterwards most abundantly in the stomach of the emu. The tree was
very common in the belt of forest along the creek.
The wind, during the last two days, was southerly, south-westerly, and
westerly, freshening up during the afternoon. The forenoon was very hot:
the night clear, and rather cool towards morning. I observed many
shooting stars during the two last nights.
July 4. - We travelled seven miles in a south-west direction, to lat. 16
degrees 15 minutes 11 seconds, over an entirely flat country, covered
with a very open forest of box, of bloodwood, and of the stiff-leaved
Melaleuca, with the arborescent Grevillea already mentioned, and with a
species of Terminalia with winged fruit. In the more sandy tracts of
bloodwood forest, grew the Nonda, the Pandanus, and the apple-gum. The
shallow creek was surrounded by a scrub of various myrtaceous trees,
particularly Melaleucas. The creek afterwards divided into water-holes,
fringed with Stravadium, which, however, lower down gave way to dense
belts of Polygonum. The water was evidently slightly brackish; the first
actual sign of the vicinity of the sea. A young emu was killed with the
assistance of Spring; and a sheldrake was shot by Brown. Native
companions were very numerous, and were heard after sunset, all round our
camp. The stomach of the emu was full of a small plant resembling
chickweed, which grew round the water-holes.
The smoke of the natives' fires was seen to the south and south-west.
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