This Was Joined By A Second,
And Both Together Entered A Broad Tea-Tree Creek, Coming From The
South-West, In Which We Found A Fine Pool Of Water Covered With White And
Yellow Villarsias And Yellow Utricularias.
The rose-coloured Sterculia, and a smooth broad-leaved Terminalia, were
observed on the sandy flats of the creek; and a small fan-leaved palm
(Livistona humilis, R. Br.), a small insignificant trunkless plant,
growing between sandstone rocks, was here first observed.
A taller
species of this palm, as we subsequently found, formed large tracts of
forest on the Cobourg Peninsula, and near the Alligator rivers.
As our tea bag was getting very low, and as I was afraid that we should
have to go a long time without this most useful article, I thought it
advisable to make a more saving arrangement. We had, consequently, a pot
of good tea at luncheon, when we arrived at our camp tired and exhausted,
and most in want of an exciting and refreshing beverage. The tea-leaves
remaining in the pot, were saved and boiled up for supper, allowing a
pint to each person. In the morning, we had our soup, and drank water ad
libitum. Tea is unquestionably one of the most important provisions of
such an expedition: sugar is of very little consequence, and I believe
that one does even better without it. We have not felt the slightest
inconvenience from the want of flour; and we were a long time without
salt. The want of the latter, however, made us costive, and, when we
began to use it again, almost every one of us had a slight attack of
diarrhoea.
Our horses were still in excellent condition, and even improving; and our
five bullocks also kept in good working order, although the oldest of
them rather lagged behind. In choosing bullocks for such a journey, one
should be particularly careful to choose young powerful beasts, about
five or six years old, and not too heavy. All our old and heavy bullocks
proved to be bad travellers; only one had borne the journey until now,
and he was only preserved by great care and attention. During summer, the
ground is so hot, and frequently so rotten, that even the feet of a dog
sink deep. This heat, should there be a want of water during a long
stage, and perhaps a run after game in addition, would inevitably kill a
soft dog. It is, therefore, of the greatest importance to have a good
traveller, with hard feet: a cross of the kangaroo dog with the
bloodhound would be, perhaps, the best. He should be light, and satisfied
with little food in case of scarcity; although the dried tripe of our
bullocks gave ample and good food to one dog. It is necessary to carry
water for them; and to a little calabash, which we obtained from the
natives of the Isaacs, we have been frequently indebted for the life of
Spring.
Sept.
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