Thick high reeds covered the approaches of the river, and
the lower parts of the gullies; and noble Casuarinas rivalled the
drooping tea-tree in beauty. Grevillea pungens (R. Br.) was observed on
the hills; it is, therefore, not particular to the coast scrub. A species
of native tobacco, with smaller blossoms than that of the Hunter, and
with its radical leaves spreading close over the ground, was growing on
the open spaces round the water-holes. The river was well supplied with
long reaches of water connected by a small stream.
In the morning, we had a pleasant westerly breeze, which veered to the
north-west and northward; the regular sea breeze set in from the
northeast in the afternoon; the night was hot and sultry; but the weather
during the day was cooler than that we experienced for the last week.
The red wallabies were very numerous, particularly in the kind of jungle
along the river. Sheldrakes and Ibises abounded at the water-holes.
Charley shot two wallabies.
Oct. 26. - We enjoyed most gratefully our two wallabies, which were
stewed, and to which I had added some green hide to render the broth more
substantial. This hide was almost five months old, and had served as a
case to my botanical collection, which, unfortunately, I had been
compelled to leave behind. It required, however, a little longer stewing
than a fresh hide, and was rather tasteless.
We accomplished about eight miles in a straight line to the westward, but
went over a much greater extent of ground; as I mistook a large though
dry creek from the northward for the river, and followed it about four
miles; when, finding my mistake, I crossed about four or five miles of
rich treeless plains, and reached the river again at the foot of a long
high range to the westward. Other ranges appeared to the eastward and
northward. As we approached the river, we passed some sandstone hills
covered with a dense scrub exactly like that of the sea coast south of
Limmen Bight. It was principally composed of several species of Acacia of
Grevillea chrysodendron (R. Br.), and of the Bossiaea with broad stem.
All along the outside of the scrub, we observed old camps of the natives;
several of whom were seen crossing the plains.
The bed of the river became excessively wild: the Pandanus channel was
still full of water, and running; but the dry bed was full of rocky
water-holes or chains of them, composed of, and scattered over with
blocks of sandstone; and overgrown with most magnificent Casuarinas, with
tea-trees and flooded-gum (or its representative).
Large camps of the natives were full of the shells of lately roasted
mussels (Unios), the posterior part of which appeared to be much broader,
and more sinuated, than those we had hitherto seen.
