The longitude of the descent, was, according to reckoning, 132
degrees 50 minutes. A little before sunset of the 21st four natives came
to our camp; they made us presents of red ochre, which they seemed to
value highly, of a spear and a spear's head made of baked sandstone (GRES
LUSTRE). In return I gave them a few nails; and as I was under the
necessity of parting with every thing heavy which was not of immediate
use for our support, I also gave them my geological hammer. One of the
natives was a tall, but slim man; the others were of smaller size, but
all had a mild and pleasing expression of countenance.
Large fish betrayed their presence in the deep water by splashing during
the night: and Charley asserted that he had seen the tracks of a
crocodile. Swarms of whistling ducks occupied the large ponds in the
creek: but our shot was all used, and the small iron-pebbles which were
used as a substitute, were not heavy enough to kill even a duck. Some
balls, however, were still left, but these we kept for occasions of
urgent necessity.
Nov. 22. - As our meat was not sufficiently dry for packing we remained
here the whole of this day; but, at night, the heaviest thunder-storm we
perhaps had ever experienced, poured down and again wetted it; we
succeeded, however, notwithstanding this interruption, in drying it
without much taint; but its soft state enabled the maggots to nestle in
it; and the rain to which it had been exposed, rendered it very insipid.
Poor Redmond, the last of our bullocks, came frequently to the spot where
his late companion had been killed; but finding that he was gone, he
returned to his abundant feed, and when I loaded him to continue our
journey down the river he was full and sleek. It was interesting to
observe how the bullocks on all previous occasions, almost invariably
took cognizance of the place where one of their number had been killed.
They would visit it either during the night or the next day, walk round
the spot, lift their tails, snuff the air with an occasional shake of
their horns, and sometimes, set off in a gallop.
Nov. 23. - We travelled about eight miles north-west over an equally fine
country. A high range of Pegmatite descended from the table land far into
the valley, from east to west; and an isolated peak was seen to the west
of it at the left bank of the river.
The Eugenia with scarlet fruit, and another species with rose-coloured
fruit, of most exquisite taste - particularly when the seed was abortive,
and the pericarp more developed - were abundant on the flats of the river;
and Aemena?, with smaller fruit and thin acidulous rind, grew straggling
on the ridges.
