It Was Here That I
Again Met With A Species Of Banksia, On The Sandy Flats Immediately Below
The Sandstone Ranges, Which Was Either A Variety Of B. Integrifolia, Or A
Species Very Nearly Allied To It.
We found it afterwards all over
Arnheim's Land, especially on the table land and on the rocky heads of
the South Alligator River, where it grew on sandy flats surrounding the
rocks, and particularly round sandy swamps.
The Cypress-pine and Pandanus
were frequent, but Sterculia was rare. We remarked that the little
finches generally anticipated us in the harvest of the ripe fruit of the
latter. About eight miles from the springs, after crossing a great number
of small dry sandy watercourses, we came to a fine creek with two large
Nymphaea ponds.
On our return, we ran down an emu, the stomach of which was full of the
fruit of the little Severn tree. The meat of the whole body was so
exceedingly bitter, that I could scarcely eat it. Brown and John had
returned with a good supply of beans, and of the large eatable roots of a
Convolvolus growing on the plains. The former allowed us again a pot of
coffee at luncheon for the next three weeks. This coffee had at first a
relaxing effect, but we soon became accustomed to it, and enjoyed it even
to the grounds themselves.
Sept. 26. - We removed our camp to the water-holes I had found the day
before. We crossed the river at the head of the salt water, where the
shallow stream of fresh water was about fifteen yards broad.
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