It Would Appear
That This Place Was Frequently Resorted To By The Natives:
The bark had
been recently stripped in various places; the huts were in good repair,
with heaps of muscle-shells and some kangaroo-bones about them.
We
returned to the camp with the joyous news; for I had been greatly
perplexed as to the direction I ought to take. Charley returned very late
with the strayed cattle, and reported that he had seen the smoke of the
Blackfellow's fires all along the western ranges. This was welcome
intelligence; for we knew that their presence indicated the existence of
a good country. Yesterday in coming through the scrub, we had collected a
large quantity of ripe native lemons, of which, it being Sunday, we
intended to make a tart; but, as my companions were absent, the treat was
deferred until their return, which was on Monday morning, when we made
them into a dish very like gooseberry-fool; they had a very pleasant acid
taste, and were very refreshing. They are of a light yellow colour,
nearly round, and about half an inch in diameter; the volatile oil of the
rind was not at all disagreeable.
The chains of water-holes within the scrub are covered with a stiff
star-grass, having a great number of spikes rising from the top of the
stem; and several sedges crowd around the moister spots. A stiff, wiry,
leafless polygonaceous plant grows in the shallow depressions of the
surface of the ground, which are significantly termed by the squatters
"Melon-holes", and abound in the open Box-tree flats. A small shrubby
Stenochilus with very green linear lanceolate leaves and red tubulous
flowers, is frequent amongst the Bricklow.
The pools and lagoons contain Unios, Paludinas, and the lanceolate and
oval Limnaeas. Fine dry weather has set in; the northerly breeze is still
very regular; but the mornings, from eight to eleven, are very hot. A few
mosquitoes have made their appearance, probably in consequence of the
late rains. Charley killed a Diamond snake, larger than any he had ever
seen before; but he only brought in the fat, of which there was a
remarkable quantity. The Iguanas (Hydrosaurus, Gray) have a slight bluish
tinge about the head and neck; but in the distribution of their colours,
generally resemble H. Gouldii.
Mr. Gilbert found a land crab in the moist ground under a log of wood;
and Mr. Calvert brought me a species of helix of a yellowish green
colour.
Dec. 18. - It was with very great difficulty that we collected our horses
and cattle; but we could not find one of our pack bullocks, which had
concealed himself in the scrub, and, from the unfavourable situation of
our camp, we were obliged to abandon it. Old bullocks, when tired, care
very little about company, and even like to retire to any solitary spot,
where there is good feed and water. Having nearly reached the end of our
stage, we were overtaken by a thunder-storm from the south; which was
followed by another from the west with very heavy rain.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 44 of 272
Words from 22401 to 22919
of 141354
