At The Right Side Of The Brook, A Stream Of Lava
Bounded The Plains, And Was, As Usual, Covered With Dense Scrub.
Box,
with occasional patches of narrow-leaved tea trees, grew along the
plains.
The forest was very open, and principally consisted of
narrow-leaved Ironbark; the grass in the forest and on the plains, was of
the best description. Finer stations for the squatter cannot exist.
May 6. - Following the brook about four miles farther, I came to its
source at a gentle slope of basalt. Plains stretched along both sides of
its course, and even beyond it. Luxuriant reeds, Plothos, and several
deep green trees, crowded round its head. Kangaroos, which abounded
particularly along the scrub, had formed numerous paths through the high
grass to the water's edge. I now directed my course to the W.N.W., but
soon found myself checked by a dyke or wall of basaltic lava, composed of
boulders and tabular blocks heaped over each other in wild confusion, and
covered by scrub; it stretched from N.W. to S.E. I travelled round its
edge to the southward, after having made a vain attempt to cross it. The
outlines of the stream ran out in low heads into the flat table land, and
there we met occasionally with springs and chains of water-holes which
united lower down into a water-course, which, after following alternately
the outline of the scrub, and turning into the stream of lava, became
lost among its loose rocks. The lava was very cellular; the basalt of the
table land solid. The whole appearance of this interesting locality
showed that the stream of lava was of much more recent date than the rock
of the table land, and that the latter was probably formed under water,
whilst the cellular scorified lava was poured out into the open air. The
stream of lava enlarged so much, and descended into so broad a valley,
that I considered it to be the head of the Burdekin. I walked across it,
in order to ascertain the presence of water, but found nothing but deep
dry hollows surrounded with drooping tea trees, and the black basaltic
rocks covered with wild bottle-tree scrub. It joined the valley of
lagoons very much like the valley of the reedy brook, and seemed to unite
with the latter, and to expand all over the large basin. Numerous
headlands protruded from the table land into the valley of lagoons,
between the stream of lava and reedy brook. Many of them were composed of
quartzite and pegmatite [Graphic granite, composed of quartz and
laminated felspar. - ED.], the detritus of which formed sandy slopes very
different from the black and loamy soil of the table land and its plains.
Several isolated hills and short ridges rise out of the basaltic floor of
the valley of lagoons; they are composed of a different rock; and if it
may be allowed me to judge by the colour and by analogy, I should say
that they were pegmatite and quartzite. It would, therefore, appear that
the valley of lagoons is connected with three streams of lava; one
following down the river to the southward, a second coming down the
valley of Reedy Brook from W.N.W., and the third coming from the N.W. The
course of the Burdekin has no connection with this valley, but runs
apparently along its eastern side, and divides the primitive rocks from
the streams of lava; for I had not observed any lava on its left bank.
In returning to our camp, we saw a great number of women and children,
who ran away upon seeing us, screaming loudly, which attracted some young
men to the spot, who were much bolder and approached us. I dismounted and
walked up within five yards of them, when I stopped short from a mutual
disinclination for too close quarters, as they were armed with spears and
waddies. They made signs for me to take off my hat, and to give them
something; but, having nothing with me, I made a sign that I would make
them a present upon returning to the camp. They appeared to be in no way
unfriendly, and directed us how to avoid the water. When I reached the
camp, I found that the Blackfellows had been there already, and had been
rather urgent to enter it, probably in consequence of the small number of
my companions then present, who, however, managed to keep them in good
humour by replying to their inquiries respecting our nature and
intentions; among which one of the most singular was, whether the
bullocks were not our gins. This occurred last night; in the morning they
returned again in great numbers, and climbed the trees on the other side
of the brook to observe what was doing within the camp. It now became
necessary to show them our superiority; which we attempted to do by
shooting at a kite, numbers of which were perched on the neighbouring
trees; our shots, however, unfortunately missed, and the natives answered
the discharge of the gun with a shout of laughter. At this time, however,
Mr. Roper, Charley, and myself returned from our excursion, when they
became quiet. I threw a tin canister over to them, and they returned me a
shower of roasted Nymphaea fruit. It seems that the seed-vessels of
Nymphaea and its rhizoma form the principal food of the natives; the
seeds contain much starch and oil, and are extremely nourishing. I then
gave them some pieces of dried meat, intimating by signs that it must be
grilled; soon afterwards they retired. Mr. Roper came in with sad
tidings; in riding up the steep bank of the river, his horse, unable to
get a footing among the loose rocks, had fallen back and broken its
thigh. I immediately resolved upon going to the place where the accident
had happened, and proposed to my companions, that we should try to make
the best of the meat, as the animal was young and healthy, and the supply
would greatly assist in saving our bullocks to the end of our long
journey; and they declared themselves willing at all events to give a
fair trial to the horse-flesh.
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