We, therefore, shot the horse, skinned and quartered it the same
night; and ate its liver and kidneys, which were quite as good as those
of a bullock.
May 7. - We cut the meat in slices, and dried it; and though there was
some prejudice against it, it would have been very difficult to have
detected any difference between it and beef; particularly if the animals
had been in the same condition.
May 8. - As I found it necessary to follow the right bank of the river, in
order to get out of this intricate country, I sent Mr. Gilbert and
Charley to trace the river through the valley of lagoons. Having
accomplished their object, they informed me that the river had no
connexion with the lagoons of the large valley, but that several very
large ones were even on its left bank; and that all tree vegetation
disappeared from its banks where it passed through a part of the valley
of lagoons.
May 9. - As my bullocks were still extremely foot-sore, it was necessary
that we should travel only by short stages until they recovered;
consequently, the day's journey did not exceed five miles in a N.N.E.
direction; and, with the exception of some ridges, upon excellent
travelling ground, along the left bank of the river. The latter formed,
as I have already stated, the line of separation, first, between basalt
and granite, and afterwards between basalt and a quartzose rock (probably
baked Psammite). The country was beautifully open and well grassed; the
river forming a simple channel, without trees, well filled with water and
flowing between chains of lakes and lagoons on either side; one of which
was covered with flocks of ducks and pelicans, resembling islands of
white lilies.
Beyond the almost treeless flats round the lagoons, Casuarinas and
Callistemon re-appeared along the river.
We saw some Blackfellows in the distance, who immediately withdrew as we
approached them; but the tribe, which we had met at Reedy Brook, came to
the other side of the river, and had much to say; we did not, however,
take any notice of them, until we had unloaded our bullocks and finished
our luncheon, when I went down to them, and gave them a horn of one of
our slaughtered bullocks. Roper had saved the mane of his horse, and
threw it over to them, but it seemed to frighten them very much. We
inquired by signs as to the course of the river, and we understood by
their answers, that it came a long way from the northward. At Reedy Brook
the natives had given my companions to understand that the brook had its
source not very far off to the W.N.W., by pointing at their heads, then
at the brook, and then in the direction mentioned. I was therefore
inclined to trust to their information about the river's source. They
threw some yam-roots over to us, the plant of which we were not able to
ascertain: and after that they retired.
May 10. - This morning they came again, and, when our bullocks were loaded
and we were about to start, I went down to them and took a sort of leave.
We had scarcely proceeded half a mile, when we missed the tinkling of our
bell, and found that Charley had forgotten to put it on the horse's neck,
and had left it behind. Mr. Calvert and Brown, therefore, returned to
look for it, and, upon reaching the place where the camp had been made,
saw the natives examining and beating every part of it; at the approach
of the horsemen, however, they retired to the other side of the river;
but when they turned their horses' heads, after having found the bell,
the natives followed them, and threw three spears after them - whether it
was out of mere wantonness, or with hostile intentions, I do not know,
though I was inclined to believe the first. It was, nevertheless, a
warning to us not to repose too much confidence in them. Mr. Roper met
to-day with a severe accident, which nearly cost him his life. It was a
very common practice to make our horses stop by catching them by the
tails; as he tried to do this with his horse, which was not yet
accustomed to him, the animal struck out at him, and kicked him with both
feet on the chest. Roper happily recovered after some faintness, but
complained for several days afterwards of external pain. We travelled
this day about four miles and a half N.N.E. along the river side,
following a well-beaten path of the natives.
The river was again confined in its own valley, with quartzose rocks
(Psammite) on one side, and the falls of the basaltic table land on the
other. Basalt was, however, observed here about on several spots at the
left bank, and quartz porphyry composed the ridges near our last
encampment. The river divided here into a great number of anabranches,
but all confined in the same valley, and united by intermediate channels.
The bed of it had again become sandy, with small pebbles of pegmatite and
quartz. Casuarinas were plentiful on its banks; the poplar-gum, and the
Moreton Bay ash on the adjacent flats; Tristania, with pubescent leaves
round some lagoons; narrow-leaved Ironbark, and poplar-gum grew on the
hills; and rich grass every where.
The night was clear, but the morning foggy, and the dew very heavy. The
wind was from the northward, and, as usual, very strong after sunset.
May 11. - We travelled four miles to the E.N.E. The anabranches of the
river continued; the ranges of quartz porphyry approached several times
close to the river. Oak trees and drooping Melaleucas grew abundantly in
its bed, and along the banks. Higher up we crossed fine flats with
lagoons and lakes covered as usual with Nymphaeas.
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