But, Having Passed The Latitude Of The Head Of The Gulf, As
Well As Those Of The Van Diemen And
The Staaten rivers, the Lynd still
flowed to the north-west; and then, when it joined the Mitchell, I
imagined
That the new river would prove to be the Nassau; but, when it
passed the latitude of that river, I conjectured that it would join the
sea at the large embouchure in the old charts, in latitude 15 degrees 5
minutes - the "Water Plaets" of the Dutch navigators. To follow it
farther, therefore, would have been merely to satisfy my curiosity, and
an unpardonable waste of time. Besides, the number of my bullocks was
decreasing, and prudence urged the necessity of proceeding, without any
farther delay, towards the goal of my journey. I determined therefore to
leave the Mitchell at this place, and to approach the sea-coast - so near
at least, as not to risk an easy progress - and to pass round the bottom
of the gulf.
June 26. - We travelled, accordingly, about seven miles almost due west,
the latitude of our new camp being 15 degrees 52 minutes 38 seconds. On
our way we passed some very fine long water-holes; some of which were
surrounded with reeds, and others covered with the white species of
Nymphaea; groves of Pandanus spiralis occupied their banks. Some fine
plains, full of melon-holes, but well grassed, separated from each other
by belts of forest-land, in which the Pandanus was also very frequent,
were crossed during the day.
June 27. - We travelled eight miles W.S.W. over a succession of plains
separated by belts of forest, consisting of bloodwood, box, apple-gum,
and rusty-gum. Some plains were scattered over with Bauhinias. The holes
along the plains are probably filled with water during the rainy season;
dead shells of Paludina were extremely numerous, and we found even the
shield of a turtle in one of them. At the end of the stage, we skirted
some dense scrub, and encamped at one of the lagoons parallel to a dry
creek, which must belong to the Nassau, as its latitude was 15 degrees 55
minutes 8 seconds. The lagoon was covered with small white Nymphaeas,
Damasoniums, and yellow Utricularias; and on its banks were heaps of
mussel-shells. The smoke of natives' fires were seen on the plains, in
every direction; but we saw no natives. Brown approached very near to a
flock of Harlequin pigeons, and shot twenty-two of them. A young grey
kangaroo was also taken.
The kites were so bold that one of them snatched the skinned specimen of
a new species of honey-sucker out of Mr. Gilbert's tin case; and, when we
were eating our meals, they perched around us on the branches of
overhanging trees, and pounced down even upon our plates, although held
in our hands, to rob us of our dinners; - not quite so bad, perhaps, as
the Harpies in the Aeneid, but sufficiently so to be a very great nuisance
to us.
Yesterday and to-day we experienced a cold dry southerly wind, which
lasted till about 11 o'clock A. M., when it veered to the south-west, but
at night returned again, and rendered the air very cold, and dry, which
was very evident from the total absence of dew. The forenoon was very
clear; cumuli and cirrho-cumuli gathered during the afternoon. The sky of
the sunset was beautifully coloured. After sunset, the clouds cleared
off, but, as the night advanced, gradually collected again.
A circumstance occurred to-day which gave me much concern, as it showed
that the natives of this part were not so amicably disposed towards us as
those we had hitherto met: - whilst Charley and Brown were in search of
game in the vicinity of our camp, they observed a native sneaking up to
our bullocks, evidently with the intention of driving them towards a
party of his black companions, who with poised spears were waiting to
receive them. Upon detecting this manoeuvre, Charley and his companion
hurried forward to prevent their being driven away, when the native gave
the alarm, and all took to their heels, with the exception of a lame
fellow, who endeavoured to persuade his friends to stand fight. Charley,
however, fired his gun, which had the intended effect of frightening
them; for they deserted their camp, which was three hundred yards from
ours, in a great hurry, leaving, among other articles, a small net full
of potatoes, which Charley afterwards picked up. The gins had previously
retired; a proof that mischief was intended.
June 28. - We crossed the creek, near which we had encamped, and travelled
about nine miles wost, over most beautifully varied country of plains, of
forest land, and chains of lagoons. We crossed a large creek or river,
which I believed to be the main branch of the Nassau. It was well
supplied with water-holes, but there was no stream. Loose clayey
sandstone cropped out in its bed, and also in the gullies which joined
it. A small myrtle tree with smooth bark, and a leafless tree resembling
the Casuarina, grew plentifully on its banks. We saw smoke rising-in
every direction, which showed how thickly the country was inhabited. Near
the lagoons we frequently noticed bare spots of a circular form, about
twelve or fifteen feet in diameter, round each of which was a belt of
ten, twelve, or more fire places, separated from each other by only a few
feet. It seems that the natives usually sit within the circle of fires;
but it is difficult to know whether it belonged to a family, or whether
each fire had an independent proprietor. Along the Lynd and Mitchell, the
natives made their fires generally in heaps of stones, which served as
ovens for cooking their victuals. Bones of kangaroos and wallabies, and
heaps of mussel-shells, were commonly seen in their camps; but fish bones
were very rarely observed.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 79 of 139
Words from 79494 to 80497
of 141354
