We Now Retired About Eight Yards, To Allow
Him To Escape, Which We Had Not Done Before, Because I Feared
He might
imagine we were afraid of his incantations, for he sang most lamentable
corrobories, and cried like a child;
Frequently exclaiming, "Mareka!
Mareka!!" This word is probably identical with Marega; the name given by
the Malays to the natives of the north coast, which is also called by
them "Marega." [Capt. King's Intertropical Survey of Australia,
vol. I. p. 135.] After continuing his lamentations for some time, but of
which we took no notice, they gradually ceased; and, in a few minutes, a
slight rustling noise was heard, and he was gone: doubtless delighted at
having escaped from the hands of the pale-faced anthropophagi.
July 8. - This morning the whole tribe, well armed, watched us from a
distance; but they allowed us quietly to load our bullocks, and depart,
without offering us the least annoyance. Their companion will, no doubt,
leave a dreadful account of the adventures of last night to his black
posterity.
We travelled about twelve miles south by west to latitude 16 degrees 47
minutes; at first over an almost uninterrupted box-flat, full of
melon-holes, and with many small holes in the ground, which caused our
horses and cattle to stumble at almost every step. The dry melon-holes
were covered with dead Paludinas, with shells of a large crab, and of the
fresh water turtle. At about seven miles, we passed a strip of Blackwood
forest, with many Nonda trees; and crossed a small creek. The latter part
of the stage was again over a large box-flat, intersected by shallow
grassy depressions, timbered with flooded-gum. We saw on the rising
ground some open scrub, with scattered Bauhinias and Cochlospermums. Our
encampment was at a creek on the south side of a slight rise, with
Bauhinia trees, and near good water-holes. The creek, like all the others
we had passed, flowed to the westward.
Near our camp we examined three holes, full six feet deep, and four feet
in diameter, communicating with each other at their bottom. They were
about three feet apart, and appeared to have been dug with sharp sticks.
I have not the slightest idea for what purpose they were intended. They
were most certainly not dug to obtain roots; and it seemed unlikely for
wells; for the water, even in this unusually dry season, was very
abundant.
The white ant-hills, which are built in rows, had, during this stage, a
direction from north by west to south by east, and, as I have before
mentioned a conjecture that the little builders would expose the
narrowest side of their habitation to the weather side, the prevailing
winds would be from the north.
July 9. - We travelled thirteen or fourteen miles south by west to
latitude 17 degrees 0 minutes 13 seconds, at first crossing a box-flat,
and after that a succession of greater or smaller plains, separated by a
very open Grevillea forest. These plains were well grassed, or partly
covered with a species of Euphorbia, which was eaten by our horses and
cattle; and also with the long trailings of the native melon; the fruit
of which tastes very tolerably, after the bitter skin has been removed;
but when too ripe, the fruit is either insipid or nauseous. The bustard
seems to feed almost exclusively on them, for the stomach of one, which
Brown shot, was full of them.
The apple-gum, which we had missed for some time, again made its
appearance, accompanied by another white gum, with long narrow leaves. As
we approached the creek, at which we afterwards encamped, the vegetation
became richer, and the melon-holes enlarged into dry water-holes, which
were frequently shaded by the Acacia with articulate pods (Inga
moniliformis). The two species of Terminalia, of the upper Lynd, were
numerous; and a small green looking tree, which we found growing densely
along the creek, had wood of a brown colour, which smelt like raspberry
jam; and, upon burning it, the ashes produced a very strong lye, which I
used in dressing the wounds of my companions. This tree was found in
great abundance on all the rivers and creeks round the gulf, within the
reach of salt water; and when crossing Arnheim Land, though less
frequently.
Sandstone cropped out in the banks of the creek, and formed the
reservoirs in its bed.
Last night, and the night before, we experienced a very cold wind from
the southward.
The laughing Jackass (Dacelo cervina, GOULD) of this part of the country,
is of a different species from that of the eastern coast, is of a smaller
size, and speaks a different language; but the noise is by no means so
ridiculous as that of Dac. gigantea: he is heard before sunrise, and
immediately after sunset, like his representative of the eastern coast.
The latter was observed as far as the upper Lynd, where the new one made
his appearance.
We crossed a bush fire, which had been lighted just before we came to the
creek, but we did not see the incendiaries. In the morning of the 10th
July, however, they had discovered our tracks, and followed them until
they came in sight of the camp; but retired as soon as they saw us: and
when they met Charley returning with the bullocks, they ran away. After
half-an-hour's travelling towards the south-west, we came to the Van
Diemen, which is marked in Arrowsmith's map in latitude 17 degrees. It
was about seventy or eighty yards broad, with steep banks and a fine
sandy bed, containing detached pools of water surrounded by Polygonum,
and extremely boggy. My horse stuck in the mud, and it was with great
difficulty that I extricated him.
As our meal bags were empty, and no sign of game appeared, I decided upon
selecting a good open camping place, for the purpose of killing our last
little steer.
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