As We Approached The Salt Water, The Various Species Of Eucalyptus, With
The Exception Of The Box, Disappeared, And Various
Species of tea-tree
(Melaleuca) took their place; they grew even on the sands with
incrustations of salt, and gave
Way only to the mangroves, which were
bathed by the brine itself.
We now commenced collecting the gum of the broad-leaved Terminalia of the
upper Lynd, and boiled it for Mr. Roper, who liked it very much.
We recognised one of the kites (Milvus isiurus), which had followed us
from our last killing camp, down to the head of the gulf.
July 20. - This morning, the bullocks had strayed farther than usual, and,
whilst we were waiting for them, some natives came to the rocks opposite
our camp; and one of them beckoned me to come over to him. They had been
observing our camp last night, for some time after the rising of the
moon, and I had caused Brown to discharge his gun, in order to drive them
away. They did not, however, trouble us then any farther, but encamped at
a neighbouring lagoon; showing evidently that they expected no harm from
us. When the bold fellow invited me to come over to him, I hesitated at
first, as they might have disturbed us when loading our bullocks; but, as
the animals did not appear, I took my reconnoitring bag with some iron
nose rings, and made Brown follow me at some distance with the double
barrelled gun, and went over to them. After much hesitation, four of them
approached me. I made them presents, which gained their confidence, and
they began to examine and admire my dress, my watch, etc. It was singular
that the natives were always most struck with our hats. We made them
understand where we came from and whither we were going, and it seemed
that they understood us better than we could understand them. When the
bullocks arrived, we returned to our camp, accompanied by the natives,
who had lost all fear after the tokens of friendship they had received:
and when we started, they joined our train and guided us on their
foot-path (Yareka) along the salt water creek (Yappar.) They very much
admired our horses and bullocks, and particularly our kangaroo dog. They
expressed their admiration by a peculiar smacking or clacking with their
tongue or lips. The fine river changed very soon into a salt water creek,
coming from south by west. We passed some very beautiful rocky lagoons
under the abrupt terminations of low sandstone hills, which were openly
timbered at the top, but surrounded by thickets of the little Severn
tree. The box-tree grew on the flats which separated the ridges from the
creek, with the small bread-tree, the bloodwood and pandanus. As the
Mangrove disappeared, the drooping tea-tree took its place. Several rocky
bars crossed the "Yappar," which seemed to be the name by which the
natives called it; but only one was broad enough to allow us to cross
safely with our horses and bullocks. Here our black friends took their
leave of us; they seemed very desirous of showing us their whole country,
and of introducing us to their tribe, which was probably very numerous.
After crossing the creek in lat. 17 degrees 54 minutes or 55 minutes, and
longit. 140 degrees 45 minutes approx., we travelled due west, and came
at once into an undulating hilly country. The hills were composed of
iron-sandstone; their summits were generally very openly timbered with
apple-gum and a new white-barked tree; but their bases were covered with
thickets of the little Severn tree. The intervening flats bore either a
box-tree with a short trunk branching off immediately above the ground;
or a middle-sized tea-tree, with a lanceolate leaf, or thickets of
stunted tea-tree. We travelled full thirteen miles without water, or any
decided water-course. We passed several dry water-holes shaded by the
broad-leaved Terminalia; and saw many Acacias twenty-five and thirty feet
in height, with a slender trunk, and an elegant drooping foliage: it very
much resembled the Acacia of Expedition Range; but the drooping habit and
more distant leaflets of its bipinnate leaves, showed at once their
difference. We had travelled five hours and a half, and Mr. Roper rode up
to me several times, to complain of his inability to go any farther. I
encouraged him, however, and at sunset, we reached a creek, but it was
dry; and, although we travelled until dark along its winding course, and
saw many deep holes on its flats, and although fresh burnings showed that
the natives had been there, yet no water was to be found, and we were
obliged to encamp without it. We, therefore, hobbled and tethered all the
horses, and watched the bullocks. Charley followed the creek for some
distance in search of water, but returned without finding any.
July 21. - When Charley was riding after our hobbled horses, he came, at
about two miles N. E., from our camp, to another watercourse, with well
filled rocky water-holes. When he brought this welcome intelligence, we
immediately loaded our bullocks, and moved to these water-holes; on which
it appeared some natives had encamped very lately. The country around was
broken and scrubby; but in general it was well-grassed, with a sound
soil. Our latitude was 17 degrees 52 minutes 53 seconds.
The wind, during the last two days, was from the southward in the
forenoon, and from the westward in the afternoon. The nights were calm
and clear, but very cold.
Mr. Calvert had happily recovered so much as to be able to resume his
duties; and, notwithstanding the fatigues of the last long stage, Mr.
Roper had slightly improved.
July 22. - Last night was beautifully clear and calm, until midnight, when
a cold south wind set in, which made us all shiver with cold. I had not
felt it so much since the night of Mr. Gilbert's death, nor since we left
the upper Lynd and the table land of the Burdekin.
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