The Wind Was Equally
Strong In The Morning From The South-East, And Veered In The Course Of
The Day To The South And South-West.
We travelled about eight miles and a half W.N.W. to lat.
17 degrees 50
minutes 28 seconds, at first passing over a scrubby country, which
changed into box flats when we approached the waterless creek, at which
we encamped on the night of the 20th. To the westward of this creek, box
flats alternated with tea-tree thickets; and opened at last into a large
plain, which we crossed at its southern termination, where it was three
miles broad; it appeared boundless to the northward. Plains of the same
character had been dimly seen through the open forest to the northward,
for some time before we came to the one we crossed. This was not covered
with the stiff grass, nor the dry wind-grass of the plains north of the
Staaten; but it bore a fine crop of tender grasses, which rendered them
infinitely more valuable for the pasture of horses and cattle. At the
west side of the plain, we found a chain of fine long lagoons, surrounded
by Polygonum, and apparently well stocked with fish.
Charley and Brown caught an emu, with the assistance of the dog, which
became every day more valuable to us.
Since Mr. Gilbert's death, the arrangements of our camp have been
changed. I now select an entirely open space, sufficiently distant from
any scrub or thicket, even if we have to go a considerable distance for
water. Our pack-saddles are piled in two parallel lines close together,
facing that side from which a covered attack of the natives might be
expected. We sleep behind this kind of bulwark, which of itself would
have been a sufficient barrier against the spears of the natives. Tired
as we generally are, we retire early to our couch; Charley usually takes
the first watch, from half-past six to nine o'clock; Brown, Calvert, and
Phillips follow in rotation; whilst I take that portion of the night most
favourable for taking the altitude. John Murphy has his watch from five
to six. We generally tethered three horses, and kept one bridled; and,
with these arrangements, we slept as securely and soundly as ever; for I
felt sure that we had nothing to fear, as long as our tinkling
bell-horse, and perhaps a second horse, was moving near us. The natives
considered our animals to be large dogs, and had frequently asked whether
they would bite (which I affirmed, of course); so that they themselves
furnished us with a protection, which otherwise I should not have thought
of inventing.
July 23. - When Charley returned this morning with the horses, he told me,
that a fine broad salt-water river was again before us. I kept,
therefore, at once to the southward, and feared that I should have to go
far in that direction before being able to ford it. After travelling
about two miles, we came in sight of it. It was broad and deep, with low
rocky banks. Salicornia grew along the small gullies into which the tide
flowed; some struggling stunted mangroves were on the opposite side; and
the plains along the right side of the river were occupied by a scanty
vegetation, consisting of Phyllanthus shrubs, scattered box, and the
raspberry-jam trees. We had travelled, however, more than a mile on its
bank, when we came to a broad rocky barrier or dam extending across the
river, over which a small stream of brackish water rippled, and, by means
of this, we crossed without difficulty. I now steered again north-west by
west, and passed at first some fine shady lagoons, and for the next six
miles, over an immense plain, apparently unlimited to the north and
north-east. At its west side we again found Polygonum lagoons, which were
swarming with ducks, (particularly Malacorhynchus membranaceus), and teal
(Querquedula). Box, raspberry-jam trees, and Acacia, (Inga moniliformis,
D.C.) formed a shady grove round these lagoons, which continued towards
the south-east. Their latitude was 17 degrees 49 minutes 35 seconds.
Smoke was visible in every part of the horizon. Charley, Brown, and John,
shot fourteen ducks, and increased this number towards evening to
forty-six ducks, five recurvirostris, one small red-shank, and two
spoon-bills: the latter were particularly fat, and, when ready for the
spit, weighed better than three pounds; the black ducks weighed a pound
and three-quarters. The Malacorhynchus was small, but in good condition,
and the fat seemed to accumulate particularly in the skin of the neck.
The south wind, as usual, visited us again last night, and made it
exceedingly cold. This intense cold is probably owing to the large
plains, over which the wind passes. We were never so much troubled by
swarms of flies, as during the last two days; it was impossible to get
rid of them by any means.
July 24. - We travelled about six miles north-west to latitude 17 degrees
48 minutes, and crossed several plains separated by belts of open forest,
and came to a fine salt-water river; the banks were steep but not high,
and stunted mangroves grew on the water's edge: the raspberry-jam tree
covered the approaches to the river. Salicornia and Binoe's Trichinium
grew round the dry ponds, and along the small water-courses, into which
the tide flowed. We found a good crossing place at a fishery of the
natives; who - to judge by the number of their tracks through the soft
mud, and by the two large camps on both sides of the river, which were
covered with fish-bones - must be very numerous. We continued our journey
for about a mile and a half from the river, and came to some grassy
fresh-water lagoons, although the Salicornias at first made me think they
were brackish.
Shortly after starting this morning, we saw a brood of thirteen emus, on
the plain which we were about to cross.
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