We Hoped Also To Have Witnessed Their Manner
Of Living In The Woods, And The Resources They Rely Upon In
Their journeys.
Nothing, however, of this sort had yet occurred, except their examining
some trees to see if they could
Discover on the bark any marks of the claws
of squirrels and opossums, which they said would show whether any of those
animals were hidden among the leaves and branches. They walked stoutly,
appeared but little fatigued, and maintained their spirits admirably,
laughing to excess when any of us either tripped or stumbled, misfortunes
which much seldomer fell to their lot than to ours.
[*Our method, on these expeditions, was to steer by compass, noting
the different courses as we proceeded; and counting the number of paces,
of which two thousand two hundred, on good ground, were allowed to be a mile.
At night when we halted, all these courses were separately cast up,
and worked by a traverse table, in the manner a ship's reckoning is kept,
so that by observing this precaution, we always knew exactly where we were,
and how far from home; an unspeakable advantage in a new country,
where one hill, and one tree, is so like another that fatal wanderings
would ensue without it. This arduous task was always allotted to Mr. Dawes
who, from habit and superior skill, performed it almost without a stop,
or an interruption of conversation: to any other man, on such terms,
it would have been impracticable.]
At a very short distance from Rose Hill, we found that they were in a country
unknown to them, so that the farther they went the more dependent on us
they became, being absolute strangers inland. To convey to their
understandings the intention of our journey was impossible. For, perhaps,
no words could unfold to an Indian the motives of curiosity which induce men
to encounter labour, fatigue and pain, when they might remain in repose
at home, with a sufficiency of food. We asked Colbee the name of the people
who live inland, and he called them Boorooberongal; and said they were bad,
whence we conjectured that they sometimes war with those on the sea coast,
by whom they were undoubtedly driven up the country from the fishing ground,
that it might not be overstocked; the weaker here, as in every other country,
giving way to the stronger.
We asked how they lived. He said, on birds and animals, having no fish.
Their laziness appeared strongly when we halted, for they refused to draw
water or to cleave wood to make a fire; but as soon as it was kindled
(having first well stuffed themselves), they lay down before it and
fell asleep. About an hour after sunset, as we were chatting by the fire side
and preparing to go to rest, we heard voices at a little distance in the wood.
Our natives caught the sound instantaneously and, bidding us be silent,
listened attentively to the quarter whence it had proceeded. In a few minutes
we heard the voices plainly; and, wishing exceedingly to open a communication
with this tribe, we begged our natives to call to them, and bid them to come
to us, to assure them of good treatment, and that they should have something
given them to eat. Colbee no longer hesitated, but gave them the signal
of invitation, in a loud hollow cry. After some whooping and shouting
on both sides, a man with a lighted stick in his hand advanced near enough
to converse with us. The first words which we could distinctly understand
were, 'I am Colbee, of the tribe of Cadigal.' The stranger replied,
'I am Bereewan, of the tribe of Boorooberongal.' Boladeree informed him also
of his name and that we were white men and friends, who would give him
something to eat. Still he seemed irresolute. Colbee therefore advanced
to him, took him by the hand and led him to us. By the light of the moon,
we were introduced to this gentleman, all our names being repeated in form
by our two masters of the ceremonies, who said that we were Englishmen
and 'budyeeree' (good), that we came from the sea coast, and that we were
travelling inland.
Bereewan seemed to be a man about thirty years old, differing in no respect
from his countrymen with whom we were acquainted. He came to us unarmed,
having left his spears at a little distance. After a long conversation
with his countrymen, and having received some provisions, he departed
highly satisfied.
Tuesday, April 12th, 1791. Started this morning at half past six o'clock,
and in two hours reached the river. The whole of the country we passed
was poor, and the soil within a mile of the river changed to a coarse
deep sand, which I have invariably found to compose its banks in every part
without exception that I ever saw. The stream at this place is about
350 feet wide; the water pure and excellent to the taste. The banks
are about twenty feet high and covered with trees, many of which had been
evidently bent by the force of the current in the direction which it runs,
and some of them contained rubbish and drift wood in their branches
at least forty-five feet above the level of the stream. We saw many ducks,
and killed one, which Colbee swam for. No new production among the shrubs
growing here was found. We were acquainted with them all. Our natives
had evidently never seen this river before. They stared at it with surprise,
and talked to each other. Their total ignorance of the country, and of
the direction in which they had walked, appeared when they were asked
which way Rose Hill lay; for they pointed almost oppositely to it.
Of our compass they had taken early notice, and had talked much to each other
about it. They comprehended its use, and called it 'naamoro,' literally,
"to see the way"; a more significant or expressive term cannot be found.
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