Narrative Of The Overland Expedition Of The Messrs. Jardine, From Rockhampton To Cape York, Northern Queensland By Frank Jardine And Alexander Jardine
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'January' 11. - It is at this point that the heaviest troubles and
hardships of the party appear to have commenced, ,troubles that might
well appal hearts less stout than those of the Leader and his
brother, and hardships bearing heavily on each member of the party,
but doubly so on them who had to explore, mark, and clear the way for
the cattle, in addition to the ordinary labor of the journey. After
having travelled with the greatest difficulty for two miles over
execrable country, so boggy as to be barely possible to traverse,
their progress was stopped by a creek 25 yards wide, flooded "bank
and bank," and running like a mill sluice. This was the river
Batavia. The usual formidable fringe of vine scrub covered the
margin and approaches and had to be cut through before the cattle
could cross. This was done by the Brothers by the time they came up,
and in addition a large melaleuca which leant over the stream, was
felled across it, by means of which (by tying a rope above it, as a
leading line), they were enabled to carry over the packs, saddles,
stores, etc., on their heads. The cattle accustomed to swimming,
took the water in splendid style, one however getting entangled and
drowned. With the horses they were not so fortunate, for though a
head stall was put on each with a rope attached to the bit, to haul
them across, the rapidity of the current swept away two of them into
a tangle of vines in the middle of the stream, under which they were
carried and drowned, despite the exertions of four or five of the
party to pull them across by the rope.
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