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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Without A Confiding Trust In The Means Adopted For
His Transport, A Catastrophe Is Not An Unlikely Result.
The writer
has known instances of persons crossing broad rivers supported by a
spear held between two blacks, by
Holding on to a bullock's tail, and
even sitting on a horse's back, but in every case the success of the
attempt depends almost entirely on the coolness of the individual,
and even with this essential, he has known some fatal cases, so that
Cowderoy might congratulate himself on his safe transit. The packs,
etc., which formed the last cargo, were recovered after some time,
the distance from the shore being slight, and Cowderoy soon recovered
his accustomed good humor. By four o'clock everything had been
crossed in safety, save the four beasts before mentioned; but on
camping for the night it was found that the guides had decamped,
their unwonted high feeding, having, no doubt, induced an
indisposition to work, a result not confined to blacks alone.
'March' 10. - This morning the "Cowal," or watercourse, which had
detained the Brothers on their first trip, had to be swum over, and
here poor Ginger, one of the horses, got hopelessly bogged, and
though got out and put on his legs with saplings, was too exhausted
to go on,and had to be abandoned. The distance accomplished was 11
miles.
'March' 11. - The line marked by Mr. Jardine was followed to-day. A
scrub occurred on a creek called Wommerah Creek, through which it
took two hours to drive the cattle. Only 10 miles were made, and the
camp was pitched at about 4 miles from the mouth of the creek where
the corroboree was held. Three horses were knocked up during the
day, which prevented their gotting as far as intended.
'March' 12. - On counting the cattle it was found that 30 head had
been dropped in coming through the scrub at Wommerah Creek. Two of
the black-boys were sent after them, and the Brothers went out to
find a crossing-place over Ranura Creek, (their last camp in
Somerset.) Here they met the same tribe, (known as Wognie's,) and
bartered "bacca" and "bissika," against "moro wappi," or fish, with
which the camp was plentifully supplied in the evening. The cattle
were recovered all but five. The country is described as being
composed of ridges of white and red sand, intersected by swamps of
tea-tree, pandanus, and banksia, the crest of the ridges being
generally surmounted by a patch of scrub. The timber, bloodwood,
mahogany, stringy-bark, and nonda.
'March' 13. - A late start was made to-day, for some of the horses
were away. The camp was formed on the banks of the lake
before-mentioned, 8 miles from Somerset, Chappagynyah, which is
described as teeming with crocodiles. tThe next day the party
reached their final resting place, probably not without some
exhiliration in feeling that their journey was over. They were met
at Baronto, by Mr. Jardine, who had ridden out from Somerset for the
purpose.
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