Nimbly
reached the top - the tree being without branches to a height of 40 feet.
About this time there appeared a small party of woodmen who had been sent
to cut cedar for Mr. Palmer. These men had intended returning to Sydney,
having run short of provisions, but seeing the Lady Nelson they joined
her.
On June 28 the Lady Nelson advanced up the river and moored in one of its
branches about 6 miles from the entrance, Mr. Barrallier surveying while
Colonel Paterson with Dr. Harris and Mr. Lewin (the artist who had joined
the Lady Nelson after the sailing of the Francis) went in the launch to
examine the river and inspect the country.
On the 7th the Commander himself in company with Mr. Barrallier set off
to join Paterson. They found the country level and swampy near the river,
but with delightful views in the distance. "The river took a serpentine
course, and for many miles appeared to be as broad as the Thames at
Kingston. From the marks on the trees it would seem that it is subject to
be greatly overflowed at times. The cedar (or rather the mahogany of New
Holland) appeared to have been immersed in water to the height of 50 or
60 feet. On our way up we landed at a small creek which we traced for a
considerable distance coming to a gradual ascent covered with the most
luxuriant grass. There was an extensive view from this height of a fine
champain country. I named the eminence Mount Egerton after a seat
belonging to the Duke of Bridgewater. In the evening we found by the
sound of the bugle that we had reached the Colonel's headquarters. We
answered the welcome signal and before it was quite dark we joined them.
"The Colonel had erected a comfortable hut. The cedar grew here in great
plenty, and Mr. Palmer's party sawed many fine planks from these trees.
Colonel Paterson, Dr. Harris, Mr. Barrallier and myself penetrated 30
miles farther up the river in the course of which we met with many rapids
which obliged us to get out and drag the boats up. We had hitherto seen
none of the natives, but discovered places where they had been by the
marks of their fires. We now descried some of them at a distance, who
fled on our approach. We came to a spot which they had just quitted and
observed the marks of children's feet. The ground was covered with
freshwater shells of the sort found in the rivers of England and Scotland
and called the horse mussel, having sometimes small pearls in them.
"We ascended two heights which commanded views of the country for several
miles on every side. To one, Colonel Paterson gave the name of Ann's
Mountain after Mrs. King, the other he called Elizabeth's Mountain, that
being the Christian name of Mrs. Paterson. We now found that we had got
behind the range of mountains extending along the coast to the south and
west. We likewise saw the coast of Port Stephens and the chain of hills
inland stretching in a direction towards the north-east. Between us and
the hills was a space perfectly level for many miles, and to appearance
swampy. The land on the south side of the river was interspersed with
lagoons on which we killed some ducks but found them very shy. The
country seemed not to be destitute of inhabitants, some of whom we
descried at a distance. The river here meandered so greatly that to have
pursued its course the boats must have been pulled a whole day to have
gained a direct distance of four or five miles from our present station.
"The time limited for our departure for Sydney approaching very fast and
the survey still to be made not being less than 70 miles up the river, it
was judged prudent not to proceed any further. Passing the night upon the
banks of the river we descended it the next day to our former rendezvous,
Schanck Forest, Pasture Plains, where preparations were made for a
general embarkation.
"The next morning I left Colonel Paterson in company of Mr. Barrallier,
who then proceeded on the survey of the river. On our passage down it, we
saw several natives with their canoes...In many of them we saw fires, and
in some of them observed that kind of eatable to which they give the name
of cabra.* (* Teredo.) It appears to be abominably filthy; however, when
dressed, it is not disagreeable to the taste. The cabra is a species of
worm which breeds in the wood that happens to be immersed in water, and
are found in such parts of the river wherein trees have fallen. They grow
to a great size and soon reduce timber to the appearance of a honeycomb.
They are of a glutinous substance, and after being put on the fire harden
to the consistence of the spinal marrow of animals. When fire is not at
hand, the natives eat them raw; some of them being found at a fire near
one of the canoes, I tasted them on the recommendation of one of my men
and found them not unpalatable...
"We saw several natives at a small distance; one of them looked earnestly
at us and seemed to be waiting our approach. One of my men called to him
in his own language to stop, but at length he got behind a tree whence he
presented only his head and shoulders, brandishing a fish-gig in his
hand.
