The sharks were larger and more numerous
than I ever before observed in any place.
We caught one very large
one, which we offered to the natives, but they would not touch it.
making signs that it would make them ill: our people however found no
bad effects from eating it.
The forest hills and other rising grounds in the neighbourhood are
covered with large kangaroos; and the marshes, which in some places
border on the port, afford shelter and support to innumerable wild fowl.
Independent of Hastings River, the whole country is generally
well-watered, and there is a fine spring at the very entrance into the
port.
I named this inlet, Port Macquarie, in honour of His Excellency the
Governor, the original promoter of these expeditions.
October 12. - We quitted Port Macquarie at an early hour on our course
homewards, with all those feelings which that word even in the wilds of
Australia can inspire. We kept at a distance from the sea shore for
nearly six miles; the country was exceedingly rich, the timber large
with frequent brushes. Just before we came on the beach, we observed an
extensive freshwater lagoon, running for several miles behind the beach,
bounded on the west by forest land of good appearance; a strip of sandy
land about three quarters of a mile wide dividing it from the sea. At the
back of Tacking Point rises a small stream of fresh water, which flows
into the lagoon. The country is of moderate height. After travelling near
fifteen miles, we stopped at the extremity of a sandy beach on a point
of good land, with an excellent spring of water rising on it, about four
miles north of the northernmost of the Three Brothers. Tacking Point,
bearing N. 25 1/4 E. Two of our remaining three dogs, had been for the
last two days deprived of the use of their limbs: one died this morning;
the other, we brought on horseback with us, willing, if possible,
to save the life of a valuable and faithful servant. We conjecture
that something they had eaten in the woods must have caused so universal
a paralysis.
October 13. - Crossing the point of land on which we had been encamped, we
came to a sandy beach, on which we travelled three miles and a half. At
the end of it was an opening safe for boats, (and probably for small
craft at high water), into an extensive lake. As we had no canoe by which
to cross over, we were obliged to keep along its north shore with an
intention of going round it. The lake formed a large basin with a deep
channel, which as it approached the base of the northern Brother narrowed
into a river-like form, and in the course of a mile it again expanded
from the north-north-west to the south-west, to a very great extent. The
land on its eastern side was low and marshy (fresh water). To the north
and north-west, it was bounded by low forest hills covered with luxuriant
grass; and to the southward and south-west extended along apparently the
same description of country, nearly to the western base of the
Second Brother.
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