In
this valley we found several holes dug by the natives, for the purpose
of receiving water; in some a few quarts of muddy water were found,
others were quite dry. It rained almost incessantly during the whole of
this day, rendering our situation extremely unpleasant.
As if to add to our misfortunes, it was now first discovered that
three of the casks, which had all along been taken for flour casks, were
filled with pork; and upon a minute investigation it came out, that
when, on the 1st of May, the large boat had been reported to have filled
from the falling of the river without any other accident, that then, in
fact, three of the upper tier of casks had been washed out of her. It
was impossible, at this distance of time, to exactly ascertain how such
a serious loss could have happened and not have been discovered before,
for the boatmen persisted in declaring that their cargo was then all
safe; but, as so large a quantity could not possibly have been consumed
by the party clandestinely without certain discovery, it appeared quite
clear that the loss either happened on that day or on the 4th, when the
large boat sunk from having been stove. In counting our casks up to this
period, three, in every respect the same as the flour casks, with
similar marks, had been reckoned in their lieu by us all, whilst the
deficiency being then apparently in the pork was not suspected by any.
In this distressing dilemma nothing remained for us but to reduce our
ration of flour in such a proportion as would leave us twelve weeks of
that article, and as we had still plenty of pork, to issue an extra
pound of it weekly. Since leaving the depot we had been so extremely
guarded in the issue of provisions, to prevent the possibility of our
suffering from any longer protraction of our journey than was expected,
that never more than six pounds of flour had been issued to each person
weekly, which now, from this accident coming to light, was reduced to
four pounds: it was, in truth, extremely fortunate that we had thus kept
within the calculated ration, as otherwise our situation would have been
highly alarming.
Some of our party began even now to anticipate the resources of famine,
for a large native dog being killed, it was pronounced, like lord
Peter's loaf, in the Tale of a Tub, to be true, good, natural mutton as
any in Leadenhall-market, and eaten accordingly: for myself, I was not
yet brought to the conversion of Martin and Jack.
The natives had been in this valley very recently, and I conjectured
that they were then not far from us. In the afternoon, the rain still
continuing, I sent back the strongest of the horses to bring up the
provisions left behind. Towards eight o'clock the wind increased to a
storm, so that the rain was forced through our tent in every part, and
we were fairly washed out: this abated about ten o'clock, and the
weather partially cleared up. Upon the whole this was the most
uncomfortable day and night we had experienced since we quitted the
depot.
June 19. - Fresh winds from the north-west, with thick small rain. The
valley was now a complete bog, the hills closing on each side of it, and
its widest part not exceeding two hundred yards: the soil imbibes all
the water almost as fast as it falls. There was one comfort in all this
bad weather; we had plenty of water, and the horses tolerable grass.
Taking advantage of a fair interval, I explored to the north-north-west
about a mile, whence I had a tolerable view of the country between the
showers: it was broken into very remarkable hills between the north-west
by north and north-east; to the west it was more level, and having been
burnt, the young grass gave it a more cheering aspect than any we had
seen for some time. Bearings were taken to several remarkable hills for
the purpose of connecting the survey.
Two swans passed over the valley to the north-west, which we considered
as a sign that water lay in that direction.
June 20. - The weather broke up during the night, and the morning was
fair and pleasant. However desirable it was that the horses should
remain another day in this valley to recruit, yet, in the present
unsettled state of the season, I was unwilling to lose an hour more than
was absolutely necessary. We here left all the spare horse-shoes, broken
axes, etc. in order to lighten the burden of the horses. This little
valley received the name of Peach Valley, from our having here planted
the last of our fruit-stones.
At eight we proceeded to the north-north-west, our course taking us over
a broken barren country; the hills composed of rocks and small stones,
the valleys and flats of sand. To the westward of our route the country
was covered with scrubs of the eucalyptus dumosa; these scrubs we
avoided, by keeping close along the base of Peel's range, where the
country had been lately burnt. It is somewhat singular that those scrubs
and brushes seldom if ever extend to the immediate base of the hills:
the washings from them rendered the soil somewhat better for two or
three hundred yards. As to water, we did not see the least signs of any
during the whole day.
