Among The Men (Seven In
Number) We Recognised Four Whom We Had Seen On The Last Expedition At
Mary's Rivulet; The Recognition Was Mutual, And They Seemed Highly
Pleased With It:
They accompanied us about eight miles farther to our
evening's encampment, where being gratified with some kangaroo, and
undergoing
The operation of shaving, (at their earnest request, after
seeing one of their number disencumbered of an immense beard) they left
us
at sunset to join their families, which were probably at no great
distance. About four miles above our encampment, on the immediate banks
of
the river, we discovered a large mass of saponaceous earth; I at first
took it to be a fine pipeclay, but on examination, it appears to possess
all the valuable qualities of fuller's earth; and a piece of woollen
cloth
being partially greased, and then rubbed over with the earth, the grease
was perfectly extracted and the cloth left entirely clean. Among this
earth, small white pieces of a hard marly substance were found, and
appeared either to be pure lime, or to contain a very considerable
portion of it. On one of the beaches a small shell was found, which was
unanimously adjudged to be a marine production; at least, we had never
before seen any fresh-water shell resembling it. The river fell during
the
last night and the course of this day very considerably, and is, I think,
below its proper level; there is however an ample sufficiency of water
for our boats:
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