This morning we removed
all the earth from the tomb and grave, and found the body deposited
about four feet deep in an oval grave, four feet long and from eighteen
inches to two feet wide. The feet were bent quite up to the head, the
arms having been placed between the thighs. The face was downwards, the
body being placed east and west, the head to the east [Note: "Nay,
Cadwal, we must lay his head to the east; my father has a reason for
it." - CYMBELINE.].
It had been very carefully wrapped in a great number of oppossum skins,
the head bound round with the net usually worn by the natives, and also
the girdle: it appeared after being enclosed in those skins to have been
placed in a larger net, and then deposited in the manner before
mentioned. The bones and head showed that they were the remains of a
powerful tall man. The hair on the head was perfect, being long and
black; the under part of the body was not totally decayed, giving us
reason to think that he could not have been interred above six or eight
months. Judging from his hair and teeth, he might have been between
thirty and forty years of age: to the west and north of the grave were
two cypress-trees distant between fifty and sixty feet; the sides
towards the tomb were barked, and curious characters deeply cut upon
them, in a manner which, considering the tools they possess, must have
been a work of great labour and time. Having satisfied our curiosity,
the whole was carefully re-interred, and restored as near as possible to
the station in which it was found. The river fell in the course of the
day near two feet.
July 31. - Again employed in the construction of our raft, which I hope
will be completed sufficiently early to-morrow to allow us time to get
every thing over, and encamp on the other side. The river fell about two
feet in the course of the day, and still continues to fall rapidly. The
dogs were very successful, killing three emus and a small kangaroo.
August 1. - Still employed on the raft, which will be ready for use about
one o'clock. The river fell a foot during the night, but the trees that
would have been useful to us are still under water. The mean of the
different observations made here gave the following results.
Mean lat. 33 deg. 04 min. 02 sec. S.
Comp. long. 146 31 50 E.
Variation 7 23 00 E.
The series of triangles by which the longitude from our situation on the
17th of May has been computed, corresponds precisely with the bearings
taken from this station to the principal objects forming their bases,
and whose relative situation on the chart had been fixed on the 17th of
May; it was extremely satisfactory to find in so extensive a survey that
the angles should thus so completely verify our situation.
Our raft was finished and launched by one o'clock; its capability of
carrying any burden we had to put upon it fully answered our
expectations; but here its utility ended, the violence of the current
caused by the high flood or the stream rendered all our labour abortive,
as no exertions we were capable of making could enable us to get it
across the stream. We had stretched a line across the river by which to
tow it over, but the men were not able to withstand the force of the
current acting on the body of the raft; they let go their line and were
carried about three quarters of a mile down, when they were brought up
by some trees and got safe on shore, making the raft fast. The flood had
been slowly subsiding all day, giving us hopes that we should still be
enabled to fell some trees for a bridge, which was now our only
resource, as it was considered most advisable to use our utmost efforts
to cross here rather than go farther up the stream.
August 2. - Cloudy weather with heavy rain during the night, which still
continues. We commenced felling some trees, which we were in hopes would
answer our purpose, our anxiety to cross being very great; as it is
probable, from the long continued fine weather we have experienced until
lately, that the rainy season in this part of the country may shortly
set in, which would extremely embarrass and distress us.
We were again disappointed in our hopes of crossing by means of trees,
as the flood which still continued swept them away as soon as felled. I
sent Byrne up the stream to endeavour to find a better Place; but he
returned in the afternoon without any success: he reported that about
three or four miles above the tent a branch joined the stream, that he
had travelled up it six or seven miles, but not far enough to say where
it quitted the main stream; the low plains were several inches under
water from the present rain; and the ground that appeared the driest was
the worst to travel on, being a wet, loose, sandy bog. As the flood
continued rapidly to subside, we resolved upon again trying the raft
to-morrow morning; all hands were accordingly sent to tow her up, which
was accomplished by night.
August 3. - A bleak cold morning, with continued small rain. At day-light
we set to work with our raft: and after many trials had the
satisfaction to find that we should succeed in getting over our baggage.
Whilst Mr. Evans superintended this work, I rode up the river with Byrne
to see the branch: I found it but an inconsiderable one, being merely a
lagoon, except in times of flood like the present, when it appears
nearly as large as the parent stream; it forms an island ten or twelve
miles long, and from two to four broad.
