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. The ranges of high, woody hills laid down by Captain
Flinders dwindle when approached into low unconnected forest hills. The
Northern Brother, the highest of the three, is a long hill of moderate
elevation, and is seen from such a distance in consequence of the other
parts of the country being comparatively low. The timber was chiefly
black butted gum [Note: Species of eucalyptus], stringy bark, turpentine
tree, and forest oak [Note: Casuarina torulosa]. The stones are chiefly
a hard sandstone. On the lake were great numbers of black swans,
ducks, etc. Various small inlets from the lake much impeded us,
and after travelling near seven miles along its shores, we halted for
the evening near a small spring of fresh water, in a good rising grass
country. The easternmost highest part of the North Brother was S. 4. W.
From the observed amplitude of the sun at rising this morning, the
variation was found to be 9. 33. E.
October 14. - We were considerably delayed in our progress this day by
salt water inlets, which occasioned us much trouble to cross, and at
length we were altogether stopped by a very wide and deep one, near the
west end of the lake: it was too late in the day to take any measures
for crossing it this evening; we therefore pitched our tents on the banks
near a swamp of fresh water which borders on it and the lake, from which
we were distant about one mile and a half. The inlet was brackish, and
must have a considerable body of fresh water near its head. In our route
we had disturbed a large party of natives, some of whom were busily
employed in preparing bark for a new canoe. There were several canoes on
the lake, in which they all fled in great confusion; leaving their arms
and utensils of every description behind them. One of the canoes was
sufficiently large to hold nine men, and resembled a boat; of course we
left their property untouched, though we afterwards regretted we did not
seize one of their canoes, which we might easily have done. We however
determined to send back in the morning for the unfinished canoe, and try
our skill in completing it for use. The ground passed over for the last
six miles was hilly and very stony, but covered with excellent timber of
all descriptions, and also good grass. There were plenty of kangaroos, but
we had but one dog able to run; so that we succeeded in killing only a
small one.
October 15. - A party was sent back early this morning to secure the
canoe, while we examined the river. The people returned in the course of
the forenoon unsuccessful, as the natives had removed it with all their
effects in the course of the night, throwing down and destroying their
guniahs or bark huts. We also found that about a mile higher up the
river, a branch from it joined that which we last crossed about two
miles back, making an island of the ground we were upon. The main
branch continued to run to the north-north-west, and north-west.
We therefore lost no time in returning part of the way to the entrance
into the haven, (which we named after Lord Camden), where we proposed
to construct a canoe. The natives seem very numerous, but are shy:
we saw many large canoes on the lake, one of which would be quite
sufficient for our purposes.
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