The natives were still on the
opposite bank, and five of them came over to us in the course of the
morning; but remained a very short time. During the last night a few
fine shrimps were caught; the soldiers stationed at the depot said they
had frequently taken them in considerable numbers. During the day
arranged the loads for the boats and horses, that they might be enabled
to set off early the next morning.
April 27. - Loaded the boats with as much of the salt provisions as they
could safely carry, and despatched them to wait at the first creek about
seven or eight miles down the river until the loaded horses came, and
then to assist in taking their loads over the creek; intending myself to
follow with the remainder of the baggage early to-morrow morning.
The observations which were made here placed the depot in lat. 33. 40.
S.,
and in long. 148. 21. E., the variation of the needle being 7. 47. E.
The barometrical observations, which had been regularly taken from Sydney
to this place, did not give us an elevation of more than six hundred feet
above the level of the sea; a circumstance which, considering our
distance
from the west coast, surprised me much.
The few words of which we were enabled to obtain the meaning from the
natives who occasionally visited its, being different from those used by
the natives on the east coast, it way perhaps be interesting to insert
them.
AUSTRALIAN. ENGLISH.
Nh-air, The eyebrows.
Whada, The ears.
Ulan-gar,) The head.
Nat-tang,)
Anany, The beard.
Morro, The nose.
Er-ra, The teeth.
Mill-a, The eyes.
Narra, The fingers.
Bulla-yega, The hair of the head.
Chu-ang, The mouth.
0-ro, The neck.
Bargar, The arms.
Ben-ing, The breast.
Bur-bing, The belly.
Mille-aar, The loins.
Dha-na, The thighs.
Wolm-ga, The knees.
Dhee-nany, The feet.
Dhu-a, The back.
Mor-aya, Bones worn in the cartilage of the nose.
Mada, Skins, with which they are clothed.
Wamb-aur, Scars, raised for ornament, or distinction,
on their bodies.
Gum-iil, Girdles worn round the body.
Un-elenar, One night.
Gow, Woman.
Mar-o-gu-la, Another tribe.
Mem-aa, A native man.
Wam-aa, A kind of hornet's-nest, which they eat.
Warenur, Fire.
Curr-eli, Timber, or trees.
Galu-nur, Thistles, the roots of which they eat.
Gulura, The moon.
Yandu, Sleep.
Galen-gar,)
Ori-al, ) Stone hatchets.
Ta-wi-uth,)
The above were all the words the meaning of which we could clearly
comprehend: the words used by the natives on the coast to express the
same objects have not the remotest resemblance to the above.
April 28. - Fine clear mild weather. Proceeded with the remainder of the
baggage to join the boats down the river; arrived at Lewis's Creek,
which, although nearly dry when crossed by Mr. Evans in 1815, is now a
considerable stream.
