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Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia: From Moreton Bay
to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during
the years 1844-1845
Leichhardt, Ludwig (1813-1848)
"Die Gotter brauchen manchen guten Mann
Zu ihrem Dienst auf dieser weiten Erde"
GOETHE, Iph. auf Tauris.
To
WILLIAM ALLEYNE NICHOLSON, ESQ., M.D. of Bristol;
To
ROBERT LYND, ESQ. OF SYDNEY
And to
THE GENEROUS PEOPLE OF NEW SOUTH WALES
This work is respectfully and gratefully dedicated,
By
The Author
PREFACE
In preparing this volume for the press, I have been under the greatest
obligations to Captain P. P. King, R. N., an officer whose researches
have added so much to the geography of Australia. This gentleman has not
only corrected my manuscript, but has added notes, the value of which
will be appreciated by all who consider the opportunities he has had of
obtaining the most correct information upon these subjects, during his
surveys of the coasts parallel to my track.
To S. A. Perry, Esq., Deputy Surveyor General, I am extremely indebted
for the assiduous labour he has bestowed in draughting my map. I shall
ever remember the friendly interest he expressed, and the courteous
attention with which he listened to the details of my journey.
From the Rev. W. B. Clarke, in addition to the unvaried kindness he has
evinced towards me since my arrival in Australia, I have received every
assistance which his high scientific acquirements enabled him to give.
I take this opportunity of publicly expressing my most sincere thanks to
these gentlemen, for the generous assistance they have afforded me on
this occasion, and for the warm interest which they have been kind enough
to take in the success of my approaching enterprise.
LUDWIG LEICHIJARDT.
SYDNEY,
September 29th, 1846.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I LEAVE THE LAST STATION--FOSSIL REMAINS--DARLING DOWNS--ENTER
THE WILDERNESS--WATERLOO PLAINS--THE CONDAMINE--HEAVY
RAINS--CHARLEY'S MISCONDUCT--MURPHY AND CALEB LOST--KENT'S
LAGOON--COAL--MURPHY AND CALEB FOUND AGAIN.
CHAPTER II PARTY REDUCED BY THE RETURN OF MR. HODGSON AND CALEB--MEET
FRIENDLY NATIVES--NATIVE TOMB--THE DAWSON--VERVAIN
PLAINS--GILBERT'S RANGE--LYND'S RANGE--ROBINSON'S
CREEK--MURPHY'S LAKE--MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRY--EXPEDITION
RANGE--MOUNT NICHOLSON--ALDIS'S PEAK--THE BOYD.
CHAPTER III RUINED CASTLE CREEK--ZAMIA CREEK--BIGGE'S MOUNTAIN--ALLOWANCE
OF FLOUR REDUCED--NATIVES SPEAR A HORSE--CHRISTMAS
RANGES--BROWN'S LAGOONS--THUNDER-STORMS--ALBINIA DOWNS--COMET
CREEK--NATIVE CAMP.
CHAPTER IV SWARMS OF COCKATOOS--ALLOWANCE OF FLOUR FURTHER
REDUCED--NATIVE FAMILY--THE MACKENZIE--COAL--NATIVES SPEAKING
A DIFFERENT IDIOM--MOUNT STEWART--BROWN AND MYSELF MISS THE
WAY BACK TO THE CAMP--FIND OUR PARTY AGAIN, ON THE FOURTH
DAY--NEUMAN'S CREEK--ROPER'S PEAK--CALVERT'S PEAK--GILBERT'S
DOME--GREAT WANT OF WATER.
CHAPTER V DIFFERENCE OF SOIL AS TO MOISTURE--PHILLIPS'S
MOUNTAIN--ALLOWANCE OF FLOUR REDUCED AGAIN--HUGHS'S
CREEK--TOMBSTONE CREEK--CHARLEY AND BROWN BECOME UNRULY--THE
ISAACS--NATIVE WOMEN--COXEN'S PEAK AND RANGE--GEOLOGICAL
CHARACTER--CHARLEY REBELS AGAIN AND LEAVES--BROWN FOLLOWS
HIM--BOTH RETURN PENITENT--VARIATIONS OF THE WEATHER--SKULL
OF NATIVE--FRIENDLY NATIVES VISIT THE CAMP.
CHAPTER VI HEADS OF THE ISAACS--THE SUTTOR--FLINT-ROCK--INDICATIONS OF
WATER--DINNER OF THE NATIVES APPROPRIATED BY US--EASTER
SUNDAY--ALARM OF AN OLD WOMAN--NATIVES SPEAKING A LANGUAGE
ENTIRELY UNKNOWN TO CHARLEY AND BROWN--A BARTER WITH
THEM--MOUNT M'CONNEL.
CHAPTER VII THE BURDEKIN--TRANSITION FROM THE DEPOSITORY TO THE PRIMITIVE
ROCKS--THACKER'S RANGE--WILD FIGS--GEOLOGICAL REMARKS--THE
CLARKE--THE PERRY.
CHAPTER VIII BROWN AND CHARLEY QUARREL--NIGHT WATCH--ROUTINE OF OUR DAILY
LIFE, AND HABITS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PARTY--MOUNT
LANG--STREAMS OF LAVA--A HORSE BREAKS HIS LEG, IS KILLED AND
EATEN--NATIVE TRIBE--MR. ROPER'S ACCIDENT--WHITSUNDAY--BIG
ANT HILL CREEK--DEPRIVED OF WATER FOR FIFTY HOURS--FRIENDLY
NATIVES--SEPARATION CREEK--THE LYND--PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS
OF A SOJOURN IN THE WILDERNESS--NATIVE CAMP--SALT EXHAUSTED.
CHAPTER IX THE STARRY HEAVENS--SUBSTITUTE FOR COFFEE--SAWFISH--
TWO-STORIED GUNYAS OF THE NATIVES--THE MITCHELL--MURPHY'S
PONY POISONED--GREEN TREE-ANT--NEW BEVERAGE--CROCODILE--
AUDACITY OF KITES--NATIVES NOT FRIENDLY--THE CAMP ATTACKED
AT NIGHT BY THEM--MESSRS. ROPER AND CALVERT WOUNDED,
AND MR. GILBERT KILLED.
CHAPTER X INDICATIONS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE SEA--NATIVES MUCH
MORE NUMEROUS--THE SEA; THE GULF OF CARPENTARIA--THE
STAATEN--A NATIVE INTRUDES INTO THE CAMP--THE VAN DIEMEN--THE
GILBERT--SINGULAR NATIVE HUTS--CARON RIVER--FRIENDLY
NATIVES--THE YAPPAR--MR. CALVERT RECOVERED--MODE OF
ENCAMPMENT--SWARMS OF FLIES--ABUNDANCE OF SALT--NATIVES
FRIENDLY, AND MORE INTELLIGENT.
CHAPTER XI SYSTEMATIC GRASS BURNINGS OF THE NATIVES--NATIVE
CARVING--AUDACITY OF THE NATIVES OVERAWED--THE ALBERT, OR
MAET SUYKER--NATIVE MODE OF MAKING SURE OF A DEAD EMU--
BULLOCK BOGGED; OBLIGED TO KILL IT--NATIVE DEVICE FOR TAKING
EMUS--BEAMES'S BROOK--THE NICHOLSON--RECONNOITRE BY
NIGHT--SMITH'S CREEK--THE MARLOW.
CHAPTER XII HEAPS OF OYSTER-SHELLS--FALSE ALARM OF A NATIVE IN THE
CAMP--TURNER'S CREEK--WENTWORTH'S CREEK--JOURNALS LOST; FOUND
AGAIN--THE VAN ALPHEN--IMPORTANCE OF TEA--CHOICE OF BULLOCKS
FOR AN EXPEDITION--CHOICE OF A DOG--THE CALVERT--THE ABEL
TASMAN--GLUCKING BIRD AGAIN--DISCOVER A MODE OF USING THE
FRUIT OF THE PANDANUS--SEVEN EMU RIVER--CROCODILE--THE
ROBINSON--SHOAL OF PORPOISES--NATIVE METHOD OF PREPARING THE
FRUIT OF THE PANDANUS AND CYCAS FOR FOOD--MR. ROPER
CONVALESCENT--WEAR AND TEAR OF CLOTHES--SUCCEED IN DRESSING
THE SEEDS OF STERCULIA--THE MACARTHUR--FRIENDLY PARLEY WITH
CIRCUMCISED NATIVES--STORE OF TEA EXHAUSTED--MEDICAL PROPERTY
OF THE GREVILLEA DISCOVERED.
CHAPTER XIII CAPE MARIA--OBLIGED TO LEAVE A PORTION OF OUR COLLECTION OF
NATURAL HISTORY--LIMMEN BIGHT RIVER--HABITS OF WATER
BIRDS--NATIVE FISH TRAP--THE FOUR ARCHERS--THE WICKHAM--THE
DOG DIES--IMMENSE NUMBER OF DUCKS AND GEESE--THE ROPER--THREE
HORSES DROWNED--OBLIGED TO LEAVE A PORTION OF MY BOTANICAL
COLLECTION--MORE INTERCOURSE WITH FRIENLDY NATIVES,
CIRCUMCISED--HODGSON'S CREEK--THE WILTON--ANOTHER HORSE
DROWNED--ANXIETY ABOUT OUR CATTLE--AN ATTACK ON THE CAMP
FRUSTRATED--BOILS--BASALT AGAIN--INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF THE
SEEDS OF AN ACACIA.
CHAPTER XIV INTERVIEW WITH A NATIVE--DISTRESSING HEAT--A HORSE STAKED: IT
DIES--MYRIADS OF FLYING-FOXES--MAGNIFICENT VALLEY--FRIENDLY
NATIVES--SHOT EXHAUSTED--INSTINCT OF BULLOCKS--SOUTH
ALLIGATOR RIVER--FRIENDLY NATIVES WITH AN ENGLISH
HANDKERCHIEF, AND ACQUAINTED WITH FIRE-ARMS--THEIR
LANGUAGE--MIRAGE.
CHAPTER XV JOY AT MEETING NATIVES SPEAKING SOME ENGLISH--THEY ARE VERY
FRIENDLY--ALLAMURR--DISCERNMENT OF NATIVE SINCERITY--EAST
ALLIGATOR RIVER--CLOUDS OF DUST MISTAKEN FOR SMOKE--
IMPATIENCE TO REACH THE END OF THE JOURNEY--NATIVES STILL
MORE INTELLIGENT--NYUALL--BUFFALOES; SOURCE FROM WHICH THEY
SPRUNG--NATIVE GUIDES ENGAGED; BUT THEY DESERT US--MOUNT
MORRIS BAY--RAFFLES BAY--LEAVE THE PACKHORSE AND BULLOCK
BEHIND--BILL WHITE--ARRIVE AT PORT ESSINGTON--VOYAGE
TO SYDNEY.
APPENDIX
LETTER FROM THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO DR. LEICHHARDT
THE LEICHHARDT TESTIMONIAL
* * * * *
LIST OF PLATES (Not included in this etext)
Lagoon near South Alligator River
Portraits of "Charley" and "Harry Brown"
Mount Nicholson, Expedition Range, &c.
Peak Range
Red Mountain
Fletcher's Awl, &c.
Campbell's Peak
Mount M'Connel.
Ranges seen from a granitic hill between second and third camp
at the Burdekin
Robey's Range
Grasshopper
View near South Alligator River
Victoria Square, Port Essington
INTRODUCTION
ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--PARTY FORMED--LEAVE SYDNEY FOR BRISBANE--PARTY
ENLARGED--OUTFIT AND STORES.
On my return to Moreton Bay, from an exploratory journey in the country
northward of that district, which had occupied me for two years, I found
that the subject of an overland expedition to Port Essington on the North
Coast of Australia, was occupying much attention, as well on the part of
the public as on that of the Legislative Council, which had earnestly
recommended the appropriation of a sum of money to the amount of 1000
pounds, for the equipment of an expedition under Sir Thomas Mitchell, to
accomplish this highly interesting object. Some delay was, however,
caused by the necessity of communicating with the Secretary of State for
the Colonies; and in the mean time it was understood that Captain Sturt
was preparing to start from Adelaide to proceed across the Continent.
From the experience which I had gained during my two years' journeyings,
both in surmounting the difficulties of travelling through a broken
mountainous country, and in enduring privations of every sort, "I was
inspired with the desire of attempting it," provided I could be assisted
in the expense that would necessarily be incurred for the outfit, and
could find a few companions who would be contented with animal food, and
willingly and patiently submit to the privation of flour, tea, and sugar,
and resign themselves to my guidance.
I had well considered this interesting subject in all its bearings, and
had discussed it with many of my acquaintances at Brisbane and its
neighbouring district; who were generally of opinion that it was
practicable, under the plan I had marked out: but with others,
particularly at Sydney, I had to contend against a strong but kindly
meant opposition to my journey. Some, who took more than a common
interest in my pursuits, regretted that I should leave so promising a
field of research as that which offered itself within the limits of New
South Wales, and in which they considered I had laboured with some
success during the last two years. Others considered the undertaking
exceedingly dangerous, and even the conception of it madness on my part;
and the consequence of a blind enthusiasm, nourished either by a deep
devotion to science, or by an unreasonable craving for fame: whilst
others did not feel themselves justified in assisting a man who they
considered was setting out with an intention of committing suicide. I was
not, however, blind as to the difficulties of the journey which I was
determined to undertake; on the contrary, and I hope my readers will
believe me to be sincere, I thought they would be many and great--greater
indeed than they eventually proved to be; but, during my recent
excursions through the Squatting districts, I had so accustomed myself to
a comparatively wild life, and had so closely observed the habits of the
aborigines, that I felt assured that the only real difficulties which I
could meet with would be of a local character. And I was satisfied that,
by cautiously proceeding, and always reconnoitring in advance or on
either side of our course, I should be able to conduct my party through a
grassy and well watered route; and, if I were so fortunate as to effect
this, I felt assured that the journey, once commenced, would be finished
only by our arrival at Port Essington. Buoyed up by this feeling, and by
confidence in myself, I prevailed against the solicitations and arguments
of my friends, and commenced my preparations, which, so far as my own
slender means and the contributions of kind friends allowed, were rather
hurriedly completed by the 13th August, 1844.
As our movements were to be comparatively in light marching order, our
preparations were confined more to such provisions and stores as were
actually necessary, than to anything else. But I had frequently reason to
regret that I was not better furnished with instruments, particularly
Barometers, or a boiling water apparatus, to ascertain the elevation of
the country and ranges we had to travel over. The only instruments which
I carried, were a Sextant and Artificial Horizon, a Chronometer, a hand
Kater's Compass, a small Thermometer, and Arrowsmith's Map of the
Continent of New Holland.
In arranging the plan of my journey I had limited my party to six
individuals; and although many young men volunteered their services, I
was obliged to decline their offers, and confine myself to the stated
number, as it was intimately connected with the principles and the means
on which I started.
On leaving Sydney, my companions consisted of Mr. James Calvert; Mr. John
Roper; John Murphy, a lad of about 16 years old: of William Phillips, a
prisoner of the Crown; and of "Harry Brown," an aboriginal of the
Newcastle tribe: making with myself six individuals.
We left Sydney, on the night of the 13th August, for Moreton Bay, in the
steamer "Sovereign," Captain Cape; and I have much pleasure in recording
and thankfully acknowledging the liberality and disinterested kindness of
the Hunter's River Steam Navigation Company, in allowing me a free
passage for my party with our luggage and thirteen horses. The passage
was unusually long, and, instead of arriving at Brisbane in three days,
we were at sea a week, so that my horses suffered much for food and
water, and became discouragingly poor. On arriving at Brisbane, we were
received with the greatest kindness by my friends the "Squatters," a
class principally composed of young men of good education, gentlemanly
habits, and high principles, and whose unbounded hospitality and friendly
assistance I had previously experienced during my former travels through
the district. These gentlemen and the inhabitants of Brisbane overloaded
me with kind contributions, much of which, however, to avoid any
unnecessary increase to my luggage, I found myself compelled to decline
or leave behind; so that I had to forego the advantage of many useful and
desirable articles, from their being too cumbersome for my limited means
of carriage, and therefore interfering with the arrangements for my
undertaking.
My means, however, had since my arrival been so much increased, that I
was after much reluctance prevailed upon to make one change,--to increase
my party; and the following persons were added to the expedition:--Mr.
Pemberton Hodgson, a resident of the district; Mr. Gilbert; Caleb, an
American negro; and "Charley," an aboriginal native of the Bathurst
tribe. Mr. Hodgson was so desirous of accompanying me that, in
consideration of former obligations, I could not refuse him, and, as he
was fond of Botanical pursuits, I thought he might be useful. Of Mr.
Gilbert I knew nothing; he was in the service of Mr. Gould, the talented
Zoologist who has added so much to our knowledge of the Fauna of
Australia, and expressed himself so anxious for an opportunity of making
important observations as to the limits of the habitat of the Eastern
Coast Birds, and also where those of the North Coast commence; as well as
of discovering forms new to Science during the progress of the journey,
that, from a desire to render all the service in my power to Natural
History, I found myself obliged to yield to his solicitations, although
for some time I was opposed to his wish. These gentlemen equipped
themselves, and added four horses and two bullocks to those already
provided.
Perhaps, of all the difficulties I afterwards encountered, none were of
so much real annoyance as those we experienced at first starting from
Brisbane. Much rain had fallen, which filled the creeks and set them
running, and made the road so boggy and soft as to render them almost
impassable. It took us the whole day to transport our party, cattle, and
provisions over the river, and the operation was not concluded before
sunset; but, as it was a fine moonlight night, I determined to start,
however short my first stage might be. Fortunately, my friends had lent
me a bullock dray to convey a portion of our stores as far as Darling
Downs; but, having purchased a light spring cart, it was also loaded;
and, flattering myself that we should proceed comfortably and rapidly, I
gave orders to march. After much continued difficulty in urging and
assisting our horses to drag the cart through the boggy road, we arrived,
at about one o'clock in the morning, at Cowper's Plains, about ten miles
from Brisbane.
I now found my cart an impediment to our movements; but, as it had been
an expensive article, I did not despair of its becoming more useful after
passing the boggy country. A few days afterwards, however, an accident
settled the question; the horses ran away with it, and thereby the shaft
was broken, and the spring injured, so that I was compelled to leave it;
which I then did most cheerfully, as it is always easier to man to yield
to necessity, than to adopt an apparently inconvenient measure by his own
free will. The load was removed to pack-horses, and we proceeded with
comparative ease to Mr. Campbell's station, enjoying the hospitality of
the settlers as we passed on, and carrying with us their best wishes.
I was fortunate in exchanging my broken cart for three good travelling
bullocks, and afterwards purchased five draft-bullocks, which we
commenced to break in for the pack-saddle; for I had by this time
satisfied myself that we could not depend upon the horses for carrying
our load. Neither my companions nor myself knew much about bullocks, and
it was a long time before we were reconciled to the dangerous vicinity of
their horns. By means, however, of iron nose-rings with ropes attached,
we obtained a tolerable command over their movements; and, at last, by
dint of habit, soon became familiar with, and even got attached to, our
blunt and often refractory COMPAGNONS DE VOYAGE.
By a present from Messieurs Campbell and Stephens of four young steers
and one old bullock, and of a fat bullock from Mr. Isaacs, our stock of
cattle consisted now of 16 head: of horses we had 17: and our party
consisted of ten individuals. Of provisions--we had 1200 lbs. of flour:
200 lbs. of sugar: 80 lbs. of tea: 20 lbs. of gelatine: and other
articles of less consideration, but adding much to our comfort during the
first few weeks of our journey. Of ammunition--we had about 30 pounds of
powder, and 8 bags of shot of different sizes, chiefly of No. 4 and No.
6. Every one, at my desire, had provided himself with two pair of strong
trowsers, three strong shirts, and two pair of shoes; and I may further
remark that some of us were provided with Ponchos, made of light strong
calico, saturated with oil, which proved very useful to us by keeping out
the wet, and made us independent of the weather; so that we were well
provided for seven months, which I was sanguine enough to think would be
a sufficient time for our journey. The result proved that our
calculations, as to the provisions, were very nearly correct; for even
our flour, much of which was destroyed by accident, lasted to the end of
May, the eighth month of our journey; but, as to the time it occupied, we
were very much deceived.
Our riding-saddles and pack-saddles were made of good materials, but they
were not fitted to the horses' backs, which caused a constant
inconvenience, and which would not have happened, had my means allowed me
to go to a greater expense. So long as we had spare horses, to allow
those with sore backs to recover, we did not suffer by it: but when we
were compelled to ride the same horses without intermission, it exposed
us to great misery and even danger, as well as the risk of losing our
provisions and stores. Our pack-saddles had consequently to be altered to
the dimensions of the bullocks; and, having to use the new ones for
breaking in, they were much injured, even before we left Mr. Campbell's
to commence our journey. The statements of what a bullock was able to
carry were very contradictory; but in putting 250 lbs. upon them the
animals were overloaded; and my experience has since shown me that they
cannot, continually day after day, carry more than 150 lbs. for any
distance. The difficulties which we met with for the first three weeks,
were indeed very trying:--the loading of bullocks and horses took
generally two hours; and the slightest accident, or the cargo getting
loose during the day's journey, frequently caused the bullocks to upset
their loads and break the straps, and gave us great trouble even in
catching them again:--at night, too, if we gave them the slightest
chance, they would invariably stray back to the previous camp; and we had
frequently to wait until noon before Charley and Brown, who generally
performed the office of herdsman in turns, recovered the ramblers. The
consequences were that we could proceed only very slowly, and that, for
several months, we had to keep a careful watch upon them throughout the
night. The horses, with some few exceptions, caused us less trouble at
the commencement of our journey than afterwards, when our hobbles were
worn out and lost, and, with the exception of one or two which in turns
were tethered in the neighbourhood of the camp in order to prevent the
others from straying, they were necessarily allowed to feed at large. It
may readily be imagined that my anxiety to secure our horses was very
great, because the loss of them would have put an immediate stop to my
undertaking.--But I hasten to enter on the narrative of our journey.
CHAPTER I
LEAVE THE LAST STATION--FOSSIL REMAINS--DARLING DOWNS--ENTER THE
WILDERNESS--WATERLOO PLAINS--THE CONDAMINE--HEAVY RAINS--CHARLEY'S
MISCONDUCT--MURPHY AND CALEB LOST--KENT'S LAGOON--COAL--MURPHY AND CALEB
FOUND AGAIN.
It was at the end of September, 1844, when we completed the necessary
preparations for our journey, and left the station of Messrs. Campbell
and Stephens, moving slowly towards the farthest point on which the white
man has established himself. We passed the stations of Messrs. Hughs and
Isaacs and of Mr. Coxen, and arrived on the 30th September, at Jimba,
[It is almost always written Fimba, in the Journal; but I have corrected
it to Jimba.--(ED.)] where we were to bid farewell to civilization.
These stations are established on creeks which come down from the western
slopes of the Coast Range--here extending in a north and south
direction--and meander through plains of more or less extent to join the
Condamine River; which--also rising in the Coast Range, where the latter
expands into the table-land of New England--sweeps round to the
northward, and, flowing parallel to the Coast Range, receives the whole
drainage from the country to the westward of the range. The Condamine
forms, for a great distance, the separation of the sandstone country to
the westward, from the rich basaltic plains to the eastward. These
plains, so famous for the richness of their pasture, and for the
excellency of the sheep and cattle depastured upon them, have become
equally remarkable as the depositaries of the remains of extinct species
of animals, several of which must have been of a gigantic size, being the
Marsupial representatives of the Pachydermal order of other continents.
Mr. Isaacs' station is particularly rich in these fossil remains; and
they have been likewise found in the beds and banks of Mr. Hodgson's and
of Mr. Campbell's Creeks, and also of Oaky Creek. At Isaacs' Creek, they
occur together with recent freshwater shells of species still living in
the neighbouring ponds, and with marly and calcareous concretions; which
induces me to suppose that these plains were covered with large sheets of
water, fed probably by calcareous springs connected with the basaltic
range, and that huge animals, fond of water, were living, either on the
rich herbage surrounding these ponds or lakes, or browsing upon the
leaves and branches of trees forming thick brushes on the slopes of the
neighbouring hills. The rise of the country, which is very generally
supposed to have taken place, was probably the cause of the disappearance
of the water, and of the animals becoming extinct, when its necessary
supply ceased to exist. Similar remains have been found in Wellington
Valley, and in the Port Phillip District, where, probably, similar
changes have taken place.
The elevation of Darling Downs--about 1800 to 2000 feet, according to the
barometrical observations of Mr. Cunningham--renders the climate much
cooler than its latitude would lead one to suppose; indeed, ice has
frequently been found, during the calm clear nights of winter. During
September and October, we observed at sunrise an almost perfect calm.
About nine o'clock, light westerly winds set in, which increased towards
noon, died away towards evening, and after sunset, were succeeded by
light easterly breezes; thunder-storms rose from south and south-west,
and passed over with a violent gust of wind and heavy showers of rain;
frequently, in half an hour's time, the sky was entirely clear again;
sometimes, however, the night and following day were cloudy.
The plains, as we passed, were covered with the most luxuriant grass and
herbage. Plants of the leguminosae and compositae, were by far the most
prevalent; the colour of the former, generally a showy red, that of the
latter, a bright yellow. Belts of open forest land, principally composed
of the Box-tree of the Colonists (a species of Eucalyptus), separate the
different plains; and patches of scrub, consisting of several species of
Acacias, and of a variety of small trees, appear to be the outposts of
the extensive scrubs of the interior. There are particularly three
species of Acacias, which bestow a peculiar character on these scrubs:
the one is the Myal (A. pendula)--first seen by Oxley on Liverpool
Plains, and afterwards at the Barwan, and which exists in all the western
plains between the Barwan and Darling Downs--whose drooping foliage and
rich yellow blossoms render it extremely elegant and ornamental. The
second, the Acacia of Coxen, resembles the Myal (without its drooping
character), its narrow lanceolate phyllodia rather stiff, its yellowish
branches erect. The third, is the Bricklow Acacia, which seems to be
identical with the Rose-wood Acacia of Moreton Bay; the latter, however,
is a fine tree, 50 to 60 feet high, whereas the former is either a small
tree or a shrub. I could not satisfactorily ascertain the origin of the
word Bricklow [Brigaloe, GOULD.], but, as it is well understood and
generally
adopted by all the squatters between the Severn River and the Boyne, I
shall
make use of the name. Its long, slightly falcate leaves, being of a
silvery
green colour, give a peculiar character to the forest, where the tree
abounds.
Oct. 1.--After having repaired some harness, which had been broken by our
refractory bullocks upsetting their loads, and after my companions had
completed their arrangements, in which Mr. Bell kindly assisted, we left
Jimba, and launched, buoyant with hope, into the wilderness of Australia.
Many a man's heart would have thrilled like our own, had he seen us
winding our way round the first rise beyond the station, with a full
chorus of "God Save the Queen," which has inspired many a British
soldier,--aye, and many a Prussian too--with courage in the time of
danger. Scarcely a mile from Jimba we crossed Jimba Creek, and travelled
over Waterloo Plains, in a N. W. direction, about eight miles, where we
made our first camp at a chain of ponds. Isolated cones and ridges were
seen to the N. E., and Craig Range to the eastward: the plains were
without trees, richly grassed, of a black soil with frequent concretions
of a marly and calcareous nature. Charley gave a proof of his wonderful
power of sight, by finding every strap of a pack-saddle, that had been
broken, in the high grass of Waterloo Plains.
Oct. 2.--Bullocks astray, but found at last by Charley; and a start
attempted at 1 o'clock; the greater part of the bullocks with sore backs:
the native tobacco in blossom. One of the bullocks broke his pack-saddle,
and compelled us to halt.
Oct. 3.--Rise at five o'clock, and start at half-past nine; small plains
alternate with a flat forest country, slightly timbered; melon-holes;
marly concretions, a stiff clayey soil, beautifully grassed: the
prevailing timber trees are Bastard box, the Moreton Bay ash, and the
Flooded Gum. After travelling seven miles, in a north-west direction, we
came on a dense Myal scrub, skirted by a chain of shallow water-holes.
The scrub trending towards, and disappearing in, the S. W.: the Loranthus
and the Myal in immense bushes; Casuarina frequent. In the forest,
Ranunculus inundatus; Eryngium with terete simple leaves, of which the
horses are fond; Prasophyllum elatum, sweetly scented. A new composite
with white blossoms, the rays narrow and numerous. Sky clear; cumuli to
the S. W.; wind from the westward. Ridges visible to the N.N.E. and N.E.
At the outskirts of the scrub, the short-tailed sleeping lizard with
knobby scales was frequent: one of them contained six eggs. We camped
outside of the scrub, surrounded by small tufts of the Bricklow Acacia.
Droves of kangaroos entered the scrub; their foot-paths crossed the
forest in every direction.
The thermometer, before and at sunrise, 32 degrees; so cold that I could
not work with my knife, away from the fire. At sunset, a thick gathering
of clouds to the westward.
Oct. 4.--Cloudy sky; thermometer 50 degrees at sunrise; little dew; 64
degrees at eight o'clock.
We travelled about eleven miles in a S. W. and S. S. W. direction,
skirting the scrub. During the journey, two thunder-storms passed over;
one to the southward beyond the Condamine, the other to the north and
north-east over the mountains. The scrub is a dense mass of vegetation,
with a well defined outline--a dark body of foliage, without grass, with
many broken branches and trees; no traces of water, or of a rush of
waters. More to the southward, the outline of the scrub becomes less
defined, and small patches are seen here and there in the forest. The
forest is open and well timbered; but the trees are rather small. A chain
of lagoons from E. by N.--W. by S.; large flooded gum-trees (but no
casuarinas) at the low banks of the lagoons. The presence of many
fresh-water muscles (Unio) shows that the water is constant, at least in
ordinary seasons.
The scrub opens more and more; a beautiful country with Bricklow groves,
and a white Vitex in full blossom. The flats most richly adorned by
flowers of a great variety of colours: the yellow Senecios, scarlet
Vetches, the large Xeranthemums, several species of Gnaphalium, white
Anthemis-like compositae: the soil is a stiff clay with concretions:
melon-holes with rushes; the lagoons with reeds.
At night, a thunder-storm from south-west. Our dogs caught a female
kangaroo with a young one in its pouch, and a kangaroo rat.
Oct. 5.--We followed the chain of lagoons for about seven miles, in a
west by south direction; the country to our right was most beautiful,
presenting detached Bricklow groves, with the Myal, and with the Vitex in
full bloom, surrounded by lawns of the richest grass and herbage; the
partridge pigeon (Geophaps scripta) abounded in the Acacia groves; the
note of the Wonga Wonga (Leucosarcia picata, GOULD.) was heard; and ducks
and two pelicans were seen on the lagoons. Blackfellows had been here a
short time ago: large unio shells were abundant; the bones of the
codfish, and the shield of the fresh-water turtle, showed that they did
not want food. A small orange tree, about 5-8 minutes high, grows either
socially or scattered in the open scrub, and a leafless shrub, belonging
to the Santalaceae, grows in oblong detached low thickets.
Chenopodiaceous plants are always frequent where the Myal grows. The
latitude of our camp was 26 degrees 56 minutes 11 seconds.
Oct. 6.--Was fully occupied with mending our packsaddles and straps,
broken by the bullocks in throwing off their loads.
Oct. 7.--In following the chain of lagoons to the westward, we came,
after a few miles travelling, to the Condamine, which flows to the
north-west: it has a broad, very irregular bed, and was, at the time,
well provided with water--a sluggish stream, of a yellowish muddy colour,
occasionally accompanied by reeds. We passed several gullies and a creek
from the northward, slightly running.
The forest on the right side of the river was tolerably open, though
patches of Myal scrub several times exposed us to great inconvenience;
the left bank of the Condamine, as much as we could see of it, was a fine
well grassed open forest. Conglomerate and sandstone cropped out in
several sections. Mosquitoes and sandflies were very trouble-some. I
found a species of snail nearly resembling Succinea, in the fissures of
the bark of the Myal, on the Box, and in the moist grass. The
muscle-shells are of immense size. The well-known tracks of Blackfellows
are everywhere visible; such as trees recently stripped of their bark,
the swellings of the apple-tree cut off to make vessels for carrying
water, honey cut out, and fresh steps cut in the trees to climb for
opossums. Our latitude was 26 degrees 49 minutes. The thermometer was
41 1/2 at sunrise; but in the shade, between 12 and 2 o'clock, it stood at
80 degrees, and the heat was very great, though a gentle breeze and
passing clouds mitigated the power of the scorching sun.
Oct. 8.--During the night, we had a tremendous thunder-storm, with much
thunder and lightning from the west. The river was very winding, so that
we did not advance more than 7 or 8 miles W.N.W.; the Bricklow scrub
compelled us frequently to travel upon the flood-bed of the river. Fine
grassy forest-land intervened between the Bricklow and Myal scrubs; the
latter is always more open than the former, and the soil is of a rich
black concretionary character. The soil of the Bricklow scrub is a stiff
clay, washed out by the rains into shallow holes, well known by the
squatters under the name of melon-holes; the composing rock of the low
ridges was a clayey sandstone (Psammite). Sky cloudy; wind north-east;
thermometer 80 degrees at 2 o'clock; the sunshine plant (Mimosa
terminalis) was frequent on the black soil; a Swainsonia; an Anthericum,
with allium leaf and fine large yellow blossoms; and another species with
small blossoms, (Stypandra).
Oct. 9.--Commenced with cloudy weather, threatening rain. It cleared up,
however, about 10 o'clock, and we had a very warm day. We followed the
course of the river for some time, which is fringed with Myal scrubs,
separated by hills with fine open forest. Finding that the river trended
so considerably to the northward [It seems that NORTHWARD here is merely
miswritten for WESTWARD.--(ED.)], we left it at a westerly bend, hoping
to make it again in a north-west direction. Thus, we continued travelling
through a beautiful undulating country, until arrested by a Bricklow
scrub, which turned us to the south-west; after having skirted it, we
were enabled to resume our course to W.N.W., until the decline of day
made me look for water to the south-west. The scrubs were awful, and
threatened to surround us; but we succeeded in finding a fine large
lagoon, probably filled by the drainage of the almost level country to
the north-east. No water-course, not the slightest channel produced by
heavy rains, was visible to indicate the flow of waters. Occasionally we
met with swampy ground, covered with reeds, and with some standing water
of the last rains; the ground was so rotten, that the horses and bullocks
sunk into it over the fetlocks. The principal timber trees here, are the
bastard box, the flooded-gum, and the Moreton Bay ash; in the Myal scrub,
Coxen's Acacia attains a very considerable size; we saw also some
Ironbark trees.
The tracks and dung of cattle were observed; and this was the farthest
point to the westward where we met with them. Kangaroos seemed to be very
rare; but kangaroo rats were numerous. Black-fellows were very near to us
last night; they very probably withdrew upon seeing us make our
appearance.
Oct. 10.--Cloudy; wind northerly; thermometer at 2h. 30m. P. M. 88
degrees. At about 1 1/2 or 2 miles distance, in a north-west direction
from our last camp, we came to a fine running creek from the north-east,
which we easily crossed; and, at about one mile farther, reached a
creek--which, at this time of the year, is a chain of lagoons--lined on
both sides by Bricklow scrub, which occupied a portion of its limited
flats in little points and detached groves. This vale was one of the most
picturesque spots we had yet seen. An Ironbark tree, with greyish
fissured bark and pale-green foliage, grows here, and Sterculia
heterophylla is pretty frequent amongst the box and flooded-gum, on the
rising ground between the two creeks. Farther on, the country opened, the
scrub receded; Ironbark ridges here and there, with spotted gum, with
dog-wood (Jacksonia) on a sandy soil, covered with flint pebbles,
diversified the sameness. The grass was beautiful, but the tufts distant;
the Ironbark forest was sometimes interspersed with clusters of Acacias;
sometimes the Ironbark trees were small and formed thickets. Towards the
end of the stage, the country became again entirely flat, without any
indication of drainage, and we were in manifest danger of being without
water. At last, a solitary lagoon was discovered, about 30 yards in
diameter, of little depth, but with one large flooded gum-tree, marked,
by a piece of bark stripped off, as the former resting-place of a native;
the forest oak is abundant. Here I first met with Hakea lorea, R. Br.,
with long terete drooping leaves, every leaf one and a-half to two feet
long--a small tree 18--24 minutes high--and with Grevillea mimosoides, R.
Br., also a small tree, with very long riband-like leaves of a silvery
grey. We did not see any kangaroos, but got a kangaroo rat and a
bandicoot.
Oct. 11.--Travelling north-west we came to a Cypress-pine thicket, which
formed the outside of a Bricklow scrub. This scrub was, at first,
unusually open, and I thought that it would be of little extent; I was,
however, very much mistaken: the Bricklow Acacia, Casuarinas and a
stunted tea-tree, formed so impervious a thicket, that the bullocks, in
forcing their way through it, tore the flour-bags, upset their loads,
broke their straps, and severely tried the patience of my companions, who
were almost continually occupied with reloading one or other of the
restless brutes. Having travelled five miles into it, and finding no
prospect of its termination, I resolved upon returning to our last camp,
which, however, I was not enabled to effect, without experiencing great
difficulty, delay, and loss; and it was not until the expiration of two
days, that we retraced our steps, and reached the lagoon which we had
left on the 11th. We had lost about 143 pounds of flour; Mr. Gilbert lost
his tent, and injured the stock of his gun. The same night, rain set in,
which lasted the whole of the next day: it came in heavy showers, with
thunder-storms, from the north and north-west, and rendered the ground
extremely boggy, and made us apprehensive of being inundated, for the
lagoon was rapidly rising: our tent was a perfect puddle, and the horses
and cattle were scarcely able to walk.
Within the scrub there was a slight elevation, in which sandstone cropped
out: it was covered with cypress-pine, and an Acacia, different from the
Bricklow. The Bottle-tree (Sterculia, remarkable for an enlargement of
the stem, about three feet above the ground,) was observed within the
scrub: the white Vitex (?) and Geigera, SCHOTT., a small tree, with
aromatic linear-lanceolate leaves, grew at its outside, and in small
groves scattered through the open forest. Fusanus, a small tree with
pinnate leaves, and Buttneria, a small shrub, were also found in these
groves.
Many pigeons were seen; the black cockatoo of Leach (Calyptorhynchus
Leachii) was shot; we passed several nests of the brush-turkey (Talegalla
Lathami, GOULD). Charley got a probably new species of bandicoot, with
longer ears than the common one, and with white paws. We distinguished,
during the rain, three different frogs, which made a very inharmonious
concert. The succinea-like shells were very abundant in the moist grass;
and a limnaea in the lagoon seemed to me to be a species different from
those I had observed in the Moreton Bay district, The thermometer at
sunset 62 degrees (in the water 68 degrees); at sunrise 52 degrees (in
the water 62 degrees).
On the 15th October, the wind changed during the afternoon to the
westward, and cleared the sky, and dried the ground very rapidly.
Oct. 17.--The ground was too heavy and boggy to permit us to start
yesterday; besides, three horses were absent, and could not be found.
Last night, Mr. Roper brought in three ducks and a pigeon, and was
joyfully welcomed by all hands. Charley had been insolent several times,
when I sent him out after the cattle, and, this morning, he even
threatened to shoot Mr. Gilbert. I immediately dismissed him from our
service, and took from him all the things which he held on condition of
stopping with us. The wind continued from the west and south-west.
Oct. 18.--Towards evening Charley came and begged my pardon. I told him
that he had particularly offended Mr. Gilbert, and that I could not think
of allowing him to stay, if Mr. Gilbert had the slightest objection to
it: he, therefore, addressed himself to Mr. Gilbert, and, with his
consent, Charley entered again into our service. John Murphy and Caleb,
the American negro, went to a creek, which Mr. Hodgson had first seen,
when out on a RECONNOISSANCE to the northward, in order to get some game.
John had been there twice before, and it was not four miles distant:
they, however, did not return, and, at nine o'clock at night, we heard
firing to the north-east. We answered by a similar signal, but they did
not come in. I sent Mr. Hodgson and Charley to bring them back. If they
had simply given the bridle to their horses, they would have brought them
back without delay; but probably both got bewildered.
The latitude of this lagoon, which I called Kent's Lagoon, after F. Kent,
Esq., is 26 degrees 42 minutes 30 seconds. We tried to obtain opossums,
during the clear moonlight night, but only caught the common rabbit-rat.
Our horses go right into the scrub, to get rid of the little flies, which
torment them. The weather is very fair; the regular westerly breeze,
during the day, is setting in again: the dew is very abundant during
clear nights: the morning very cold; the water of the lagoon 8 degrees to
10 degrees warmer than the air.
We have regularly balanced our loads, and made up every bag of flour to
the weight of 120 pounds: of these we have eight, which are to be carried
by four bullocks. The chocolate and the gelatine are very acceptable at
present, as so little animal food can be obtained. The country continues
to be extremely boggy, though the weather has been fine, with high winds,
for the last four days. Tracks of Blackfellows have been seen; but they
appear rare and scattered in this part of the country. Though we meet
with no game, tracks of kangaroos are very numerous, and they frequently
indicate animals of great size. Emus have been seen twice.
Thermometer at sunset 65 degrees 7 minutes (75 degrees in the water); at
a quarter past one, 90 degrees. South-westerly winds.
Oct. 19.--During the night, north-easterly breeze; at the break of day, a
perfect calm; after sunset easterly winds again. Thermometer at sunrise
51 degrees (60 degrees in the water); a cloudless sky. Mr. Hodgson and
Charley, whom I had sent to seek John and Caleb, returned to the camp
with a kangaroo. I sent them immediately off again, with Mr. Roper, to
find the two unfortunate people, whose absence gave me the greatest
anxiety. Mr. Roper and Mr. Gilbert had brought one pigeon and one duck,
as a day's sport; which, with the kangaroo, gave us a good and desirable
supper of animal food. During the evening and the night, a short
bellowing noise was heard, made probably by kangaroos, of which Mr.
Gilbert stated he had seen specimens standing nine feet high. Brown
brought a carpet snake, and a brown snake with yellow belly. The flies
become very numerous, but the mosquitoes are very rare.
On a botanical excursion I found a new Loranthus, with flat linear
leaves, on Casuarina, a new species of Scaevola, Buttneria, and three
species of Solanum. Mr. Hodgson brought a shrubby Goodenia; another
species with linear leaves, and with very small yellow blossoms, growing
on moist places in the forest; two shrubby Compositae; three different
species of Dodonaea, entering into fruit; and a Stenochilus, R. Br. with
red blossoms, the most common little shrub of the forest.
Mr. Gilbert brought me a piece of coal from the crossing place of the
creek of the 10th October. It belongs probably to the same layer which is
found at Flagstone Creek, on Mr. Leslie's station, on Darling Downs. We
find coal at the eastern side of the Coast Range, from Illawarra up to
Wide Bay, with sandstone; and it seems that it likewise extends to the
westward of the Coast Range, being found, to my knowledge, at Liverpool
Plains, at Darling Downs, and at Charley's Creek, of the 10th Oct. It is
here, as well as at the east side, connected with sandstone. Flint
pebbles, of a red colour, were very abundant at Charley's Creek, and in
the scrub, which I called the Flourspill, as it had made such a heavy
inroad into our flour-bags. The flat on which we encamp, is composed of a
mild clay, which rapidly absorbs the rain and changes into mud; a layer
of stiff clay is about one foot below the surface. The grasses are at
present in full ear, and often four feet high; but the tufts are distant,
very different from the dense sward at the other side of the Range. As we
left the Myal country of the Condamine, we left also its herbage,
abounding in composite, leguminous, and chenopodiaceous plants, with a
great variety of grasses.
Oct. 20.--This morning, at half-past nine o'clock, Messrs. Roper,
Hodgson, and Charley, returned with John Murphy and Caleb. They had
strayed about twelve miles from the camp, and had fairly lost themselves.
Their trackers had to ride over seventy miles, before they came up to
them, and they would certainly have perished, had not Charley been able
to track them: it was indeed a providential circumstance that he had not
left us. According to their statement, the country is very open, with a
fine large creek, which flows down to the Condamine; this is the creek
which we passed on the 10th Oct., and which I called "Charley's Creek."
The creek first seen by Mr. Hodgson joins this, and we are consequently
still on westerly waters.
Thermometer, at sunrise, 54 degrees (in the water 64 degrees); at eight
o'clock 64 degrees. Strong easterly and northerly winds during the last
two nights. It becomes calm at a quarter past three, with the rise of
Venus.
Mr. Calvert brought an edible mushroom out of Flourspill Scrub.
The Loranthus of the Myal grows also on other Acacias with glaucous
leaves. A bright yellow everlasting is very fine and frequent.
Oct. 22.--I left Kent's lagoon yesterday. In order to skirt the scrub, I
had to keep to the north-east, which direction brought me, after about
three miles travelling through open forest, to Mr. Hodgson's creek, at
which John Murphy and Caleb had been lost. The creek here consists of a
close chain of fine rocky water-holes; the rock is principally clay,
resembling very much a decomposed igneous rock, but full of nodules and
veins of iron-stone. I now turned to the northward, and encamped at the
upper part of the creek. To-day I took my old course to the north-west,
and passed a scrubby Ironbark forest, and flat openly-timbered forest
land. I came again, however, to a Bricklow scrub, which I skirted, and
after having crossed a very dense scrubby Ironbark forest, came to a
chain of rushy water-holes, with the fall of the waters to the
north-east. The whole drainage of a north-easterly basin, seems to have
its outlet, through Charley's Creek, into the Condamine.
On the banks of Hodgson's Creek, grows a species of Dampiera, with many
blue flowers, which deserves the name of "D. floribunda;" here also were
Leptospermum; Persoonia with lanceolate pubescent leaf; Jacksonia
(Dogwood); the cypress-pine with a light amber-coloured resin (Charley
brought me fine claret-coloured resin, and I should not be surprised to
find that it belongs to a different species of Callitris); an Acacia with
glaucous lanceolate one-inch-long phyllodia; and a Daviesia; another
Acacia with glaucous bipinnate leaves; a white Scaevola, Anthericum, and
a little Sida, with very showy blossoms. Spotted-gum and Ironbark formed
the forest; farther on, flooded-gum.
Pigeons, mutton-birds (Struthidia), are frequent, and provided us with
several messes; iguanas are considered great delicacies; several black
kangaroos were scen to day.
The weather very fine, but hot; the wind westerly; thermometer at sunset
74 degrees (84 degrees in the water.)
Oct. 23.--At the commencement of last night, westerly winds, the sky
clear; at the setting of the moon (about 3 o'clock a.m.), the wind
changed to the north-east; scuddy clouds passing rapidly from that
quarter; at sunrise it clears a little, but the whole morning cloudy, and
fine travelling weather.
We travelled in a north-westerly direction, through a Casuarina thicket,
but soon entered again into fine open Ironbark forest, with occasionally
closer underwood; leaving a Bricklow scrub to our right, we came to a dry
creek with a deep channel; which I called "Acacia Creek," from the
abundance of several species of Acacia. Not a mile farther we came on a
second creek, with running water, which, from the number of Dogwood
shrubs (Jacksonia), in the full glory of their golden blossoms. I called
"Dogwood Creek." The creek came from north and north-east and flowed to
the south-west, to join the Condamine. The rock of Dogwood Creek is a
fine grained porous Psammite (clayey sandstone), with veins and nodules
of iron, like that of Hodgson's creek. A new gum-tree, with a
rusty-coloured scaly bark, the texture of which, as well as the
seed-vessel and the leaf, resembled bloodwood, but specifically
different; the apple-tree (Angophora lanceolata); the flooded-gum; a
Hakea with red blossoms; Zierea; Dodonaea; a crassulaceous plant with
handsome pink flowers; a new myrtaceous tree of irregular stunted growth,
about 30 feet high, with linear leaves, similar to those of the rosemary;
a stiff grass, peculiar to sandstone regions; and a fine Brunonia, with
its chaste blue blossoms, adorn the flats of the creek as well as the
forest land. The country is at present well provided with water and
grass, though the scattered tufts of Anthistiria, and the first
appearance of the small grass-tree (Xanthorrhaea), render its constancy
very doubtful. The winding narrow-leaved Kennedyas, Gnaphaliums in
abundance; Aotus in low bushes.
No game, except a kangaroo rat, pigeons, ducks, and mutton-birds. Mr.
Phillips brought a crawfish from the creek: it had just thrown off its
old shell. Fresh-water muscles plentiful, though not of the size of those
of the Condamine. A small rat was caught this morning amongst our flour
bags; it had no white tip at the tail, nor is the tail so bushy as that
of the rabbit-rat: probably it was a young animal.
Oct. 24.--The creek being boggy, we had to follow it down for several
miles to find a crossing place. Even here, one of the horses which
carried the tea, fell back into the water, whilst endeavouring to
scramble up the opposite bank, and drenched its valuable load. We now
travelled through a country full of lagoons, and chains of water-holes,
and passed through several patches of cypress-pine, until we came to
another creek with rocky water-holes, with the fall to the eastward,
probably joining Dogwood Creek, from which we were not four miles
distant. Fine grassy flats accompanied the creek on its left, whilst a
cypress-pine forest grew on its right bank. The latitude of our
yesterday's camp was 26 degrees 26 minutes 30 seconds and, to-day, we are
only four miles more to the westward. The country is still so flat and so
completely wooded--sometimes with scrubs, thickets, Acacia, and Vitex
groves, sometimes with open Ironbark forest intermingled with spotted
gum--that no view of distant objects can be obtained. Several
Epacridaceous shrubs and species of Bossiaea and Daviesia reminded me of
the flora of the more southern districts.
Oct. 25.--We travelled about twelve miles in a north-westerly direction,
our latitude being 26 degrees 15 minutes 46 seconds. The country in
general scrubby, with occasional reaches of open forest land. The
rosemary-leaved tree of the 23rd was very abundant. An Acacia with spiny
phyllodia, the lower half attached to the stem, the upper bent off in the
form of an open hook, had been observed by me on the sandstone ridges of
Liverpool Plains: and the tout ensemble reminded me forcibly of that
locality. The cypress-pine, several species of Melaleuca, and a fine
Ironbark, with broad lanceolate, but not cordate, glaucous leaves, and
very dark bark, formed the forest. An arborescent Acacia, in dense
thickets, intercepted our course several times. Bronze-winged pigeons
were very numerous, but exceedingly shy.
The stillness of the moonlight night is not interrupted by the screeching
of opossums and flying squirrels, nor by the monotonous note of the
barking-bird and little owlet; no native dog is howling round our camp in
the chilly morning: the cricket alone chirps along the water-holes; and
the musical note of an unknown bird, sounding like "gluck gluck"
frequently repeated, and ending in a shake, and the melancholy wail of
the curlew, are heard from the neighbouring scrub.
Oct. 26.--Our journey was resumed: wind in the morning from the west;
light clouds passing rapidly from that quarter.
Messrs. Hodgson and Roper, following the chain of ponds on which we had
encamped, came to a large creek, with high rocky banks and a broad stream
flowing to the south-west. We passed an Acacia scrub, and stretches of
fine open Ironbark forest, interspersed with thickets of an aborescent
species of Acacia, for about four miles in a north-west course, when we
found ourselves on the margin of a considerable valley full of Bricklow
scrub; we were on flat-topped ridges, about 80 to 100 feet above the
level of the valley. After several attempts to cross, we had to turn to
the N. N. E. and east, in order to head it, travelling through a most
beautiful open Ironbark forest, with the grass in full seed, from three
to four feet high. Following a hollow, in which the fall of the country
was indicated by the grass bent by the run of water after heavy showers
of rain, we came to fine water-holes, about five miles from our last
camp.
At the other side of the valley, we saw distant ranges to the north-west
and northward. The scrub was occasionally more open, and fine large
bottle-trees (Sterculia) were frequent: the young wood of which,
containing a great quantity of starch between its woody fibres, was
frequently chewed by our party. Fusanus was abundant and in full bearing;
its fruit (of the size of a small apple), when entirely ripe and dropped
from the tree, furnished a very agreeable repast: the rind, however,
which surrounds its large rough kernel, is very thin.
Oct. 27.--During last night a very strong, cold, westerly wind.
After travelling about 3 1/2 miles north, we were stopped by a Bricklow
scrub, which compelled us to go to the east and south-east. I encamped,
about three miles north-east by north from my last resting place, and
examined the scrub: it was out of the question to cross it. Mr. Gilbert
shot three black cockatoos and a bronze-winged pigeon.
Oct. 28.--During the night it was very cold, though no wind was stirring.
In the morning we experienced an easterly breeze. Travelling to the
eastward and east by south, I found that the water-holes outside of the
scrub at which we were encamped, changed into a creek with rocky bed,
having its banks partly covered with cypress-pine thickets. I crossed it
about three miles lower down, and, finding the Ironbark forest
sufficiently open, turned to the northward; scarcely three miles farther,
we came to another creek of a character similar to that of the last,
which I suppose to be one of the heads of Dogwood Creek. The blue
Brunonia was again frequent; the grass five feet high, in full ear, and
waving like a rye field. The soil, however, is sandy and rotten, and the
grass in isolated tufts. We encamped about four miles north-east from our
last camp.
CHAPTER II
PARTY REDUCED BY THE RETURN OF MR. HODGSON AND CALEB--MEET FRIENDLY
NATIVES--NATIVE TOMB--THE DAWSON--VERVAIN PLAINS--GILBERT'S RANGE--LYND'S
RANGE--ROBINSON'S CREEK--MURPHY'S LAKE--MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRY--EXPEDITION
RANGE--MOUNT NICHOLSON--ALDIS'S PEAK--THE BOYD.
Nov. 3.--For the past week, the heat was very oppressive during the day,
whilst, at night, it was often exceedingly cold; for two or three hours
before dawn, and for an hour after sunset, it was generally delightful,
particularly within the influence of a cheerful cypress-pine fire, which
perfumes the air with the sweet scent of the burning resin.
It had now become painfully evident to me that I had been too sanguine in
my calculations, as to our finding a sufficiency of game to furnish my
party with animal food, and that the want of it was impairing our
strength. We had also been compelled to use our flour to a greater extent
than I wished; and I saw clearly that my party, which I had reluctantly
increased on my arrival at Moreton Bay, was too large for our provisions.
I, therefore, communicated to my companions the absolute necessity of
reducing our number: all, however, appeared equally desirous to continue
the journey; and it was, therefore, but just that those who had joined
last, should leave. Mr. Gilbert, however, who would, under this
arrangement, have had to retire, found a substitute in Mr. Hodgson, who
had perhaps suffered most by additional fatigues; so that he and Caleb,
the American negro, prepared for their return to Moreton Bay. Previous,
however, to their departure, they assisted in killing one of our steers,
the meat of which we cut into thin slices, and dried in the sun. This,
our first experiment--on the favourable result of which the success of
our expedition entirely depended--kept us, during the process, in a state
of great excitement. It succeeded, however, to our great joy, and
inspired us with confidence for the future. The little steer gave us
65lbs. of dried meat, and about 15lbs. of fat. The operation concluded,
we took leave of our companions; and although our material was reduced by
the two horses on which they returned, Mr. Hodgson left us the greater
part of his own equipment. The loss of the two horses caused us some
little inconvenience, as it increased the loads of the animals. The daily
ration of the party was now fixed at six pounds of flour per day, with
three pounds of dried beef, which we found perfectly sufficient to keep
up our strength.
Whenever it was necessary to delay for any time at one place, our cattle
and horses gave us great trouble: they would continually stray back in
the direction we came from, and we had frequently to fetch them back
five, seven, and even ten miles. Mr. Hodgson's horses had returned even
to the camp of the 21st October, and three days were required to find
them and bring them back. These matters caused us considerable delay; but
they were irremediable. On the 30th October, towards evening, we were
hailed by natives, from the scrub; but, with the exception of one, they
kept out of sight. This man knew a few English words, and spoke the
language of Darling Downs; he seemed to be familiar with the country
round Jimba; and asked permission to come to the camp: this, however, I
did not permit; and they entered the scrub, when they saw us handle our
guns, and bring forward two horses to the camp. On the 3rd of November
they visited us again, and communicated with us, behaving in a very
friendly way: they pointed out honey in one of the neighbouring trees,
assisted in cutting it out and eating it, and asked for tobacco; it was,
however, impossible to make any presents, as we had nothing to spare.
They particularly admired the red blankets, were terror-struck at the
sight of a large sword, which they tremblingly begged might be returned
into the sheath, and wondered at the ticking of a watch, and at the
movement of its wheels. The greater part were young men of mild
disposition, and pleasing countenance; the children remained in the
distance, and I only saw two women.
According to their statements, the scrub extends to the Condamine.
The scrub was crossed in every direction by tracks of wallabies, of
which, however, we could not even get a sight. The glucking bird--by
which name, in consequence of its note, the bird may be
distinguished--was heard through the night. They live probably upon the
seeds of the cypress-pine; the female answers the loud call of the male,
but in a more subdued voice.
A Gristes, about seven inches long, resembling the one described in Sir
Thomas Mitchell's journey, but specifically different from it, was caught
in the water-holes of the creek, which I called "Dried-beef Creek," in
memorial of our late occupation.
A Goodenoviaceous shrub, a pink Hibiscus, and a fine prostrate Sida, were
found between the camp of the 27th October and Dried-beef Creek.
Nov. 4.--Having previously examined and found a passage through the
scrub, we travelled through it for about eight miles on a north by west
course. The head of Dried-beef Creek, was found to be formed by separate
water-holes, in a slight hollow along the scrub; and, when these
disappeared, we were moving over a perfectly level land, without any sign
of drainage, but occasionally passing isolated holes, now for the greater
part dry. On our left, our course was bounded by a dense Bricklow scrub;
but, on our right, for the first four miles, the country was
comparatively open, with scattered Acacias; it then became densely
timbered, but free from scrub. Farther on, however, scrub appeared even
to our right. A natural opening, which had recently been enlarged by a
bush fire, enabled us to pass into a dense Ironbark and cypress-pine
forest; and then, bearing a little to the right, we came on a slight
watercourse to the northward, which rapidly enlarged as it descended
between ranges, which seemed to be the spurs of the table land we had
just left.
Nov. 5.--We observed the tomb of a native near our camp. It was a simple
conical heap of sand, which had been raised over the body, which was
probably bent into the squatting position of the natives; but, as our
object was to pass quietly, without giving offence to the aborigines, we
did not disturb it. It is, however, remarkable that, throughout our whole
journey, we never met with graves or tombs, or even any remains of
Blackfellows again; with the exception of a skull, which I shall notice
at a later period. Several isolated conical hills were in the vicinity of
our camp; sandstone cropped out in the creek, furnishing us with good
whetstones.
After travelling about four miles in a north-west direction, through a
fine open undulating country, we came to, and followed the course of, a
considerable creek flowing to the westward, bounded by extensive flooded
gum-flats and ridges, clothed with a forest of silver-leaved Ironbark.
Large reedy lagoons, well supplied with fish, were in its bed. Our
latitude was 26 degrees 4 minutes 9 seconds.
Nov. 6.--The arrangement for loading our cattle enabled me at last to
mount every one of my companions, which was very desirable; for the
summer having fairly set in, and no thunder-storms having cooled the
atmosphere since we left the Condamine, the fatigue of walking during the
middle of the day had become very severe. From Jimba we started with a
few horses without load, which only enabled us to ride alternately; but,
as our provisions gradually decreased in quantity, one after the other
mounted his horse; and this day I had the pleasure of seeing everybody on
horseback.
We travelled along the valley of the river about ten miles, in a
west-northerly course; our latitude of this day being 26 degrees 3
minutes 44 seconds Fine box and apple-tree flats were on both sides of
the creek, now deserving the appellation of a "River," and which I called
the "Dawson," in acknowledgment of the kind support I received from R.
Dawson, Esq., of Black Creek, Hunter's River. At the foot of the ridges
some fine lagoons were observed, as also several plains, with the soil
and the vegetation of the Downs, but bounded on the northward by
impenetrable Bricklow scrub. In a watercourse, meandering through this
scrub, sandstone cropped out, in which impressions of fossil plants were
noticed by me. It was interesting to observe how strictly the scrub kept
to the sandstone and to the stiff loam lying upon it, whilst the mild
black whinstone soil was without trees, but covered with luxuriant
grasses and herbs; and this fact struck me as remarkable, because, during
my travels in the Bunya country of Moreton Bay, I found it to be exactly
the reverse: the sandstone spurs of the range being there covered with an
open well grassed forest, whilst a dense vine brush extended over the
basaltic rock. The phenomenon is probably to be explained by the
capability of the different soils of retaining moisture, and, at the same
time, by taking into account the distance of the localities from the
seacoast. I called these plains "Calvert's Plains," after my companion,
Mr. Calvert. Farther to the westward we passed over open ridges, covered
with Bastard-box and silver-leaved Ironbark: the former tree grows
generally in rich black soil, which appeared several times in the form of
ploughed land, well known, in other parts of the colony, either under
that name, or under that of "Devil-devil land," as the natives believe it
to be the work of an evil spirit.
Nov. 7.--The first two hours of the day were cloudy, but it cleared up
and became very hot; the atmosphere was hazy and sultry; cumuli with
undefined outlines all round the horizon: wind from south-west and south.
I travelled west by north about eight miles, along the foot of
Bastard-box and silver-leaved Ironbark ridges. The country was
exceedingly fine; the ground was firm; the valley from two to three miles
broad, clothed with rich grass, and sprinkled with apple-tree,
flooded-gum, and Bastard-box; the hills formed gentle ascents, and were
openly timbered. The water-holes seemed to be constant; they are very
deep, densely surrounded by reeds, and with numerous heaps of broken
muscle-shells round their banks. Scrub was, however, to be seen in the
distance, and formed the dark spot in the pleasant picture. Game became
more frequent; and last night every body had a duck. As we were pursuing
our course, Mr. Gilbert started a large kangaroo, known by the familiar
name of "old man," which took refuge in a water-hole, where it was
killed, but at the expense of two of our kangaroo dogs, which were
mortally wounded. As we were sitting at our dinner, a fine half-grown emu
walked slowly up to us, as if curious to know what business we had in its
lonely haunts; unfortunately for us, the bark of our little terrier
frightened it; and, although one of my Blackfellows shot after it, it
retired unscathed into the neighbouring thicket. Mr. Roper killed a
Rallus, which Mr. Gilbert thought to be new. The high land from which we
came, appears at present as a distant range to the south-east.
Fine-grained sandstone, with impressions of leaves, was again observed,
and a few pieces of silicified wood. A Thysanotus with fine large
blossoms now adorns the forest. The native carrot is in seed; the
Eryngium of Jimba, and a leguminous plant, prostrate with ternate leaves
and bunches of yellow flowers, were frequent; several beautiful species
of everlastings were occasionally seen, and the little orange-tree of the
Condamine grew in the scrub.
Nov. 8.--We followed the Dawson for about eight miles lower down. About
four miles from our camp, it is joined by a fine chain of ponds from the
north-east. The flats on both sides are covered by open Bastard-box
forest, of a more or less open character. In the rainy season, the whole
valley is probably covered with water; for we frequently observed the
marks of torrents rushing down from the hills; and, along the foot of the
ridges, ponds and lagoons were frequent. The heat of summer had already
burnt up a great part of the grasses; and it was only in the immediate
neighbourhood of the river that there was any appearance of verdure. The
bed of the river became drier, and changed its character considerably.
Charley stated, that he had seen a large plain extending for many miles
to the south-west, and a high mountain to the north. Several emus,
pigeons, and ducks were seen. Mr. Calvert found concretions of marl in
the creek. John Murphy caught a great number of crawfish. For the first
time since leaving the Condamine, we were visited by a thunder-storm.
Cumuli generally during the afternoon, with wind from the W.N.W; during
the night it usually clears up.
Nov. 10.--The country along the river changed, during the last two
stages, considerably for the worse. The scrub approached very near to the
banks of the river, and, where it receded, a disagreeable thicket of
Bastard-box saplings filled almost the whole valley: fine lagoons were
along the river, frequently far above its level; the river itself divided
into anabranches, which, with the shallow watercourses of occasional
floods from the hills, made the whole valley a maze of channels, from
which we could only with difficulty extricate ourselves. "I never saw
such a rum river, in my life," said my blackfellow Charley.
The open forest was sometimes one large field of everlasting flowers with
bright yellow blossoms; whilst the scrub plains were thickly covered with
grasses and vervain. Almost all the grasses of Liverpool Plains grow
here. Ironstone and quartz pebbles were strewed over the ground; and, in
the valley, fine-grained sandstone with layers of iron-ore cropped out.
Large fish were seen in the lagoons; but we only succeeded in catching
some small fish of the genus Gristes. Muscles continued to be frequent;
and we saw the gunyas of the natives everywhere, although no native made
his appearance.
It was here that I first met, growing on the scrubby hills, a species of
Bauhinia, either shrubby or a small shady tree, with spreading branches;
the pods are flat, of a blunt form, almost one inch in breadth, and from
three to four inches long. The Bricklow seems to prevent the growth of
almost all other vegetation, with the exception of a small shrub, with
linear lanceolate aromatic leaves. An Acacia, with long drooping, almost
terete leaves, grew along the river; and Crinums grew in patches amongst
the everlasting flowers, on a sandy soil. Our latitude, of the 9th
November, was 25 degrees 53 minutes 55 seconds; and that of the 10th, 25
degrees 47 minutes 55 seconds, at about eleven miles north-west from the
camp of the 8th November.
Until the 14th of November, we travelled down the Dawson. In order to
avoid the winding course of the river, and the scrub and thickets that
covered its valley, which rendered our progress very slow, we had
generally to keep to the ridges, which were more open. We several times
met with fine plains, which I called "Vervain Plains," as that plant grew
abundantly on them. They were surrounded with scrub, frequently sprinkled
with Bricklow groves, interspersed with the rich green of the Bauhinia,
and the strange forms of the Bottle-tree; which imparted to the scene a
very picturesque character. From one of these plains we obtained, for the
first time, a view of some well-defined ranges to the west-north-west.
The general course of the river, between the latitudes of 25 degrees 41
minutes 55 seconds and 25 degrees 37 minutes 12 seconds, was to the
northward; but, as it commenced to turn to the east, I was induced to
cross it, and to follow my former direction to the northwest. Between
those two latitudes, the river had commenced to run, which was not the
ease higher up, notwithstanding it was formed by long reaches of water,
upon which pelicans and ducks were abundant. Mr. Calvert and the black,
Charley, who had been sent back to one of our last camping places, had,
on returning, kept a little more to the north-east, and had seen a river
flowing to the northward, and a large creek; both of which, probably,
join the Dawson lower down. At that part of the river where it commences
to run, its bed was more confined, and was fringed by Melaleucas and
drooping Acacias.
Our provisions had been increased by an emu, which Charley shot; our
remaining two kangaroo dogs also succeeded in catching an "old man"
kangaroo on the Vervain Plains of the 14th November. I made it an
invariable practice to dry the meat which remained after the consumption
of the day's allowance, and it served considerably to save our stock of
dried beef, and to lengthen the lives of our bullocks. The utmost economy
was necessary;--for we were constantly exposed to losses, occasioned by
the pack bullocks upsetting their loads; an annoyance which was at this
time of frequent occurrence from the animals being irritated by the
stings of hornets--a retaliation for the injuries done to their nests,
which, being suspended to the branches of trees, were frequently torn
down by the bullocks passing underneath.
A large turtle was seen; and Mr. Gilbert caught two fine eels in one of
the lagoons. We had thunder-storms on the 12th and 13th of November: the
morning is generally cloudy, the clouds come from the north-east and
north, clearing away in the middle of the day; and the afternoon is
exceedingly hot.
Nov. 14.--A dense scrub, which had driven us back to the river, obliged
me to reconnoitre to the north-west, in which I was very successful; for,
after having crossed the scrub, I came into an open country, furnished
with some fine sheets of water, and a creek with Corypha palms, growing
to the height of 25 or 30 feet. The feelings of delight which I
experienced when, upon emerging from the more than usually inhospitable
Bricklow scrub, the dark verdure of a swamp surrounding a small lake
--with native companions (ARDEAANTIGONE) strutting round, and swarms of
ducks playing on its still water, backed by an open forest, in which the
noble palm tree was conspicuous--suddenly burst upon our view, were so
great as to be quite indescribable. I joyfully returned to the camp, to
bring forward my party; which was not, however, performed without
considerable trouble. We had to follow the Dawson down to where the creek
joined it; for the scrub was impassable for loaded bullocks, and, even on
this detour, we had to contend with much scrub as we proceeded down the
valley. It, however, became more free from scrub at every step, and
opened out into flats of more or less extent on either side, skirted by
hills, clothed with an open forest, rising into regular ranges. On my
RECONNAISSANCE I crossed the Gilbert Ranges, which were named after my
companion Mr. Gilbert, and came on waters which fall to the eastward, and
join the Dawson lower down. From the summit of an open part of the range,
I saw other ranges to the northward, but covered with Bricklow scrub, as
was also the greater part of Gibert's Range. To the east, however, the
view was more cheering; for the hills are more open, and the vegetation
composed of the silver-leaved and narrow-leaved Ironbark trees and an
open Vitex scrub. Several rocky gullies were passed, that were full of
palm trees. The valley of Palm-tree Creek extends about nineteen miles
from west to east The ranges which bound it to the south, I called
"Lynd's Range," after my friend R. Lynd, Esq. Gilbert's Range bounds it
to the northward: Middle Range separates the creek from the Dawson up to
their junction. Several large swamps are within the valley; one of which,
the small lake which first broke upon my view, received the name of
"Roper's Lake," after one of my companions.
Nov. 17.--We went about nine miles up the valley, on a south branch of
Palm-tree Creek, which derives its waters from Lynd's Range. The fine
water-hole which I selected for our camp, was not only shaded by stately
Coryphas and flooded gums, but the drooping Callistemon, the creek
Melaleuca, and the Casuarina, gave to it the character of the rivers and
creeks of the Moreton Bay district. It changed, however, into a shallow
waterless channel, communicating with one of the large swamps which
generally extend along the base of the hills. I rode up Lynd's Range,
passing plains similar to those I have before mentioned, composed of
black soil intermingled with fossil wood and decomposed sandstone, and
densely covered with Burr, (a composite plant) and Verbena, and scattered
tufts either of Bricklow, or of Coxen's Acacia, or of the bright green
Fusanus, or of the darker verdure of Bauhinia, with here and there a
solitary tree of a rich dark-green hue, from forty to fifty feet in
height. From the summit I had a fine view down the valley of the Dawson,
which was bounded on both sides by ranges. A high distant mountain was
seen about N.N.E. from Lynd's Range, at the left side of the Dawson.
The water-holes abounded with jew-fish and eels; of the latter we
obtained a good supply, and dried two of them, which kept very well. Two
species of Limnaea, the one of narrow lengthened form, the other shorter
and broader; a species of Paludina, and Cyclas and Unios, were frequent.
The jew-fish has the same distoma in its swimming bladder, which I
observed in specimens caught in the Severn River to the southward of
Moreton Bay: on examining the intestines of this fish, they were full of
the shells of Limnaea and Cyclas. Large specimens of helix were frequent
on the Vervain Plains, but they were only dead shells. The fat-hen
(Atriplex) and the sow-thistle (Sonchus) grew abundantly on the reedy
flats at the upper end of the creek; Grewia, a prostrate Myoporum, and a
bean with yellow blossoms, were frequent all over the valley. Atriplex
forms, when young, as we gratefully experienced, an excellent vegetable,
as do also the young shoots of Sonchus. The tops of the Corypha palm eat
well, either baked in hot ashes or raw, and, although very indigestible,
did not prove injurious to health when eaten in small quantities. In the
vicinity of the swamps of Palm-tree Creek, I noticed a grass with an ear
much resembling the bearded wheat: with the exception of the cultivated
Cerealia, it had the largest seed I ever met with in grasses; even my
Blackfellow was astonished at its remarkable size.
During the night we experienced a strong wind from the northward, and,
during the afternoon, a gust of wind and rain from west and north-west;
but no thunder.
Nov. 18.--Clouds gathered from the west and north-west, a few drops of
rain fell, and a few low peals of thunder were heard; but, although
charged with electric fluid, and, in appearance, threatening an
approaching thunder-storm, no discharge of lightning took place. We were
very much annoyed and harassed, during the evening and the early part of
the night, by sand-flies and mosquitoes; but the clear night grew so
cold, that these great enemies of bush comforts were soon benumbed. The
latitude of the camp of the 18th November was 25 degrees 30 minutes 11
seconds.
Nov. 19.--No air stirring, night very cold and bright; dew heavy; the
surface of the creek covered with vapour; the water very warm.
Having no apparatus for ascertaining the height of our position above the
level of the sea, this very interesting fact could not be determined;
but, from the cold experienced, at a period so near the summer solstice,
the elevation must have been very considerable.
We travelled during the day in a westerly direction over a level country,
partly covered with reeds and fat-hen, and came to a broad sandy creek,
which turned to the south-east and south. Having crossed it, we passed
several large lagoons and swamps covered with plovers and ducks; and, at
a short mile farther, came again on the creek, which now had a deep
channel and a broad sandy bed lined with casuarinas and flooded-gum
trees. I called this "Robinson's Creek." At its left bank, we saw a wide
sheet of water, beyond which rose a range densely covered with scrub: I
called them "Murphy's Lake and Range," after John Murphy, one of my
companions.
I believe that Robinson's Creek is a westerly water; and, if so, it is
very remarkable that the heads of Palm-tree Creek, which flows to the
eastward, should be scarcely a mile distant; and that the interesting
space, separating the two systems of waters, should be, to all
appearance, a dead level.
I had descended--from a scrubby table land, the continuation of Darling
Downs--into a system of easterly waters. I had followed down the Dawson
for a considerable distance, and then, following up one of its creeks,
found myself again on westerly waters. I could not decide, to my entire
satisfaction, whether my views were right; for the country was difficult
for reconnoitring; and I was necessarily compelled to move quickly on, to
accomplish the object of my expedition: but it is a very interesting
point for geographical research, and I hope, if I am not anticipated by
other explorers, to ascertain, at some future period, the course of these
creeks and rivers.
Nov. 20.--The first part of the night till the setting of the moon was
very clear; after this it became cloudy, but cleared again at sunrise,
with the exception of some mackerel-sky and stratus to the north-west.
During the forenoon it was again cloudy, and a thunder-storm occurred at
half-past two o'clock from the north-west and west-north-west, with
little rain, but a heavy gust of wind.
In travelling to the westward, along Robinson's Creek, although two or
three miles distant from it, we passed two lakes, one of which was a
fine, long, but rather narrow, sheet of water, with swamps to the
south-east. About six miles farther on, the country began to rise into
irregular scrubby ridges; the scrub generally composed of Vitex
intermingled with various forest trees. The small orange-tree, which we
had found in blossom at the Condamine, was setting its fruit. Farther on,
the dense Bricklow scrub compelled me to approach the banks of the creek,
where we travelled over fine flats, but with a rather sandy rotten soil.
The apple-tree, flooded-gum, silver-leaved ironbark, and the bastard-box
grew on the flats and on the ridges. The creek was well provided with
large water-holes, surrounded by high reeds.
We now entered a mountainous country; and the banks of the creek became
sometimes very steep and broken by narrow gullies, rendering our progress
slow and difficult. We had to wind our way through narrow valleys, and
over ranges from which the descent was frequently very steep and
dangerous. The latitude of our camp of the 21st November was 25 degrees
28 minutes 12 seconds; that of the 22nd was 25 degrees 25 minutes; that
of the 23rd, about 32 miles west of Murphy's Lake, was 25 degrees 27
minutes 12 seconds. Here the ranges were, for the most part, openly
timbered, with the exception of the higher points, which were generally
covered with vine-brush; in one of which we found the nests of the brush
turkey (Talegalla Lathami), and observed the bird itself. Some
considerable stretches of beautiful country were now travelled over; the
leading feature being low ridges, openly timbered with the silver-leaved
ironbark, covered with an abundance of grass and herbs, and furnished
with large lagoons; there was also a constant supply of water in the
creek itself. On the banks of the latter, a species of Sterculia grows to
a large size, and is one of the most pleasing and ornamental trees of the
country; it is probably different from, although nearly allied to S.
heterophylla. Very disagreeable, however, was the abundance of Burr and
of a spear-grass (Aristida), which attached themselves to our clothes and
blankets, and entered (particularly the latter) into the very skin. I
have also to mention, that a yellow Villarsia was found on one of the
lakes; which were generally surrounded by high sedges. We have not seen
black swans since leaving Murphy's Lake; at which place we first saw a
species of whistling duck, (Leptotarsis, GOULD.)
Appearances indicated that the commencement of the ranges was a favourite
resort of the "Blackfellows." The remains of recent repasts of muscles
were strewed about the larger water-holes, and, as I passed a native
camp, which had only lately been vacated, I found, under a few sheets of
bark, four fine kangaroo nets, made of the bark of Sterculia; also
several bundles of sticks, which are used to stretch them. As I was in
the greatest want of cordage, I took two of these nets; and left, in
return, a fine brass hilted sword, the hilt of which was well polished,
four fishing-hooks, and a silk handkerchief; with which, I felt
convinced, they would be as well pleased, as I was with the cordage of
their nets. It was to this spot that Mr. Pemberton Hodgson penetrated,
when he afterwards followed my tracks, to ascertain the truth of the
rumours, which had been carried by the blacks to Moreton Bay, of my
having been either killed by the natives, or destroyed by a hurricane,
which was said to have passed through the narrow valley of the confined
creek.
The high mountain ranges, at the head of Robinson's Creek, which we
observed from the tops of the hills, at the entrance into the mountainous
country, bore W.N.W., and N.W. from the position I now occupied. We had a
thunder-storm on the 21st November, followed by continued rain and a
perfect calm During the night occasional showers of rain fell; at sunrise
light fleecy clouds from W.N.W.: the nights, when clear, were very cold.
Until very lately we had all suffered severely from diarrhoea, which I
could not account for, othewise than by attributing it to our change of
diet. Fresh meat had almost invariably affected us; but after a time our
continued exposure to the air, the regularity of our movements, and
constant state of exertion, rendered us more hardy, and sharpened our
appetites. Iguanas, opossums, and birds of all kinds, had for some time
past been most gladly consigned to our stewing-pot, neither good, bad,
nor indifferent being rejected. The dried kangaroo meat, one of our
luxuries, differed very little in flavour from the dried beef, and both,
after long stewing, afforded us an excellent broth, to which we generally
added a little flour. It is remarkable how soon man becomes indifferent
to the niceties of food; and, when all the artificial wants of society
have dropped off, the bare necessities of life form the only object of
his desires.
One of our bullocks had torn one of the flour-bags, and about fifteen
pounds of flour were scattered over the ground. We all set to work, to
scrape as much of it up as we could, using the dry gum leaves as spoons
to collect it; and, when it got too dirty to mix again with our flour,
rather than leave so much behind, we collected about six pounds of it
well mixed with dried leaves and dust, and of this we made a porridge,--a
mess which, with the addition of some gelatine, every one of us enjoyed
highly.
No new insects, few new birds, and but few plants, attracted our
attention. Mr. Gilbert's parrot, which he first met with on the downs,
was very frequent; the glucking-bird and the barking-owl were heard
throughout the moonlight nights. Several native dogs were killed, and
their howling was frequently heard. Only one kangaroo had been shot since
we left the Dawson, although their tracks were met with every where.
Charley had taken several opossums; the presence of these animals
generally indicates a good country. Quails were abundant, but not worth
our powder; flocks of spur-winged plovers were living at the lakes and
swamps, and a shy hornbill (Scythrops) was seen and heard several times.
The nests of the white ant were rarely seen; but the soldier ant, and the
whole host of the others, were every where. The funnel ant digs a
perpendicular hole in the ground, and surrounds the opening with an
elevated wall, sloping outwards like a funnel; the presence of this
insect generally indicates a rotten soil, into which horses and cattle
sink beyond their fetlocks. This soil is, however, by no means a pure
sand, but is well mixed with particles of clay, which allow the ant to
construct its fabric. In rainy weather this soil forms the best
travelling ground, and is by no means so rotten as when dry.
Large hornets of a bright yellow colour, with some black marks, made
their paper nests on the stems of trees, or suspended them from the dry
branches; most of us were several times severely stung by them. When
found near our encampment we generally destroyed them, by quickly raising
a large fire with dry grass.
A species of Gristes was abundant in the water-holes, but it was of small
size: the eels have disappeared.
Nov. 25.--We travelled about eight miles, north by west, ascending a
spur, from which the waters flowed, both to the south-west and to the
eastward, but both collecting in Robinson's Creek. Every time we turned
to the westward we came on tremendous gullies, with almost perpendicular
walls, whereas the easterly waters formed shallow valleys of a gently
sloping character. The range was openly timbered with white-gum,
spotted-gum, Ironbark, rusty-gum, and the cypress-pine near the gullies;
and with a little dioecious tree belonging to the Euphorbiaceae, which I
first met with at the Severn River, and which was known amongst us under
the name of the "Severn Tree:" it had a yellow or red three-capsular
fruit, with a thin fleshy pericarp, of an exceedingly bitter taste; the
capsules were one-seeded. The gullies were full of bush-trees, amongst
which the Bottle-tree, and the Corypha-palm were frequent. Pomaderris and
Flindersia were in fruit and blossom. According to Mr. Gilbert, rock
wallabies were very numerous. On a RECONNOISSANCE I traversed the
continuation of the range, which I found to be of a flat, sandy, and
rotten character, having, with the exception of the Blackbutt, all the
trees and other characteristics of the sandstone country of Moreton Bay:
Xylomelum, Xanthorrhaea, Zamia, Leptospermum, a new species of forest
oak, which deserves the name of Casuarina VILLOSA, for its bark looks
quite villous; Persoonia falcata, R. Br., a small tree about fifteen feet
high, with stiff glaucous falcate leaves, and racemose inflorescence; a
dwarf Persoonia, with linear leaves, the stringy-bark, and a species of
Melaleuca along the creek. In my excursion I crossed the main branch of
Robinson's Creek, and found the gullies of its right bank as steep and
tremendous as those of the left. Water was very scarce. The whole country
is composed of a fine-grained sandstone.
As the water-holes on the range are very few and distant from each other,
they are frequented by the bronze-winged pigeons in great numbers. Mr.
Gilbert shot eight of them, and Mr. Roper, John Murphy, and Charley,
added to the number, so that we had a fine pigeon supper and breakfast,
each having his bird--a rare occurrence in our expedition. A few drops of
rain fell in the morning.
Nov. 26.--When we were waiting for our bullocks, four emus came trotting
down the slope towards the camp. Messrs. Gilbert, Roper, Murphy, and
Brown, having their horses ready, gave chase, and, after a dangerous
gallop, over extremely rocky ground, succeeded, with the assistance of
our kangaroo dog, Spring, in securing one of them. When Charley returned
to the camp with the bullocks, he told us that he had found these emus
walking amongst the bullocks, and that he had struck one of them with his
tomahawk. On our road to the water, which I had found on my
reconnoisance, about seven miles W.N.W., under a still higher range,
rising at the right of Robinson's Creek, we started a herd of eight
kangaroos, when our horsemen, assisted by Spring, were again successful
in taking one of them.
Nov. 27.--A thunder-storm during the night, which passed, however, to the
other side of the range. After a gust of wind of short duration, we had
some very light showers; so light indeed, as not to interrupt our
meat-drying process.
Proceeding on our journey, we ascended the range, and travelled between
four and five miles on its level summit, which was covered with open
forest, interspersed with thickets of Acacias and Casuarinas. From the
extremity of the range we enjoyed a very fine and extensive view. Ranges
of mountains with conspicuous peaks, cupolas, and precipitous walls of
rock, were observed extending at various distances from west by north to
north-west. The most distant range was particularly striking and
imposing; I called it "Expedition Range," and to a bell-shaped mountain
bearing N. 68 degrees W., I gave the name of "Mount Nicholson," in honour
of Dr. Charles Nicholson, who first introduced into the Legislative
Council of New South Wales, the subject of an overland expedition to Port
Essington; and to a sharp peak N. 66 degrees W., the name of "Aldis's
Peak," in acknowledgment of the kind assistance received from Mr. Aldis
of Sydney. We then descended, with great difficulty into a broad valley,
bounded on either side by fine slopes and ridges, openly timbered with
silver-leaved Ironbark. On the small well-grassed flats along the
watercourse, the flooded-gum and apple-trees grew to a considerable size.
The morning was cloudy, with occasional drops of rain; but it cleared up
towards noon, and, near sunset, a wall of dark clouds rose in the west,
over the ranges. Thunder-storms very generally come with westerly cloudy
weather, with north-westerly, and northerly winds. We busied ourselves in
extracting the oil from the skin of the emu: this operation was performed
by suspending it on sticks before a gentle fire, the oil dripping from it
into a shallow vessel. It is of a light amber colour, and is very useful
in oiling the locks of our fire-arms; it has been considered a good
anti-rheumatic, and I occasionally used it for that purpose.
Mr. Gilbert skinned the tail of the kangaroo to make a bag for holding
fat; but it broke and ripped so easily when dry, as to render it unfit
for that purpose. We used the skins of the kangaroos to cover our
flour-bags, which were in a most wretched condition. Our latitude was 25
degrees 19 minutes 19 seconds.
Nov. 28.--Charley and Brown informed us that they had followed the
watercourse, and had come to a broad river with precipitous banks, which
would not allow any passage for our horses and cattle; they also stated
that the watercourse on which we were encamped, became a rocky gully, and
that it would be impossible to cross it lower down. From this information
I supposed that a river, like the Robinson, rising in many gullies of the
north-east ranges, and flowing in south-west direction was before us; I,
therefore, decided upon heading it. It was, however, very difficult to
find a leading spur, and we frequently came on deep and impassable
gullies, surrounded by a dense thicket of cypresspine, and a great
variety of shrubs peculiar to sandstone rock. After travelling about nine
miles in a N. 15 degrees E. direction, we came to a subordinate range,
and having found, in one of its watercourses, some tolerable grass and a
fine water-hole, we were enabled to encamp. Mr. Roper and Charley, who
had kept a little more to the left, reported that they had been on one of
the heads of the Boyd, and had seen a fine open country to the westward,
and south-west. The "Boyd" was so named in acknowledgment of the liberal
support I had received from Benjamin Boyd, Esq.
Amongst the shrubs along the gullies, a new species of Dodonaea, with
pinnate pubescent leaves, was frequent. Towards evening we had a
thunderstorm from the westward.
Nov. 29.--In reconnoitring the country in the neighbourhood of the camp,
I ascended three mountains, and ascertained that there are five parallel
ranges, striking from north to south, of which the three easterly ones
send their waters to the eastward; whereas the two westerly ones send
theirs to the Boyd, the valley of which has a south-westerly direction.
To the north of the Boyd, there is a steep mountain barrier, striking
from east to west. All these ranges are composed of sandstone, with their
horizontal strata, some of which have a very fine grain. Impressions of
Calamites were observed in one of the gullies. We also saw two kangaroos.
In the water-hole near our camp, there were numerous small brown leeches,
which were very keen in the water, but dropped off as soon as we lifted
our feet out of it. The hornets also were very troublesome. Recent bush
fires and still smoking trees betokened the presence of natives; who
keep, however, carefully out of sight. This country, with its dry scrubby
ranges and its deep rocky gullies, seems to be thinly inhabited; the
natives keeping, probably, to the lower course of Robinson's Creek and of
the Boyd. The descent to the easterly waters is much more gentle; water
remains longer in the deep rocky basins or puddled holes of its creeks,
and the vegetation is richer and greener. Instead of the cypress-pine
scrub, the Corypha-palm and the Casuarina grew here, and invited us to
cool shaded waters; the Corypha-palm promised a good supply of cabbage.
We had a thunder-storm from the southward, which turned from the range to
the eastward. The two last days were cloudless and very hot; but, on the
ranges, a cool breeze was stirring from the northward.
Nov. 30.--I wished to move my camp to a small water-hole about eight
miles east by north, which I had found yesterday; but, though I kept more
to the northward than I thought necessary, we were everywhere intercepted
by deep rocky gullies. Losing much time in heading them, I ventured to
descend one of the more practicable spurs, and, to my great satisfaction,
my bullocks did it admirably well. The valley into which I entered was
very different from these barriers; gentle slopes, covered with open
forest of silver-leaved Ironbark, and most beautifully grassed,
facilitated my gradual descent to the bottom of the valley, which was
broad, flat, thinly timbered with flooded-gum and apple-trees, densely
covered with grass, and, in the bed of the creek which passed through it,
well provided with reedy water-holes. Before I ventured to proceed with
my whole party, I determined to examine the country in advance, and
therefore followed up one of the branches of the main creek, in a
northerly direction. In proceeding, the silver-leaved Ironbark forest
soon ceased, and the valley became narrow and bounded by perpendicular
walls of sandstone, composed of coarse grains of quartz, rising out of
sandy slopes covered with Dogwood (Jacksonia) and spotted-gum. The rock
is in a state of rapid decomposition, with deep holes and caves inhabited
by rock-wallabies; and with abundance of nests of wasps, and wasp-like
Hymenoptera, attached to their walls, or fixed in the interstices of the
loose rock. Through a few gullies I succeeded in ascending a kind of
table-land, covered with a low scrub, in which the vegetation about
Sydney appeared in several of its most common forms. I then descended
into other valleys to the eastward, but all turned to the east and
south-east; and, after a long and patient investigation, I found no
opening through which we could pass with our bullocks. Although I
returned little satisfied with my ride, I had obtained much interesting
information as to the geological character of this singular country.
CHAPTER III
RUINED CASTLE CREEK--ZAMIA CREEK--BIGGE'S MOUNTAIN--ALLOWANCE OF FLOUR
REDUCED--NATIVES SPEAR A HORSE--CHRISTMAS RANGES--BROWN'S
LAGOONS--THUNDER-STORMS--ALBINIA DOWNS--COMET CREEK--NATIVE CAMP.
Dec. 1.--I rode to the eastward from our camp, to ascertain how far we
were from the water-hole to which I had intended to conduct my party.
After having ascended the gullies, and passed the low scrub and
cypress-pine thicket which surrounds them, I came into the open forest,
and soon found our tracks, and the little creek for which I had steered
the day before. This creek, however, soon became a rocky gully, and
joined a large creek, trending to the east and south-east. Disheartened
and fatigued, I returned to the camp, resolved upon following down the
course of the Boyd to the south-west, until I should come into a more
open country. On my way back, I fell in with a new system of gullies,
south of the creek I had left, and east of the creek on which our camp
was, and which I had called "The Creek of the Ruined Castles," because
high sandstone rocks, fissured and broken like pillars and walls and the
high gates of the ruined castles of Germany, rise from the broad sandy
summits of many hills on both sides of the valley.
When I returned to the camp, Mr. Gilbert told me, that Mr. Roper and John
Murphy had been on a mountain towards the head of the main creek,
north-west from our camp, and that they had seen an open country before
them. I therefore started, on the 2d December, with Mr. Gilbert to
examine it. Our admiration of the valley increased at every step. The
whole system of creeks and glens which join "Ruined Castle Creek," would
form a most excellent cattle station. With the exception of the narrow
gorge through which the main creek passes to join the Creek of Palms
[Mr. Arrowsmith is of opinion that such a junction is improbable, if
the author is alluding to the creek, called Palm Tree Creek, which he
fell in with about 60 miles to the S.E.--ED.] to the south-east,
which might be shut by a fence not thirty yards long; and of the
passable ranges to the north-west, which lead into a new country,
and which form the pass seen by Roper and Murphy, it is everywhere
surrounded by impassable barriers. Beautiful grass, plenty of water in
the lower part of the creek, and useful timber, unite to recommend this
locality for such a purpose. The creeks to the east and south-east are
also equally adapted for cattle stations. After passing a stony ridge
covered with spotted-gum, from which the remarkable features of the
country around us--the flat-topped mountain wall, the isolated pillars,
the immense heaps of ruins towering over the summits of the
mountains--were visible, we descended a slope of silver-leaved Ironbark,
and came to a chain of water-holes falling to the east. Travelling in a
north-westerly direction, and passing over an openly timbered country,
for about two miles, we came to the division of the waters, on a slight
ridge which seemed to connect two rather isolated ranges. We followed a
watercourse to the northward, which, at seven miles [In the original
drawing the watercourse is not more than two miles long, according to
Mr. Arrowsmith, so that seven miles must be a mistake.--ED.] lower
down, joined an oak-tree creek, coming from the ranges to the eastward.
Here water was very scarce; the banks of the creek were covered with
Bricklow scrub; and a bush-fire, which had recently swept down the valley,
had left very little food for our cattle: the blady-grass, however, had
begun to show its young shoots, and the vegetation, on some patches of
less recent burnings, looked green. Sterculia (heterophylla?) and the
Bottle-tree, were growing in the scrub; and many Wonga-Wonga pigeons
(Leucosarcia picata, GOULD.) were started from their roosting-places under
the old trees in the sandy bed of the creek. We caught a young curlew; and
Mr. Gilbert shot two Wonga-Wongas, and three partridge-pigeons (Geophaps
scripta). The latter abound in the silver-leaved Ironbark forest, where
the grass has been recently burned.
After having contended with scrubs, with swamps, and with mountains, we
were again doomed to grapple with our old enemy, the silver-leaved
Bricklow, and a prickly Acacia with pinnate leaves, much resembling the
A. farnesiana of Darling Downs.
The most remarkable feature in the vegetation; however, was an aborescent
Zamia, with a stem from seven to eight or ten feet high, and about nine
inches in diameter, and with elongated cones, not yet ripe. In
consequence of the prevalence of this plant, I called the creek "Zamia
Creek." In the fat-hen flats, over which we travelled in following the
watercourse to Zamia creek, I was surprised to find Erythrina, which I
had been accustomed to meet with only on the creeks, and at the outskirts
of mountain brushes, near the sea-coast. The white cedar (Melia
Azedarach) grows also along Zamia Creek, with casuarina, and a species of
Leptospermum. On my return to the camp, I found that a party had been out
wallabi shooting, and had brought in three; they were about two feet
long; body reddish grey, neck mouse grey, a white stripe on each
shoulder, black muzzle, and black at the back of the ear; the tail with
rather long hair. The flying squirrel (Petaurus sciureus) which was not
different from that of the Hunter; and a Centropus phasianellus, (the
swamp pheasant of Moreton Bay), were shot.
Dec. 3.--We stopped at Ruined Castle Creek, in order to obtain more
wallabies, which abounded among the rocks, and which appeared to be a new
species: it approaches nearest to Petrogale lateralis of GOULD, from
which, however, it essentially differs. Mr. Gilbert and all our best
shots went to try their luck; they succeeded in killing seven of them.
The weather was cloudy, but it cleared up during the forenoon; in the
afternoon rain commenced with a perfect calm; for the last three days
easterly winds have prevailed, often blowing very strong at night.
In the rocky gullies, we found the following plants: a new species of
Grevillea, having pinnatifid leaves with very long divisions, the
blossoms of a fine red, and the seed-vessels containing two flat seeds,
surrounded by a narrow transparent membrane; Leucopogon juniperinum and
lanceolatum; a Dodonaea with long linear leaves and D. triquetra, were
frequent.
Dec. 4.--I went with my whole party to Zamia Creek, the latitude of which
is 25 degrees 5 minutes 4 seconds, and which is about sixteen miles west
by north from our last camp.
Dec. 5.--We followed Zamia Creek about six miles down. It is very winding
and scrubby; the rock on its banks is a clayey flagstone (Psammite); the
upper strata are more clayey, and break in many small pieces. Several
hills approached the creek; and a large mountain which I called Bigge's
Mountain, in acknowledgment of the kind support of Frederic Bigge, Esq.,
was seen to the eastward. A large kangaroo started out of the creek, and
was killed by our dogs; it appeared to be rather different from the
common one, being remarkably light-coloured, with a white belly, black
end of the tail, and the inside of the ear dark. We soon met with a fine
reedy water-hole, with swarms of little finches fluttering about it; and,
the place being suitable, I encamped for the night, and took the
opportunity to repair some of our harness. The night was cloudy; the
morning very fine; and the day very hot, with an occasional fresh breeze
from the northward, which generally sets in about eleven o'clock. Thick
cumuli came from the northward during the afternoon, but disappeared
towards sunset.
Dec. 6.--After a fine night, we had a cold morning with heavy dew. From
the hills near the camp, Mount Nicholson bore N. 30 degrees W. and
Aldis's Peak due north; Bigge's Range was in sight to the eastward.
The horses had gone back to Ruined Castle Creek, about twenty-one miles
distant; and the bullocks to our last camp, which, according to Charley,
had been visited by the Blackfellows, who had apparently examined it very
minutely. It was evident that they kept an eye upon us, although they
never made their appearance. Our allowance of flour was now reduced from
six pounds to five.
Dec. 7.--We travelled down Zamia Creek. The bed of the creek, though
lined with many casuarinas, was entirely dry, and we did not reach a
water-hole until we had travelled a distance of nine miles from the camp.
Hoping that the supply of water would increase, I travelled on ward,
leaving Mount Nicholson about six miles to the left. As we proceeded, the
flats along the creek increased in size; and we entered a level country
(which seemed unbounded towards the north-east) covered with
silver-leaved Ironbark, box, and flooded-gum. We passed a large scrubby
creek, coming from Mount Nicholson, and a considerable watercourse from
Aldis's Peak. On the latter, we found a fine water-hole, at which we
encamped. We started a great number of kangaroos; but, unfortunately,
they all escaped. The whole country was full of game.
Whilst preparing to proceed on a RECONNOISSANCE of the neighbourhood,
Charley, who had been sent for my horse, returned at full gallop, and
told me that Blackfellows were spearing our horses. Fortunately Messrs.
Gilbert and Calvert had just come in; and, mounting our horses, three of
us hastened to the place where Charley had seen the Blacks, leaving the
remainder of our party to defend the camp. We found one of our horses had
been deeply wounded in the shoulder; but fortunately, the others were
unhurt, and were grazing quietly. Charley saw two Blackfellows retreating
into the scrub, but had seen a great number of them when he first came to
the place. This event, fortunately not a very disastrous one, was so far
useful, as it impressed every one with the necessity of being watchful,
even when the Blackfellows were not suspected to be near.
The latitude of our camp was 24 degrees 54 minutes 19 seconds, and about
seven miles from our last camp. Aldis's Peak bore N.W. by W., distant two
miles and a half; and I found that it was surrounded by a dense scrub.
After following Zamia Creek for some miles, I turned to the left, and
travelled about north-north-west, when the scrub opened, and we came upon
open ridges, and, at about a mile and a half from the river, found some
fine lagoons. The ridges, which are spurs of Aldis's Peak and Expedition
Range, disappear in the level country to the north-east. Farther on to
the north-north-west, I passed some fine plains, having the black soil,
the vegetation, the dry creeks and watercourses, of Darling Downs. Thick
scrub seems to extend all along the foot of the range, from Aldis's Peak
to Mount Nicholson. Both these mountains are composed of basalt,
containing numerous crystals of peridot.
Dec. 8.--I travelled with my whole party over the ground which I had
reconnoitred yesterday, and had to go a considerable distance farther to
find water. Along the scrubs there are generally chains of water-holes,
which retain the water for a long time, and are soon filled by heavy
thunderstorms; they are well puddled with clay, and, therefore, become
dry almost exclusively by evaporation. Our camp was about eight miles
N.N.W. from the last.
The feed was all parched up: the native carrot, which was so green when
we passed Darling Downs, was here withered and in seed. Immense stretches
of forest had been lately burned, and no trace of vegetation remained.
Partridge-pigeons were very numerous, and the tracks of kangaroos and
wallabies were like sheep-walks. Charley saw an emu; but an iguana and a
partridge-pigeon were the only addition to our night's mess.
The sky was covered by a thin haze, occasioned by extensive bush fires. A
fine breeze, which sprung up at eleven o'clock, from the northward, made
travelling very agreeable. We enjoy no meal so much as our tea and damper
at luncheon, when we encamp between twelve and two o'clock. It is
remarkable how readily the tea dispels every feeling of fatigue, without
the slightest subsequent injury of health.
Paludinas and Unios were very frequent in the water-holes. The
silver-leaved Ironbark (Eucalyptus pulverulentus) was here coming into
blossom. The whole vegetation seemed to feel the heat of an almost
vertical sun; and, with the exception of the fresh green of the Vitex
shrub, the silver-leaved Bricklow, and those patches of young grass which
had been burnt about a month before--all nature looked withered. It was
very hot from nine o'clock to eleven, when the cooling northerly breeze
usually sets in.
Upon reaching the place of our next camp, Mr. Roper went to cut
tent-poles, but, perhaps too intent on finding good ones, unfortunately
lost his way, and wandered about the bush for about five miles before we
were able to make him hear our cooees. Accidents of this kind happen very
easily in a wooded country, where there is no leading range or
watercourse to guide the rambler, or when sufficient care is not taken to
mark and keep the direction of the camp.
Dec. 9.--The haze of yesterday cleared up at sunset, after having formed
two threatening masses of clouds in the east and in the west, united by a
broad belt of mare's tails across the sky. It became cloudy again, and
prevented my taking observations during the night; the morning was cool
and agreeable, clearing up about eleven o'clock; the northerly wind
stirring, as usual. Proceeding on our journey, we travelled about nine
miles W.N.W. over a Box flat, with stiff soil and melon-holes; after a
few miles, it changed into an open silver-leaved Ironbark forest, with
lighter soil. About six miles from our last camp, we came upon a fine
creek (with Casuarinas and palm-trees), flowing from the mountains on a
north-easterly course; and, about three miles further, to the W.N.W., we
came to another creek, and numerous palm-trees growing near it. Following
up the latter, we found a fine water-hole surrounded by reeds, and which
is probably fed by a spring. The forest was well grassed; and a small
Acacia, about fifteen or twenty feet high, with light green bipinnate
leaves (from which exuded an amber-coloured eatable gum), formed groves
and thickets within it. A Capparis, a small stunted tree, was in fruit:
this fruit is about one inch long and three-quarters of an inch broad,
pear-shaped and smooth, with some irregular prominent lines. Capparis
Mitchelii has a downy fruit, and is common in the scrubs. A small
trailing Capparis, also with oblong eatable fruit, was first observed on
a hill near Ruined Castle Creek, in lat. 25 degrees 10 minutes: we met
with it frequently afterwards. We were encamped in the shade of a fine
Erythrina; and the Corypha-palm, Tristania, the flooded-gum, the
silver-leaved Ironbark, Tripetelus, and a species of Croton, grew around
us. A species of Hypochaeris and of Sonchus, were greedily eaten by our
horses; the large Xeranthemum grew on the slopes, among high tufts of
kangaroo grass. A species of Borage (Trichodesma zeylanica), with fine
blue flowers, was first seen here; and the native raspberry, and Ficus
muntia, were in fruit. In the afternoon, I went with Brown up the range,
following the bed of our creek; and, having ascended a spur of sandstone,
with gullies on each side, we came to a large basaltic mountain, clothed
with fine open timber, and a great number of arborescent Zamias.
Dec. 10.--Accompanied by Charley, I went in search of a passage over the
range. We ascended several hills in order to obtain general views, and
found that the level country, over which we had travelled during the last
two days, was of less extent than I had anticipated. To the north-east by
east, ranges rise with the characteristic outlines of the basalt and
phonolite,--in peaks and long stretched flat-topped hills, with
undulations openly timbered extending at their base. One valley descended
to the north-north-east; another to the northward. The principal range
has a direction from south-west to north-east; it is flat on the top, is
well grassed and openly timbered; but, to the northward, it becomes
scrubby, and also changes its geological character. After having crossed
the range--without any great difficulty, with the exception of some steep
places--we came on gullies going down to the north-west; and, from the
rocky head of one of them, the whole country to the west and northwest
burst upon us. There was a fine valley, a flat country, plains, isolated
long-stretched hills, and distant ranges; the highest points of the
latter bearing 77 degrees E. and 76 degrees W.; and, as I hoped to reach
them by Christmas time, I called them "Christmas Ranges." Not being able
to discover a good slope on which our bullocks could travel, I descended
at once into the gully, and followed it in all its windings; knowing well
from experience that it is easier to find a passage up a mountain range
than down it. The gully had all the characters of those of the Boyd; the
same sandstone rock, the same abruptness, and the same vegetation;
excepting, perhaps, a new Grevillea, with pinnatifid leaves and
yellowish-white woolly flowers, which we found here. There was no water,
except in some small holes full of gum leaves, which had rendered it
unfit for use. After proceeding with great difficulty about three miles,
we found that the gullies opened into a broad flat valley; in which
fields of fat-hen, the Croton shrub, the native Tobacco, Erythrina, fine
specimens of flooded-gum, Tristania, and the Moreton Bay ash, were
growing in great abundance. Farther down, however, the Bricklow scrub
covered the whole valley; the water-course disappeared almost entirely;
and we were completely disappointed in our hopes of finding a fine
country. Small plains opened on both sides of the valley, surrounded by
Bricklow scrub, and with patches of Bricklow scattered over them, in
which the Bottle-tree frequently made its portly appearance. A large
flight of Wonga Wonga pigeons were feeding on the seeds of various
species of Acacia; we shot two of them. No water was to be found in an
extent of fifteen miles. The noisy call of the laughing Jackass (Dacclo
gigantea) made me frequently ride back and examine more minutely those
spots marked by a darker foliage; but the presence of this bird is no
certain indication of water, though he likes the neighbourhood of shady
creeks. I could not help thinking that a considerable creek must come
from the north-west side of Mount Nicholson; and, seeing an isolated
range to the south-west, I rode towards it, sure of finding water near
it, if there was any to be found. We approached the range just before
sunset, much tired, with two Wonga-Wongas and three iguanas at our
saddles. I had just informed my Blackfellow, that I wished to encamp,
even without water, when some old broken sheets of bark, remains of the
frail habitations of the natives, caught my eye; a dry water-hole, though
surrounded with green grass and sedges, showed that they had formerly
encamped there, with water. This water-hole was found to be one of a
chain of ponds extending along the edge of the scrub which covered the
hill; and, on following it farther down, we came to a fine pool of water,
which enabled us to encamp comfortably. Next morning, after having
enjoyed an iguana, and finding several other ponds well supplied with
water, we returned. In crossing several of the scrub plains before
mentioned, it was agreeable to observe that the dense vegetation which
covered them was not the miserable Burr and the wiry Vervain, but
Senecios and Sonchus (Sowthistle), which our horses greedily snatched as
they waded through them. The soil is of a dark colour, very rich, but
mild; and the rock below is basaltic. Kangaroos were feeding on the
plains along the scrub; and Charley fired unsuccessfully at a fine "old
man." I saw one emu, and Charley a drove of ten more. The country was
remarkably rich in various kinds of game; and I was very sorry that we
were not better sportsmen, to avail ourselves of so favourable a
circumstance. We found a passage for our bullocks at the west side of the
valley along which we had come down; the ascent was steep, but
practicable. We followed the spur up to the principal range, where we
found some difficulty in heading some steep gullies, which come up to the
highest crest of the mountains. After some tiresome riding, I was
fortunate enough to hit the head of the creek on which our party was
encamped; and, following it down--over loose rocks, large boulders, and
occasional steep falls--accompanied by my excellent little horse, which
willingly followed wherever I led, I came into a more open country; and
the report of a gun gave me the pleasing assurance that our camp was at
no great distance. My Blackfellow quitted me on the range, as he had done
before, on several similar occasions; and it was too evident that I could
not rely upon him in times of difficulty and danger. Within the scrub on
the range, we found five or six huts, lately constructed, of the natives;
they come here probably to find honey, and to catch rock-wallabies, which
are very numerous in the sandstone gullies. In the gully which I
descended, a shrub with dark-green leaves was tolerably frequent; its red
berries, containing one or two seeds, were about the size of a cherry,
and very good eating when ripe. The new Grevillea, before mentioned, was
also found here growing on a sandy soil; and a species of Clematis tied
the shrubs into an almost impenetrable maze. The arborescent Zamia was as
frequent here as on the slopes and flat tops of the basaltic mountains;
it grows from six to ten feet high, and even higher, and is about a foot
in diameter; and often, its dark scaly trunk, borne to the ground by the
winds, raises its fine head like a reclining man.
There was a thunder-storm to the south-east and east on the 10th
December. These thunder-storms are generally very local, belonging to
distant valleys and ranges. Much rain had fallen at the foot of the
range, but we had very little of it. Several of my companions suffered by
eating too much of the cabbage-palm. The Blackfellows will doubtless
wonder why so many noble trees had been felled here. One of our
kangaroo-dogs followed a kangaroo, and did not return; a severe loss, as
we have only one left out of five, and this one is young and diseased.
Our little terrier keeps very well.
Dec. 12--After a clear night, the morning was misty, with a wall of
clouds to the westward; at nine o'clock it cleared up, and loose cumuli
passed over from the east; at eleven o'clock all clouds had disappeared,
and a cool breeze set in from the northward. Charley did not succeed in
bringing in the horses and cattle sufficiently early for starting on the
long and difficult passage over the range. Our meat was all consumed; but
we wished to reserve our bullocks for Christmas, which was, in every one
of us, so intimately associated with recollections of happy days and
merriment, that I was determined to make the coming season as merry as
our circumstances permitted. This decision being final, every one
cheerfully submitted to a small allowance, and did his best to procure
game. Our latitude was 24 degrees 43 minutes.
Dec. 13.--We travelled along the spur at the west and south-west side of
Erythrina creek, at which we had been encamped; and, after having headed
the whole system of its gullies--keeping to the right along the main
range for about three miles, we came to the spur on which I and Charley
had ascended on our return, and which had a general direction to the
north-west. When we arrived at the foot of the range, our cattle and
horses were so jaded, and the water-hole still so far off, that I
encamped here, more especially as the feed was young and rich, and as I
had hopes of obtaining water by digging into the sand which filled the
upper part of the valley. In this, however, I did not succeed; for, upon
digging about three feet deep, I came on a layer of stiff clay very hard
and dry. Fortunately, however, a thunder-storm came on towards the
evening, which supplied our cattle as well as ourselves with water. This
was the only time we encamped without a certainty of water, during our
journey from Jimba to the head of the gulf, which occupied ten months.
The whole night was showery, the wind and clouds coming from all
directions.
Dec. 14.--We reached the water-holes I had discovered three days
previous. Our cattle were very thirsty, notwithstanding the late rain,
and they rushed into the water as soon as they got sight of it.
The hills, at the foot of which we are encamped, are composed of
whinstone (basalt). Pebbles of conglomerate, of flint, and of quartz
deeply coloured with iron, are, however, very frequent on the slopes. It
is remarkable that that part of the range which is composed of basalt, is
a fine open forest, whereas the basaltic hills of the large valley are
covered with dense scrub. The Myal was frequent; and the fruit of the
small lemon-tree was ripe.
I followed the watercourse which connects the water-holes on which we
encamped, and met every where with Bricklow scrub. Mr. Gilbert ascended
the hills, and stated that the whole valley to the westward appeared like
an immense sea of scrub.
A thunder-storm was forming to the north-west, but was probably deflected
by the ranges.
Dec. 15.--Last night we had two thunder-storms; one rose in the west, and
turned to the northward, following the Christmas Ranges; the other rose
in the south, and turned to the east, probably attracted by Expedition
Range. Still following the watercourse, we entered, after about four
miles travelling, into the scrub. The watercourse was soon lost in the
level ground, and water-holes appeared every where; the general direction
of the waters seemed to be to the north-west. Four miles farther we came
to a piece of open forest at the foot of a hill, which was covered with
ironstone-pebbles. Here we encamped without water; but, having passed
good water-holes not four miles distant, I sent Mr. Calvert and Brown to
fetch some, whilst I and Charley went forward to examine the country. On
my way to some ranges which I had seen to the eastward, I fell in with a
dry watercourse, and, following it down for about half a mile from the
camp, discovered a well-filled water-hole. The watercourse was found to
join a creek with a deep and very wide bed, but dry. Muscle-shells
strewed in every direction, and other appearances, indicated that, during
the wet season, the whole country must be very swampy. The course of the
creek was to the N. N. W., and it is joined by watercourses from the
right and left; all now quite dry. After having followed the creek for
about twelve miles, until sunset, without coming to the end of the scrub
through which it trended, we were compelled to retrace our steps; in
attempting which my companion, Charley, lost the track, but my good
little horse, Jim Crow, guided us to the camp, which we reached about
eleven o'clock. Mr. Calvert and Brown had not yet returned; although the
report of their guns had been heard several times. The night was
extremely cold, notwithstanding we were encamped under the shelter of
trees: and it was therefore evident that we were at a considerable
elevation above the level of the sea. The Box-tree of Jimba-flats, the
Bricklow--in short, the whole vegetation of the scrubby country, west of
Darling Downs, were still around us; and the Moreton Bay ash (a species
of Eucalyptus)--which I had met with, throughout the Moreton Bay
district, from the sea coast of the Nynga Nyngas to Darling Downs--was
here also very plentiful.
Dec. 16.--Our cattle and our horses, with the exception of those we had
used the night before, had strayed in search of water; but Charley found
them on the sow-thistle plains, beyond our last camp. Messrs. Calvert,
Murphy, and Brown, came in early this morning; they had lost their way in
the dark, in consequence of remaining too long at the water-hole. They
informed me that they had passed the night on an open piece of forest
ground along a creek. This intelligence induced me to examine the
locality: I therefore went with Brown, and found the creek, with a deep
sandy, but dry bed, full of reeds; its direction being from south by west
to north by east. I followed it up about eight miles, when the scrub
receded from its left bank, and a fine open extensive flat stretched to
the westward. I looked into the Casuarina thickets which occasionally
fringed its bank, in search of water; but found none. I was frequently on
the point of returning, but, induced by the presence of reeds, continued
the search, until the scrub again approached the right side of the creek;
and, in one of those chains of ponds which almost invariably exist at the
outside of these scrubs, a small pool of water was found. This gave me
fresh confidence, and I was eagerly examining the creek, when Brown
exclaimed, "Plenty of water, sir! plenty of water!" and a magnificent
lagoon, surrounded by a rich belt of reeds, lay before us. The natives
must have been at this spot some time before, and have burned the grass;
as the earth was now covered with a delicate verdure. The country
appeared flat, and was so openly timbered with fine flooded gum-trees,
that we could see for a considerable distance; a circumstance very
favourable to us, in case of the natives proving hostile. It would appear
that this place was frequently resorted to by the natives: the bark had
been recently stripped in various places; the huts were in good repair,
with heaps of muscle-shells and some kangaroo-bones about them. We
returned to the camp with the joyous news; for I had been greatly
perplexed as to the direction I ought to take. Charley returned very late
with the strayed cattle, and reported that he had seen the smoke of the
Blackfellow's fires all along the western ranges. This was welcome
intelligence; for we knew that their presence indicated the existence of
a good country. Yesterday in coming through the scrub, we had collected a
large quantity of ripe native lemons, of which, it being Sunday, we
intended to make a tart; but, as my companions were absent, the treat was
deferred until their return, which was on Monday morning, when we made
them into a dish very like gooseberry-fool; they had a very pleasant acid
taste, and were very refreshing. They are of a light yellow colour,
nearly round, and about half an inch in diameter; the volatile oil of the
rind was not at all disagreeable.
The chains of water-holes within the scrub are covered with a stiff
star-grass, having a great number of spikes rising from the top of the
stem; and several sedges crowd around the moister spots. A stiff, wiry,
leafless polygonaceous plant grows in the shallow depressions of the
surface of the ground, which are significantly termed by the squatters
"Melon-holes", and abound in the open Box-tree flats. A small shrubby
Stenochilus with very green linear lanceolate leaves and red tubulous
flowers, is frequent amongst the Bricklow.
The pools and lagoons contain Unios, Paludinas, and the lanceolate and
oval Limnaeas. Fine dry weather has set in; the northerly breeze is still
very regular; but the mornings, from eight to eleven, are very hot. A few
mosquitoes have made their appearance, probably in consequence of the
late rains. Charley killed a Diamond snake, larger than any he had ever
seen before; but he only brought in the fat, of which there was a
remarkable quantity. The Iguanas (Hydrosaurus, Gray) have a slight bluish
tinge about the head and neck; but in the distribution of their colours,
generally resemble H. Gouldii.
Mr. Gilbert found a land crab in the moist ground under a log of wood;
and Mr. Calvert brought me a species of helix of a yellowish green
colour.
Dec. 18.--It was with very great difficulty that we collected our horses
and cattle; but we could not find one of our pack bullocks, which had
concealed himself in the scrub, and, from the unfavourable situation of
our camp, we were obliged to abandon it. Old bullocks, when tired, care
very little about company, and even like to retire to any solitary spot,
where there is good feed and water. Having nearly reached the end of our
stage, we were overtaken by a thunder-storm from the south; which was
followed by another from the west with very heavy rain. This was the
first heavy rain to which we had been exposed, whilst on the day's march;
for thunder-storms did not generally rise till after two o'clock; at
which time we were usually secured in our tents.
The fine lagoons--which I called "Brown's Lagoons" after their
discoverer--and the good feed about them, induced me to stop for the
purpose of killing the fat bullock which Mr. Isaacs had given us, and of
drying it like the charqui of the South Americans; instead of waiting
till Christmas, as we originally intended; especially as we were ignorant
of the character of the country before us. Accordingly, on the 18th at
five o'clock in the morning, it was slaughtered and cut into thin slices;
which, before night, were nearly dried by the powerful heat of an almost
vertical sun. We enjoyed ourselves very much on this occasion, and
feasted luxuriously on fried liver at breakfast, on stuffed heart for
luncheon, and on a fine steak and the kidneys for supper. Those who may
have lived for so long a time as we had upon a reduced fare, will readily
understand with what epicurean delight these meals were discussed.
Dec. 19.--We completed our job, by melting down the fat, with which our
saddles, bridles, and all our leather gear, were well greased. In the
afternoon Mr. Calvert and Charley, who had been sent after the bullock we
had left behind, returned with him. They had found him quietly chewing
the cud, in a Bricklow grove near a small pool of water.
Dec. 20.--Whilst employed in arranging our packs, Murphy and Charley went
out to examine the surrounding country. On their return they informed me
that they had met with a native camp, the inhabitants of which were
probably out hunting, for they had left all their things behind.
Capparis Mitchelii was found in blossom. The cockatoo parrakeet of the
Gwyder River, (Nymphicus Novae Hollandiae, GOULD.), the common white
cockatoo, and the Moreton Bay Rosella parrot, were very numerous. We also
observed the superb warbler, Malurus cyaneus of Sydney; and the
shepherd's companion, or fan-tailed fly-catcher (Rhipidura); both were
frequent. Several rare species of finches were shot: and a species of the
genus Pomatorhinus, a Swan River bird, was seen by Mr. Gilbert. The
latitude of this encampment was found to be 24 degrees 44 minutes 55
seconds.
Dec. 21.--As our meat was not entirely dry, I thought it advisable to
remain another day at this place, which was usefully occupied by packing
the fat into bags made of the hide of the animal. Besides the plants
above-mentioned, a beautiful blue Nymphaea was found growing in the
lagoon; and around it, among the reeds and high cyperaceous plants, a
small labiate, a Gomphrena, the native Chamomile, and a Bellis were
growing.
The days continue very hot. At 5 P.M. we had a thunder-storm from the
southward: but little rain fell. It cleared up at seven o'clock; very
heavy dew in the morning.
Dec. 22.--We travelled to-day about five miles in a north-north-west
direction, and encamped at the creek where Charley and his companion had
seen the huts of the natives, which we found deserted. Our route lay
through a flat country, timbered with true box, (small Acacias forming
the underwood), along a fine lagoon on which were a number of ducks;
farther on, the Bastard box prevailed, with silver-leaved Ironbark, and
patches of Bricklow scrub, of Vitex and of the native lemon. A small tree
(a species of Acacia) was also seen about thirty or forty feet high, with
slightly drooping branches, and lanceolate deep green phyllodia about one
inch.
I reconnoitred with Charley, and found that the creek soon became
enveloped by scrub: to the west and south-west rose ranges of a moderate
elevation, parallel to which we travelled; plains frequently interspersed
with scrub, which became more dense as it approached the foot of the
ranges. From these appearances I determined upon sending my party back to
Brown's Lagoons, to secure water; whilst I should examine the country in
advance, in order to ascertain the extent of the scrub, in which we were
entangled.
Dec. 23--During the night we had a tremendous thunder-storm from the
southward with much rain, which did not cease till after midnight, and
was succeeded by a hurricane from the east. We witnessed a remarkable
meteor, of a fine bluish colour, stretching from E.N.E. to W.S.W. almost
parallel to the thunder-clouds. The moon, a day from its full, to the
eastward, probably produced this phenomenon.
The bower of the bowerbird (Chlamydera maculata, GOULD) was seen in the
scrub; it is made of dry grass, and its approaches at either end were
thickly strewn with snail shells and flint pebbles, which had been
collected by the bird with great industry, but for what purpose we could
not determine. Among the shells we found a Helix of a brownish colour and
of an oval form, approaching that of Bulimus.
Whilst my companions returned to Brown's Lagoons, Mr. Calvert and Brown
remained with me to examine the country. The creek which I followed down,
almost entirely disappeared; but, five miles farther on, its channel was
again observed, as deep as before, and was joined by several
water-courses from the Christmas Ranges. The principal channel of the
creek was lined with a species of Melaleuca, with slightly foliacious
bark. Several species of sedges, and nutritious grasses, grew round the
holes in which the water was constant. At about fifteen miles from the
camp, the creek was joined by that which I had followed for some distance
on the 15th December, and, about three miles farther down, it receives
another considerable tributary; and, at their junction, it is a fine
sheet of water. Here the country begins to open, with large Box-flats
extending on both sides. Two small creeks come in from the scrubby hills
to the eastward, but, at a short distance beyond their junction, almost
the whole channel disappears. Soon after, we came to another creek, to
the left of the first; but it disappeared in the same manner as the
other. We came upon several lagoons, and found some very fine grass: the
scrub reappeared on the rising ground about six miles north from the
large sheet of water. A little farther on, we came to ridges of basaltic
formation, openly timbered with silver-leaved Ironbark, and richly
covered with young grasses and herbs, identical with those of the Darling
Downs. Water holes with fine water were found at the foot of the hills.
Mimosa terminalis was frequent; numerous flights of partridge pigeons
(Geophaps scripta) were also seen.
Dec. 24.--We returned towards the camp, but, through some inattention,
kept too much to the eastward, and passed through a country of an
extremely diversified character, and very different in appearance from
that we had just left. Here we passed an extensive Myal forest, the
finest I had seen, covering the hilly and undulating country,
interspersed with groves of the native lemon tree; a few of which were
still sufficiently in fruit to afford us some refreshment. Occasionally
we met with long stretches of small dead trees, probably killed by bush
fires, alternating with Bricklow thickets: and then again crossed small
plains and patches of open forest ground, which much relieved the
tediousness of the ride through thick scrubs, which we had frequently to
penetrate with both hands occupied in protecting the face from the
branches. We also crossed chains of water-holes surrounded by a coarse
stargrass; these now changed into creeks with deep and irregular beds,
lined with Melaleucas, and now again dwindled into shallow channels,
scarcely to be recognised amidst the surrounding scrub. A week before,
these holes were hopelessly dry; but a recent thunder-storm had filled
them; and had also made the ground soft and heavy, and had called into
life thousands of small frogs, which, by an incessant croaking, testified
their satisfaction at the agreeable change.
Dec. 25.--We returned to Brown's Lagoons, and entered our camp just as
our companions were sitting down to their Christmas dinner of suet
pudding and stewed cockatoos. The day was cloudy and sultry; we had had a
heavy thunder-storm on Christmas eve.
Dec. 26.--During the night, scud passed from the east; in the morning we
had some heavy showers without wind; it cleared up at ten o'clock, and we
took advantage of four hours fair weather to travel on. We again passed
the huts of the natives, and encamped about seven miles farther down the
creek. We were, however, scarcely housed, when heavy showers of rain
began to fall, and rendered the soil, which was a stiff loam, heavy and
boggy.
Dec. 27.--Though we had hobbled our horses with straps and stirrup
leathers, they had strayed, during the night, to the more open country,
where they separated from each other in search of food; and it was not
until after three hours search that Charley found the greater part of
them. We had, however, watched the bullocks during the night, and were
therefore enabled to proceed; which we did as far as the fine sheet of
water before mentioned, when Charley again went in search of the missing
horses, with which he returned after some time.
The showers continued until about 10 o'clock last night; at 3 A. M. the
sky became clear, and continued so through the morning, except an
occasional cloud from the eastward.
Mr. Calvert found a Bauhinia in blossom; which was not only different
from the Bauhinia found afterwards at Comet River, but also from that of
the Mitchell. Mr. Gilbert found a new species of sleeping lizard, with
four lighter stripes on the dark brown ground along the back, and with
dark spots on the sides. Mr. Roper shot some ducks, and I found a species
of Ancylus; besides the species of Limnaea and Paludina, which we had
previously met with.
Dec. 28.--We travelled over the Box-tree flat, until we reached the open
basaltic ridges mentioned on the 23rd December, and kept along their
base. The creek, which had disappeared on the flat, here again formed a
large deep channel, lined with Melaleucas. Hollows existed along the
hills, and water-holes ran in lines parallel to the creek; all now quite
dry; a scrubby forest land alternated with open flats and Bricklow
thickets. Water was very scarce; and having encamped my party, I started
immediately to reconnoitre the country. I followed the creek to the
northward, and found it lined by scrub; but the belt along its west side
was narrow, and beyond it, a fine open undulating country was observed
extending far to the south-west and west, in which direction the loom of
distant ranges was seen. These plains, which had some patches of open
forest land, were, at the request of my companion, Mr. Calvert, named
"Albinia Downs." To the north-west, the mountain with the hummock lay
close before us, throwing out subordinate spurs to the westward. In
riding to the most northerly end of it, I fell in with a small
water-course, which led me to a large creek coming from the south-west
and west-south-west, with fine Casuarinas fringing its banks and forming
a dark tortuous line amongst the light green foliage of the trees on the
neighbouring flats. About six miles lower down, it was joined by the
scrub creek on which we were encamped.
The sandy bed of the creek was entirely dry, and we must have encamped
without water after a long and fatiguing ride, had not a heavy
thunder-shower supplied us; we caught the rain in our pannikins as it
dropt from our extended blankets.
The thunder-storm had passed, and the sun had set, when Brown, my
blackfellow, suddenly threw back the blanket under which we sat, and
pointed out to me a fine comet in a small clear spot of the western sky.
I afterwards learned that this comet had been observed as early as the
1st December; but our constant travelling in level forest land had
prevented us from seeing it before. The creek received the appropriate
name of "Comet Creek."
Dec. 29.--Following the creek down, we found water in chains of ponds,
and watercourses coming from a belt of scrub occupying the ground between
the creek and the mountains. Fine, though narrow, but well-grassed flats
extended along Comet Creek. We observed growing on the creek, the dwarf
Koorajong (Grewia), a small rough-leaved fig tree, a species of Tribulus,
and the native Portulaca. The latter afforded us an excellent salad; but
was much more acid than I had found it in other parts of the country,
where I had occasionally tasted it. The native melon of the Darling Downs
and of the Gwyder, grew here also. Of animals, we saw several kangaroos,
emus, native companions, and wallabies.
During our return to the camp, a hot wind blew from the south-west across
Albinia Downs: the great extent of which sufficiently accounted for the
high temperature. The only thermometer I had was unfortunately broken
shortly after we started; this loss was severely felt by me throughout
the journey, as we had no means of ascertaining the exact temperature. I
made the latitude of our camp at Scrub Creek to be 24 degrees 25 minutes
42 seconds.
Dec. 30.--We travelled about seven miles to the north-east, crossed Comet
Creek, and encamped at some water-holes, in a small creek coming out of
the scrub below the range.
Our sportsmen gave chase to ten emus and a kangaroo on Albinia Downs: but
the rottenness of the ground prevented their capture: rather tantalizing
to hungry stomachs! I examined the basaltic rock on several spots, and
found that it contained numerous crystals of Peridot. The sand in the bed
of the river contains very minute particles of igneous rock. The slopes
of the range of Comet Creek are composed of rich black soil, in some
places without trees, in others openly timbered. Stones of a light
coloured rock, with crystals of augite, pebbles of sandstone, of
conglomerate, and of quartz, are scattered over the ground, or imbedded
in the loamy beds of the water-courses. The belt of scrub at the foot of
the slopes runs out in narrow strips towards the river, and these are
separated by box-tree thickets, and open box-tree flats. A pea-plant,
with ternate leaves, and fine yellow blossoms, was found near our camp:
Portulaca was very abundant. The bronze-winged pigeon lived here on the
red fruit of Rhagodia, and the black berries of a species of Jasmine; and
seems also to pick occasionally the seed vessel of a Ruellia, which is
very frequent on all the flats of Comet Creek.
During the night, a thunder-storm passed to the southward, but did not
reach us; at 10 o'clock we observed very vivid lightning to the westward:
the wind was from the north and north-east.
Dec. 31.--We travelled along the banks of the creek towards the
north-east, but scarcely accomplished six miles, in consequence of its
tortuous course. The water-hole which I had found when reconnoitring, was
dried up, and we were glad to find a shallow pool, of which our thirsty
cattle took immediate possession. The sand in the bed of the creek looked
moist, but no water was found, after digging to a depth of five feet. The
immediate neighbourhood of the creek was in some places open, in others
covered with a shrubby Acacia, with long glaucous, and rather fleshy
phyllodia. On both sides of the high banks are deep hollows, and chains
of ponds, surrounded with reeds; but now quite dry, and covered with the
dead shells of Limnaea, Paludina, and Unio.
Mr. Roper found an Agama, with light grey on the back, and a yellow
belly. A small Chlamy-dophorus, (Jew lizard of the Hunter) was also seen,
and is probably identical with the animal inhabiting the banks of that
river. Brown accompanied me to reconnoitre the country; and we had
scarcely travelled two miles along the creek, when my attention was
attracted by the remains of a hut, consisting of a ridge pole, and two
forked stakes, about six feet high, both having been cut with a sharp
iron tomahawk. Neither of us doubted that this was the work of a white
man, probably a runaway from the settlement at Moreton Bay. A few miles
farther we came to an anabranch of the creek, which turned considerably
to the westward. I followed it, and found a shallow watercourse that came
out of the scrub, which I also examined in search of water. It led me to
another deep channel within the scrub, which looked unusually green, and
contained some very large water-holes; but there was no water in them.
Turning round one of its bends, we saw a column of thick smoke rising
from its left bank, near a fine pool of water. It was evident that a camp
of natives was before us; we rode cautiously up to the water, near which
we saw their numerous tracks, and then stopped to look around, but
without dismounting. We were, however, very soon discovered by one of
them, who, after staring at us for a moment, uttered a cry, resembling
the word "whitefellow," "whitefellow," and ran off, followed by the whole
party. We then rode up to the camp, and found their dinner ready,
consisting of two eggs of the brush turkey, roasted opossums, bandicoots,
and iguanas. In their "dillis," (small baskets) were several roots or
tubers of an oblong form, about an inch in length, and half an inch
broad, of a sweet taste, and of an agreeable flavour, even when uncooked;
there were also balls of pipe-clay to ornament their persons for
corroborris. Good opossum cloaks, kangaroo nets, and dillis neatly worked
of koorajong bark, were strewed about; there were also some spears, made
of the Bricklow Acacia: all were forgotten in the suddenness of their
retreat. I could not resist the temptation of tasting one of the eggs,
which was excellent; but, as they seemed to have trusted to our
generosity, I left every thing in its place, and departed. Brown thought
that one of them looked like a half-caste, and, as they had called us, as
far as we understood, "whitefellows," I felt confirmed in my supposition,
either that a white man was with them, or had lived among them very
recently. I returned to the creek, in order to find another water-hole
with water; but did not succeed, and had to encamp without it. During the
night we heard the noise of a frog, "brrr, brrr;" probably a new species,
for we had never heard that croak before. It seemed, however, to frighten
Brown, who, like all blackfellows, is very timid after night-fall.
Yesterday we met with a new leguminous shrub. It belongs to the section
Cassia, and has a long pinnate leaf, the leaflets an inch long, and half
an inch broad. Its pods were about a foot long, half an inch broad; and
every seed was surrounded by a fleshy spongy tissue, which, when dry,
gave to the pod a slightly articulate appearance. The seeds, when young,
had an agreeable taste, and the tissue, when dry, was pleasantly
acidulous, and was eaten by some of my companions without any ill effect,
whilst others, with myself, were severely purged. To day I found the same
plant in form of a tree, about thirty feet high, with a short stem, and
long spreading shady branches
CHAPTER IV
SWARMS OF COCKATOOS--ALLOWANCE OF FLOUR FURTHER REDUCED--NATIVE
FAMILY--THE MACKENZIE--COAL--NATIVES SPEAKING A DIFFERENT IDIOM--MOUNT
STEWART--BROWN AND MYSELF MISS THE WAY BACK TO THE CAMP--FIND OUR PARTY
AGAIN, ON THE FOURTH DAY--NEUMAN'S CREEK--ROPER'S PEAK--CALVERT'S
PEAK--GILBERT'S DOME--GREAT WANT OF WATER.
Jan. 1, 1845.--After a ride of about four miles down the creek, we came
to a deep hole of good water, that had been filled by the late
thunder-storms, the traces of which, however, had disappeared every where
else. I found a red Passion flower, with three-lobed leaves, the lobes
rounded: it was twining round the trunk of a gum tree, and rooted in a
light sandy alluvial soil. A new species of Bauhinia, with large white
blossoms, growing in small groves, or scattered in the scrub,
particularly near the creeks, was conspicuous for its elegance, and was
the greatest ornament of this part of the country. It is a tree about
twenty-five feet high, with long drooping branches; the foliage is of a
rich green colour, and affords a fine shade. A climbing Capparis, with
broad lanceolate leaves, had also large white showy blossoms; and a fine
specimen of this plant was seen growing in the fork of an old box tree,
about twelve or fifteen feet from the ground; it was in fruit, but
unfortunately was not yet ripe. There was also another species of the
same genus, with yellow blossoms, in other respects very similar in
appearance to the first. The white cedar was still abundant. When I
returned to the camp, I found my companions busily engaged in straining
the mud, which had remained in the water-hole after our horses and cattle
had drunk and rolled in it. Messrs. Gilbert and Calvert had discovered a
few quarts of water in the hollow stump of a tree; and Mr. Roper and
Charley had driven the horses and cattle to another water-hole, about two
miles off. Our latitude was 24 degrees 16 minutes 9 seconds.
Jan. 2.--I moved my camp to the water-hole, near which I had met with the
natives, and halted at the outside of a Bauhinia grove. On visiting the
spot where the blacks were encamped, it appeared that they had returned
and carried away all their things, probably well contented that we had
not taken more than the turkey's egg. The mosquitoes were a little
troublesome after sunset and in the early part of the night; but, after
that time, it was too cold for them. The flies were a much greater
nuisance; at times absolutely intolerable, from the pertinacity with
which they clung to the corners of our eyes, to the lips, to the ears,
and even to the sores on our fingers. The wind was generally from the
eastward during the morning, with cumuli; but these disappeared in the
afternoon.
Brown found a crab, (a species of Gecarcinus?) the carapace about an inch
and a quarter long, and one and a half broad, the left claws much larger
than the right, the antepenultimate joint having a strong tooth on the
upper side; it is found in moist places and in the lagoons, and, when
these are dried up, it retires under logs and large stones.
Mr. Gilbert saw a large grey wallabi, and a small one which he thought
was new. Another species of Agama was found, differing from the former by
its general grey colour, with black spots on the back.
Jan. 3.--The night was clear; a fine easterly wind prevailed during the
morning, with cumuli, which disappeared towards noon, when the sky became
cloudless. Thunder-storms generally follow a very sultry calm morning. We
travelled about ten miles in a N.N.E. direction, and came to the farthest
water-hole I had seen when out reconnoitring. We passed in our journey
through a very scrubby country, opening occasionally into fine flats
thinly timbered with true box, which was at that time in blossom. I
noticed a small tree (Santalum oblongatum, R. Br.), very remarkable for
having its branches sometimes slightly drooping, and at other times
erect, with membranous glaucous elliptical leaves, from an inch to an
inch and a half long, and three-quarters broad, with very indistinct
nerves, and producing a small purple fruit, of very agreeable taste. I
had seen this tree formerly at the Gwyder, and in the rosewood scrubs
about Moreton Bay, and I also found it far up to the northward, in the
moderately open Vitex and Bricklow scrubs.
Several small lizards (Tiliqua), probably only varieties of the same
species, amused us with the quickness of their motions when hunting for
insects on the sunny slopes near the water-holes, and on the bark of the
fallen trees; some were striped, others spotted, and there were some of a
simple brownish iridescent colour. Our latitude was 24 degrees 6 minutes
36 seconds.
Jan. 4.--Brown accompanied me on my usual errand, to find, if possible, a
larger supply of water, on which we might fall back, if the creek did not
soon change its character. The scrub came close to the banks of the
creek, but was occasionally interrupted by basaltic ridges with open
forest, stretching to the westward. These ridges were on all sides
surrounded with scrub, which did not flourish where the basaltic
formation prevailed. Broad but shallow channels, deepening from time to
time into large water-holes, follow in a parallel direction the many
windings of the creek, with which they have occasionally a small
communication. They seem to be the receptacles of the water falling
within the scrub during the rainy season: their banks are sometimes very
high and broken, and the bed is of a stiff clay, like that of the scrub,
and is scattered over with pebbles of quartz and conglomerate. Whilst
these Melaleuca channels keep at a distance varying from one to three
miles from the creek, winding between the slight elevations of a
generally flat country--long shallow hollows and a series of lagoons
exist near the creek, from which they are separated by a berg, and are
bounded on the other side by a slight rise of the ground. The hollows are
generally without trees, but are covered with a stiff stargrass; and they
frequently spread out into melon flats, covered with true Box. It is
difficult to travel along the creek, especially with pack bullocks, as
the scrub frequently comes close up to its banks; but the hollows, during
the dry season, are like roads. In the channels within the scrub I found
a large supply of water, in holes surrounded by sedges and a broad-leaved
Polygonum, amongst which grew a species of Abutilon; the neighbouring dry
channel was one beautiful carpet of verdure. In the scrub I found a plant
belonging to the Amaryllideae (Calostemma luteum?) with a cluster of fine
yellow blossoms. Flights of ducks were on the water, and scores of little
birds were fluttering through the grasses and sedges, or hopping over the
moist mud in pursuit of worms and insects. The water-holes were about six
miles from our camp. I continued my ride about four miles farther along
the creek, where I found the scrub had retired, and was replaced by an
open silver-leaved Ironbark forest, in which the rich green feed relieved
our eyes from the monotonous grey of the scrub, and quickened the steps
of our horses. Here also basaltic ridges approached the creek, and even
entered into its bed; among them were several fine water-holes. In our
return to the camp we found abundance of water in the lagoons near the
river, corresponding to the water-holes within the scrub. This local
occurrence of water depends either upon thunder-storms favouring some
tracts more than others, or upon the country here being rather more
hilly, which allows the rainwater to collect in deep holes at the foot of
the slopes.
Jan. 5.--We moved down to the water-holes of the basaltic ridges, being
about nine miles in a N.N.W. direction from our last camp.
At three o'clock a.m. clouds formed very rapidly over the whole
sky--which had been clear during the previous part of the night--and
threatened us with wet. In the morning some few drops fell, with slight
casterly winds; it cleared up, however, about nine o'clock a.m. with a
northerly breeze.
Marsilea grows everywhere on the flats; and a fine little pea plant with
a solitary red blossom, was found amongst the basaltic rocks round the
water-hole. We observed, growing along the creek, another species of
Portulaca, with linear fleshy leaves, erect stem, and small yellow
flowers; and a half-shrubby Malvaccous plant, with small clustered yellow
blossoms: the latter is common at the outside of scrubs in the Moreton
Bay district. We also remarked, within the scrub, a small tree, with
bright-green foliage, and three-winged capsules slightly united at the
base; and another small tree, with deep-green coloured leaves, and
two-winged capsules united in all their length; the last is nearly allied
to Dodonaea.
I never before saw nor heard so many cockatoos as I did at Comet Creek.
Swarms of them preceded us for one or two miles, from tree to tree,
making the air ring with their incessant screams, and then returning in
long flights to their favourite haunts, from which we had disturbed them.
We saw four kangaroos; and shot some bronze-winged pigeons; in the crop
of one I found a small Helix with a long spire,--a form I do not remember
ever having seen before in the colony. A considerable number of small
brown snakes were living in the water-hole; they were generally seen in
the shallow water with their heads above the surface, but, at our
approach, dived into the deepest part of the hole. Our daily allowance of
flour was now reduced to three pounds. Our provisions disappear rapidly,
and the wear and tear of our clothes and harness is very great; but, as
our wants increase, our desires become more easily satisfied. The green
hide furnishes ample means to preserve our shoes, by covering them with
mocassins, and with materials for repairing the harness. The latitude of
this camp was 23 degrees 59 minutes 6 seconds.
Jan. 6.--Leaving my companions at the camp well provided with both grass
and water, I followed the creek, with Brown, in expectation of a long
ride, as Messrs. Gilbert and Roper had been forward about nine miles in
search of water, but without finding any. We very soon left the open
country, and entered the vilest scrub we had ever before encountered. The
parallel lines of lagoons disappeared, and the banks of the creek became
very broken by gullies, so that the stiff soil of the neighbouring scrub,
not being intercepted by lagoons, is washed by heavy rains into the bed
of the creek, which was no longer sandy, but inclined to the formation of
water-holes, the clay rendering it impervious to water. The Casuarina,
which likes a light sandy soil, disappeared at the same time, and was
succeeded by the narrow-leaved Melaleuca. The flooded-gum, however, kept
its place, and frequently attained to a great size. About twelve miles
from the camp, a small water-hole appeared in the bed of the creek. This
was the first we had met with while travelling along its banks a distance
of seventy miles; but, in proceeding about four miles farther, we passed
a succession of fine water-holes well supplied with water; and others
were found in the adjoining creeks. Afterwards, however, the water
suddenly disappeared again; and for eight miles farther its bed was
entirely dry, although fine grass was growing in it. We had every
prospect of passing the night without water, as the sun was sinking fast;
but we fortunately reached a small hole before dark, containing a little
water, which we had to share with our horses, with a small brown snake,
and with a large flight of bronze-winged pigeons; the latter, surprised
at our presence, first alighted on the neighbouring trees to observe us,
and then hurried down to take their evening draught.
Jan. 7.--I travelled farther down the river, and again came, after a ride
of three miles, into a well-watered country, but still occupied by scrub;
in which the Capparis, with its large white sweet-scented blossoms, was
very frequent; but its sepals, petals, and stamens dropped off at the
slightest touch. Its fruit was like a small apple covered with warts, and
its pungent seeds were imbedded in a yellow pulp, not at all disagreeable
to eat. At last the scrub ceased, and, over an open rise on the right
side of Comet Creek, a range of blue mountains was discovered by my
companion, promising a continuation of good country. At this time a fine
water-hole was at hand, and invited us to stop and make our luncheon on
dried beef and a pot of tea. Whilst I was preparing the tea, Brown went
to shoot pigeons; and, whilst thus employed, he was surprised by the
cooee of a Blackfellow; and, on looking round, he saw one on the opposite
bank of the creek making signs to him, as if to ask in what direction we
were going. Brown pointed down the creek; the black then gave him to
understand that he was going upward to join his wife. We started about
half-an-hour afterwards, and met with him, about two miles up the creek,
with his wife, his daughter, and his son. He was a fine old man, but he,
as well as his family, were excessively frightened; they left all their
things at the fire, as if offering them to us, but readily accepted two
pigeons, which had been shot by Brown. We asked them for water (yarrai)
which, according to what we could understand from their signs, was
plentiful lower down the creek. In returning homewards we cut off
considerable angles of the creek, and passed through a much finer and
more open country. On its left bank we passed a scrub creek containing
magnificent lagoons. At my arrival in the camp, I was informed that
natives had been close at hand, although none had showed themselves.
Jan. 8.--I moved my camp about eight miles to the northward, and halted
at a fine water-hole in a scrub creek joining Comet Creek. A pretty
little diver was amusing himself on the water. The country is very rich
in game. Kangaroos and wallabies are very frequent; several brush turkeys
were seen, and the partridge and bronze-winged pigeons are very
plentiful. Our latitude was 23 degrees 51 minutes.
Jan. 9.--In travelling down to the water-hole, where we had met the
Blackfellow and his family, we kept a little too much to the westward, in
hope of finding a more open country; instead, however, of an improvement,
we encountered sandy hills covered with a dense low scrub and
cypress-pine. The latter almost invariably grows on the slight sandstone
elevations in a scrubby country. After surmounting many difficulties, we
came upon a broad scrub creek, in the dry bed of which we travelled down
to Comet Creek, which we followed, and at last reached our intended
camping place. Our cattle and luggage had suffered severely, and we
devoted the next day to sundry repairs. The weather was very hot: the
night clear. Our latitude was 23 degrees 41 minutes 14 seconds.
Jan. 10.--To prevent unnecessary loss of time by my reconnoitring
excursions, and to render them less fatiguing to myself, I arranged that
both the blacks should go with me, in order that I might send one back
from the first favourable camping place, to bring the party on, whilst I
continued to explore the country with the other. Under this arrangement,
therefore, I went forward, and, following the creek, it was found to
sweep to the eastward, round a high plain of rich black soil, and covered
with luxuriant vegetation. This plain is basaltic, but, in the valley of
the creek, sandstone crops out below it. The slopes from the plain to the
creek are steep, and torn by deep gullies, which made travelling very
fatiguing. As the creek again turned to the west and north-west, the
water-holes increased both in size and number, although the flats within
the valley were limited and intersected by watercourses. I sent Charley
back when we were about seven miles N.W. by N. from our camp, and
proceeded with Brown down the creek, which, at about four miles farther,
to my inexpressible delight, joined a river coming from the west and
north-west, and flowing to the east and north-east. It was not, however,
running, but formed a chain of small lakes, from two to three and even
eight miles in length, and frequently from fifty to one hundred yards
broad, offering to our view the finest succession of large sheets of
water we had seen since leaving the Brisbane. Its course continued
through a very deep and winding valley, bounded by high but generally
level land. The gullies going down to the river were generally covered
with a belt of thick scrub, as was also the high land nearest to it; but,
farther off, the country appeared to be more open, plains alternating
with open forest land, but yet, in places, much occupied by tracts of
almost impervious scrub of various extent. We met frequent traces of the
natives, who had recently gone down the river, having previously burned
the grass, leaving very little for our horses and cattle. At 8 o'clock
P.M. a fine strong northerly breeze came up the river, flowing along its
broad open valley, and which I supposed to be the sea breeze. This
supposition was somewhat confirmed by a similar breeze occurring at the
same time on the following evening.
The plains are basaltic, and occasionally covered with pebbles of white
and iron-coloured quartz and conglomerate, and are in the vicinity of
slight elevations, which are probably composed of sandstone and
conglomerate, and usually covered with low scrub and cypress-pine.
Sandstone crops out in the gullies of the valley, in horizontal strata,
some of which are hard and good for building, others like the blue clay
beds of Newcastle, with the impressions of fern-leaves identical with
those of that formation. At the junction of Comet Creek and the river, I
found water-worn fragments of good coal, and large trunks of trees
changed into ironstone. I called this river the "Mackenzie," in honour of
Sir Evan Mackenzie, Bart., as a small acknowledgment of my gratitude for
the very great assistance which he rendered me in the preparations for my
expedition. Farther down the river, the country became better watered,
even at a distance from the river; some small creeks, winding down
between scrubby sandstone hills, were full of water, and a chain of fine
lagoons was crossed, covered with splendid blue Nymphaeas. Large coveys
of partridge-pigeons rose from the burnt grass as we passed along, and
ducks and pelicans were numerous on the stretches of water in the bed of
the river. Heaps of fresh-water muscles lined the water-holes, which were
teeming with fish, apparently of considerable size, as their splashing
startled me several times during the night, and made me believe, for the
moment, that a large tribe of natives were bathing.
A very stiff high grass became very general along the river. On the
plains there were fields of native carrots, now dry; also of vervain and
burr. The long-podded cassia was plentiful, and its young seeds tasted
well, but considerably affected the bowels.
Cumuli passed from the north-east during the morning: the afternoon was
clear, and the night bright.
When I returned to the camp on the 11th January, my companions told me,
that upon their journey across the high plains they had observed a high
range to the north-west.
Jan. 12.--I removed my camp down Comet Creek, and followed the Mackenzie
for a few miles, as far as it was easy travelling along its bank. Comet
Creek joins the Mackenzie in a very acute angle; the direction of the
latter being east, and the course of the former, in its lower part,
north-west. Our anglers caught several fine fishes and an eel, in the
water-holes of the Mackenzie. The former belonged to the Siluridae, and
had four fleshy appendages on the lower lip, and two on the upper; dorsal
fin 1 spine 6 rays, and an adipose fin, pectoral 1 spine 8 rays; ventral
6 rays; anal 17 rays; caudal 17-18 rays; velvety teeth in the upper and
lower jaws, and in the palatal bones. Head flat, belly broad; back of a
greenish silver-colour; belly silvery white; length of the body 15-20
inches. It made a singular noise when taken out of the water.
We found here Unios of a fine pink and purple colour inside the valves,
and a new species of Cyclas with longitudinal ribs. Small black ants, and
little flies with wings crossing each other, annoy us very much, the one
creeping all over our bodies and biting us severely, and the other
falling into our soup and tea, and covering our meat; but the strong
night-breeze protects us from the mosquitoes. A pretty lizard (Tiliqua)
of small size, with yellowish spots on a brown ground, was caught, and
seemed to be plentiful here about. The Acacia, with very long linear
drooping leaves, that had been observed at the Dawson, re-appeared both
on Comet Creek and the banks of the Mackenzie. Our latitude was 23
degrees 33 minutes 38 seconds.
Jan. 13.--We travelled about nine miles E.N.E. over the high land, and
through open forest land, and several plains skirted on both sides by
scrub. I observed a new species of Flindersia, a small tree about thirty
feet high, with thin foliage and very regular branches, forming a spire.
The latitude was 23 degrees 29 minutes.
Jan. 14.--After travelling about three miles in a north-easterly
direction along the banks of the river--having, at about a mile from our
camp, crossed a good-sized creek on its left bank--the river took a
sudden bend to the westward, and a large creek coming from the northward,
joined it almost at a right angle to its course. As we proceeded, we came
suddenly upon two black women hurrying out of the water, but who, on
reaching a distance in which they thought themselves safe, remained
gazing at us as we slowly and peaceably passed by. In the bed of the
river, which was here broad and sandy, a bean was gathered, bearing
racemes of pink blossoms, and spreading its long slender stem over the
ground, or twining it round shrubs and trees: its pods were from three to
five inches long, and about half an inch broad, containing from four to
six seeds, very similar to the horse-bean. This plant was afterwards
found growing in the sandy beds, or along the bergs of almost all the
broad rivers, and was always a welcome sight; for the seeds, after
roasting and pounding them, afforded us a very agreeable substitute for
coffee.
We passed some very high cliffs, which showed a fine geological section
of horizontal layers of sandstone and coal-slate. There were also some
layers of very good coal, but the greater part of those visible were of a
slaty character. Nodules of Ironstone were very frequent in the
sandstone.
After having fixed upon a place to pitch the tent, and after some
refreshment, I started with my two black companions upon a reconnoitring
excursion along the course of the river, which made several large bends,
though its general direction was to the north-east. We passed over some
very fine flats of Bastard-box, silver-leaved Ironbark, and white gum,
with a few scattered Acacia-trees, remarkable for their drooping foliage,
and mentioned under the date 22nd December. Farther on, we came again to
scrub, which uniformly covered the edge of the high land towards the
river. Here, within the scrub, on the side towards the open country we
found many deserted camps of the natives, which, from their position,
seemed to have been used for shelter from the weather, or as
hiding-places from enemies: several places had evidently been used for
corroborris, and also for fighting.
On a White-gum, which has long lanceolate green leaves, I found a species
of Loranthus, with leaves resembling those of the silver-leaved Ironbark
(Eucalyptus pulverulentus). Having reached a point down the river, in
about lat. 23 degrees 18 minutes, from which some low ranges to the N.W.
became visible, I returned to the camp. At the point where it turned, a
dyke of basalt traverses the river. The country still maintained its
favourable character, and the river contained fine sheets of water
similar to those already described, on one of which a pelican floated
undisturbed by our presence. Large heaps of muscle-shells, which have
given food to successive generations of the natives, cover the steep
sloping banks of the river, and indicate that this part of the country is
very populous. The tracks of the natives were well beaten, and the
fire-places in their camps numerous. The whole country had been on fire;
smouldering logs, scattered in every direction, were often rekindled by
the usual night breeze, and made us think that the Blackfellows were
collecting in numbers around us,--and more particularly on the opposite
side of the river; added to which, the incessant splashing of numerous
large fishes greatly contributed to augment our fears. As a matter of
precaution, therefore, we tied our horses near our sleeping-place, and
gathered the grass which grew along the edge of the water for them to
eat; and it was not till daylight that our alarm vanished.
Jan. 15.--Having now ascertained, beyond a doubt, that the Mackenzie
flowed to the north-east, I returned to the camp, resolved upon leaving
it and renewing my course to the west-north-west and north-west; but, as
it was extremely doubtful whether we should find water in travelling
across the country without a leading watercourse, and as we had failed in
procuring a sufficient quantity of game, I determined to take this
favourable opportunity of killing a bullock before leaving the river.
Jan. 16.--On returning, we found our party encamped about four miles
lower down the river than where I had left them. I then removed them to a
more convenient spot about two miles still lower down (lat. 23 degrees 21
minutes 30 seconds). Just at the moment we were preparing to shoot the
bullock, we heard the cooee of a native, and in a short time two men were
seen approaching and apparently desirous of having a parley. Accordingly,
I went up to them; the elder, a well made man, had his left front tooth
out, whilst the younger had all his teeth perfect; he was of a muscular
and powerful figure, but, like the generality of Australian aborigines,
had rather slender bones; he had a splendid pair of moustachios, but his
beard was thin. They spoke a language entirely different from that of the
natives of Darling Downs, but "yarrai" still meant water. Charley, who
conversed with them for some time, told me that they had informed him, as
well as he could understand, that the Mackenzie flowed to the north-east.
Brown found an empty seed-vessel of the Nelumbium, in their camp. At
sunset we killed our bullock, and during the 17th and 18th occupied
ourselves in cutting up the meat, drying it in the sun, frying the fat,
preparing the hide, and greasing our harness. Charley, in riding after
the horses, came to some fine lagoons, which were surrounded by a deep
green belt of Nelumbiums. This plant grows, with a simple tap root, in
the deep soft mud, bearing one large peltate leaf on a leaf stalk, about
eight feet high, and from twelve to eighteen inches in diameter, the
flower-stalk being of the same length or even longer, crowned with a pink
flower resembling that of a Nymphaea, but much larger: its seed-vessel is
a large cone, with perpendicular holes in its cellular tissue, containing
seeds, about three quarters of an inch in length. We found the following
shells in the river, viz.; two species of Melania, a Paludina, the
lanceolate Limnaea, a cone-shaped Physa (?), a Cyclas with longitudinal
ribs, and the Unio before described. Murphy shot an Ostioglossum, a
Malacopterygious fish, about three feet long, with very large scales,
each scale having a pink spot. We afterwards found this fish in the
waters flowing into the Gulf of Carpentaria; both on its eastern and
western sides: and, according to the natives of Port Essington, to whom I
showed the dried specimen, it is also found in the permanent water-holes
of the Cobourg peninsula.
Jan. 18.--Leaving my party to complete the process of drying and packing
the charqui, I started with my two black companions to examine the
country to the north-west. After passing the gullies in the immediate
neighbourhood of the river, we came to sandstone ridges covered with an
almost impenetrable scrub; chiefly composed of stiff and prickly shrubs,
many of them dead, with dry branches filling the intervals. As no grass
grew on the poor soil, the bush-fires--those scavengers of the
forest--are unable to enter and consume the dead wood, which formed the
principal obstacle to our progress. Difficult, however, as it was to
penetrate such thickets with pack-bullocks, I had no choice left, and
therefore proceeded in the same direction. In a short time, we reached an
open Bricklow scrub containing many dry water-holes, which, farther on,
united into a watercourse. We passed a creek flowing to the eastward to
join the Mackenzie, and continued our route through patches of Bricklow
scrub, alternating with Bastard-box forest, and open Vitex scrub, in
which the Moreton Bay ash was very plentiful. About eight miles from our
camp, we came upon an open forest of narrow-leaved Ironbark (E.
resinifera) and Bastard-box, covering gentle slopes, from which shallow
well-grassed hollows descended to the westward. Coming again on scrub,
and following it down in a westerly direction, we came to a dry creek;
and found water in holes along the scrub. Considering this a favourable
place for the camp, I sent Charley back, to guide my party through the
scrub; whilst I proceeded with Brown to examine the creek upwards, to the
north-west. After a ride of about five miles, during which several fine
lagoons were seen, we reached a prominent hill of sandstone formation,
surrounded by a most beautiful, open, silver-leaved Ironbark forest,
changing occasionally into plains without a tree. I ascended the hill,
and obtained a very extensive view from its summit. A range of peaks bore
N. 57 degrees W.; another range, with undulating outline, was seen to the
south-east; and another less prominent range bore N. 45 degrees W. The
hill is in latitude 23 degrees 10 minutes, and bears the name of Mount
Stewart, in compliment to Mr. Stewart, veterinary surgeon of Sydney, to
whom I am indebted for great assistance and most valuable advice.
Towards the north-east, the country appeared to be very level, with only
one low ridge, apparently at a great distance. To the south, and also to
the west, some long-stretched flat-topped hills were visible, several
extending as far as the eye could reach. I continued my ride in the
direction of the range of peaks to the north-west, over an undulating
country of varied character, now extending in fine downs and plains, now
covered with belts of thick Bricklow scrub, with occasional ridges of
open silver-leaved Ironbark forest. Among the latter was a rather stunted
gum-tree, with a black scaly butt; it was very frequent, and greatly
resembled the Moreton Bay ash. The numerous watercourses which I crossed,
were all dry; and, when the approach of night compelled us to select a
camping place, which we did in a small grove of Bricklow, we should have
been without water, had not a thunder-storm with light showers of rain,
enabled us to collect about a quart of it to make some tea. The next
morning we continued our examination, passing over a country of scrub,
plain, and forest land; and made our breakfast, and watered our horses,
at a small pool of water that was collected in a hole of a little creek,
after the last night's thunder-storm. About four miles from this spot, we
again found permanent water, near the scrub; and, at three miles farther
on, crossed a fine creek, with a reedy bed, along which lightly timbered
flats extended; and, about six miles to the W. N. W., we found another
creek, separated from the former by openly timbered ridges, and
occasional patches of scrub. The flats along this creek and its
tributaries were covered with the most luxuriant grass; but are without
permanent water, although at present supplied by the late thunder-storms.
Brown gave chase to an emu with several young ones, but did not succeed
in capturing any of them.
We now commenced our return to the camp, and, being impatient to get on,
put our horses into a canter; the consequence of which was that we lost
our way, and were ignorant as to which side we had left the tracks.
Thinking, however, that Mount Stewart would guide us, when we should come
in sight of it, I kept a south-easterly course, which soon brought us
into a thick Bricklow scrub. In passing the large flats of the last
creek, which was here full of fine reedy water-holes, we observed a
native; and Brown cooeed to him, and by a sign requested him to wait for
us: but he was so frightened, by the sudden appearance of two men
cantering towards him, that he took to his heels, and soon disappeared in
the neighbouring scrub. We rode the whole day through a Bricklow thicket,
which, in only three or four places, was interrupted by narrow strips of
open country, along creeks on which fine flooded-gums were growing. The
density of the scrub, which covered an almost entirely level country,
prevented our seeing farther than a few yards before us, so that we
passed our landmark, and, when night approached, and the country became
more open, we found ourselves in a part of the country totally unknown to
us. At the outside of the scrub, however, we were cheered by the sight of
some large lagoons, on whose muddy banks there were numerous tracts of
emus and kangaroos. In a recently deserted camp of the Aborigines, we
found an eatable root, like the large tubers of Dahlia, which we greedily
devoured, our appetite being wonderfully quickened by long abstinence and
exercise. Brown fortunately shot two pigeons; and, whilst we were
discussing our welcome repast, an emu, probably on its way to drink,
approached the lagoon, but halted when it got sight of us, then walked
slowly about, scrutinizing us with suspicious looks, and, when Brown
attempted to get near it, trotted off to a short distance, and stopped
again, and continued to play this tantalizing trick until we were tired;
when, mounting our horses, we proceeded on our way. Supposing, from the
direction of the waters, that we had left our former tracks to the left,
I turned to the north-east to recover them; but it soon became very dark,
and a tremendous thunder-storm came down upon us. We were then on a high
box-tree ridge, in view of a thick scrub; we hobbled our horses, and
covered ourselves with our blankets; but the storm was so violent, that
we were thoroughly drenched. As no water-holes were near us, we caught
the water that ran from our blankets; and, as we were unable to rekindle
our fire, which had been extinguished by the rain, we stretched our
blankets over some sticks to form a tent, and notwithstanding our wet and
hungry condition, our heads sank wearily on the saddles--our usual bush
pillow--and we slept soundly till morning dawned. We now succeeded in
making a fire, so that we had a pot of tea and a pigeon between us. After
this scanty breakfast, we continued our course to the north-east. Brown
thought himself lost, got disheartened, grumbled and became exceedingly
annoying to me; but I could not help feeling for him, as he complained of
severe pain in his legs. We now entered extensive Ironbark flats, which
probably belong to the valley of the Mackenzie. Giving our position every
consideration, I determined upon returning to the mountains at which we
had turned, and took a north-west course. The country was again most
wretched, and at night we almost dropped from our saddles with fatigue.
Another pigeon was divided between us, but our tea was gone. Oppressed by
hunger, I swallowed the bones and the feet of the pigeon, to allay the
cravings of my stomach. A sleeping lizard with a blunt tail and knobby
scales, fell into our hands, and was of course roasted and greedily
eaten. Brown now complained of increased pain in his feet, and lost all
courage. "We are lost, we are lost," was all he could say. All my words
and assurances, all my telling him that we might be starved for a day or
two, but that we should most certainly find our party again, could not do
more than appease his anxiety for a few moments. The next morning, the
21st, we proceeded, but kept a little more to the westward, and crossed a
fine openly timbered country; but all the creeks went either to the east
or to the north. At last, after a ride of about four miles, Brown
recognized the place where we had breakfasted on the 19th, when all his
gloom and anxiety disappeared at once. I then returned on my south-east
course, and arrived at the camp about one o'clock in the afternoon; my
long absence having caused the greatest anxiety amongst my companions. I
shall have to mention several other instances of the wonderful quickness
and accuracy with which Brown as well as Charley were able to recognize
localities which they had previously seen. The impressions on their
retina seem to be naturally more intense than on that of the European;
and their recollections are remarkably exact, even to the most minute
details. Trees peculiarly formed or grouped, broken branches, slight
clevations of the ground--in fact, a hundred things, which we should
remark only when paying great attention to a place--seem to form a kind
of Daguerreotype impression on their minds, every part of which is
readily recollected.
I rejoined my party at the creek which comes from Mount Stewart. The
natives had approached Mr. Gilbert when out shooting, with a singular,
but apparently friendly, noise: "Ach! Ach! Ach!" They had heard the cooce
of my blackfellow Charley, and thought Mr. Gilbert wanted them; but, as
he was alone, he thought it prudent to retire to the camp.
The thunder-storm, which we experienced on the night of the 19th, had
completely changed the aspect of the country round Mount Stewart. All the
melon-holes of the scrub, all the ponds along the creeks, all the
water-holes in the beds of the creeks, were full of water; the creek at
which we encamped, was running; the grass looked fresh and green; the
ground, previously rotten, was now boggy, and rendered travelling rather
difficult; but we were always at home, for we found water and grass
everywhere.
The days from the 17th to the 23rd were exceedingly hot, but, during the
early morning and the evening, the air was delightfully cool. Light
casterly and northerly winds stirred during the day. Cumuli passed from
the same quarters; and generally gathered during the afternoon, and
became very heavy. The thunder-storms veered round from the west by the
north to the eastward. The nights of the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd were bright
and cold, with heavy dew. On the morning of the 23rd we had misty, loose,
confluent clouds, travelling slowly from the north-east, with some drops
of rain. I was now convinced that the rainy season had set in near the
sea coast; for the clouds which came from that direction, had evidently
been charged with rain; but, in passing over a large tract of dry
country, they were exhausted of their moisture, and the north-easterly
winds were too weak to carry them quickly so far inland.
The whole country I had travelled over, is composed of sandstone, with
probably occasional outbreaks of igneous rocks, as indicated by the rich
black soil. The plains and creeks abound in fossil wood, changed into
iron-ore and silica. The soil is generally good, but some of the sandy
flats are rotten: and the ridges are covered with pebbles.
The trees, with the exception of the flooded-gum, are of stunted habit;
and scrub is here developed ad infinitum. A Grevillea (G. ceratophylla
R.Br.?) with pinnatifid leaves, a small tree from fifteen to twenty feet
high, and about four inches in diameter; a Melaleuca about the same size,
with stiff lanceolate leaves, about two inches long and half an inch
broad, and slightly foliaceous bark; and an Acacia with glaucous
bipinnate leaves, of the section of the brush Acacias of Moreton
Bay--grew on the sandy soil along the ridges; and a handsome Convolvulus
with pink flowers adorned the rich plain south-east of Mount Stewart. I
examined the wood of all the arborescent Proteaceae which I met with, and
observed in all of them, with the exception of Persoonia, the great
development of the medullary rays, as it exists in several species of
Casuarina.
On the 23rd, 24th, and 25th January, the party moved over the country
which I had reconnoitred, to a place about twenty-five miles north-west
from Mount Stewart's Creek, and about thirty-four miles from the
Mackenzie. In the vicinities of several of the camps, Charley found many
nests of the native bee, full of the sweetest and most aromatic honey we
had ever tasted. The wild Marjoram, which grows abundantly here, and
imparts its fragrance even to the air, seemed to be the principal source
from which the bee obtained its honey. We collected a considerable
quantity of the marjoram, and added it to our tea, with the double
intention, of improving its flavour, and of saving our stock; we also
used it frequently as a condiment in our soup.
To the westward of our camp of the 25th January, was a large hill, which
I called "West Hill;" and, to the north and north-east, several ridges
confined the large valley of our creek and its tributaries. From a
sandstone peak to the north-east, which I descended with Mr. Roper, I
again saw the range of peaks which I had first observed from Mount
Stewart in a W.N.W. direction; and the country to the north and
north-east was evidently very mountainous: the valleys descending in a
northerly direction. We rode along the ridges on a W.N.W. and west
course, and came into the valley of another creek, which we crossed; and,
passing several other ridges, which appear to be connected with West
Hill, descended to a fine creek, in which we found a reedy water-hole of
considerable size. The character of all these creeks is the same.
Extensive flats of rotten ground, but beautifully clothed with tufts of
grass, openly timbered with Moreton Bay ash and flooded-gum, ascend into
gentle grassy slopes of silver-leaved Ironbark and bloodwood, and then
rise into sandstone ridges with Acacia thickets and shrubby plants
peculiar to the sandstone formation. An Acacia with very large falcate,
glaucous phyllodia, and the Euphorbiaceous Severn-tree, were very
plentiful; and Crinum grew in thousands on the sandy flats. After a very
hot day, the night was bright and dewy: a light breeze was felt at 8
o'clock, which cooled the air.
Jan. 26.--I removed my camp to the reedy water-hole of yesterday, about
five miles in the direction of west or west by north from our last
encampment. Here I planted the last peach-stones, with which Mr. Newman,
the present superintendent of the Botanic Garden in Hobart Town, had
kindly provided me. It is, however, to be feared that the fires, which
annually over-run the whole country, and particularly here, where the
grass is rich and deep even to the water's edge, will not allow them to
grow. To the creek on which we were encamped I gave the name of "Newman's
Creek," in honour of Mr. Newman. It flows in a south-east and southerly
course, and unites probably with West Hill Creek, on which we were
encamped the day before, and with the large creek which we crossed on the
25th; both of which probably belong to the system of the Mackenzie. Mr.
Calvert and Charley accompanied me in an excursion to the W.N.W., but,
having crossed some ridges and coming to scrub, we took a direction to
the northward. Fine Bastard-box flats and Ironbark slopes occupy the
upper part of Newman's Creek. On the ridges, we observed Persoonia with
long falcate leaves; the grass-tree (Xanthorrhaea); the rusty gum, and
the Melaleuca of Mount Stewart. Having ascended the sandstone ridge at
the head of Newman's Creek, we found ourselves on a table land out of
which rose the peaks for which we were steering, and from which we were
separated by fine downs, plains, and a lightly timbered country, with
belts of narrow-leaved Ironbark growing on a sandy soil. On one of the
plains quartzite cropped out; and silex and fossil wood lay scattered
over the rich black soil: the latter broke readily, like asbestos, into
the finest filaments, much resembling the fossil wood of Van Diemen's
Land. It is difficult to describe the impressions which the range of
noble peaks, rising suddenly out of a comparatively level country, made
upon us. We had travelled so much in a monotonous forest land, with only
now and then a glimpse of distant ranges through the occasional clearings
in the dismal scrub, that any change was cheering. Here an entirely open
country--covered with grass, and apparently unbounded to the westward;
now ascending, first, in fine ranges, and forming a succession of almost
isolated, gigantic, conical, and dome-topped mountains, which seemed to
rest with a flat unbroken base on the plain below--was spread before our
delighted eyes. The sudden alteration of the scene, therefore, inspired
us with feelings that I cannot attempt to describe. Proceeding onwards we
passed some water-holes; but, farther on, the water failed, except here
and there in a few pools, in the creeks coming from the range, that had
been filled by the last thunder-showers. These pools were generally lined
with patches of a narrow-leaved tea tree; and were full of basaltic
pebbles.
The breeze set in full and strong, as usual, at a quarter past eight
o'clock; the night was bright and cool, and the following morning
inexpressibly beautiful.
We enjoyed a dish of cockatoos for supper: the place abounds with them.
Jan. 27.--Charley went back to bring forward our party, whilst I
proceeded with Mr. Calvert to reconnoitre the plains under the peaks,
feeling confident of finding water at their foot. We passed over plains
and lightly-timbered basaltic ridges, between which shallow creeks came
down from the range, but we only found water in one or two holes. The
plains in the neighbourhood of our intended camp were richly grassed; and
a species of Hypoxis and the native Borage (Trichodesma zeylanica, R.
Br.) adorned them with their bright yellow and blue blossoms. Farther on,
however, the grass had been burnt, and was not yet recovered. As the day
advanced, and the black soil became heated by the almost vertical sun,
the heat from above and from below became almost insupportable.
Three peaks of this range were particularly striking; two of them seemed
to be connected by a lower ridge, in a direction from S.E. to N.W. The
south-eastern I called "Roper's Peak," after my companion, who afterwards
ascended it with Murphy and Brown, and the north-western, "Scott's Peak,"
after Helenus Scott, Esq., of Glendon, Hunter's River, who had kindly
assisted me in my expedition. In a W. by S. direction from these, and
distant four or five miles, is another peak, to which I gave the name of
"Macarthur's Peak," after Mr. William Macarthur, of Cambden. All these
peaks are composed of Domite; and Roper's and Scott's Peaks are
surrounded by a sandstone formation, covered with a dense low scrub.
I passed between Roper's Peak and Macarthur's Peak, to the northward, and
came in sight of another very remarkable cone, which I afterwards called
Calvert's Peak, after my fellow-traveller, in consequence of his having
suffered severely in its neighbourhood, as I shall soon have to mention.
I traced a creek at the east side of Macarthur's Peak to its head, and
went down another on its west side to a large plain, which seemed to be
limited to the westward by openly-timbered ridges. As we advanced into
the plain, a most remarkable and interesting view of a great number of
peaks and domes opened to the N.N.W. and N.W. There seemed no end of
apparently isolated conical mountains, which, as they resemble very much
the chain of extinct volcanos in Auvergne, might easily be mistaken for
such; but, after changing the aspect a little, they assumed the
appearance of immense tents, with very short ridge-poles. To the most
remarkable of them, which had the appearance of an immense cupola, I gave
the name of Gilbert's Dome, after my companion. Far to the N.N.W. a blue
peak was seen rising behind a long range of mountains, and from the
latter a valley seemed to descend to the W.N.W. A round hill, of a
reddish colour, to the south or south-west of Macarthur's Peak, was
called Mount Lowe, after R. Lowe, Esq. of Sydney. The general direction
of these mountains seems to be from N. 60 degrees W. to S. 60 degrees E.,
and, if we compare them with the line of the coast in the neighbourhood
of Broadsound and Shoalwater bay, bearing due east, it will be found that
they are parallel to its direction. All the creeks which we examined, and
which fell to the south-west, were entirely dry. On the ridges which
bounded the plain to the westward, I met with Acacia pendula; and I may
here remark that this appears to be the most northern limit of its
habitat. Here also, in an old camp of the natives, we found a heap of
muscle-shells, which were probably taken from some very deep and shady
holes in the creek, but which were now without the slightest indication
of moisture. Water failing us on the western slopes, I crossed to the
east side, under the idea and hope that the north and north-east sides of
the range, from being more exposed to the sea winds, would be better
provided with water; and, passing to the left of Calvert's Peak, over low
basaltic ridges, I came to a creek with a shallow bed, winding between
basaltic ridges to the north-east. These ridges were lightly timbered,
and covered with an abundance of dry grass: dark-green patches of scrub
raised our hopes from time to time, and quickened our pace; but in vain,
for no water was to be found. Fatigued and exhausted by thirst, both
rider and horse wished for an early halt. We stopped, therefore, and
hobbled our horses; and, when I had spread my saddle, my head sank
between its flaps, and I slept soundly until the cool night-air, and the
brilliant moonlight, awoke me. I found my poor companion, Mr. Calvert,
suffering severely from thirst, more so indeed than I did; but I was
unfortunately labouring under a most painful diarrhoea, which of itself
exhausted my strength. In the morning, to add to our distress, our horses
were not to be found, and Mr. Calvert had a walk of four hours to get
them: the poor brutes had rambled away in search of water, but found
none. The scream of a cockatoo made me wish to continue our ride down the
creek; but my companion was so completely exhausted that I resolved upon
returning to the camp, but by a different route, passing to the east side
of Scott's and Roper's Peaks. We found sandstone ridges to the very foot
of the peaks. Although we passed many localities where water might have
been expected, and travelled where three different rocks, domite,
sandstone, and basalt, came in contact, and where springs are so
frequently found, yet not a drop of water could we find. In travelling
over the hot plains our horses began to fail us; neither whip nor spur
could accelerate their snail-like pace; they seemed to expect that every
little shade of the scattered trees would prove a halting-place; and it
was not without the greatest difficulty that we could induce them to pass
on. It was indeed distressingly hot: with open mouths we tried to catch
occasional puffs of a cooler air; our lips and tongue got parched, our
voice became hoarse, and our speech unintelligible. Both of us, but
particularly my poor companion, were in the most deplorable state. In
order to ease my horse, I tried to walk; but, after a few paces. I found
it impossible; I was too much exhausted. At this distressing moment,
however, we crossed the tracks of horses and bullocks, and then we knew
we were near the camp, the sight of which, a short time afterwards, was
most welcome to us.
Jan. 29.--Finding that one of the water-holes of the camp had dried up,
and that the other was very muddy, we returned to larger water-holes two
miles to the south-east. After having done this, I sent Mr. Gilbert and
Charley down the creek, to ascertain its course, and to see whether it
would be practicable to skirt the highland of peak range to the westward.
Last night thunder-storms were gathering to the south-west, but they did
not come up to us. The night breeze is very strong and regular, and sets
in invariably between a quarter and half-past eight o'clock; last night
it was quite a gale, which I considered to be the indication of a change
in the weather, and of rain.
John Murphy brought the flower of a yellow Hibiscus from Roper's Peak: it
is certainly a new species.
Jan. 30.--Last night clouds gathered into a thunder-storm to the
south-west, but it passed by with very little rain: heavy clouds hung
round us, in every direction, but it seemed as if even their passage over
the parched plains exhausted their moisture. In the east and south-east a
heavy thunder cloud, with incessant lightning, was seen, but so distant
that we could not hear the thunder. In the morning, loose clouds spread
over the whole sky: this was the first cloudy day we had experienced for
the last three weeks. Nature looks quite refreshed; the grass is so
green, and the modest blue Ruellia so plentiful; whole fields of Crinum
are in full blossom; and the Ironbark and flooded-gum with a denser and
richer foliage than usual, afford us a most agreeable shade. I wish I
could sufficiently describe the loveliness of the morning just before and
after sunrise: the air so clear, so transparent; the sky slightly tinged
with roseate hues, all nature so fresh, so calm, so cool. If water were
plentiful, the downs of Peak Range would be inferior to no country in the
world. Mr. Calvert collected a great number of Limnaea in the
water-holes: its shell is more compact than those we have before seen,
and has a slight yellow line, marking probably the opening at a younger
age. Several insects of the genera Mantis and Truxalis were taken, but
did not appear different from those we had previously collected.
Jan. 31.--We had a thunder-storm from the west, and thunder clouds in all
quarters; but, as usual, very little rain. Mr. Gilbert returned from his
exploratory ride, and stated that the plains extended far to the
westward, and that they rose in that direction, forming a succession of
terraces; and that another fine range of peaks, even more imposing than
those of our Peak Range, reared their heads to the westward of the
plains, converging towards the latter [Note at end of para.]; that all the
creeks went down to the south and south-west; but that he found no water,
except one fine lagoon about fifteen miles to the south-west, which was
covered with ducks. He had observed the sign of an anchor, or broad-arrow,
cut into a tree with a stone tomahawk, and which he supposed had been
done, either by a shipwrecked sailor, or by a runaway convict from Moreton
Bay, when it was a penal settlement: the neighbouring trees were variously
marked by Blackfellows.
[Note. Captain P. P. King, who surveyed this part of the coast, informs me
that the coast hills as seen from the sea, are generally of peaked form,
particularly the remarkable elevation of Mount Funnel, at the back of
Broad Sound--which is apparently not connected with the neighbouring
ranges--and also that of Double Mount, which is visible from a distance
of 60 miles. The Cumberland Islands also, which front the coast in the
same vicinity, are of peaked shape, and one, Mount Dryander, on the west
side of Whitsunday Passage, is a very high peak. In the Appendix to
Captain King's Voyage, Dr. Fitton describes the islands, from the
specimens which were submitted for his inspection, to be of primitive
formation; and notices the following rocks: Compact felspar of a
flesh-red hue, enclosing a few small crystals of reddish felspar and of
quartz; Coane porphyritic conglomerate of a reddish hue; Serpentine;
Slaty clay--which forms the general character of the Percy Islands.
Repulse Island produced a compact felspar--a compound of quartz, mica,
and felspar, having the appearance of decomposed granite. (King's Voyage,
Appendix, p. 607.) Captain King also describes this portion of the coast
to be more than usually fertile in appearance; and Captain Blackwood, of
Her Majesty's Ship Fly, saw much of this part, and corroborates Captain
King's opinion as to its fertility. It is hereabouts that the Araucaria
Cunninghamiana grows in such abundance.]
Being too weak to travel, I sent Mr. Roper and Brown to the northward and
to the north-east, to examine the country.
By my lunar observations, I made our longitude 148 degrees 19 minutes;
our latitude was 22 degrees 57 minutes; so that our distance from Keppel
Bay was 175 miles, and from Broad Sound 100. The Mackenzie probably
disembogues into Keppel Bay, and if so, it will form the inlet to a fine
country; for I suppose that all the creeks going down to the south and
south-west, either fall into the Mackenzie itself, or join one of its
tributaries.
Mr. Gilbert found the skull of a large kangaroo, the nasal cavity of
which appeared unusually spacious. He brought home a new Malurus, and a
Rallus: he also shot another species of Rallus on the water-hole near our
encampment; he also brought in a true Caprimulgus.
On Mr. Roper's return, he informed me that he had met with a creek at the
other side of the hills to the east of us; that the hills were covered
with dense scrub, teeming with wallabis; and that the creek went to the
north-east, several other creeks joining it; that, lower down, it was
lined with Casuarinas, and that about seven miles from the hills, he
found fine water-holes.
CHAPTER V
DIFFERENCE OF SOIL AS TO MOISTURE--PHILLIPS'S MOUNTAIN--ALLOWANCE OF
FLOUR REDUCED AGAIN--HUGHS'S CREEK--TOMBSTONE CREEK--CHARLEY AND BROWN
BECOME UNRULY--THE ISAACS--NATIVE WOMEN--COXEN'S PEAK AND RANGE--
GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER--CHARLEY REBELS AGAIN AND LEAVES--BROWN FOLLOWS
HIM--BOTH RETURN PENITENT--VARIATIONS OF THE WEATHER--SKULL OF
NATIVE--FRIENDLY NATIVES VISIT THE CAMP.
Feb. 2.--Being much recovered, I took both Blackfellows with me, and
again passed the defile east of Roper's and Scott's Peaks, and followed
the watercourse rising from it to the northward. About two or three miles
lower down, we found water in deep rocky basins in the bed of the creek.
The rock was sandstone, fissured from south-west to north-east.
In passing the foot of the peaks, we found a species of Grewia (Dwarf
Roorajong) covered with ripe fruit; the fruit is dry, but the stringy
tissue which covers the seed, contains a slightly sweet and acidulous
substance of a very agreeable taste. The fig-tree with a rough leaf, had
plenty of fruit, but not yet ripe. Erythrina was both in blossom and in
seed.
Sending Brown back to conduct our party to the water-holes we had found,
and leaving the creek, which turned to the eastward, I continued my ride
to the northward. I passed some gentle well-grassed slopes of
narrow-leaved Ironbark and spotted gum; and also several basaltic ridges,
which head out into small plains gently sloping to the east and
north-east. They are formed of a rich black soil, and generally a shallow
creek meanders through them: sandstone ridges formed their boundary lower
down, where, at their foot, water-holes generally existed, either with a
constant supply of water, or readily filled by thunder-showers. The
basaltic ridges, as well as the plains, were covered with a fine crop of
dry grass; but the sandstone ridges were frequently scrubby. The
difference between the sandstone country and the basaltic plains and
ridges, is very striking in respect to the quantity of water they
contain: in the latter, rain is immediately absorbed by the cracked
porous soil, which requires an immense quantity of moisture before it
allows any drainage; whereas the sandstone forms steeper slopes, and does
not absorb the rain so quickly, so that the water runs down the slopes,
and collects in holes at the foot of the hills parallel to the creeks.
Scrubs are frequent round the low rises of sandstone; and, where the
country is level, and the soil loamy, the hollows are often filled with
water by the thunder-storms. The moist character of this description of
country is probably the cause of the vegetation being more dense than it
is in the rich black soil of the plains; in which latter, the seeds of
the grasses and herbs lie dormant, until the first rain falls, when they
instantly germinate and cover the plain with their rapid and luxuriant
growth, as if by enchantment; but which, from its nature, is incapable of
maintaining the growth of scrubs and trees.
Feb. 3.--The dew was heavy through the night; and, in the morning, loose
rainy clouds gathered from the east and north-east, which, however,
disappeared about eleven o'clock. Charley went back to the camp, to bring
it on, and I continued to reconnoitre to the north-west. After passing a
sandstone ridge, I came to a creek, which went to the north-west, and
which was supplied with water by the late thunder-showers. It was bounded
on both sides by sandstone ridges, whose summits were covered with scrub
and Acacia thickets; and by grassy slopes and flats bearing narrow-leaved
Ironbark and Bastard-box. This would be a most beautiful country, if it
contained a constant supply of water.
I observed on the ridges an Acacia, a small tree, from thirty to forty
feet high, and from six to nine inches in diameter, and easily
distinguished by its peculiar rough frizzled bark, similar to that of the
Casuarina found at the ranges of the Robinson. It has a dark
sweet-scented heartwood, like that of the Bricklow and the Myal and other
Acacias, which I had previously met with. The creek turned to the north
and north-east, into a plain, and joined a larger creek which came in
from the right at about south-west. Near their junction, a very
conspicuous peak was observed, with several small water-holes with water
at its foot. I then returned to the spot to which Charley had been
ordered to conduct the camp; but, as the party had not arrived, I feared
that some accident might have happened, and therefore rode towards the
water-holes from which Brown had gone back to the camp. I found the
detention caused by the absence of the horses, which had strayed to the
other side of the range.
Feb. 6.--Charley rode my horse after the missing ones, and returned with
them about one o'clock to the camp; and then we proceeded about six miles
due north, in the direction of a fine mountain of imposing character--
which I called "Phillips's Mountain," after one of my companions--and
encamped in sight of Calvert's and Scott's Peaks, the former of which
bore S. 22 degrees W., and the latter S. 7 degrees E. Our latitude was 22
degrees 43 minutes.
Acacia farnesiana grew in low shrubs along the plains, stretching its
flexible branches over the ground; Mimosa terminalis (the sensitive
plant) was very plentiful, and more erect than usual; a species of
Verbena, with grey pubescent leaf and stem, was also abundant. The night
breeze had been exceedingly strong during the last four days. At the camp
of the 4th of February my companions shot twenty-one pigeons (Geophaps
scripta), and five cockatoos; a welcome addition to our scanty meals. For
a considerable time previous, I had reduced our allowance of flour to
three pounds; but now, considering that we were still so far to the
eastward, it was, by general consent of my companions, again reduced to a
pound and a-half per diem for the six, of which a damper mixed up with
fat was made every day, as soon as we reached our encampment.
Feb. 6.--I brought my camp forward about six miles farther to the
north-by-east, to the water-holes I had found at the foot of the
sandstone ridges; and, after having settled my camp, I went with my two
Blackfellows in search of more water. About a mile and a-half north from
the camp we came to an isolated peak, which I ascended, and from its
summit enjoyed the finest view of the Peak Range I had yet seen. I
attempted to sketch it in its whole extent, and gave to its most
remarkable peaks separate names. A long flat-topped mountain I called
"Lord's Table Range," after E. Lord, Esq., of Moreton Bay; and a sharp
needle-like rock, which bore west-by-north, received the name of
"Fletcher's Awl," after Mr. John Fletcher, whose kind contribution
towards my expedition had not a little cheered me in my undertaking.
Towards the east and north-east, a flat country extended, in which the
smoke of several fires of the natives was seen, and, in the distance,
several blue ranges were distinguished. To the northward, the country was
very mountainous, and in the north-west, at a short distance, Phillips's
Mountain reared its head. Many shallow valleys, at present of an
earth-brown colour, led down from the range. A large creek--which
probably collects all the waters that we had passed on the east side of
the range, and which I descended during my ride of the 3rd
February--flows down a very conspicuous valley to the eastward. I named
this creek after--Stephens, Esq., of Darling Downs; and the peak on
which I stood after--Campbell, Esq., of the same district. Both these
gentlemen had shown the greatest hospitality to me and to my party during
our stay at the Downs, before starting on the expedition. The rock of
Campbell's Peak is domitic; at the top it is of a bluish colour and very
hard, and contains very visible, though minute, crystals of felspar.
In a hollow between the two rocky protuberances on the west side of the
hill, a noble fig-tree spread its rich dark-green shady foliage; and on
the steep slopes Erythrina was frequent. I could not help contrasting the
character of this place with the moist creeks and mountain brushes of the
Bunya Bunya country near Moreton Bay, where I had been accustomed to
observe the same plant. Proceeding to the N.N.E. we passed several creeks
or watercourses, some fine open Ironbark slopes, and a sandstone range;
and, following down a watercourse, came to a creek which seemed to
originate in Phillips's Mountain. This creek contained water; it flowed
to the south-east and east, and very probably joined Stephens's Creek. A
rather stunted rusty gum grew plentifully on the sandstone ridges;
pebbles of concretionary limestone were found in the creek, probably
carried down from the basalt of Phillips's Mountain; and a deposit of
concretionary limestone was observed in the banks of a creek, whilst
passing one of the black plains, on this side of the range. A profusion
of Calcedony, and fine specimens of Agate, were observed in many places,
along the basaltic ridges. My black companions loaded themselves with the
pretty agates, which they had never seen before, and which they evidently
considered to be very valuable; but, after a little time, the weight
became inconvenient, and they kept only a few, to strike fire with.
Feb. 7.--Having sent Brown back to guide our party to this creek, which
is about six miles N. N. E. from yesterday's camping place, in latitude
22 degrees 32 minutes 27 seconds; I continued my ride with Charley to the
north-west. We ascended a high sandstone range, and travelled for some
miles along its flat summit. The country was very broken, but openly
timbered, and occasionally of a most beautiful character; but frequently
interrupted by patches of miserable scrub. Having in our progress brought
Mount Phillips to bear south-west and south, we entered a fine open
Bastard-box country, with slight undulations, and which seemed to extend
to Peak Range. On the sandstone range I found Balfouria saligna R. Br., a
shrub or small tree, with long linear-lanceolate leaves, and rather
drooping branches, covered with very fragrant yellow blossoms; its
seed-vessels varied from three to six inches in length, were terete,
tapering to a point, and filled with silky seeds. The same little tree
was subsequently observed, growing round the head of the gulf of
Carpentaria, and also at Arnheim's Land. Another shrub (Gardenia?), with
opposite, oval, rather rough leaves, and large white or light yellow
blossoms, like those of the Jasmine in shape and fragrance, had been
observed once before, but was very common between this latitude and Port
Essington; at which place a species of Guettarda, resembling it very
much, but with larger flowers, grows along the beach.
The last two days the mornings were clear; during the afternoon of each
day cirrhi formed, which settling down, became confluent, and united into
a dark cloud which promised rain, but dispersed towards evening; and the
sun set in a cloudless horizon: in the morning, a northerly breeze is
generally stirring, which renders that part of the day more agreeable for
travelling.
Feb. 8.--I returned last night to the creek, from which I had sent Brown
back, and found my companions encamped on a very fine water-hole. This
morning we travelled to the water-holes I had seen about seven miles in
advance to the north-west, and about five or six miles due north from
Phillips's Mountain. After our mid-day meal, I set out again with the two
Blackfellows, not only with a view to find water for the next stage, but
to endeavour to make the table land again, and thence to pursue a more
westerly course.
A great number of sandstone ranges, several of them very steep, and of
considerable elevation, stretch parallel to each other from west to east,
forming spurs from a higher mountain range to the westward, which is
probably connected with Peak Range. It is composed of basalt, and partly
covered with dense scrub, and in other parts openly timbered; where the
scrub prevailed, the soil was shallow and rocky, but the soil of the open
forest was deeper, and of the character of that of the plains. The deep
gullies were all without water, but occasionally filled with patches of
rich brush. Many creeks went down between the sandstone ranges: and they
were generally bounded on both sides by fine well-grassed, narrow-leaved
Ironbark slopes, and sweet herbage, on which numerous emus and kangaroos
were feeding. In one of the glens among the ridges I observed a new
gum-tree, with a leaf like that of the trembling poplar of Europe, and of
a bright green colour, which rendered the appearance of the country
exceedingly cheerful. It is a middle-sized tree, of irregular growth,
with white bark; but the wood, not being free grained, was unfit for
splitting. Lower down, water was found, without exception, in all the
creeks, and was most abundant at the edge of the level country to the
eastward, where the ridges disappear, by more or less gradual slopes.
Travelling across these sandstone ranges, with their thick vegetation,
and deep gullies and valleys, was exceedingly difficult. The bullocks
upset their loads frequently in clambering up and down the rocky slopes,
and our progress was consequently very slow. This induced me to give up
the westerly course, and to look for a better-travelling country to the
eastward; supposing, at the same time, that water would be found more
abundant, as we approached the sea-coast.
I, therefore, returned to the camp, and on the 10th February, I travelled
about six miles N. N. E., over several ranges and creeks, and came to a
creek well supplied with water. On the following day, the 11th February,
I travelled down this creek, and reached a flat country of great extent,
lightly timbered with Ironbark, Bastard-box, and Poplar-gum; but the
water disappeared in the sandy bed of the creek, which had assumed a very
winding course, and we had to encamp on a shallow pool left on the rocks,
which, for a short distance, formed again the bed of the creek. Our
latitude was 22 degrees 23 minutes, about thirteen miles E. N. E. from
our camp of the 8th February.
Feb. 12.--We continued travelling along the creek, and halted at very
fine water-holes, within some Bricklow scrub, which here made its
appearance again. The stage did not exceed six miles east; but I did not
venture to proceed farther until I had examined the country in advance,
which did not look very promising. I named this creek "Hughs's Creek,"
after--Hughs, Esq., of Darling Downs.
The grass-tree grew very abundantly on the rocky sandstone ranges; and
the Grevillea (G. ceratophylla, R. Br.?) with pinnatifid leaves, was not
less common: on the upper part of Hughs's Creek, we first met with the
drooping tea-tree (Melaleuca Leucodendron?), which we found afterwards at
every creek and river; it was generally the companion of water, and its
drooping foliage afforded an agreeable shade, and was also very
ornamental. The slopes towards the flat country were sandy and rotten;
but there were some fine hollows, with rich green grass, which very
probably formed lagoons during the wet season. The whole country was very
similar to that of Zamia Creek: it had the same extensive flats, the same
geological features, the same vegetation, the same direction of the creek
to the east and north-east. Just before the creek left the hills, it was
joined by another; and, at their junction, sandstone cropped out, which
was divided by regular fissures into very large rectangular blocks. These
fissures had been widened by the action of water, which made them
resemble a range of large tombstones, the singular appearance of which
induced me to call this, which joins Hughs's Creek, "Tombstone Creek."
This formation was very remarkable, and occupied a very considerable
space. The strata of the sandstone dip towards the east and north-east
off Peak Range; but, in other localities, I observed a dip towards the
range.
A circumstance now occurred, which, as it seemed to augur badly for the
welfare of our expedition, gave me much concern and anxiety. My two
blacks, the companions of my reconnoitring excursions, began to show
evident signs of discontent, and to evince a spirit of disobedience
which, if not checked, might prove fatal to our safety. During my recent
reconnoitre, they both left me in a most intricate country, and took the
provisions with them. They had become impatient from having been without
water at night; and, in the morning, whilst I was following the ranges,
they took the opportunity of diverging from the track, and descended into
the gullies; so that I was reluctantly compelled to return to the camp.
My companions were highly alarmed at the behaviour of the sable
gentlemen, believing that they had concerted a plan to decamp, and leave
us to our fate. I knew, however, the cowardly disposition of the
Australian native too well; and felt quite sure that they would return
after they had procured honey and opossums, in search of which they had
deserted me. To impress their minds, therefore, with the conviction that
we were independent of their services, the party started the next day as
usual, and, on reaching a beautiful valley, three emus were seen on a
green sunny slope, strutting about with their stately gait: Mr. Roper
immediately laid the dog on, and gave chase. After a short time, the
horse returned without its rider and saddle, and caused us a momentary
alarm lest some accident had happened to our companion: shortly
afterwards, however, we were made glad, by seeing him walking towards us,
with a young emu thrown over his shoulder. He had leaped from his horse
upon nearing the emus, had shot one in the head, and had taken a young
one from the dog, which immediately pursued the third, an old one; but
his horse escaped, which compelled him to return on foot, with the
smallest of the birds. Messrs. Gilbert and Calvert went in search of the
dog, and were fortunate enough to find him with the emu which he had
killed. We were rejoiced at our success, and lost no time in preparing a
repast of fried emu; and, whilst we were thus employed, the two
Blackfellows, having filled their bellies and had their sulk out, made
their appearance, both considerably alarmed as to the consequences of
their ill-behaviour. Charley brought about a pint of honey as a
peace-offering; and both were unusually obliging and attentive to my
companions. At this time, I was suffering much pain from a severe kick
from one of the bullocks, and felt unequal to inflict any punishment, and
therefore allowed the matter to pass with an admonition only. But events
subsequently proved that I was wrong, and that a decided and severe
punishment would have saved me great trouble. I was, however, glad to
find that their conduct met with the general indignation of my
companions.
The Blackfellows told us, that they had caught a ring-tailed opossum, and
had seen a black kangaroo with a white point at the end of the tail.
Brown brought the fruit of a tree, which, according to his account, had
the simple pinnate-leaf of the red cedar (Credela) with a dark
purple-coloured fruit half an inch long, and one inch in diameter, with a
thin astringent pericarp: the stony seed-vessel consisted of many
carpels, which, if I remember rightly, were monosperme. It belongs
probably to an Ebenaceous tree.
The wood-duck (Bernicla jubata) abounded on the larger water-holes which
we passed; and the swamp-pheasant (Centropus Phasianus, GOULD) was heard
several times among the trees surrounding the grassy hollows.
The smoke of extensive bush-fires was observed under Lord's Table Range,
and along the western and south-western ranges. As we approached the
place of our encampment of the 12th February, some Blackfellows were
bathing in the water-hole, but fled as soon as we made our appearance.
The night of the 8th February was cloudy, with a little rain, which
continued to the morning of the 9th, but cleared up at noon, and the
weather became very hot. During the afternoon, thunder-storms passed to
the north and north-west, and also to the east and east-south-east. On
the 10th, thunder-storms again surrounded us on all sides, and from one,
which broke over us in the night, a heavy shower fell. The night of the
11th was exceedingly cold; and the night breeze was observed to be less
regular than formerly.
We were here very much troubled with a small black ant; infesting our
provisions during the day and running over our persons, and biting us
severely at night. A large yellow hornet with two black bands over the
abdomen, was seen, humming about the water-holes. A crow was shot and
roasted, and found to be exceedingly tender, which we considered to be a
great discovery; and lost no opportunity of shooting as many as we could,
in order to lessen the consumption of our dried meat. We again enjoyed
some fine messes of Portulaca.
Feb. 12.--I went, accompanied by Mr. Roper and Charley, in a due north
direction to reconnoitre the country. The flat continued for about eight
miles, and then changed into slight undulations. Considerable tracts were
covered with the Poplar-gum; and broad belts of Bricklow descended from
the hills towards the east. In the scrub; Fusanus was observed in fruit,
and the Stenochilus and the white Vitex in blossom; from the latter the
native bee extracts a most delicious honey. A small tree, with stiff
alternate leaves scarcely an inch long, was covered with red fruit of the
form of an acorn, and about half an inch long, having a sweet pericarp
with two compressed grain-like seeds, which had the horny albumen of the
coffee, and were exceedingly bitter. The pigeons, crows, and cockatoos,
fed upon them, we also ate a great number of them; but the edible portion
of each seed was very small. It is a remarkable fact that trees, which we
had found in full blossom or in fruit in October and November, were again
observed to be in blossom and fruit in February.
We had to encamp at night without water; and although the clouds gathered
in the afternoon of a very hot day, yet no thunder-storm came to our
relief. The night breeze, which was in all probability the sea-breeze,
set in about ten minutes to six.
Feb. 13.--The morning was very cloudy. I continued my course to the
northward, and, coming to a watercourse, followed it down in the hopes of
finding water: it led us to the broad deep channel of a river, but now
entirely dry. The bed was very sandy, with reeds and an abundance of
small Casuarinas. Large flooded-gums and Casuarinas grew at intervals
along its banks, and fine openly timbered flats extended on both sides
towards belts of scrub. The river came from the north and north-west,
skirting some fine ranges, which were about three miles from its left
bank. As the river promised to be one of some importance I called it the
"Isaacs," in acknowledgment of the kind support we received from F.
Isaacs, Esq. of Darling Downs.
When we were approaching the river, the well-known sound of a tomahawk
was heard, and, guided by the noise, we soon came in sight of three black
women, two of whom were busily occupied in digging for roots, whilst the
other, perched on the top of a high flooded-gum tree, was chopping out
either an opossum or a bees' nest. They no sooner perceived us than they
began to scream most dreadfully, swinging their sticks, and beating the
trees, as if we were wild beasts, which they wished to frighten away. We
made every possible sign of peace, but in vain: the two root-diggers
immediately ran off, and the lady in the tree refused to descend. When I
asked for water, in the language of the natives of the country we had
left--"Yarrai" "yarrai," she pointed down the river, and answered "yarrai
ya;" and we found afterwards that her information was correct. Upon
reaching the tree we found an infant swaddled in layers of tea-tree bark,
lying on the ground; and three or four large yams. A great number of
natives, men, boys, and children, who had been attracted by the screams
of their companions, now came running towards us; but on our putting our
horses into a sharp canter, and riding towards them, they retired into
the scrub. The yams proved to be the tubers of a vine with blue berries;
both tubers and berries had the same pungent taste, but the former
contained a watery juice, which was most welcome to our parched mouths. A
similar tuber was found near Mount Stewart on the 18th January. We then
proceeded down the river; but not succeeding in our search for water,
returned to our camp, which was about fifteen miles distant. As soon as I
arrived, I sent Mr. Gilbert and Brown down Hughs's Creek, to examine the
country near its junction.
Very thick clouds came from the westward, from which a few drops of rain
fell: thunder-storms were forming to the north-east and also to the west,
but none reached us: the night was very cloudy and warm: the scud flying
from the north-east.
Feb. 14.--After sunrise the weather cleared up again. All hands were now
employed in shooting crows; which, with some cockatoos, and a small scrub
wallabi, gave us several good messes.
Mr. Gilbert and Brown had, on their excursion, found a rushy lagoon on
the left bank of the Isaacs, at a short half-mile from its junction with
Hughs's Creek. Here they encamped; and, about 10 o'clock at night, the
loud voices of Blackfellows travelling down the river were heard; these
also encamped at some small water-holes, not very distant from Mr.
Gilbert, of whose presence they were not aware. Mr. Gilbert kept the
horses tied up in case of any hostility; but was not molested. The blacks
continued their loud conversations during the greater part of the night;
and Mr. Gilbert departed very early in the morning without being seen by
them. He continued to follow the river further down, and found that four
large creeks joined it from the northward. Another creek also joined it
from the southward; as subsequently observed by Mr. Roper. Beyond these
creeks, several lagoons or swamps were seen covered with ducks, and
several other aquatic birds, and, amongst them, the straw-coloured Ibis.
Feb. 15.--We travelled down to the above-mentioned lagoon, which was
about ten miles east by north from our camp; its latitude, was by
calculation, about 22 degrees 20 or 21; for several circumstances had
prevented me from taking observations. As the river turned to the
eastward, I determined to trace it up to its head; and set out with Mr.
Gilbert and Brown to examine the country around the range which I had
observed some days before and named "Coxen's Peak and Range," in honour
of Mr. Coxen of Darling Downs. We passed the night at a small pool, but
were not successful in discovering water in any of the numerous
watercourses and creeks, which come down from Coxen's Range, or out of
the belt of scrub which intervened between the range and the river. A
loose variegated clayey sandstone, with many irregular holes; cropped out
in the beds of the creek. Coxen's Peak and Range were found to be
composed of horizontal strata of excellent sandstone, rising by steep
terraces, on the western side, but sloping gently down to the east; its
summit is covered with scrub, but its eastern slope with groves of
grass-trees. The view from the top of Coxen's Peak was very extensive:
towards the south-west and west, Peak Range was seen extending from
Scott's and Roper's Peaks to Fletcher's Awl; and, beyond the last, other
mountains were seen, several of which had flat tops. Mount Phillips
seemed about thirty or forty miles distant; and a very indistinct blue
hill was seen to the W.N.W. To the northward, ranges rose beyond ranges,
and to the eastward, the country seemed to be flat, to a great extent,
and bounded by distant mountains. To the southward, the eye wandered over
an unbroken line of horizon, with the exception of one blue distant
elevation: this immense flat was one uninterrupted mass of forest without
the slightest break. Narrow bands of scrub approached the river from the
westward, and separated tracts of fine open forest country, amongst which
patches of the Poplar-gum forest were readily distinguished by the
brightness of their verdure. A river seemed to come from the south-west;
the Isaacs came from the north-west, and was joined by a large creek from
the northward. There was no smoke, no sign of water, no sign of the
neighbourhood of the sea coast;--but all was one immense sea of forest
and scrub.
The great outlines of the geology of this interesting country were seen
at one glance. Along the eastern edge of a basaltic table land, rose a
series of domitic cones, stretching from south-east to north-west,
parallel to the coast. The whole extent of country between the range and
the coast, seemed to be of sandstone, either horizontally stratified, or
dipping off the range; with the exception of some local disturbances,
where basalt had broken through it. Those isolated ranges, such as
Coxen's Range--the abruptness of which seemed to indicate igneous
origin--were entirely of sandstone. The various Porphyries, and Diorites,
and Granitic, and Sienitic rocks, which characterize large districts
along the eastern coast of Australia, were missing; not a pebble, except
of sandstone, was found in the numerous creeks and watercourses. Pieces
of silicified wood were frequent in the bed of the Isaacs.
The nature of the soil was easily distinguished by its vegetation: the
Bastard box, and Poplar gum grew on a stiff clay; the narrow-leaved
Ironbark, the Bloodwood, and the Moreton Bay ash on a lighter sandy soil,
which was frequently rotten and undermined with numerous holes of the
funnel ant. Noble trees of the flooded-gum grew along the banks of the
creeks, and around the hollows, depending rather upon moisture, than upon
the nature of the soil. Fine Casuarinas were occasionally met with along
the creeks; and the forest oak (Casuarina torulosa), together with
rusty-gum, were frequent on the sandy ridges.
One should have expected that the prevailing winds during the day, would
have been from the south-east, corresponding to the south-east trade
winds; but, throughout the whole journey from Moreton Bay to the Isaacs,
I experienced, with but few exceptions, during the day, a cooling breeze
from the north and north-east. The thunder-storms came principally from
the south-west, west, and north-west; but generally showed an inclination
to veer round to the northward.
From Coxen's Range I returned to the river, and soon reached the place
where I had met the Black-fellows. In passing out of the belt of scrub
into the openly timbered grassy flat of the river, Brown descried a
kangaroo sitting in the shade of a large Bastard-box tree; it seemed to
be so oppressed by the heat of the noonday sun as to take little notice
of us, so that Brown was enabled to approach sufficiently near to shoot
it. It proved to be a fine doe, with a young one; we cooked the latter
for our dinner, and I sent Brown to the camp with the dam, where my
companions most joyfully received him; for all our dried meat was by this
time consumed, and all they had for supper and breakfast, were a
straw-coloured ibis, a duck, and a crow. As Mr. Gilbert and myself were
following the course of the river, we saw numerous tracks of
Blackfellows, of native dogs, of emus, and kangaroos, in its sandy bed;
and, when within a short distance of the place where I had seen the black
women, loud cries of cockatoos attracted our notice; and, on going in
their direction, we came to a water-hole in the bed of the river, at its
junction with a large oak tree creek coming from the northward. This
water-hole is in latitude 22 degrees 11 minutes; the natives had fenced
it round with branches to prevent the sand from filling it up, and had
dug small wells near it, evidently to obtain a purer and cooler water, by
filtration through the sand. Pigeons (Geophapsscripta, GOULD.) had formed
a beaten track to its edge; and, the next morning, whilst enjoying our
breakfast under the shade of a gigantic flooded-gum tree, we were highly
amused to see a flight of fifty or more partridge pigeons tripping along
the sandy bed of the river, and descending to the water's edge, and
returning after quenching their thirst, quite unconscious of the
dangerous proximity of hungry ornithophagi. The cockatoos, however,
observed us, and seemed to dispute our occupation of their waters, by
hovering above the tops of the highest trees, and making the air resound
with their screams; whilst numerous crows, attracted by a neighbouring
bush fire, watched us more familiarly, and the dollar bird passed with
its arrow-like flight from shade to shade.
We continued our ride six miles higher up the river, without finding any
water, with the exception of some wells made by the natives, and which
were generally observed where watercourses or creeks joined the river. In
these places, moisture was generally indicated by a dense patch of green
reeds. The bush fire, which was raging along the left bank of the river
on which we were encamped for the night, fanned by the sea breeze, which
set in a little after six o'clock, approached very near to our tent, but
died away with the breeze; and the temperature cooled down, although no
dew was falling. The fire, which was smouldering here and there along the
steep banks of the river, was quickened up again by the morning breeze.
We observed a great number of very large dead shells of Limnaea and
Paludina, in the dry water-holes and melon-holes along the scrub; some of
them not even bleached; but every thing seemed to indicate this to be a
more than usually dry season.
In the morning we returned to the camp. As I had not discovered a more
convenient spot for killing another bullock, I decided upon stopping at
the rushy lagoon, until we had provided ourselves with a fresh stock of
dried beef. Accordingly, on the 17th February, we killed Mr. Gilbert's
bullock, which turned out a fine heavy beast, and gave us a large supply
of fat meat and suet. We had formerly been under the erroneous impression
that fat meat would not dry and keep; and, consequently, had carefully
separated the fat from the meat. Some chance pieces, however, had shown
us, that it not only dried and kept well, but that it was much finer than
the lean meat. We therefore cut up the fat in slices, like the lean; and
it was found not only to remain sweet, but to improve with age. The only
inconvenience we had experienced in this process, was a longer detention;
and we had to remain four days, (to the 21st February) before the
provision was fit for packing. On the 19th, immediately after breakfast,
whilst we were busily employed in greasing our saddles and straps--a very
necessary operation on a journey like ours, where every thing is exposed
to the dust, and a scorching sun--Charley left the camp, and did not
return before the afternoon. He had frequently acted thus of late; and it
was one of the standing complaints against him, that he was opossum and
honey hunting, whilst we were kept waiting for our horses and cattle. As
I was determined not to suffer this, after his late misbehaviour, I
reprimanded him, and told him that I would not allow him any food, should
he again be guilty of such conduct. Upon this, he burst out into the most
violent and abusive language, and threatened "to stop my jaw," as he
expressed himself. Finding it, therefore, necessary to exercise my
authority, I approached him to show him out of the camp, when the fellow
gave me a violent blow on the face, which severely injured me, displacing
two of my lower teeth; upon which my companions interfered, and
manifested a determination to support me, in case he should refuse to
quit us; which I compelled him to do. When he was going away, Brown told
him, in a very consoling manner, that he would come by and bye and sleep
with him. I was, however, determined that no one within the camp should
have any communication with him; and therefore told Brown, that he had
either to stop with me entirely, or with Charley. He answered that he
could not quarrel with him; that he would sleep with him, but return
every morning; and, when I replied that, in such a case, he should never
return, he said that he would stop altogether with Charley, and walked
off. If I had punished these fellows for their late misconduct, I should
have had no occasion for doing so now: but full of their own importance,
they interpreted my forbearance, by fancying that I could not proceed
without them.
Previous to this occurrence, Charley had, during my absence from the
camp, had an interview with the natives, who made him several presents,
among which were two fine calabashes which they had cleaned and used for
carrying water; the larger one was pear-shaped, about a foot in length,
and nine inches in diameter in the broadest part, and held about three
pints. The natives patted his head, and hair, and clothing; but they
retired immediately, when he afterwards returned to them, accompanied by
Mr. Calvert on horseback.
We started, on the 21st February, from our killing camp, and travelled a
long stage; the day was very hot, and the heat of the rotten ground was
intense. Our little terrier, which had so well borne former fatigues,
died; and our remaining kangaroo-dog was only saved by Mr. Calvert's
carrying him on his horse. It was a day well calculated to impress on the
Blackfellows the difference between riding and walking, between finding a
meal ready after a fatiguing journey, and looking out for food for
themselves. Hearing Brown's cooee as we were travelling along, Mr. Roper
stopped behind until Brown came up to him, and expressed his desire to
rejoin my party, as he had had quite enough of his banishment and bush
life; and, before sunset, he arrived quite exhausted at our
camping-place, and begged me to pardon him, which I did, under the former
condition, that he was to have no farther communication with Charley, to
which he most willingly assented.
Feb. 22.--On a ride with Mr. Gilbert up the river, we observed several
large reedy holes in its bed, in which the Blackfellows had dug wells;
they were still moist, and swarms of hornets were buzzing about them.
About eight miles north-west from the junction of North Creek with the
river, a large flight of cockatoos again invited us to some good
water-holes extending along a scrubby rise. Large Bastard-box flats lie
between North Creek and the river. About four miles from the camp, the
country rises to the left of the river, and ranges and isolated hills are
visible, which are probably surrounded by plains. Wherever I had an
opportunity of examining the rocks, I found sandstone; flint pebbles and
fossil-wood are in the scrub and on the melon-hole flats.
At night, on my return, I had to pass Charley's camp, which was about a
hundred yards from ours. He called after me, and, when I stopped, he came
up to me, and began to plead his cause and beg my pardon; he excused his
sulkiness and his bad behaviour by his temperament and some
misunderstanding; and tried to look most miserable and wretched, in order
to excite my compassion. My companions had seen him sitting alone under
his tree, during almost the whole day, beating his bommerangs which he
had received from the natives. I pitied him, and, after some consultation
with my companions, allowed him to rejoin us; but upon the condition that
he should give up his tomahawk, to which he most joyfully consented, and
promised for the future to do every thing I should require. His spirit
was evidently broken, and I should probably never have had to complain of
him again, had no other agent acted upon him.
Feb. 23.--I moved on to the water-holes, which I had found the day
before, and encamped in the shade of a Fusanus. The latitude was observed
to be 22 degrees 6 minutes 53 seconds.
Feb. 24.--Mr. Gilbert and Brown accompanied me this morning upon an
excursion. At about a mile and a-half from the camp, a large creek,
apparently from the southward, joined the river, and water was found in a
scrub creek four miles from the camp, also in wells made by the natives
in the bed of the river; and, at about eight miles from the camp, we came
upon some fine water-holes along the scrub. Here the birds were very
numerous and various; large flights of the blue-mountain and
crimson-winged parrots were seen; Mr. Gilbert observed the female of the
Regent-bird, and several other interesting birds, which made him regret
to leave this spot so favourable to his pursuit. He returned, however, to
bring forward our camp to the place, whilst I continued my ride,
accompanied by Brown. Several creeks joined the river, but water was
nowhere to be found. The high grass was old and dry, or else so entirely
burnt as not to leave the slightest sign of vegetation. For several miles
the whole forest was singed by a fire which had swept through it; and the
whole country looked hopelessly wretched. Brown had taken the precaution
to fill Charley's large calabash with water, so that we were enabled to
make a refreshing cup of tea in the most scorching heat of the day.
Towards sunset we heard, to our great joy, the noisy jabbering of
natives, which promised the neighbourhood of water. I dismounted and
cooeed; they answered; but when they saw me, they took such of their
things as they could and crossed to the opposite side of the river in
great hurry and confusion. When Brown, who had stopped behind, came up to
me, I took the calabash and put it to my mouth, and asked for "yarrai,
yarrai." They answered, but their intended information was lost to me;
and they were unwilling to approach us. Their camp was in the bed of the
river amongst some small Casuarinas. Their numerous tracks, however, soon
led me to two wells, surrounded by high reeds, where we quenched our
thirst. My horse was very much frightened by the great number of hornets
buzzing about the water. After filling our calabash, we returned to the
camp of the natives, and examined the things which they had left behind;
we found a shield, four calabashes, of which I took two, leaving in their
place a bright penny, for payment; there were also, a small water-tight
basket containing acacia-gum; some unravelled fibrous bark, used for
straining honey; a fire-stick, neatly tied up in tea-tree bark; a
kangaroo net; and two tomahawks, one of stone, and a smaller one of iron,
made apparently of the head of a hammer: a proof that they had had some
communication with the sea-coast. The natives had disappeared. The
thunder was pealing above us, and a rush of wind surprised us before we
were half-a-mile from the camp, and we had barely time to throw our
blanket over some sticks and creep under it, when the rain came down in
torrents. The storm came from the west; another was visible in the east;
and lightning seemed to be everywhere. When the rain ceased, we contrived
to make a fire and boil a pot of tea, and warmed up a mess of
gelatine-soup. At eight o'clock the moon rose, and, as the weather had
cleared, I decided upon returning to the camp, in order to hasten over
this dreary country while the rain-water lasted. The frogs were most
lustily croaking in the water-holes which I had passed, a few hours
before, perfectly dry and never were their hoarse voices more pleasing to
me. But the thunder-storm had been so very partial, that scarcely a drop
had fallen at a distance of three miles. This is another instance of the
singularly partial distribution of water, which I had before noticed at
Comet Creek. We arrived at the camp about one o'clock a.m.; and, in the
morning of the 25th February, I led my party to the water-holes, which a
kind Providence seemed to have filled for the purpose of helping us over
that thirsty and dreary land. Our bullocks suffered severely from the
heat; our fat-meat melted; our fat-bags poured out their contents; and
every thing seemed to dissolve under the influence of a powerful sun.
The weather in this region may be thus described: at sunrise some clouds
collect in the east, but clear off during the first hours of the morning,
with northerly, north-easterly, and easterly breezes; between ten and
three o'clock the most scorching heat prevails, interrupted only by
occasional puffs of cool air; about two o'clock P.M. heavy clouds form in
all directions, increase in volume, unite in dark masses in the east and
west, and, about five o'clock in the afternoon, the thunder-storm bursts;
the gust of wind is very violent, and the rain sometimes slight, and at
other times tremendous, but of short duration; and at nine o'clock the
whole sky is clear again.
In the hollows along the Isaacs, we found a new species of grass from six
to eight feet high, forming large tufts, in appearance like the oat-grass
(Anthistiria) of the Liverpool Plains and Darling Downs; it has very long
brown twisted beards, but is easily distinguished from Anthistiria by its
simple ear; its young stem is very sweet, and much relished both by
horses and cattle.
Feb. 26.--I set out reconnoitring with Mr. Gilbert and Charley. We found
that the effects of the thunder-storm of the 24th extended very little to
the north and north-west, having passed over from west to east. From time
to time we crossed low ridges covered with scrub, and cut through by deep
gullies, stretching towards the river, which became narrower and very
tortuous in its course; its line of flooded-gum trees, however, became
more dense. Within the reedy bed of the river, not quite five miles from
the camp, we found wells of the natives, not a foot deep, but amply
supplied with water, and, at four miles farther, we came to a water-hole,
in a small creek, which had been supplied by the late rains; we also
passed several fine scrub creeks, but they were dry. About ten miles from
the wells another deep scrub creek was found, on the right hand of the
river, full of water. Its bed was overgrown with reeds, and full of
pebbles of concretions of limestone, and curious trunks of fossil trees,
and on its banks a loose sandstone cropped out. Here we found the skull
of a native, the first time that we had seen the remains of a human body
during our journey. Near the scrub, and probably in old camping places of
the natives, we frequently saw the bones of kangaroos and emus. I mention
this fact in reference to the observations of American travellers, who
very rarely met with bones in the wilderness; and to remark, that the
climate of Australia is so very dry as to prevent decomposition, and that
rapacious animals are few in number--the native dog probably finding a
sufficiency of living food.
On the 25th there were thunder-storms, but they did not reach us. The
night was cloudy, and we had some few drops of rain in the morning of the
26th, but the weather cleared up about ten o'clock; cumuli formed in the
afternoon, and towards night thunder-storms were observed both in the
east and west. I found a shrubby prickly Goodenia, about four or five
feet high, growing on the borders of the scrub.
Feb. 27.--Mr. Gilbert, whom I had sent back from the wells of the natives
to bring on the camp, had been prevented from doing so, and I had
consequently to return the whole distance. The interruption was caused by
our bullocks having gone back several miles, probably in search of better
water, for we found them generally very nice in this particular.
The natives had, in my absence, visited my companions, and behaved very
quietly, making them presents of emu feathers, bommerangs, and waddies.
Mr. Phillips gave them a medal of the coronation of her Majesty Queen
Victoria, which they seemed to prize very highly. They were fine, stout,
well made people, and most of them young; but a few old women, with white
circles painted on their faces, kept in the back ground. They were much
struck with the white skins of my companions, and repeatedly patted them
in admiration. Their replies to inquiries respecting water were not
understood; but they seemed very anxious to induce us to go down the
river.
We started at noon to Skull Creek, which, in a straight line, was
fourteen miles distant, in a north by east direction. Loose cumuli
floated in the hazy atmosphere during the whole forenoon, but rose in the
afternoon, and occasionally sheltered us from the scorching sun. At four
o'clock two thunder-storms formed as usual in the east and west, and,
eventually rising above us, poured down a heavy shower of rain, which
drenched us to the skin, and refreshed us and our horses and bullocks,
which were panting with heat and thirst. Our stores were well covered
with greasy tarpaulings, and took no harm.
Feb. 28.--Successive thunder-storms, with which this spot seemed more
favoured than the country we had recently passed, had rendered the
vegetation very luxuriant. The rotten sandy ground absorbed the rain
rapidly, and the young grass looked very fresh. The scrub receded a
little more from the river, and an open country extended along its banks.
The scene was, therefore, most cheerful and welcome. Mr. Gilbert and
Charley, who had made an excursion up the river in search of water,
returned with the agreeable information that a beautiful country was
before us: they had also seen a camp of natives, but without having had
any intercourse with them.
Feb. 29.--It was cloudy in the morning, and became more so during the
day, with easterly and north-easterly winds. As soon as our capricious
horses were found, which had wandered more than eight miles through a
dense Bricklow scrub, in search of food and water, we started and
travelled about ten miles in a north-east direction, leaving the windings
of the river to the left. The character of the country continued the
same; the same Ironbark forest, with here and there some remarkably
pretty spots; and the same Bastard-box flats, with belts of scrub,
approaching the river. At about nine miles from Skull Creek, which I
supposed to be in latitude 21 degrees 42 minutes, the Isaacs breaks
through a long range of sandstone hills; beyond which the country opens
into plains with detached patches of scrub, and downs, with "devil-devil"
land and its peculiar vegetation, and into very open forest. The river
divides into two branches, one coming from the eastward, and the other
from the northward. It rained hard during our journey, and, by the time
we reached the water-hole which Mr. Gilbert had found, we were wet to the
skin.
In consequence of the additional fatigues of the day, I allowed some
pieces of fat to be fried with our meat. Scarcely a fortnight ago, some
of my companions had looked with disgust on the fat of our stews, and had
jerked it contemptuously out of their plates; now, however, every one of
us thought the addition of fat a peculiar favour, and no one hesitated to
drink the liquid fat, after having finished his meat. This relish
continued to increase as our bullocks became poorer; and we became as
eager to examine the condition of a slaughtered beast, as the natives,
whose practice in that respect we had formerly ridiculed
As I had made a set of lunar observations at Skull camp, which I wished
to calculate, I sent Mr. Roper up the north branch of the Isaacs to look
for water; and, on his return, he imparted the agreeable intelligence,
that he had found fine holes of water at about nine or ten miles distant,
and that the country was still more open, and abounded with game,
particularly emus.
CHAPTER VI
HEADS OF THE ISAACS--THE SUTTOR--FLINT-ROCK--INDICATIONS OF WATER--DINNER
OF THE NATIVES APPROPRIATED BY US--EASTER SUNDAY--ALARM OF AN OLD
WOMAN--NATIVES SPEAKING A LANGUAGE ENTIRELY UNKNOWN TO CHARLEY AND
BROWN--A BARTER WITH THEM--MOUNT M'CONNEL.
I was detained at this place from the 1st to the 4th March, from a severe
attack of lumbago, which I had brought on by incautiously and, perhaps,
unnecessarily exposing myself to the weather, in my botanical and other
pursuits. On the 4th March. I had sufficiently recovered to mount my
horse and accompany my party to Roper's water-holes. Basalt cropped out
on the plains; the slight ridges of "devil-devil" land are covered with
quartz pebbles, and the hills and bed of the river, are of sandstone
formation.
A yellow, and a pink Hibiscus, were frequent along the river.
My calculations gave the longitude of 148 degrees 56 minutes for Skull
Creek; my bearings however make it more to the westward; its latitude was
supposed to be 21 degrees 42 minutes: the cloudy nights prevented my
taking any observation.
March 5.--I sent Mr. Gilbert and Charley up the river, which, according
to Mr. Roper's account, came through a narrow mountain gully, the passage
of which was very much obstructed by tea-trees. They passed the mountain
gorge, and, in about eight miles north, came to the heads of the Isaacs,
and to those of another system of waters, which collected in a creek that
flowed considerably to the westward. The range through which the Isaacs
passes is composed of sandstone, and strikes from north-west to
south-east. In its rocky caves, wallabies, with long smooth tails, had
been seen by Brown; they were quite new to him, and, as he expressed
himself, "looked more like monkeys than like wallabies." Mr. Gilbert and
Charley came on two flocks of emus, and killed two young ones; and
Charley and John Murphy hunted down another; Charley fell, however, with
his horse, and broke a double-barrelled gun, which was a very serious
loss to us, and the more so, as he had had the misfortune to break a
single-barrelled one before this.
The weather continued showery; loose scud passed over from the east and
south-east, with occasional breaks of hot sunshine. The Corypha palm is
frequent under the range; the Ebenaceous tree, with compound pinnate
leaves and unequilateral leaflets, is of a middle size, about thirty feet
high, with a shady and rather spreading crown.
We have travelled about seventy miles along the Isaacs. If we consider
the extent of its Bastard-box and narrow-leaved Ironbark flats, and the
silver-leaved Ironbark ridges on its left bank, and the fine open country
between the two ranges through which it breaks, we shall not probably
find a country better adapted for pastoral pursuits. There was a great
want of surface water at the season we passed through it; and which we
afterwards found was a remarkably dry one all over the colony: the wells
of the natives, however, and the luxuriant growth of reeds in many parts
of the river, showed that even shallow wells would give a large supply to
the squatter in cases of necessity; and those chains of large water-holes
which we frequently met along and within the scrubs, when once filled,
will retain their water for a long time. The extent of the neighbouring
scrubs will, however, always form a serious drawback to the squatter, as
it will be the lurking place and a refuge of the hostile natives, and a
hiding place for the cattle, which would always retire to it in the heat
of the day, or in the morning and evening, at which time the flies are
most troublesome.
March 7.--I moved my camp through the mountain gorge, the passage of
which was rather difficult, in consequence of large boulders of
sandstone, and of thickets of narrow-leaved tea-trees growing in the bed
of the river. To the northward, it opens into fine gentle Ironbark slopes
and ridges, which form the heads of the Isaacs. They seem to be the
favourite haunts of emus; for three broods of them were seen, of ten,
thirteen, and even sixteen birds. About four miles from the gorge, we
came to the heads of another creek, which I called "Suttor Creek" after
--Suttor, Esq., who had made me a present of four bullocks when I
started on this expedition; four or five miles farther down we found it
well supplied with fine water-holes. Here, however, patches of scrub
again appeared. The ridges were covered with iron-coloured quartz
pebbles, which rendered our bullocks footsore. The marjoram was abundant,
particularly near the scrubs, and filled the air with a most exquisite
odour. A mountain range was seen to the right; and, where the ranges of
the head of the Isaacs abruptly terminated, detached hills and ridges
formed the south-western and southern barrier of the waters of Suttor
Creek.
March 8.--As we followed the creek about nine miles farther down, it
became broader, and the Casuarinas were more frequent. Its bed was sandy,
occasionally filled with reeds, and contained numerous water-holes,
particularly where the sandstone rock formed more retentive basins.
During the last two days we had drizzling rain, which cleared up a little
about noon and at night. The weather was delightfully cool; the wind was
very strong from the eastward. I sent Mr. Roper forward to look for
water, of which he found a sufficient supply. He stated that the country
to the westward opened into fine plains, of a rich black soil; but it was
very dry. The bluff terminations of the left range bore E. by S., and
that on the right E.N.E.
March 9.--We moved to the water-holes found yesterday by Mr. Roper. On
our way we crossed a large scrub creek, coming from the northward and
joining Suttor Creek, which turned to the westward, and even W. by S. and
W.S.W.
Mr. Gilbert and Charley made an excursion to the westward, in which
direction Mr. Roper had seen a distant range, at the foot of which I
expected to find a large watercourse. Wind continued from the east and
south-east; about the middle of last night we had some rain.
A slender snake, about five feet long, of a greyish brown on the back,
and of a bright yellow on the belly, was seen nimbly climbing a tree. The
head was so much crushed in killing it that I could not examine its
teeth.
Mr. Roper and John Murphy succeeded in shooting eight cockatoos, which
gave us an excellent soup. I found in their stomachs a fruit resembling
grains of rice, which was slightly sweet, and would doubtless afford an
excellent dish, if obtained in sufficient quantity and boiled.
March 10.--We had slight drizzling showers towards sunset; the night very
cloudy till about ten a.m., when it cleared up. The variety of grasses is
very great; the most remarkable and succulent were two species of
Anthistiria, the grass of the Isaacs, and a new one with articulate ears
and rounded glumes. A pink Convolvulus, with showy blossoms, is very
common. Portulaca, with terete leaves, grows sparingly on the mild rich
soil.
Were a superficial observer suddenly transported from one of the reedy
ponds of Europe to this water-hole in Suttor Creek, he would not be able
to detect the change of his locality, except by the presence of
Casuarinas and the white trunks of the majestic flooded-gum. Reeds,
similar to those of Europe, and Polygonums almost identical as to
species, surround the water, the surface of which is covered with the
broad leaves of Villarsia, exactly resembling those of Nymphaea alba, and
with several species of Potomogeton. Small grey birds, like the warblers
of the reeds, flit from stem to stem; hosts of brilliant gyrinus play on
the water; notonectes and beetles, resembling the hydrophili, live within
it--now rising to respire, now swiftly diving. Limnaea, similar to those
of Europe, creep along the surface of the water; small Planorbis live on
the water-plants, to which also adhere Ancylus; and Paludina, Cyclas, and
Unio, furrow its muddy bottom. The spell, however, must not be broken by
the noisy call of a laughing jackass (Dacelo gigantea); the screams of
the white cockatoo; or by the hollow sound of the thirsty emu. The
latitude of this spot was 21 degrees 23 minutes S.
I examined the country northward for about five miles, crossing some
small undulating or hilly downs of a rich black soil, where the Phonolith
frequently cropped out. There were occasional tracts of "devil-devil"
land, and patches of scrub, which, at no great distance, united into one
mass of Bricklow. Tracing a little creek to its head, I crossed ridges
with open forest. Mr. Gilbert and Charley returned, after having found,
as I anticipated, a considerable watercourse at the foot of the westerly
range. Suttor Creek was afterwards found to join this watercourse, and,
as it was its principal tributary, the name was continued to the main
stream.
March 12.--In travelling to Mr. Gilbert's discovery, we crossed large
plains, and, at the end of six miles, entered into thick scrub, which
continued with little interruption until we reached the dry channel of
the Suttor. This scrub, like those already mentioned, varies in density
and in its composition; the Bricklow acacia predominates; but, in more
open parts, tufts of Bauhinia covered with white blossoms, and patches of
the bright green Fusanus and silvery Bricklow, formed a very pleasing
picture. The bed of the Suttor was rather shallow, sandy, and irregular,
with occasional patches of reeds; its left bank was covered with scrub;
but well grassed flats, with Bastard-box and Ironbark, were on its right.
We encamped near a fine reedy water-hole, nearly half a mile long, in
lat. 21 degrees 21 minutes 36 seconds. We had travelled about fifteen
miles west by north from our last camp. Throughout the day the weather
was cloudy and rainy, which rendered the tedious passage through the
scrub more bearable.
March 13.--We proceeded six or seven miles down the river, in a S.S.W.
course. The flats continued on its right side, but rose at a short
distance into low ridges, covered either with scrub or with a very
stunted silver-leaved Ironbark. On one of the flats we met with a brood
of young emus, and killed three of them. The morning was bright; cumuli
gathered about noon, and the afternoon was cloudy. The wind was from the
eastward. The Suttor is joined, in lat. 21 degrees 25 minutes, by a large
creek from the N.W. From the ridges on the left bank of the creek I
obtained an extensive view. The bluff termination of the ranges on the
head of the Isaacs bore N. 55 degrees E. Many high ranges were seen
towards the north and north-east. Towards the south the horizon was
broken only by some very distant isolated mountains. Peak Range was not
visible. A group of three mountains appeared towards the north-west; one
of them had a flat top. The whole country to the westward was formed of
low ridges, among which the Suttor seemed to shape its winding course.
The hills on which we stood, as well as the banks of the creek, were
composed of flint-rock. Pebbles and blocks of Pegmatite covered the bed
of the creek. This rock also cropped out along the river. This was the
first time since leaving Moreton Bay that we met with primitive rocks,
and I invite the attention of geologists to the close connection of the
flint rock with granitic rocks; which I had many opportunities of
observing in almost every part of the northern and western falls of the
table land of New England.
A Melaleuca with very small decussate leaves, a tree about twenty-five
feet high, was growing on the scrubby ridges. Flooded-gums of most
majestic size, and Casuarinas, grew along the river; in which there were
many large reedy water-holes. The season must be more than usually dry,
some of the largest holes containing only shallow pools, which were
crowded with small fishes, seemingly gasping for rain. A Ruellia, with
large white and blue flowers, adorned the grassy flats along the Suttor.
The latitude of this spot was 21 degrees 26 minutes 36 seconds.
March 14.--We removed down the river about eight miles S. S. W. to good
water-holes, which had been seen by my companions the day before. Here
the scrub approached the river, leaving only a narrow belt of open
forest, which was occasionally interrupted by low ridges of stunted
silver-leaved Ironbark. Pegmatite and Porphyry (with a very few small
crystals of felspar) and Gneiss? were observed in situ. On our way we
passed a fine lagoon. A dry but not hot wind blew from the S. S. W.; the
night and morning were bright; cumuli with sharp margins hung about after
eleven o'clock.
A pelican was seen flying down the river, and two native companions and
an ibis were at the water-holes. Crows, cockatoos, and ducks were
frequent. From the remains of mussels about these water-holes, the
natives have enjoyed many recent meals.
I sent Mr. Roper and Charley down the river, who informed me, on their
return late at night, that they had found water at different distances;
the farthest they reached was distant about seventeen miles, in a
water-hole near the scrub; but the bed of the river was dry. As they
rode, one on the right and the other on the left side of the river, a
Blackfellow hailed Charley and approached him, but when he saw Mr.
Roper--who crossed over upon being called--he immediately climbed a tree,
and his gin, who was far advanced in pregnancy, ascended another. As Mr.
Roper moved round the base of the tree, in order to look the Blackfellow
in the face, and to speak with him, the latter studiously avoided looking
at Mr. Roper, by shifting round and round the trunk like an iguana. At
last, however, he answered to the inquiry for water, by pointing to the
W. N. W. The woman also kept her face averted from the white man.
Proceeding farther down the river they saw natives encamped at a
water-hole, who, as soon as they became aware of the approach of the two
horsemen, withdrew with the greatest haste into the scrub; the men
driving the shrieking women and children before them. Upon Mr. Roper
galloping after them, one athletic fellow turned round and threatened to
throw his bommerang, at this sign of hostility Mr. Roper prudently
retired. Kangaroo and other nets made of some plant and not of bark,
koolimans, bommerangs, waddies, and a fine opossum cloak were found at
the camp, but were left untouched by our companions.
March 15.--Our party moved to the water-holes, where Mr. Roper had seen
the natives; the latter had removed their property, and were not
afterwards heard or seen by any of us. The general course of the river
was about south-west, and is joined by several scrub creeks; its bed is
broad and shallow, with numerous channels, separated by bergues; and the
river itself is split into several anabranches. The scrub is generally an
open Vitex; a fine drooping tea-tree lines the banks of the river;
Casuarina disappears; the flooded-gum is frequent, but of smaller size.
The Mackenzie-bean and several other papilionaceous plants, with some new
grasses, grow in it. The most interesting plant, however, is a species of
Datura, from one to two feet high, which genus has not previously been
observed in Australia. I also found species of Heliotropium of a most
fragrant odour.
Sandstone cropped out in several places, and red quartz pebbles were very
abundant in some parts of the river; the sands of its bed are so
triturated that no one would ever surmise the existence of granitic
rocks, at sixteen or twenty miles higher up. The whole country was flat;
no hill was visible, but, towards the end of our day's journey, we
crossed a few slight undulations.
During the night of the 14th, southerly winds were followed by a gale
from the eastward, with scud and drizzling rain. The morning of the 15th
was cloudy with a little rain; wind southerly. Early in the night, a
strong east-wind with drizzling long rain set in, but cleared up at
midnight. The morning of the 16th was cloudy, with a southerly wind. Our
lat. was 21 degrees 39 minutes 58 seconds.
March 17.--Mr. Gilbert and Brown went forward in search of water,
supposing that they would find it at a convenient distance, but were
unsuccessful, and, as they had taken neither guns nor provisions, they
were obliged to return. Keeping, however, a little more to the left, on
their return, they came to two fine water-holes at the foot of some
ironstone ridges, where they passed the night, and reached the camp the
following day, having had nothing to eat for twenty-four hours. The camp
was then moved to these water-holes, about nine miles off, in a due west
course. Fine water-holes were passed at a short half-mile from our camp;
and, after crossing the northern anabranch of the river, we again found
water.
The detection of isolated water-holes in a wooded country, where there is
nothing visible to indicate its presence, is quite a matter of chance. We
have often unconsciously passed well-filled water-holes, at less than a
hundred yards distant, whilst we were suffering severely from thirst. Our
horses and bullocks never showed that instinctive faculty of detecting
water, so often mentioned by other travellers; and I remember instances,
in which the bullocks have remained the whole night, not fifty yards from
water-holes, without finding them; and, indeed, whenever we came to small
water-holes, we had to drive the cattle down to them, or they would have
strayed off to find water elsewhere. On several occasions I followed
their tracks, and observed they were influenced entirely by their sight
when in search of it; at times attracted by a distant patch of deeper
verdure, at others following down a hollow or a watercourse, but I do not
recollect a single instance where they found water for themselves. The
horses, however, were naturally more restless and impatient, and, when we
approached a creek or a watercourse after a long journey, would descend
into the bed and follow it for long distances to find water; giving great
trouble to those who had to bring them back to the line of march.
Whenever they saw me halt at the place where I intended to encamp, they
not only quickened their pace, but often galloped towards me, well
knowing that I had found water, and that they were to be relieved of
their loads. In looking for water, my search was first made in the
neighbourhood of hills, ridges, and ranges, which from their extent and
elevation were most likely to lead me to it, either in beds of creeks, or
rivers, or in water-holes, parallel to them. In an open country, there
are many indications which a practised eye will readily seize: a cluster
of trees of a greener foliage, hollows with luxuriant grass, eagles
circling in the air, crows, cockatoos, pigeons (especially before
sunset), and the call of Grallina Australis and flocks of little finches,
would always attract our attention. The margins of scrubs were generally
provided with chains of holes. But a flat country, openly timbered,
without any break of the surface or of the forest, was by no means
encouraging; and I have frequently travelled more than twenty-five miles
in a straight line without obtaining my object, In coming on creeks, it
required some experience in the country, to know whether to travel up or
down the bed: some being well provided with water immediately at the foot
of the range, and others being entirely dry at their upper part, but
forming large puddled holes, lower down, in a flat country. From daily
experience, we acquired a sort of instinctive feeling as to the course we
should adopt, and were seldom wrong in our decisions.
The ridges, near the water-holes on which we were encamped, are composed
of an igneous rock containing much iron, with which the water was
impregnated to such a degree, that our tea turned quite black and inky.
The natives were very numerous in these parts, and their tracks were
everywhere visible. They had even followed the tracks of Mr. Gilbert's
and Brown's horses of the preceding day.
The night was bright; the day cloudy, and the wind easterly. I went with
Charley, in the afternoon of the 17th, to examine the extent of the
scrubby country, of which Mr. Gilbert had given us so poor an account.
The channel of the river became narrow and deep, with steep banks, as it
enters the scrub, and there the flooded gums entirely disappeared. The
scrub is about eight miles long, and from two to three miles broad, and
is tolerably open. The Bricklow is here a real tree, but of stunted
growth, with regularly fissured bark, like that of the Ironbark
(Eucalyptus resinifera). It has long broad falcate phyllodia, whilst
another species of the same size has an irregular scaly bark, with small
phyllodia, but of a greyer colour than those of the common Bricklow. Both
species grow promiscuously together. Where the river left the scrub, it
entered into a wild water-worn box flat, and cut up into several
irregular channels, lined by a dense thicket of narrow-leaved Melaleucas
of stunted growth and irregular shapes. The Box-tree itself is here a
different species, the bark has deeper fissures, and the young wood is
very yellow. I shall distinguish it by the name of "Water-box," as it
grows exclusively near creeks, or on the neighbouring flats. I first
observed it at the Mackenzie; its bark strips freely, but the stem is too
short and irregular to be of any use.
In passing a low hill, at the foot of which the box-flat commenced, we
came on a very distinct path of the natives, which led us to a deep
water-hole, covered with luxuriant grass; containing but a small quantity
of water. Farther on we came to a second hole better supplied, and to a
third; and at last Charley cried out, "Look there, Sir! what big water!"
and a long broad sheet of water stretched in sweeps through a dense
Bauhinia and Bricklow scrub, which covered its steep banks. It is a
singular character of this remarkable country, that extremes so often
meet; the most miserable scrub, with the open plain and fine forest land;
and the most paralysing dryness, with the finest supply of water.
Swarms of ducks covered the margin of the lake; pelicans, beyond the
reach of shot, floated on its bosom; land-turties plunged into its
waters; and shags started from dead trees lying half immersed, as we trod
the well-beaten path of the natives along its banks. The inhabitants of
this part of the country, doubtless, visit this spot frequently, judging
from the numerous heaps of muscle-shells. This fine piece of water,
probably in the main channel of the Suttor, is three miles long, and is
surrounded with one mass of scrub, which opens a little at its
north-western extremity.
March 10.--I continued my ride, ten or twelve miles down the river; the
scrub continued, but the immediate neighbourhood became a little more
open; several trees were observed, that had been recently cut by the
natives in search of honey or opossums. Emus were very numerous;
sometimes a solitary bird, and at others two, three, four, and up to
thirteen together, were seen trotting off in long file, and now and then
stopping to stare at us. We caught a bandicoot with two young ones, which
gave us an excellent luncheon. When we left the lake, Charley thought he
could distinguish a plain to the northward; and, riding in that
direction, I was agreeably surprised to find that the scrub did not
extend more than a mile and a-half from the river; and that, beyond it,
plains and open forest extended far to the northward; and fine ridges
with most excellent feed, to the southward. The traveller who is merely
following the course of a river, is unable to form a correct idea of the
country farther off, unless hills are near, from which he may obtain
extensive views. At the water-worn banks of the Mackenzie, I little
expected that we were in the vicinity of a country like that of Peak
Range; and I am consequently inclined to believe that much more available
land exists along the banks of the Suttor, where its valley is covered
with scrub, than we know anything about.
March 19.--The camp was removed to the lake of the Suttor, about twelve
miles and a-half N. 80 degrees W. We chased a flock of emus, but without
success; four of my companions went duck-shooting, but got very few; the
others angled, but nothing would bite.
The day was cloudy; some drizzling rain fell in the morning; the night
was clear. Lat. 21 degrees 37 minutes 31 minutes.
During my absence, my companions found a quantity of implements and
ornaments of the natives, in the neighbourhood of our last camp.
On the plains I found two new species of Sida; and, on the tea-trees, a
new form of Loranthus, with flowers in threes on a broad leafy bract,
scarcely distinguishable from the real leaves.
March 20.--We travelled down to the water-holes, at which I had turned
back. Sandstone rock cropped out on several spots, and pieces of broken
quartz were strewed over the ground. All the water-holes along the low
ridges and within the bed of the river, were full of water; and the
district seemed to be one of those which, from their peculiar
conformation of surface, are more frequently favoured by thunder-storms.
Native companions flew down the river, and flights of ducks held their
course in the same direction. With the hope of finding a good supply of
water lower down, we continued our journey on the 21st March. The creek
frequently divided into channels, forming large islands of a mile and a
mile and a-half in length, covered with scrub, and over which freshes had
swept. All at once, the water disappeared; the deepest holes were dry;
the Melaleucas were not to be found; the flooded-gums became very rare,
and the rich green grass was replaced by a scanty wiry grass. The whole
river seemed to divide into chains of dry water-holes, scarcely connected
by hollows. Two miles farther we came to a fine large water-hole,
surrounded by Polygonums and young water-grass, and, at two miles
farther, to another, and in about the same distance to a third. Recent
camps of the natives were on each of them, and a beaten path led from one
to the other. One of these holes was crossed by a weir made of sticks for
catching fish. Bones of large fish, turtle shells, and heaps of muscles,
were strewed round the fire places.
The whole day was bright and very hot; the wind in the afternoon from
E.S.E. The latitude of our last camp was 21 degrees 31 minutes 16
seconds, being about eighteen miles W.N.W. from the lake.
Mr. Roper and Brown rode about seven miles down the river, and found that
it again formed a large regular bed well supplied with water; and that
the country was of a more open character. They came suddenly upon two
women cooking mussels, who ran off, leaving their dinners to their
unwelcome visitors, who quickly dispatched the agreeable repast; farther
on they saw four men, who were too shy to approach. Charley also, whilst
bringing in the horses on the morning of the 22nd, passed a numerous
camp, who quietly rose and gazed at him, but did not utter a single word.
I travelled with my party to the water-holes found by Mr. Roper; on
approaching them, we crossed an extensive box-flat, near that part of the
river where it is split into collateral chains of holes. Talc-schiste
cropped out at the latter part of the journey; its strata were
perpendicular, and their direction from north-west to south-east; its
character was the same as that of Moreton Bay and New England; numerous
veins of quartz intersected the rock.
The water-holes were surrounded by high Polygonums; blue Nymphaeas were
observed in several of them; and ducks were very numerous.
The forenoon was cloudless and hot; cirrhous clouds formed in the
afternoon; with a breeze from the E.S.E. Our lat. was 21 degrees 25
minutes.
Mr. Gilbert and Charley, when on a reconnoitring ride, met another party
of natives; among them two gins were so horror-struck at the unwonted
sight, that they immediately fled into the scrub; the men commenced
talking to them, but occasionally interrupted their speeches by spitting
and uttering a noise like pooh! pooh! apparently expressive of their
disgust.
March 23.--The party moved on about ten miles to the north-east, and
encamped at the junction of a large creek which comes from the S.S.E. Its
character is similar to that of the Suttor; and I should not be surprised
if it should prove to be the northern anabranch of that creek, and which
we crossed on the 17th of March, the day before we arrived at the lake.
The country opens into lightly-timbered ridges, which are composed of a
hard rock, the sharp pieces of which covered the ground, and made our
animals foot-sore. It seems to me to be a clayey sandstone (Psammite)
penetrated by silica. A coarse-grained sandstone and quartzite cropped
out in that part of the river situated between the two camps. The
melon-holes of the box-flats were frequently over-grown with the
polygonaceous plant, mentioned at a former occasion; and the small scrub
plains were covered with a grey chenopodiaceous plant from three to four
feet high. The stiff-leaved Cymbidium was still very common, and two or
three plants of it were frequently observed on the same tree; its stem is
eatable, but glutinous and insipid.
The morning of Easter Sunday was very clear and hot; the wind from E.N.E.
As soon as we had celebrated the day with a luncheon of fat damper and
sweetened tea, I rode with Charley about seven or eight miles down the
river, and found abundance of water, not only in the bed of the river,
but in lines of lagoons parallel to it. Charley shot several ducks, which
were very numerous upon the water. Whilst riding along the bank of the
river, we saw an old woman before us, walking slowly and thoughtfully
through the forest, supporting her slender and apparently exhausted frame
with one of those long sticks which the women use for digging roots; a
child was running before her. Fearing she would be much alarmed if we
came too suddenly upon her,--as neither our voices in conversation, nor
the footfall of our horses, attracted her attention,--I cooeed gently;
after repeating the call two or three times, she turned her head; in
sudden fright she lifted her arms, and began to beat the air, as if to
take wing,--then seizing the child, and shrieking most pitifully, she
rapidly crossed the creek, and escaped to the opposite ridges. What could
she think; but that we were some of those imaginary beings, with legends
of which the wise men of her people frighten the children into obedience,
and whose strange forms and stranger doings are the favourite topics of
conversation amongst the natives at night when seated round their fires?
I observed a fine sienite on several spots; it is of a whitish colour,
and contains hornblende and mica in almost equal quantities; granite was
also seen, and both rocks probably belong to each other, the presence of
hornblende being local. A very hard pudding-stone crops out about nine
miles down the river. From the ridges, hills were seen to the N.N.E. and
to the westward. Vitex scrub is met with in patches of small extent. A
white crane, and the whistling duck, were seen. Black ducks and teal were
most common, and Charley shot eight of them. On the banks of the more or
less dry water-holes grows an annual leguminous plant, which shoots up
into a simple stem, often to the height of twelve feet; its neck and root
are covered with a spongy tissue; its leaves are pinnate, a foot or more
in length, with small leaflets; it bears mottled yellow flowers, in
axillary racemes; and long rough, articulate pods, containing small,
bright, olive-green seeds. I first saw this plant at Limestone, near
Moreton Bay, and afterwards at the water-holes of Comet River. It was
extremely abundant in the bed of the Burdekin, and was last seen on the
west side of the gulf of Carpentaria; I could, however, easily
distinguish three species of this plant. [They belong probably to the
two genera, Aeschynomene and Sesbania.]
Last evening, clouds gathered in the west, but cleared off after sunset;
the night again cloudy, the forenoon equally so; in the afternoon the
clouds were dissipated by a north-east wind.
March 24.--We travelled about nine miles N. 60 degrees W. along the
river; a small creek joined from the westward. At night we had a heavy
thunder-storm from the S.W.
March 25.--Weather very hot; clouds formed during the afternoon. We
continued our journey along the river to lat. 21 degrees 3 minutes; the
river winds considerably. We passed several hills at the latter part of
the stage. I ascended one of them, on the right bank of the river, and
obtained an extensive view of the country, which has a very uniform
character. There were ridges and low ranges to the westward, one of which
stretched from N. by W. far to the westward. The hill on which I stood
was composed of limestone rock; it was flat-topped, with steep slopes at
each end.
In lat. about 21 degrees 6 minutes, we crossed a large creek, densely
lined with dropping tea trees, coming from the westward. It was here we
first met with Careya arborea (Roxb.), a small tree from fifteen to
twenty feet high, with elliptical leaves of soft texture, four inches
long, and two in breadth; its fruit was about two inches long, contained
many seeds, and resembled that of the Guava. Its leaves, however, had
neither the vernation nor the pellucid dots of Myrtaceous trees. At the
junction of the creek, a great number of small Corypha palms were
growing, and my companions observed the dead stems of some very high
ones, whose tops had been cut off by the natives, probably to obtain the
young shoot. We passed hills of baked sandstone, before reaching the
creek, and afterwards crossed a fine sandy flat, with poplar-gum. The
river has a broad bed, at times dividing into several channels, lined
with stately Melaleucas and flooded-gum, and again uniting into one deep
channel, with long reaches of water surrounded by Polygonums, and
overgrown with blue Nymphaeas, Damasoniums, and Utricularias, and
inhabited by large flights of ducks. Rock occasionally enters into the
bed of the river. The collateral lines of water-holes are rarely
interrupted, and the ridges appear to be open on both sides of the river.
March 26.--We travelled along the river to lat. 20 degrees 53 minutes 42
seconds. Its course is almost due north. Yesterday, being out duck
shooting, we came suddenly upon a camp of natives, who were not a little
frightened by the report of our guns: they followed our tracks, however,
with wailing cries, and afterwards all of them sat down on the rocky
banks of the river, when we returned to our camp. To-day we passed the
place of their encampment with our whole train, and it was remarkable
that they neither heard nor saw us until we were close to them, though we
had seen them from a great distance. All the young ones ran away.
Dismounting from my horse, I walked up to an old man who had remained,
and who was soon after rejoined by another man. We had a long
unintelligible conversation, for neither Brown nor Charley could make out
a single word of their language. They were much surprised by the
different appearance of Charley's black skin and my own. Phillips wished
to exchange his jacket for one of their opossum cloaks, so I desired him
to put it on the ground, and then taking the cloak and placing it near
the jacket, I pointed to Phillips, and, taking both articles up, handed
the cloak to Phillips and the jacket to our old friend, who perfectly
understood my meaning. After some time he expressed a wish to have the
cloak back, and to keep the jacket, with which we had dressed him; but I
gave him to understand that he might have his cloak, provided he returned
the jacket; which arrangement satisfied him. A basket (dilli), which I
examined, was made of a species of grass which, according to Charley, is
found only on the sea coast.
We saw a Tabiroo (Mycteria) and a rifle bird. The morning was cloudy, but
very hot. Numerous heavy cumuli formed during the afternoon.
March 27.--We travelled to lat. 20 degrees 47 minutes 34 seconds. The
country along the river is undulating and hilly, and openly timbered. The
rock is of sandstone, and the ground is covered with quartz pebbles. In
lat. about 20 degrees 49 minutes, the Suttor is joined by a river as
large as itself, coming from the S.W. by W., and which changes the course
of the Suttor to the N.E. Just before the junction, the large bed of the
Suttor contracts into one deep channel, filled in its whole extent by a
fine sheet of water, on which Charley shot a pelican. I mention this
singular contraction, because a similar peculiarity was observed to occur
at almost every junction of considerable channels, as that of the Suttor
and Burdekin, and of the Lynd and the Mitchell. I named the river, which
here joins the Suttor, after Mr. Cape, the obliging commander of the
Shamrock steamer. The bed of the united rivers is very broad, with
several channels separated by high sandy bergues. The country back from
the river is formed by flats alternating with undulations, and is lightly
timbered with silver-leaved Ironbark, rusty gum, Moreton Bay ash, and
water box. The trees are generally stunted, and unfit for building; but
the drooping tea trees and the flooded-gum will supply sufficient timber
for such a purpose.
At our camp, at the bed of the river, granite crops out, and the sands
sparkle with leaflets of gold-coloured mica. The morning was clear and
hot; the afternoon cloudy; a thunder-storm to the north-east. We have
observed nothing of the sea-breeze of the Mackenzie and of Peak Range,
along the Suttor; but a light breeze generally sets in about nine o'clock
P.M.
Charley met with a flock of twenty emus, and hunted down one of them.
March 28.--We travelled down the river to latitude 20 degrees 41 minutes
35 seconds. The country was improving, beautifully grassed, openly
timbered, flat, or ridgy, or hilly; the ridges were covered with pebbles,
the hills rocky. The rocks were baked sandstone, decomposed granite, and
a dark, very hard conglomerate: the latter cropped out in the bed of the
river where we encamped. Pebbles of felspathic porphyry were found in the
river's bed. At some old camping places of the natives, we found the
seed-vessels of Pandanus, a plant which I had never seen far from the sea
coast; and also the empty shells of the seeds of a Cycas. Mr. Calvert,
John Murphy, and Brown, whom I had sent to collect marjoram, told me, at
their return, that they had seen whole groves of Pandanus trees; and
brought home the seed-vessel of a new Proteaceous tree. I went to examine
the locality, and found, on a sandy and rather rotten soil, the Pandanus
abundant, growing from sixteen to twenty feet high, either with a simple
stem and crown, or with a few branches at the top. The Proteaceous tree
was small, from twelve to fifteen feet high, of stunted and irregular
habit, with dark, fissured bark, and large medullary rays in its red
wood: its leaves were of a silvery colour, about two inches and a half
long, and three-quarters broad; its seed-vessels woody and orbicular,
like the single seed-vessels of the Banksia conchifera; the seeds were
surrounded by a broad transparent membrane. This tree, which I afterwards
found every where in the neighbourhood of the gulf of Carpentaria, was in
blossom from the middle of May to that of June. The poplar-gum, the
bloodwood, the melaleuca of Mt. Stewart, the Moreton Bay ash, the little
Severn tree, and a second species of the same genus with smooth leaves,
were growing on the same soil. The grasses were very various,
particularly in the hollows: and the fine bearded grass of the Isaacs
grew from nine to twelve feet in height. Charley brought me a branch of a
Cassia with a thyrse of showy yellow blossoms, which he said he had
plucked from a shrub about fifteen feet high.
We encamped about two miles from the foot of a mountain bearing about
N.E. from us; I called it Mount McConnel, after Fred. McConnel, Esq., who
had most kindly contributed to my expedition. The Suttor winds round its
western base, and, at four or five miles beyond it, in a northerly
direction, and in latitude 20 degrees 37 minutes 13 seconds joins a
river, the bed of which, at the junction, is fully a mile broad. Narrow
and uninterrupted belts of small trees were growing within the bed of the
latter, and separated broad masses of sand, through which a stream ten
yards broad and from two to three feet deep, was meandering; but which at
times swells into large sheets of water, occasionally occupying the whole
width of the river. Charley reported that he had seen some black swans,
and large flights of ducks and pelicans. This was the most northern point
at which the black swan was observed on our expedition.
CHAPTER VII
THE BURDEKIN--TRANSITION FROM THE DEPOSITORY TO THE PRIMITIVE
ROCKS--THACKER'S RANGE--WILD FIGS--GEOLOGICAL REMARKS--THE CLARKE--THE
PERRY.
As this place afforded every convenience for killing and curing another
bullock, we remained here for that purpose from the 29th March to the 2nd
of April. The weather was favourable for our operations, and I took two
sets of lunar observations, the first of which gave me longitude 146
degrees 1 minutes, and the second, 145 degrees 58 minutes. The mornings
were generally either cloudless, or with small cumuli, which increased as
the day advanced, but disappeared at sunset; the wind was, as far as I
could judge, northerly, north-easterly, and easterly.
April 2.--The Suttor was reported by Charley to be joined by so many
gullies and small creeks, running into it from the high lands, which
would render travelling along its banks extremely difficult, that I
passed to the east side of Mount McConnel, and reached by that route the
junction of the Suttor with the newly discovered river, which I called
the Burdekin, in acknowledgment of the liberal assistance which I
received from Mrs. Burdekin of Sidney, in the outfit of my expedition.
The course of this river is to the east by south; and I thought that it
would most probably enter the sea in the neighbourhood of Cape Upstart.
Flood marks, from fifteen to eighteen feet above the banks, showed that
an immense body of water occasionally sweeps down its wide channel.
I did not ascend Mount McConnel, but it seemed to be composed of a
species of domite. On the subordinate hills I observed sienite. The bed
of the river furnished quite a collection of primitive rocks: there were
pebbles of quartz, white, red, and grey; of granite; of sienite; of
felspathic porphyry, hornblende, and quartz-porphyry; and of slate-rock.
The morning was cloudless. In the afternoon, heavy cumuli, which
dissolved towards sunset; a strong wind from the north and north by east.
A very conspicuous hill, bearing E.N.E. from the junction of the rivers,
received the name of Mount Graham, after R. Graham, Esq., who had most
liberally contributed to my expedition.
Mr. Gilbert found a large calabash attached to its dry vine, which had
been carried down by the waters. Several other very interesting
cucurbitaceous fruits, and large reeds, were observed among the rubbish
which had accumulated round the trees during the flood.
April 3.--We travelled up the Burdekin, in a north-north-west direction,
to latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes 20 seconds. The country was hilly and
mountainous; the soil was stony; and the banks of the river were
intersected by deep gullies and creeks. The forest vegetation was the
same as that on the lower Suttor. Among the patches of brush which are
particularly found at the junction of the larger creeks with the river,
we observed a large fig-tree, from fifty to sixty feet high, with a rich
shady foliage; and covered with bunches of fruit. The figs were of the
size of a small apple, of an agreeable flavour when ripe, but were full
of small flies and ants. These trees were numerous, and their situation
was readily detected by the paths of the natives leading to them: a proof
that the fruit forms one of their favourite articles of food. The
drooping tea trees, which had increased both in number and size, grew in
company with an arborescent Calistemon, along the water's edge; and a
species of Eucalyptus, somewhat resembling Angophora intermedia, was
discovered at this spot: it occurs frequently to the northward, and is
common round the gulf of Carpentaria. The small Acacia tree of Expedition
Range was frequently seen in the forest, and was covered with an
amber-coloured gum, that was eatable, but tasteless: Hakea lorea (R.
Br.), and Grevillea ceratophylla (R. Br.); the Ebenaceous tree, and that
with guava-like fruit (lareya), were all numerous. The bed of the river
was covered with the leguminous annual I noticed at the Suttor; it grew
here so high and thick that my companions were unable to see me, though
riding only a few yards from them.
Rock frequently crops out in the bed of the river, and in the
neighbouring hills. Several hills at the right bank were formed by a kind
of thermantide of a whitish grey, or red colour, and which might be
scratched easily with a penknife. Other conical hills or short ranges,
with irregular rugged crests, were composed of granite of many varieties,
red and white, fine grained without hornblende, or containing the latter
substance, and changing into sienite; and, at one place, it seemed as if
it had broken through Psammite. I observed quartzite in several
localities, and a hard pudding-stone extending for a considerable
distance. We were, no doubt, on the transition from the depository to the
primitive rocks; and a detailed examination of this interesting part of
the country would be very instructive to the geologist, as to the
relative age and position of the rocks.
A small fish, with yellow and dark longitudinal lines, and probably
belonging to the Cyprinidae, was caught. Wind prevailed from the
northward: the forenoon was cloudless; heavy cumuli in the afternoon.
We travelled at first on the right side of the river; but its banks
became so mountainous and steep, and the gullies so deep, that we were
compelled to cross it at a place where it was very deep, and where our
horses and cattle had to swim. Many of our things got wet, and we were
delayed by stopping to dry them.
April 4.--We moved our camp to latitude 20 degrees 24 minutes 12 seconds,
a distance of about nine miles N.W. by N. We passed several granitic
peaks and ranges; one of which I ascended, and enjoyed an extensive view.
The character of the country changed very little: open narrow-leaved
Ironbark forest on a granitic sand, full of brilliant leaflets of mica.
Some deep creeks came from the eastward. To the west and north-west
nothing was to be seen but ridges; but high imposing ranges rise to the
north and north-east. At one spot, large masses of calcareous spar were
scattered over the ground; they were probably derived from a vein in the
granite.
Three black ducks, (Anas Novae Hollandiae) were shot. Tracks of native
dogs were numerous; and a bitch came fearlessly down to the river, at a
short distance from our camp. Our kangaroo dog ran at her, and both fell
into the water, which enabled the bitch to escape.
April 5.--We re-crossed the river, which was not very deep, and travelled
about nine miles N. 75 degrees W. The river flows parallel to a high
mountain range, at about three or four miles from its left bank. I named
this after Mr. Robey, another friendly contributor to my outfit. A large
creek very probably carries the waters from this range to the Burdekin,
in latitude 20 degrees 23 minutes. The country was very ridgy and hilly;
and we found it exceedingly difficult to proceed along the river. We
observed the poplar-gum again in the open forest, and a fine drooping
loranthus growing on it. Pandanus was also very frequent, in clusters
from three to eight trees. The clustered fig-tree gave us an ample supply
of fruit, which, however, was not perfectly mellow.
Veins of calcareous spar and of quartz were again observed. I ascended a
lofty hill, situated about a mile and a half to the west of our
encampment, and found it composed of felspathic porphyry, with a greyish
paste containing small crystals of felspar; but, in the bed of the river,
the same rock was of a greenish colour, and contained a great number of
pebbles of various rocks, giving it the aspect of a conglomerate; but
recognisable by its crystals of felspar, and from its being connected
with the rock of the hill. From the top of the hill, which is wooded with
a silver-leaved Ironbark, I saw a very mountainous country to the N.N.W.
and northward, formed into detached ranges and isolated peaks, some of
which were apparently very high; but to the north-west and west no ranges
were visible.
A thunder-storm threatened on the 4th, but we had only some light
showers: the morning of the 5th was very hot, and the afternoon rainy.
Wind from north and north-east. Nights clear.
April 6.--We travelled about ten miles N. 35 degrees W. over a ridgy,
openly timbered, stony and sandy country, and crossed several sandy
creeks, in which a species of Melaleuca, and another of Tristania were
growing. No part of the country that we had yet seen, resembled the
northern parts of New England so much as this. The rock was almost
exclusively granitic isolated blocks; detached heaps, and low ridges
composed of it were frequently met with in the open forest. We passed two
small hillocks of milkwhite quartz; fragments of this rock, as well as of
calcareous spar, were often observed scattered over the ground. The river
here made a large bend to the northward, still keeping parallel to
Robey's Range, or a spur of it; and, when it again turned to the
westward, another fine high range was visible to the north by east and
north-east of it; which I named "Porter's Range," in acknowledgment of
the kindness of another of the contributors to my expedition. Its
latitude is about 20 degrees 14 minutes.
April 7.--Travelled about ten miles N. 70 degrees W. The country became
more level, more open, and better grassed; the gullies were farther
apart, and headed generally in fine hollows. Two large creeks joined the
river from the westward; and a still larger one came from the northward,
and which probably carries off the water from the country round a fine
peak, and a long razorback mountain which we saw in that direction.
North-west of Porter's Range, and between it and the razorback, were two
small peaks. The timber is of the same kind, but larger. The poplar-gum
was more frequent, and we always found patches of fine grass near it;
even when all the surrounding Ironbark bark forest was burnt. The large
clustered fig-trees were not numerous along the river; we perhaps passed
from three to five in the course of a day's journey; though young ones,
without fruit, were often seen.
Heavy clouds gathered during the afternoon of the 6th, and it rained
throughout the night; the wind was from N. and N.E. In the morning of the
7th some drops of rain fell, but the weather cleared up during the day;
wind easterly. The moon changed this day, and we experienced a heavy
thunder-storm during the afternoon.
April 8.--We travelled about nine miles N. 70 degrees W., to latitude 20
degrees 9 minutes 11 seconds. The river made a bend to the southward, and
then, at a sharp angle, turned again to the north-west. At this angle a
large creek joined it from the south; another instance of creeks joining
larger channels, coming in a direction almost opposite to their course.
Two other creeks joined the Burdekin during this stage; one from the
south-west, and another from the north. The grass was particularly rich
at these junctions. The river became considerably narrower, but still had
a fine stream. Thunder-storms had probably fallen higher up its course,
causing a fresh; for its waters, hitherto clear, had become turbid.
Narrow patches of brush were occasionally met with along its banks, and I
noticed several brush trees, common in other parts of the country.
Besides the clustered fig, and another species with rough leaves and
small downy purple fruit, there were a species of Celtis; the Melia
Azederach (White Cedar); a species of Phyllanthus, (a shrub from six to
ten feet high); an Asclepiadaceous climber, with long terete twin
capsules; and several Cucurbitaceae, one with oblong fruit about an inch
long, another with a round fruit half an inch in diameter, red and white,
resembling a gooseberry; a third was of an oblong form, two inches and a
half long and one broad; and a fourth was of the size and form of an
orange, and of a beautiful scarlet colour: the two last had an
excessively bitter taste. The night and morning were cloudy, with a
southerly wind, but it cleared up at eleven o'clock. Cumuli in the
afternoon, with wind from the south-east.
From our camp we saw a range of hills, bearing between N. 5 degrees W.
and N. 10 degrees W.; they were about three miles distant. I called them
"Thacker's Range," in acknowledgment of the support I received
from--Thacker, Esq., of Sidney.
April 9.--We travelled about nine miles W. by N., and made our latitude
20 degrees 8 minutes 26 seconds. The western end of Thacker's Range bore
N.E. Two large creeks joined the river from the south and south-west. The
country was openly timbered; the Moreton Bay ash grew along the bergue of
the river, where a species of Grewia seemed its inseparable companion.
The flooded-gum occupied the hollows and slopes of the river banks, which
were covered with a high stiff grass to the water's edge, and the stream
was fringed with a thicket of drooping tea trees, which were
comparatively small, and much bent by the force of floods, the probable
frequency of which may account for the reduced size of the tree. The
ridges were covered with rusty Gum and narrow-leaved Ironbark. An
Erythrina and the Acacia of Expedition Range were plentiful. The grass
was rich and of various species. The granite rock still prevailed. A
felspathic rock cropped out near the second creek, where I met with a
dark rock, composed of felspar and horneblende (Diorite.) Our camp was
pitched at the foot of a series of small conical hills, composed of
porphyry. A larger range to the southward of it was also porphyritic,
very hard, as if penetrated by quartz, and containing small crystals of
flesh-coloured felspar. Sienite cropped out on the flats between these
two ranges. I commanded a most extensive view from the higher range. High
and singularly crenelated ranges were seen to the south-west; detached
peaks and hills to the westward; short ranges and peaks to the north; and
considerable ranges between north and north-east. A river was observed to
join the Burdekin from the ranges to the south-west.
Numerous kangaroos were seen bounding over the rocky slopes to the grassy
glens below. A stunted silver-leaved Ironbark covered the hills.
April 10.--The night was very cold, particularly towards morning, and the
dew heavy; the morning was calm; a breeze from the south-east set in at
nine o'clock a.m.; cumuli formed about eleven o'clock, and became very
heavy during the afternoon.
The country over which we travelled about eight miles N. by W., was one
of the finest we had seen. It was very open, with some plains, slightly
undulating or rising into ridges, beautifully grassed and with sound
ground. We crossed the river I had seen the preceding day from the hill,
and found it running. Two large creeks, one from the right and the other
from the left, also joined the Burdekin. I observed Pegmatite of a white
colour, and hornblende Porphyry and Diorite. A shrubby Clerodendron and
an arborescent Bursaria, covered with white blossoms, adorned the forest.
The latitude was 20 degrees 0 minutes 36 seconds.
April 11.--We continued our journey up the river, in a W.N.W. direction,
for about ten miles. The first part of our journey lay through a most
beautiful country. The hollows along the river were covered with a dense
sward of various grasses, and the forest was open as far as the eye could
reach. Farther on, however, we occasionally met with patches of Vitex
scrub, and crossed some stony ridges. A small river joined from the
north-east, at about a mile and a half from the last camp, and also two
large creeks from the south-west. I ascended the hills opposite our camp,
and looked over an immense and apparently flat country, out of which
small peaks and short ranges rose. The hills on which I stood were
composed of Pegmatite, with patches of white Mica in large leaflets.
During the journey we found granite changing into gneiss, diorite, and
quartz rock.
On the rocky crest of the hill, I gathered the pretty red and black seeds
of a leguminous climbing shrub (Abrus precatorius). Phonolithic or
basaltic pebbles made me suppose that we were near to a change of
country. Our latitude was 19 degrees 58 minutes 11 seconds.
April 12.--We had scarcely travelled a mile and a half, when we had to
cross a large creek, which increased in size higher up. Box-tree flats
and open Vitex scrub extended along its banks, and the latter, according
to Mr. Roper's account, changed into dense Bricklow scrub. At the
junction of the creek and the river, we came on a dyke of basalt, the
flat summit of which was so rough that we were compelled to travel along
the flats of the creek, which for a long distance ran parallel to the
Burdekin. The soil on the basalt was so shallow that it sustained only a
scanty vegetation of grass and some few scattered narrow-leaved Ironbark
trees. We crossed this dyke, however, and at about three miles descended
from it into a fine narrow-leaved Ironbark flat, extending along the
river, in which another large creek from the south-west joined the
Burdekin. The flat was bounded by hills of limestone, cropping out in
large blocks, with visible stratification, but without fossils. Having
passed the third creek in the course of this day's journey, we encamped
on the commencement of another basaltic dyke. The bed of the creek was
full of blocks of Sienite, of hornblende Porphyry, of greenish Pegmatite,
and of cellular Basalt. The river here formed a large sheet of water;
large masses of a white Sienite protruded out of it, opposite the
junction of the creek. The opposite bank exhibited a very perfect and
instructive geological section of variously bent and lifted strata of
limestone, which was afterwards found to contain innumerable fossils,
particularly corals and a few bivalve shells. The Rev. W. B. Clarke, of
Paramatta, kindly undertook to examine the fossils brought from this
locality. One he determined to be an undescribed species of Cyathophyllum,
and has done me the honour to give my name to it [Refer Note 1 at end of
chapter]. The others belonged principally to the following genera, viz.,
Asterias, Caryophyllea, and Madrepora. The right bank of the river rose
into steep cliffs of basalt, under which the clustered fig tree, with its
dense foliage, formed a fine shady bower. The basaltic dyke was about a
mile and a half broad, and I followed it about five miles up the river.
Its summit was flat, rough, and rocky; at the distance of four miles from
our camp it receded a little from the river, and there limestone was
observed, crowded with fossils like that on the opposite side of the
river. Two miles farther, the bed of the river was formed by a felspathic
rock, with beautiful dendrites. A small island, with a chain of lagoons
on one side, and with the river on the other, was also composed of this
rock, in contact with, and covered by, basalt in several places. There
were small falls and rapids in several parts of the river. A beaten
foot-path of the natives, and many fire-places, showed that this part of
it was much frequented by them. Wallabies were very numerous between the
cliffs of the felspathic rock; and the fine fig trees along the banks of
the river were covered with ripe fruit. The river made a wide sweep round
the left side of a large limestone hill, whilst a chain of deep basaltic
water-holes continued on its right. The basalt ceased to the westward of
the limestone hill, and was succeeded by considerable flats of Ironbark,
Moreton Bay ash, and Bloodwood. The Capparis still exhibited a few showy
flowers. I examined the country thus far on the 12th April, after the
camp had been formed; on returning, I took with me a large supply of ripe
figs, of which we partook freely, and which caused several of us to
suffer severely from indigestion, though we had frequently eaten small
quantities of them without inconvenience.
April 13.--We avoided the field of basalt by moving up the creek we last
crossed, about four miles, and by crossing over to the flats of the river
where the basalt terminated. These flats, however, were again interrupted
by a basaltic dyke, over which we were compelled to travel, as the steep
banks of the river were on one side, and black bare rocks, forming
sometimes regular walls with a dense scrub between them, prevented us
from turning to the other. After descending from the basalt, we crossed a
good-sized creek from the south-west, and travelled over a fine open
country to lat. 19 degrees 49 minutes 41 seconds.
Two hills were close to the left side of the Burdekin, which, at their
base, were joined by a large running creek from the N.N.W. From the
limestone hill of yesterday, no other hill was visible to the westward,
though ranges and isolated hills lay to the north and north-east, and a
high blue mountain to the south-west.
Some days ago I found, for the first time, Spathodea alternifolia (R.
Br.), which we continued to meet with throughout the remainder of our
journey. I saw but one flower of it, but its falcate seed-vessels, often
more than a foot long, were very numerous. Pandanus spiralis was
frequent. The box (Eucalyptus), on the flats along the creek, the soil of
which is probably formed of the detritus of basaltic rock, had a
lanceolate glossy leaf, uniting the character of the box with glossy
orbicular leaves growing generally on the whinstone soil of the northern
parts of the colony, and of the box with long lanceolate leaves which
prefers stiff flats on the tributary creeks of the Hunter. A Bottle-tree
with a Platanus leaf (Sterculia?) grew in the scrub on the field of
basalt, and was in full blossom. A pretty species of Commelyna, on the
flats, a cucurbitaceous plant with quinquepalmate leaves and large white
blossoms, grew along the river, the approaches of which were rendered
almost inaccessible by a stiff high grass. Charley brought me the long
flower-stalk of Xanthorrhaea from some ridges, which were, doubtless,
composed of sandstone.
Two kangaroos were seen; they were of middle size, and of a yellowish
grey colour, and seemed to live principally about the basaltic ridges.
The cooee of natives had been heard only once during our journey along
the banks of the Burdekin; and the traces of their former presence had
not been very frequently observed. Large lagoons full of fish or mussels
form a greater attraction to the natives than a stream too shallow for
large fish, and, from its shifting sands, incapable of forming large
permanent holes. Wherever we met with scrub with a good supply of water,
we were sure of finding numerous tracks of the natives, as game is so
much more abundant where a dense vegetation affords shelter from its
enemies.
April 14.--Last night, at seven o'clock, a strong breeze set in from the
northward, and continued for about an hour, when it became perfectly
calm. If this was the same breeze which we had observed at the Mackenzie
at eight o'clock, and which set in earlier and earlier, as we travelled
along the Isaacs and Suttor (though it was less regular in these places)
until we felt it at about six o'clock, we were now most evidently
receding from the eastern coast.
We travelled in a N. 60 degrees W. direction to lat. 19 degrees 45
minutes 36 seconds. A basaltic ridge, similar to those we had passed,
extended in an almost straight line from south-east to north-west; it was
covered with a scanty vegetation, with a few small narrow-leaved Ironbark
trees and Erythrinas; the river now approached it, now left it in wide
sweeps enclosing fine narrow-leaved Ironbark flats. To the south-west
side of this ridge or dyke, the soil is basaltic, with box-trees and open
Vitex scrub. The sharp conical hills of the white ant, constructed of red
clay, were very numerous. A very perfect bower of the bower-bird was seen
in a patch of scrub trees.
In a gully, a loose violet coloured sandstone cropped out, over which the
basalt had most evidently spread. Farther on, the ridge enlarged and
formed small hillocks, with bare rock cropping out at their tops;--a form
of surface peculiar to the basaltic or whinstone country of this colony.
Charley shot the sheldrake of Port Essington, (Tadorna Rajah). The
singular hissing or grinding note of the bower bird was heard all along
the river; the fruit of the fig trees growing near, which seemed to
supply it with its principal food during this part of the year.
April 15.--One of our bullocks had gone back on our tracks, and thereby
prevented our starting so early as usual. We travelled in a N. 40 degrees
W. direction to latitude 19 degrees 41 minutes 25 seconds. The basaltic
country continued, and apparently extended a great distance from the
river. The flats along the latter were less extensive. Sandstone cropped
out in deep gullies, and in the bed of the river; it was naturally soft
and coarse, but where it rose into hillocks near basalt, it changed into
a fine baked sandstone, resembling quartzite, which, when in contact with
the igneous rock, looked like burnt bricks. Near our camp, a dyke or wall
of the aspect of a flinty red conglomerate, crossed the river from
south-west to north-east. I believe that this rock belongs to the
porphyries of Glendon, and of the upper Gloucester. We continued to feel
the breeze, or rather a puff of wind, between 7 and 8 o'clock at night;
it was often very strong and cold, and prevented the mosquitoes from
molesting us.
April 16.--We proceeded north by west to latitude 19 degrees 32 minutes,
and crossed several gullies coming from the basaltic ridges: these,
however, receded far from the river, and large box and Ironbark flats
took their place for about three miles, when the ridges re-appeared.
Between four and five miles from the bar of red rock above mentioned, a
fine large creek joined the Burdekin from the westward. The box and
Ironbark forest was interrupted by slight rises of limestone full of
corals; and by a higher hill of baked sandstone, at the foot of which a
limestone hill was covered with a patch of Vitex scrub. The strata of the
limestone seemed to dip to the southward.
The opposite banks of the river were ridgy, but openly timbered, and this
fine country, with its well grassed flats, and its open ridges, seemed to
extend very far on both sides. Messrs. Gilbert and Roper went to the top
of the hill, and saw ranges trending from west to north, with that
crenelated outline which I had before seen and mentioned: they
distinguished a large valley, and the smoke of several fires of the
natives along the range. A large lagoon was at the western foot of the
hill on which they were. A large creek was seen, by Brown, to join the
Burdekin from the north-east, at a short mile from our encampment. A
baked sandstone and pudding-stone of a white colour projected into the
river at the place, which not only exhibited the transition from one rock
into the other, but it showed the action of igneous rocks on both, and
gave a clue to the nature of the red rock I described yesterday. In the
thicket which covered the rock, I observed Pomaderris of Moreton Bay. In
decreasing our latitude, both Mr. Gilbert and myself were inclined to
think that, whenever a bird or a plant disappeared, it was owing to that
circumstance. In this, however, we were frequently mistaken: trees and
herbaceous plants disappeared with the change of soil, and the decrease
of moisture, and the birds kept to a certain vegetation: and, as soon as
we came to similar localities, familiar forms of plants and birds
re-appeared. Almost all the scrub-trees of the Condamine and Kent's
Lagoon were still to be seen at the Burdekin; and the isolated waters
near grassy flats were visited by swarms of little finches, which Mr.
Gilbert had observed at Port Essington, and which, in all probability,
belonged to the whole extent of country between that place and the region
of the tropics. This slight change of vegetation, and particularly of the
inland Flora, from south to north, is no doubt connected with the
uniformity of the soil and climate: and the immense difference which
exists between the eastern and western coast, has led men of science and
of observation, not without good reason, to infer that this continent was
originally divided into two large islands, or into an archipelago, which
have been united by their progressive, and, perhaps, still continued,
elevation. As an exception, however, to this remark, a very sudden change
of the Flora was observed, when we entered into the basin of the gulf of
Carpentaria, after leaving the eastern waters, although the Flora of the
north-west coast and Port Essington, was little different from that of
the gulf.
April 17.--We travelled about nine miles N. 40 degrees W. On our way we
passed a hill of baked sandstone, and several gullies. About five miles
from our last camp, a large creek joined the river; beyond that creek,
the country was, without exception, open, and rather of a more undulating
character; the flats were somewhat rotten: the river became narrower, but
was still running strong; and numerous ducks sported on its shady pools.
April 18.--Last night we had a very cold north-easterly wind, and, during
the day, some few drops of drizzling rain. We travelled about N. by W. to
latitude 19 degrees 18 minutes 16 seconds. After passing some gullies, we
came into a more broken and hilly country; the river formed here a large
anabranch. The Ironbark trees, which timbered the extensive flat along
the river, became much finer; but the soil was rotten: the poplar-gum
grew on the stiff soil of the hollows. About six miles from our last
camp, we came to ranges of high hills of a conical form, and with rounded
tops, striking from west to east, and then entered a narrow valley,
bounded on each side by rocky hills. Mr. Roper observed a rugged country
to the northward, and a fine high range to the south-east. The whole
country from the large flat to our camp, was composed of felspathic
porphyry, containing crystals of felspar, and accidentally of quartz, in
a paste varying in colour and hardness. In the bed of the river, I still
found pebbles of pegmatite, granite, quartz, and basalt; indicating that
a country of varied character was before us.
The stream wound its way from one side of the broad sandy bed to the
other; and those parts where it flowed, were generally very steep, and
covered with a dense vegetation, whilst, on the opposite side, the banks
sloped gently into the broad sands. Among the shrubs and grasses, a downy
Abutelon was easily distinguished by its large bright yellow blossoms.
My Blackfellows procured several messes of ducks; and Brown brought me a
piece of indurated clay with impressions of water-plants.
April 19.--Continuing our journey in a north-west direction, we passed
over some very rocky hills, composed of indurated clay, and thin strata
of sandstone, and pudding-stone. By moving along the foot of a range of
high hills, we avoided all those deep gullies which intersected the banks
of the river, and travelled with ease through a flat, well grassed
Ironbark forest. The hills were covered, as usual, with stunted
silver-leaved Ironbark. A large creek came from the range, and entered
the river. A good section on its right bank exposed to view the strata of
indurated clay and sandstone; and I was induced to believe that coal
might be found below them. As we were passing over the flat between the
creck and the river, we saw a native busily occupied in burning the
grass, and eagerly watching its progress: the operation attracted several
crows, ready to seize the insects and lizards which might be driven from
their hiding places by the fire. Mr. Calvert, Brown, and Charley, rode
nearly up to the man before he was aware of their approach; when he took
to his heels, and fled in the greatest consternation.
Upon reaching the river, at about eight miles from our last camp, we
found that it was joined by another river of almost the same size as the
Burdekin: it had a stream, and came from the northward, whilst the course
of the Burdekin at this place was from the west to east. From the
junction a long range trended to the north-east, and moderate ranges
bounded the valley of the river from the northward; another range
extended along the left side of the Burdekin above the junction; and
basaltic ridges, which had broken through the sandstone, approached on
its right. The cucurbitaceous plant with palmate leaves, bore a fruit of
the size of a large orange, of a fine scarlet colour when ripe; its rind
is exceedingly bitter, but the seeds are eaten by birds. Mr. Phillips
found a flesh-coloured drupaceous oblong fruit, about half an inch long,
with a very glutinous pericarp, containing a slightly compressed rough
stone: in taste it resembled the fruit of Loranthus, and the birds,
particularly the coekatoos, appeared very fond of it. We all ate a great
quantity of them, without the slightest injury. It grew on a small tree,
and had a persistent calyx.
April 20.--We travelled in a N. 80 degrees W. course to latitude 19
degrees 9 minutes 88 seconds. Rocky ranges frequently approached the
river, and deep and intricate gullies descended from them to the latter.
Our progress was consequently very difficult, and we were compelled to
ascend a very high hill to avoid its slopes towards the river, which were
too steep for us to cross. As a recompense, however, for the difficulty
of the ascent, I had the pleasure of finding some very interesting plants
on its summit; particularly a small Acacia with verticillate leaves,
which Dr. Binoe, the surgeon of H. M. S. Beagle, had found on the
north-west coast; and two other Acacias equally new to me, and which were
afterwards found to extend to the heads of the South Alligator River.
From this hill we had a magnificent view of the country before us: it was
enclosed on all sides by high mountain ranges, of which one in particular
overtopped the rest. Porphyry was observed on several spots; indurated
clay frequently; and, on the top of the hill below which we encamped, I
found quartz porphyry, and at the foot a psammite? which I had met
several times associated with talc-schiste.
April 21.--We continued our journey in a S. 50 degrees W. course to
latitude 19 degrees 13 minutes. The country became still more
mountainous; we passed, notwithstanding, many large well grassed flats,
on which the timber grew to a greater size than we had observed it at the
lower part of the river. The poplar-gum was very frequent in the hollow,
and low stiff flats extended parallel to the river. The prevailing rock
was talc-schiste, alternating with layers of psammite. On the hills and
in the creeks, I frequently observed conglomerate, with many pieces of
quartz.
The drooping Hakea of Kent's Lagoon (Hakea lorea, R. Br.; Grevillea
lorea, R. Br. Prodr. Nov. Holl. I. p. 380) was in blossom; and on the
rocky slopes I found a new species of Hakea, having linear lanceolate
leaves with axillary fascicules of small brownish flowers: it was an
arborescent shrub, from three to six feet high; and is nearly allied to
H. arborescens (R. Br. Prodr. p. 386).
A high imposing range was visible to the northward.
April 22.--We travelled about nine miles west, making our latitude 19
degrees 12 minutes. Ranges ran parallel to the river at different
distances: we left a very fine one to the south-west and south, from
which the large creek we passed about two miles from our last camp,
probably descends. Three miles farther, a river as large or even larger
than the Burdekin, joins the latter from the westward and south-west--
the Burdekin coming down from the north-west. I was doubtful which of the
two rivers I ought to follow; but finding, after a close examination,
that the north-west branch was running, whilst the south-west one
contained only large, long, but unconnected reaches of water, I
determined upon following the north-west branch. I called the south-west
branch the "Clarke," in compliment to the Rev. W. B. Clarke of Paramatta,
who has been, and is still, most arduously labouring to elucidate the
meteorology and the geology of this part of the world. About three miles
above the junction, a creek of considerable size joined the Burdekin from
the northward. Wherever the ridges approached the banks of the river,
gullies which were scrubby at their heads, became numerous. After having
encamped, I rode over to the "Clarke," to examine the intervening
country. The flat along the Burdekin was about two miles and a half
broad, and was skirted by silver-leaved Ironbark ridges. In approaching
the Clarke, we came to a low basaltic range, which bounded its fine broad
openly timbered valley to the northward. The bed of the river was formed
by talc-schiste, in strata, the strike of which was from north by west to
south by east, standing almost perpendicular, with a slight dip to the
eastward. The stream was perpendicular on the line of striking. The
pebbles in its bed were mostly basaltic, baked sandstone, conglomerate,
quartz, sienite, and porphyry. I had observed the valley of this river
from a high hill near our last camp, and had distinguished many
headlands, which I now think were the bluff terminations of lateral
basaltic ranges. The valley was bounded on its southern side by a long
low range.
The blue mountain parrot was very frequent near our camp.
I have mentioned a small round eatable tuber, which I found in the basket
of a native gin on the 2nd January. I here found it to be the large end
of the tap root of a Potamogeton, or a plant nearly allied to that genus;
I found it with another interesting water-plant, with foliated spikes of
blue flowers, in a small water-hole near our last camp.
April 23.--We travelled about north-west to latitude 19 degrees 4 minutes
41 seconds, over a succession of fine flats; one or two of which were
almost exclusively timbered with poplar-gum, which always indicated a
sound stiff soil. These flats were separated by shallow gullies, and some
Casuarina creeks, which come probably from the dividing ridges of the two
rivers. Ridges and ranges were seen on both sides, at different
distances. The Casuarina became more frequent along the banks of the
river. It was rather remarkable that the Moreton Bay ash, which is so
abundant along the Burdekin, was altogether wanting at the Clarke.
Several lagoons were observed at the foot of the ridges; and near them we
saw two flocks of the harlequin pigeon (Peristera histrionica).
Talc-schiste cropped out in one of the deep creeks. Whilst travelling on
the Burdekin, with the exception of some ducks and a few kangaroos, we
had seen but very little game; but yesterday, when riding to the Clarke,
two flocks of kangaroos passed me: a proof that the country is not so
destitute of game as I had thought. The waters are inhabited by four
varieties of fish; one was probably a Gristes, about eight inches long,
and from one and a half to two inches broad, of a lanceolate shape, with
bright yellow spots all over the body; a second smaller than Gristes,
with dark stripes; a third about a foot long, and three inches broad,
belonging to the Percidae; and a fourth, a small fish, which seemed to be
allied to the Cyprinidae. Larger fish exist, probably, in the deep rocky
basins of water which we occasionally passed; but we never succeeded in
catching any; nor did we hear any of the splashing, which was so
incessant during the night at the Mackenzie. The shell and bones of the
turtle indicated its presence in the shady ponds fringed by drooping tea
trees. Large holes in the banks immediately above the water, were
probably inhabited by water rats or lizards. A common carpet snake was
killed. Whenever we passed through open Vitex scrub, with its stiff loamy
soil, we were sure of meeting a great number of the conical constructions
of the white ant: they were from one to three feet high, very narrow, and
tapering to a sharp point.
April 24.--To-day we travelled along the river over an open country,
intersected by some gullies; the course of the river was, for about four
miles, from north to south, and, at that distance from our camp, was
joined by a river coming from the northward, which I now take the liberty
of naming the "Perry," after Captain Perry, Deputy Surveyor-General, who
has most kindly mapped my route from the rough plans sketched during the
journey. The Burdekin here comes from the westward, and made a large bend
round several mountains, composed of quartz porphyry, with a
sub-crystalline felspathic paste. The latitude was 19 degrees 1 minutes
(Unclear:)18.
April 25.--We travelled almost due west, about nine miles along the
river, our latitude being 19 degrees 1 minutes 3 seconds. Our route lay
through a fine well grassed country; the grass being very dense: at a
distance from the river, I observed box flats, and poplar-gum flats; the
latter are probably swampy during the rainy season. A good sized creek
joined the Burdekin; a range of high hills extended along its left side,
and its right became equally hilly as we approached our camping place.
After establishing our camp, and making the necessary preparations, we
killed one of our little steers, and found it in excellent condition. The
graziers will judge by this simple fact, how well the country is adapted
for pastoral pursuits; particularly when it is remembered that we were
continually on the march, and had frequently to pass over very rocky
ranges, which made our cattle footsore; and that the season was not the
most favourable for the grass, which, although plentiful, was very dry.
The steer gave us 120 lbs. of dried beef.
In this place I observed and calculated three sets of lunar observations;
one gave longitude 144 degrees 4 minutes, and the other longitude 144
degrees 14 minutes. As usual, we greased our harness, although not
without considerable discussion, as to whether it would not be more
advisable to eat the fat than to apply it to the leather; we also
repaired our packs and pack-saddles, and put every thing in travelling
order.
On the 29th April we started from our killing camp, and travelled about
seven miles N. 70 degrees W.; making our latitude 18 degrees 59 minutes.
The ranges now approached the banks of the river, and retarded our
progress very much.
April 30.--In consequence of Charley's statement, that the banks of the
river in advance were so steep and rocky that it would be impossible for
us to pass, I left the river side, and crossed over the ranges, and had a
very heavy stage for my bullocks; which I regretted the more, as Mr.
Calvert and Brown, who returned to our last camp for a sword, had found
the route by the river quite practicable. The ranges were composed of a
Psammite, which was frequently baked, probably by neighbouring out-bursts
of igneous rock. Several familiar forms of plants were discovered; also a
new Eucalyptus, with a glaucous suborbicular subcordate leaf, and the
bark of the rusty gum: a stunted or middle-sized tree, which grew in
great abundance on the ranges. We passed a fine large but dry Casuarina
creek, coming from the westward, with a broad sandy bed. A large tree,
with dark green broad lanceolate stinging leaves, grew on its banks; it
resembled the nettle tree, but belonged to neither of the two species
growing in the bushes of the east coast.
Our last day's travelling had not advanced us more than five miles in a
straight line, and we had not made any northing, our latitude being again
18 degrees 59 minutes; but we had left the mountains behind us, and had
travelled, during the latter part of the stage, over well grassed, openly
timbered flats. The ranges on the left side of the river extended several
miles farther, but gradually sunk into a level country.
[Note 1: The following description of the fossiliferous limestone of the
Burdekin, was communicated to me by the Rev. W. B. Clarke, F.G.S.
This rock consists of a semi-crystalline, greyish-brown marble, very like
some varieties of Wenlock limestone.
The most conspicuous fossil is a coral, which appears to belong to
the family of Cyathophyllidae. The genus is perhaps new; but this the
want of specimens with which to compare it, does not allow me the
means of verifying. It may, however, be classed provisionally as
Cyathophyllum, to which in many respects it bears a great resemblance;
and although it is somewhat contrary to the present rules of
classification to assign a specific name from a person, yet, in
order to do honour to my friend on account of his skill, diligence, and
zeal as a naturalist, as well as a traveller, and as this is the first
fossil coral brought away by the first explorer of the region in which
its habitat is found, I venture to name it C. Leichhardti.
The description may be given as follows:
Cells concavely cylindrical, not dichotomous (thus distinguished from
Caryophyllia), grouped but separate, laterally if at all proliferous.
Corallum beautifully stellular, formed by 30-35 slightly spirally-curving
or regular radiating lamellae, which meet in a central point or overlap
on a latitudinal axial line, and are divided by rectangular or outwardly
convex and upwardly oblique dissepiments, which become, occasionally,
indistinct or obsolete near the centre, thus not assuming the usual
characteristic of Cyathophyllum, but rather one of Strombodes.
Surface longitudinally striated, the cellular structure being hidden
in calcareous spar; the striae formed by the coalescing lamellae,
which, at the extremities, seem to be occasionally denticulated, owing to
the matrix interrupting their passage to the edge. This resembles what
takes place in some Astraeidae.
The interior has more the features of Acervularia than Cyathophyllum;
but there are patches of broken transverse septa in the rock which
exhibit the features of the latter.
Associated with this is a branching coral, a fragment of which, in
a small angle of one of the surfaces of the stone, exhibits the characters
of Favosites. There are also traces of casts of Spirifers, one of which is
near to S. Pisum of the Wenlock rocks. (Silur. Syst. pl. xiii. f. 9).
The description here given is deduced from the natural appearances
under the lens, and not from artificial or regular sections. But
the specimen admits of a partial substitute for this; for the surface
is worn down and roughly polished, as is the case with all the exposed
surfaces of ancient limestones in Australia; the result probably of the
acidulous properties of rain water, or of the atmosphere, which, in a
tropical climate, where violent showers alternate with great drought, is
capable of producing various sensible changes in rocks in a long series
of ages. Many rocks of limestone in New South Wales, even harder than the
Burdekin marble, are actually grooved in short parallel furrows, over
wide surfaces, and along their sides, by some similar agency.]
CHAPTER VIII
BROWN AND CHARLEY QUARREL--NIGHT WATCH--ROUTINE OF OUR DAILY LIFE, AND
HABITS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PARTY--MOUNT LANG--STREAMS OF LAVA--A HORSE
BREAKS HIS LEG, IS KILLED AND EATEN--NATIVE TRIBE--MR. ROPER'S
ACCIDENT--WHITSUNDAY--BIG ANT HILL CREEK--DEPRIVED OF WATER FOR FIFTY
HOURS--FRIENDLY NATIVES--SEPARATION CREEK--THE LYND--PSYCHOLOGICAL
EFFECTS OF A SOJOURN IN THE WILDERNESS--NATIVE CAMP--SALT EXHAUSTED.
May 1.--We travelled west by north, to latitude 18 degrees 55 minutes 41
seconds, over almost a dead flat, which was only interrupted by a fine
Casuarina creek, with a broad sandy bed, coming from the
south-south-west. The soil was stiff, and the forest in which the Box
tree prevailed, was very open. A species of Acacia, with narrow blunt
phyllodia, about an inch long, with spinous stipules; Hakea lorea, and
the Grevillea mimosoides (R. Br.), with very long linear leaves, were
frequent. Towards the end of the journey, slight ridges, composed of
flint rock, rose on our left; and the country became more undulating. Mr.
Roper saw extensive ranges about fifteen miles distant; shortly before
entering the camp, we passed a singularly broken country, in which the
waters rushing down from a slightly inclined table land, had hollowed out
large broad gullies in a sandy loam and iron ochre, which was full of
quartz pebbles. The heavier masses had resisted the action of the waters,
and remained like little peaks and islands, when the softer materials
around them had been washed away. We met with grass lately burnt, and
some still burning, which indicated the presence of natives. It was
generally very warm during the hours of travelling, between eight and
twelve o'clock, but the bracing air of the nights and mornings
strengthened us for the day's labour; the weather altogether was lovely,
and it was a pleasure to travel along such a fine stream of water.
Easterly and north-easterly breezes still prevailed, though I expected
that the direction of the winds would change as we passed the centre of
York Peninsula.
Our two black companions, who until now had been like
brothers--entertaining each other by the relation of their adventures, to
a late hour of the night; singing, chatting, laughing, and almost crying
together; making common cause against me; Brown even following Charley
into his banishment--quarrelled yesterday, about a mere trifle, so
violently that it will be some time before they become friends again.
When Mr. Calvert and Brown returned yesterday to the camp, they remarked
that they had not seen the waterfall, of which Charley had spoken whilst
at our last camp; upon which Charley insinuated that they had not seen
it, because they had galloped their horses past it. This accusation of
galloping their horses irritated Brown, who was very fond and proud of
his horse; and a serious quarrel of a rather ridiculous character ensued.
Keeping myself entirely neutral, I soon found that I derived the greatest
advantage from their animosity to each other, as each tried to outdo the
other in readiness to serve me. To-day, Charley, who was usually the last
to rise in the morning, roused even me, and brought the horses before our
breakfast was ready. Brown's fondness for spinning a yarn will soon,
however, induce him to put an end to this feud with his companion and
countryman. In the early part of our journey, one or other of our party
kept a regular night-watch, as well to guard us from any night attack of
the natives, as to look after our bullocks; but, latterly, this
prudential measure, or rather its regularity, has been much neglected.
Mr. Roper's watch was handed from one to another in alphabetical rotation
at given intervals, but no one thought of actually watching; it was, in
fact, considered to be a mere matter of form. I did not check this,
because there was nothing apparently to apprehend from the natives, who
always evinced terror in meeting us; and all our communications with them
have been accidental and never sought by them. On that point, therefore,
I was not apprehensive; and, as to the bullocks, they were now accustomed
to feed at large, and we seldom had any difficulty in recovering them in
the morning. I shall here particularise the routine of one of our days,
which will serve as an example of all the rest. I usually rise when I
hear the merry laugh of the laughing-jackass (Dacelo gigantea), which,
from its regularity, has not been unaptly named the settlers' clock; a
loud cooee then roused my companions,--Brown to make tea, Mr. Calvert to
season the stew with salt and marjoram, and myself and the others to
wash, and to prepare our breakfast, which, for the party, consists of two
pounds and a-half of meat, stewed over night; and to each a quart pot of
tea. Mr. Calvert then gives to each his portion, and, by the time this
important duty is performed, Charley generally arrives with the horses,
which are then prepared for their day's duty. After breakfast, Charley
goes with John Murphy to fetch the bullocks, which are generally brought
in a little after seven o'clock a.m. The work of loading follows, but
this requires very little time now, our stock being much reduced; and, at
about a quarter to eight o'clock, we move on, and continue travelling
four hours, and, if possible, select a spot for our camp. The Burdekin,
which has befriended us so much by its direct course and constant stream,
already for more than two degrees of latitude and two of longitude, has
not always furnished us with the most convenient camps for procuring
water. The banks generally formed steep slopes descending into a line of
hollows parallel to the river, and thickly covered with a high stiff
grass; and then another steep bank covered with a thicket of drooping
tea-trees, rose at the water's edge; and, if the descent into the bed of
the river was more easy, the stream frequently was at the opposite side,
and we had to walk several hundred yards over a broad sheet of loose
sand, which filled our mocassins, when going to wash. At present, the
river is narrower, and I have chosen my camp twice on its dry sandy bed,
under the shade of Casuarinas and Melaleucas, the stream being there
comparatively easy of access, and not ten yards off. Many unpleasant
remarks had been made by my companions at my choice of camping places;
but, although I suffered as much inconvenience as they did, I bore it
cheerfully, feeling thankful to Providence for the pure stream of water
with which we were supplied every night. I had naturally a great
antipathy against comfort-hunting and gourmandizing, particularly on an
expedition like ours; on which we started with the full expectation of
suffering much privation, but which an Almighty Protector had not only
allowed us to escape hitherto, but had even supplied us frequently with
an abundance--in proof of which we all got stronger and improved in
health, although the continued riding had rather weakened our legs. This
antipathy I expressed, often perhaps too harshly, which caused
discontent; but, on these occasions, my patience was sorely tried. I may,
however, complete the picture of the day: as soon as the camp is pitched,
and the horses and bullocks unloaded, we have all our alloted duties; to
make the fire falls to my share; Brown's duty is to fetch water for tea;
and Mr. Calvert weighs out a pound and a-half of flour for a fat cake,
which is enjoyed more than any other meal; the large teapot being empty,
Mr. Calvert weighs out two and a-half pounds of dry meat to be stewed for
our late dinner; and, during the afternoon, every one follows his own
pursuits, such as washing and mending clothes, repairing saddles,
pack-saddles, and packs; my occupation is to write my log, and lay down
my route, or make an excursion in the vicinity of the camp to botanize,
&c. or ride out reconnoitring. My companions also write down their
remarks, and wander about gathering seeds, or looking for curious
pebbles. Mr. Gilbert takes his gun to shoot birds. A loud cooee again
unites us towards sunset round our table cloth; and, whilst enjoying our
meals, the subject of the day's journey, the past, the present, and the
future, by turns engage our attention, or furnish matter for conversation
and remark, according to the respective humour of the parties. Many
circumstances have conspired to make me strangely taciturn, and I am now
scarcely pleased even with the chatting humour of my youngest companion,
whose spirits, instead of flagging, have become more buoyant and lively
than ever. I consider it, however, my invariable duty to give every
information I can, whenever my companions inquire or show a desire to
learn, and I am happy to find that they are desirous of making themselves
familiar with the objects of nature by which they are surrounded, and of
understanding their mutual relations. Mr. Roper is of a more silent
disposition; Mr. Calvert likes to speak, and has a good stock of "small
talk," with which he often enlivens our dinners; he is in that respect an
excellent companion, being full of jokes and stories, which, though old
and sometimes quaint, are always pure, and serve the more to exhilarate
the party. Mr. Gilbert has travelled much, and consequently has a rich
store of impressions de voyage: his conversation is generally very
pleasing and instructive, in describing the character of countries he has
seen, and the manners and customs of the people he has known. He is well
informed in Australian Ornithology. As night approaches, we retire to our
beds. The two Blackfellows and myself spread out each our own under the
canopy of heaven, whilst Messrs. Roper, Calvert, Gilbert, Murphy, and
Phillips, have their tents. Mr. Calvert entertains Roper with his
conversation; John amuses Gilbert; Brown tunes up his corroborri songs,
in which Charley, until their late quarrel, generally joined. Brown sings
well, and his melodious plaintive voice lulls me to sleep, when otherwise
I am not disposed. Mr. Phillips is rather singular in his habits; he
erects his tent generally at a distance from the rest, under a shady
tree, or in a green bower of shrubs, where he makes himself as
comfortable as the place will allow, by spreading branches and grass
under his couch, and covering his tent with them, to keep it shady and
cool, and even planting lilies in blossom (Crinum) before his tent, to
enjoy their sight during the short time of our stay. As the night
advances, the Blackfellows' songs die away; the chatting tongue of Murphy
ceases, after having lulled Mr. Gilbert to sleep; and at last even Mr.
Calvert is silent, as Roper's short answers became few and far between.
The neighing of the tethered horse, the distant tinkling of the bell, or
the occasional cry of night birds, alone interrupt the silence of our
camp. The fire, which was bright as long as the corroborri songster kept
it stirred, gradually gets dull, and smoulders slowly under the large pot
in which our meat is simmering; and the bright constellations of heaven
pass unheeded over the heads of the dreaming wanderers of the wilderness,
until the summons of the laughing jackass recalls them to the business of
the coming day.
May 2.--We travelled in a N.W. direction to lat. 18 degrees 50 minutes 11
seconds; at first over the box flats, alternating with an undulating open
country. About three miles before making our camp, we passed several
small plains at the foot of what appeared to be basaltic ridges, and came
to the dry channel of a river, with reeds and occasional water-holes, and
lined with fine flooded-gum trees and Casuarinas, but without the
dropping tea trees and the Moreton Bay ash, the latter of which seemed to
be the prerogative of the Burdekin. At its left side a basaltic ridge
rose, covered with thick scrub, and at its base extended a small plain,
with black soil strewed with quartz pebbles. The river came, as well as I
could judge, from the W.N.W. Mr. Roper and Brown caught a kangaroo, but
they had a dangerous ride after it, and the poor brute, when hard
pressed, showed fight, and endeavoured to lay hold of Mr. Roper.
In one of the creeks I observed pegmatite; pebbles of talc-schiste and of
white quartz covered the bed of the river.
May 3.--We had to travel for a considerable distance in the bed of the
river, for the hills approached close to its banks, and numerous deep
gullies intercepted their slopes. When, however, the ridges receded, we
passed several fine sound flats. The forest was open everywhere, and the
grass was good, though old. After travelling about five miles, we saw a
hill to the north-east, and, when we came almost abreast of it, the river
turned to the eastward, and a wild field of broken basaltic lava rendered
it impossible for us to follow its banks. The black rough masses of rock
were covered with thick scrub, in which I observed numerous bottle trees
with the platanus leaf. Keeping to the westward of the scrub, I followed
a creek which farther on divided in a chain of ponds, into which the
waters of the field of basalt, as well as of the basaltic ridges to the
westward of it, collected. These ridges were perfectly level at their
summits, and were connected with a table land which extended far to the
west. At their foot sienite, quartz rock, and leptinite, were observed.
After turning round the field of lava to the eastward, we entered into a
large flat, with patches of narrow-leaved tea tree, with reedy swamps and
fine flooded-gum trees, and made our camp at a strong running brook,
without trees, but densely surrounded with reeds, ferns, and pothos. This
stream formed the outlet of some fine lagoons, which extended along the
steep slopes of the basaltic table land. I crossed the creek and its flat
to the opposite hills. The flat was one level sheet or floor of basalt,
here and there covered with a very shallow soil, but sometimes bare,
though clothed with a fair supply of grass and with scattered flooded-gum
trees. At the foot of the eastern hills, however, deep holes existed in a
water-course, with black blocks of basalt heaped over each other, on
which the fig tree with its dark green foliage formed a shady bower, most
delightful during the heat of the day. The hills were composed of a
lamellar granite, approaching the stratified appearance of gneiss, but
the leaflets of mica, instead of forming continuous layers, were
scattered. The east side of the narrow watercourse was of primitive rock,
the west side basaltic. Having passed over the hills, I made the river at
their east side. Its banks were open for access as far as the primitive
rock extended, but another field of lava commenced higher up, and
rendered any progress with our cattle impossible.
A native low shrubby Mulberry was found in this scrub, the fruit of which
was good to eat, but of very small size.
From the top of the hills I enjoyed a most beautiful view of the valley
of the river, with its large lagoons covered with Nymphaeas and
Damasoniums. On one of the lagoons, Charley shot a Parra gallinacea, a
bird which Mr. Gilbert had observed only at Port Essington. A well beaten
path of the natives showed that they were numerous in this part of the
country: we saw many of their camping places during the stage; and the
fires of their camps were numerous; we saw a party of them, but they were
too frightened to allow us to approach. Our latitude was 18 degrees 44
minutes 48 seconds. Our course was about N.N.W.
May 4.--We ascended the basaltic ridges, and reaching the table land,
found it perfectly level, openly timbered, well grassed, but occasionally
stony, by which our poor foot-sore bullocks suffered severely. About five
miles north-west by west from our camp, we discovered an extensive valley
with large lagoons and lakes, and a most luxuriant vegetation, bounded by
blue distant ranges, and forming the most picturesque landscape we had
yet met with. A chain of lagoons connected by a reedy brook followed the
outlines of the table land, along the foot of its steep slopes. We
descended by a tolerably gentle slope into the valley, and encamped near
the reedy brook, which must be the same as that on which, lower down, our
last camp was formed. Water, grass, hills, mountains, plains, forest
land; all the elements of a fine pasturing country, were here united.
During one of the last stages, we discovered a leguminous tree, with the
dark fissured bark of the Ironbark, but with large bipinnate leaves, the
leaflets oblong, an inch in length; the pods broad and thin, and two or
three inches long: this tree is common all over the northern part of the
continent, and was found growing abundantly around Victoria, the
principal settlement of Port Essington.
Mr. Roper and Brown, upon an excursion after ducks, which were very
numerous on the lagoons, met with Blackfellows, who were willing to
accost Brown, but could not bear the sudden sight of a white face. In
trying to cross the valley, my course was intercepted every way by deep
reedy and sedgy lagoons, which rendered my progress impossible. I saw,
however, that this valley was also floored with a sheet of lava hollowed
out into numerous deep basins, in which the water collected and formed
the lagoons.
May 5.--I went with Charley to reconnoitre the upper part of the reedy
brook, with a view to find a passage over the table land to the westward;
at the same time I sent Mr. Roper and Brown to trace the river through
the lagoons, and to examine whether there was any connection between
them. I followed the base of the basaltic table land, along which the
brook came down, and, after a two miles' ride on its banks, through oak
trees, low fern trees, and several bush trees, found that it came down a
valley deeply cut into the table land. The floor of the valley was of
basaltic rock, and its steep slopes were covered with boulders of the
same formation. The water ran in two distinct beds through the fissures,
hollows, and caves of the rock. As our horses could not travel over the
sharp edges of the rock without injuring their feet, we ascended the
table land, and rode to the northward about four miles, and then came on
plains, in which we distinguished a meandering band of green verdure,
which proved to be the same brook we had left, or one of its head waters.
We followed it through a series of plains, from one of which a blue
mountain was visible to the north-west. I called it "Mount Lang," after
Dr. Lang, the distinguished historiographer of New South Wales. Smoke was
seen to the westward. At the right side of the brook, a stream of lava
bounded the plains, and was, as usual, covered with dense scrub. Box,
with occasional patches of narrow-leaved tea trees, grew along the
plains. The forest was very open, and principally consisted of
narrow-leaved Ironbark; the grass in the forest and on the plains, was of
the best description. Finer stations for the squatter cannot exist.
May 6.--Following the brook about four miles farther, I came to its
source at a gentle slope of basalt. Plains stretched along both sides of
its course, and even beyond it. Luxuriant reeds, Plothos, and several
deep green trees, crowded round its head. Kangaroos, which abounded
particularly along the scrub, had formed numerous paths through the high
grass to the water's edge. I now directed my course to the W.N.W., but
soon found myself checked by a dyke or wall of basaltic lava, composed of
boulders and tabular blocks heaped over each other in wild confusion, and
covered by scrub; it stretched from N.W. to S.E. I travelled round its
edge to the southward, after having made a vain attempt to cross it. The
outlines of the stream ran out in low heads into the flat table land, and
there we met occasionally with springs and chains of water-holes which
united lower down into a water-course, which, after following alternately
the outline of the scrub, and turning into the stream of lava, became
lost among its loose rocks. The lava was very cellular; the basalt of the
table land solid. The whole appearance of this interesting locality
showed that the stream of lava was of much more recent date than the rock
of the table land, and that the latter was probably formed under water,
whilst the cellular scorified lava was poured out into the open air. The
stream of lava enlarged so much, and descended into so broad a valley,
that I considered it to be the head of the Burdekin. I walked across it,
in order to ascertain the presence of water, but found nothing but deep
dry hollows surrounded with drooping tea trees, and the black basaltic
rocks covered with wild bottle-tree scrub. It joined the valley of
lagoons very much like the valley of the reedy brook, and seemed to unite
with the latter, and to expand all over the large basin. Numerous
headlands protruded from the table land into the valley of lagoons,
between the stream of lava and reedy brook. Many of them were composed of
quartzite and pegmatite [Graphic granite, composed of quartz and
laminated felspar.--ED.], the detritus of which formed sandy slopes very
different from the black and loamy soil of the table land and its plains.
Several isolated hills and short ridges rise out of the basaltic floor of
the valley of lagoons; they are composed of a different rock; and if it
may be allowed me to judge by the colour and by analogy, I should say
that they were pegmatite and quartzite. It would, therefore, appear that
the valley of lagoons is connected with three streams of lava; one
following down the river to the southward, a second coming down the
valley of Reedy Brook from W.N.W., and the third coming from the N.W. The
course of the Burdekin has no connection with this valley, but runs
apparently along its eastern side, and divides the primitive rocks from
the streams of lava; for I had not observed any lava on its left bank.
In returning to our camp, we saw a great number of women and children,
who ran away upon seeing us, screaming loudly, which attracted some young
men to the spot, who were much bolder and approached us. I dismounted and
walked up within five yards of them, when I stopped short from a mutual
disinclination for too close quarters, as they were armed with spears and
waddies. They made signs for me to take off my hat, and to give them
something; but, having nothing with me, I made a sign that I would make
them a present upon returning to the camp. They appeared to be in no way
unfriendly, and directed us how to avoid the water. When I reached the
camp, I found that the Blackfellows had been there already, and had been
rather urgent to enter it, probably in consequence of the small number of
my companions then present, who, however, managed to keep them in good
humour by replying to their inquiries respecting our nature and
intentions; among which one of the most singular was, whether the
bullocks were not our gins. This occurred last night; in the morning they
returned again in great numbers, and climbed the trees on the other side
of the brook to observe what was doing within the camp. It now became
necessary to show them our superiority; which we attempted to do by
shooting at a kite, numbers of which were perched on the neighbouring
trees; our shots, however, unfortunately missed, and the natives answered
the discharge of the gun with a shout of laughter. At this time, however,
Mr. Roper, Charley, and myself returned from our excursion, when they
became quiet. I threw a tin canister over to them, and they returned me a
shower of roasted Nymphaea fruit. It seems that the seed-vessels of
Nymphaea and its rhizoma form the principal food of the natives; the
seeds contain much starch and oil, and are extremely nourishing. I then
gave them some pieces of dried meat, intimating by signs that it must be
grilled; soon afterwards they retired. Mr. Roper came in with sad
tidings; in riding up the steep bank of the river, his horse, unable to
get a footing among the loose rocks, had fallen back and broken its
thigh. I immediately resolved upon going to the place where the accident
had happened, and proposed to my companions, that we should try to make
the best of the meat, as the animal was young and healthy, and the supply
would greatly assist in saving our bullocks to the end of our long
journey; and they declared themselves willing at all events to give a
fair trial to the horse-flesh. Our bullocks were foot-sore and required
rest. We, therefore, shot the horse, skinned and quartered it the same
night; and ate its liver and kidneys, which were quite as good as those
of a bullock.
May 7.--We cut the meat in slices, and dried it; and though there was
some prejudice against it, it would have been very difficult to have
detected any difference between it and beef; particularly if the animals
had been in the same condition.
May 8.--As I found it necessary to follow the right bank of the river, in
order to get out of this intricate country, I sent Mr. Gilbert and
Charley to trace the river through the valley of lagoons. Having
accomplished their object, they informed me that the river had no
connexion with the lagoons of the large valley, but that several very
large ones were even on its left bank; and that all tree vegetation
disappeared from its banks where it passed through a part of the valley
of lagoons.
May 9.--As my bullocks were still extremely foot-sore, it was necessary
that we should travel only by short stages until they recovered;
consequently, the day's journey did not exceed five miles in a N.N.E.
direction; and, with the exception of some ridges, upon excellent
travelling ground, along the left bank of the river. The latter formed,
as I have already stated, the line of separation, first, between basalt
and granite, and afterwards between basalt and a quartzose rock (probably
baked Psammite). The country was beautifully open and well grassed; the
river forming a simple channel, without trees, well filled with water and
flowing between chains of lakes and lagoons on either side; one of which
was covered with flocks of ducks and pelicans, resembling islands of
white lilies.
Beyond the almost treeless flats round the lagoons, Casuarinas and
Callistemon re-appeared along the river.
We saw some Blackfellows in the distance, who immediately withdrew as we
approached them; but the tribe, which we had met at Reedy Brook, came to
the other side of the river, and had much to say; we did not, however,
take any notice of them, until we had unloaded our bullocks and finished
our luncheon, when I went down to them, and gave them a horn of one of
our slaughtered bullocks. Roper had saved the mane of his horse, and
threw it over to them, but it seemed to frighten them very much. We
inquired by signs as to the course of the river, and we understood by
their answers, that it came a long way from the northward. At Reedy Brook
the natives had given my companions to understand that the brook had its
source not very far off to the W.N.W., by pointing at their heads, then
at the brook, and then in the direction mentioned. I was therefore
inclined to trust to their information about the river's source. They
threw some yam-roots over to us, the plant of which we were not able to
ascertain: and after that they retired.
May 10.--This morning they came again, and, when our bullocks were loaded
and we were about to start, I went down to them and took a sort of leave.
We had scarcely proceeded half a mile, when we missed the tinkling of our
bell, and found that Charley had forgotten to put it on the horse's neck,
and had left it behind. Mr. Calvert and Brown, therefore, returned to
look for it, and, upon reaching the place where the camp had been made,
saw the natives examining and beating every part of it; at the approach
of the horsemen, however, they retired to the other side of the river;
but when they turned their horses' heads, after having found the bell,
the natives followed them, and threw three spears after them--whether it
was out of mere wantonness, or with hostile intentions, I do not know,
though I was inclined to believe the first. It was, nevertheless, a
warning to us not to repose too much confidence in them. Mr. Roper met
to-day with a severe accident, which nearly cost him his life. It was a
very common practice to make our horses stop by catching them by the
tails; as he tried to do this with his horse, which was not yet
accustomed to him, the animal struck out at him, and kicked him with both
feet on the chest. Roper happily recovered after some faintness, but
complained for several days afterwards of external pain. We travelled
this day about four miles and a half N.N.E. along the river side,
following a well-beaten path of the natives.
The river was again confined in its own valley, with quartzose rocks
(Psammite) on one side, and the falls of the basaltic table land on the
other. Basalt was, however, observed here about on several spots at the
left bank, and quartz porphyry composed the ridges near our last
encampment. The river divided here into a great number of anabranches,
but all confined in the same valley, and united by intermediate channels.
The bed of it had again become sandy, with small pebbles of pegmatite and
quartz. Casuarinas were plentiful on its banks; the poplar-gum, and the
Moreton Bay ash on the adjacent flats; Tristania, with pubescent leaves
round some lagoons; narrow-leaved Ironbark, and poplar-gum grew on the
hills; and rich grass every where.
The night was clear, but the morning foggy, and the dew very heavy. The
wind was from the northward, and, as usual, very strong after sunset.
May 11.--We travelled four miles to the E.N.E. The anabranches of the
river continued; the ranges of quartz porphyry approached several times
close to the river. Oak trees and drooping Melaleucas grew abundantly in
its bed, and along the banks. Higher up we crossed fine flats with
lagoons and lakes covered as usual with Nymphaeas. We encamped in
latitude 18 degrees 32 minutes 37 seconds, after passing a Casuarina
creek, with high banks and a sandy bed. This creek separated the table
land from a broken low range of hills, composed of a coarse-grained
sandstone. The banks of the river here seemed to have been swept away; a
broad sheet of sand, covered with fine drooping tea trees, was slightly
furrowed by a narrow stream of water, which seemed for the greater part
filtering through the sands; chains of water-holes at its left side,
fringed with Casuarinas, appeared to be anabranches of the river, and to
be connected with the main stream during the rainy season.
I have to mention that a species of Sciadophyllum, nearly allied to Sc.
lucidum, (Don. iii. p. 390,) was found in the lava scrub of the valley of
lagoons: it was a small tree with large digitate leaves, each of them
composed of from eleven to thirteen oblong acuminate, glabrous leaflets,
which were about five inches long; and it attracted the attention of my
companions as much by its ornamental foliage as its numerous terminal
racemes of bright scarlet coloured flowers.
After having celebrated Whit-Sunday with a double allowance of fat cake
and sweetened tea, I started with Charley to reconnoitre the country to
the westward. Our friendly stream not only turned to the north, but
afterwards to north-east and east-north-east; and though I had not
succeeded in leaving it from Reedy Brook--not having been able to cross
the lava streams of the basaltic table land--I now concluded, from the
nature of the pebbles, and sands of the creek which we had crossed last,
that the basalts and lavas had ceased, and that a passage to the westward
would be practicable.
I followed the Casuarina Creek up to its head, and called it "Big
Ant-hill Creek," in consequence of numerous gigantic strangely buttressed
structures of the white ant, which I had never seen of such a form, and
of so large a size.
The general course of the creek was north-north-west: for the first ten
miles it was without water, but its middle and upper course was well
provided with fine reedy holes, the constant supply of water in which was
indicated by Nymphaeas, and other aquatic plants. At its left side near
the junction I observed, as before mentioned, a coarse grained sandstone,
and, at less than a mile higher up, I found flint rock; and, wherever I
examined afterwards, the rocks proved to be coarse grained granite and
pegmatite, the decomposition of which formed a sandy soil on the slopes,
and clayey flats along the creek. The latter, however, were very limited.
The ant-hills were intimately connected with the rock, as the ants
derived their materials for building from the minute particles of clay
among the sand. The primitive rock was cut with deep gullies and ravines,
and several tributary creeks joined Big Ant-hill Creek from the primitive
side. The basaltic table land, which extended all along the right side of
the creek, formed steep slopes into its valley, and were generally topped
with loose basaltic boulders. The table land was highest near the creek,
and its drainage was not towards the creek, but to the south-west, into
the valley of lagoons. White quartz rock was observed in a few places on
the right side of the creek, where the primitive rock seemed to encroach
into the territory of the basalt; and felspathic porphyry formed probably
a dyke in the pegmatite, but was most evidently broken by the basalt.
Where the upper part of the creek formed a shallow watercourse, and
turned altogether into the primitive formation, a plain came down from
the west-north-west with a shallow watercourse, which continued the
separation of the two formations; the right side of the plain being
basaltic, the soil of the Box and Ironbark forest loamy, with sharp
pieces of the rock; the left side being sandy, and covered with a very
pleasing poplar gum forest, in which the grotesque ant-hills were
exceedingly numerous. About two miles higher up the plain, separated into
several distinct plains, the largest of which was from twelve to fifteen
miles long, and from two to three miles broad, and came from Mount Lang;
another plain came from an isolated razorback hill, and a third continued
on the line of contact of the basaltic and primitive rocks. The upper
parts of the small creeks, which come down in these plains, were full of
water, and had their source generally between heaps of bare basaltic
rocks, surrounded by rich grass, and a scanty scrub of Pittosporum, of
the native mulberry, of the fig-tree, and of several vines, with
Polypodiums, Osmundas, and Caladiums growing between them.
Several other hills and mountains rose on the table land, generally with
open plains at their base. The greater part, however, was open forest,
principally of narrow-leaved Ironbark and Box, and occasionally
poplar-gum.
One locality was particularly striking: a great number of rocky basins
within the basalt, and surrounded by its black blocks, formed evidently
so many lagoons during the wet season, as sedges and Polygonums--always
inhabitants of constantly moist places--grew abundantly in most of them.
These basins were situated between low basaltic rises, along which narrow
flats frequently extended. The flooded gum-trees were fine and numerous,
and made me frequently believe that I was approaching a creek. I rode,
however, over eighteen miles of country to the westward without observing
the slightest watercourse. Long flats bounded by slight undulations
extended some to the northward, and others to the westward; but their
inclination was imperceptible. I passed some hills and plains; and
ascending one of the hills, I obtained a fine view. To the west by south
I saw other isolated mountains: the country to the westward was not
broken by any elevation; a fine long range was visible to the north-west.
It was now 3 o'clock P.M., and my Blackfellows had left me, as usual; my
horse was foot-sore, and neither the poor animal nor myself had tasted
water for the last thirty-six hours. Under these circumstances, though I
ardently desired to push on to the north-west ranges, I thought it
prudent to return; and after a short rest to my horse, during which I
chewed some dry pieces of beef, I rode on my way back until 9 o'clock,
and then encamped. The coldness of the night reminded me too strongly of
the pleasures of the fire and the heavy dew which had fallen, though a
comfort to my horse, rendered it difficult to light one; by dint of
patience, however, I succeeded, and then stretched myself, hungry and
thirsty as I was, by the side of a large Ironbark log; whilst my horse,
which I had hobbled and tethered, drooped his head over me, little
inclined either to feed or move. I started early in the morning of the
14th, and passed between Mount Lang and Razorback Hill. At the foot of
the latter I met a small creek, which I followed through a long series of
plains until I came on my old track, not very far from Big Ant-hill
Creek. At the sight of water, which we had been without full fifty hours,
my horse and I rushed simultaneously into it, and we drank, and drank,
and drank again, before I could induce myself to light a fire and make
some tea, which was always found to be much more wholesome, and to allay
thirst sooner than the water alone.
Near the large water-hole at which I halted, was an old camping place of
the natives, and the remnants of many a hut lay scattered round two large
flooded gum trees. The smoke of the natives fires was seen in every
direction. This part of the country is doubtless well supplied with
water-holes: but as they are unconnected with a watercourse, the
traveller, unless by accident, has little chance of finding them.
In returning along Ant-hill Creek, I passed a few native men sitting
before their gunyas; they were not a hundred yards from me, yet they
remained silent and motionless, like the black stumps of the trees around
them, until the strange apparition passed by. At sunset, just as I was
taking the saddle from my horse, I heard a cooee, and not considering it
prudent to encamp in the vicinity of the natives, I began to tighten up
the girths again; but, at the same time, answered the cooee, and soon
after I saw Master Charley and his wearied horse descending from the
opposite range. He had not had anything to eat since the morning of the
preceding day, and was therefore exceedingly pleased to meet me. He had
not been able to follow me, in consequence of the foot-soreness of his
horse, but he had succeeded in finding a small spring at the foot of
Mount Lang, near which the natives had often and recently encamped.
May 15.--We returned to our camp. The natives [These natives are probably
the same as, or are connected with, the tribe that frequent Rockingham
Bay, who have always been noticed for their friendly bearing in
communications with ships visiting that place. Rockingham Bay is situated
due east from the position of Dr. Leichhardt's party.--Note by Capt.
King.] had visited my companions, and behaved very amicably towards them,
making them not only presents of spears and wommalas, but supplying them
with seed-vessels of Nymphaea, and its mealy roasted stems and tubers,
which they were in the habit of pounding into a substance much resembling
mashed potatoes. They took leave of my companions to go to the sea-coast,
pointing to the east and east by south, whither they were going to fetch
shells, particularly the nautilus, of which they make various ornaments.
May 16 and 17.--We moved our camp about twenty miles N.N.W. to latitude
18 degrees 16 minutes 37 seconds, to one of the head brooks of Big
Ant-hill Creek. We travelled the whole distance over the basaltic
table-laud without any impediment. The natives approached our camp, but
retired without any communication.
I had not found any westerly waters on my ride of the 13th, but had seen
a range to the north-west, and that was the goal of a new exploration. As
we had been fortunate enough to find water at the contact of the
primitive and basaltic formation, I wished to follow the same line of
contact as long as it would not carry us much out of our course. We
crossed, in a northerly direction, several granitic ranges which ran out
into the table land, and were separated from each other by very large
swamps, at the time mostly dry, and covered with a short withered swamp
grass, but bearing the marks of frequent inundations. The bed of these
swamps was perfectly level, and formed by an uninterrupted sheet of
basalt. Chains of water-holes between the ranges, which I hoped would
lead me to creeks, were lost in the level of these swamps; indeed, these
granitic ranges were remarkably destitute of watercourses. The coarse
elements of the decomposed rock, principally pegmatite, had formed
uniform slopes, in which even heavy showers of rain were readily
absorbed; but rounded blocks of rock, sometimes curiously piled,
protruded from the granitic sands. Pandanus spiralis fringed the
scattered water-holes; and Grevillea chrysodendron, (R. Br.) formed a
wreath, of pale silver-colour, round the swamps, but grew on sandy soil.
White cranes, the ibis, geese, native companions, and plovers, were very
numerous; and the large ant-hills scattered through the forest at the
foot of the hills, looked like so many wigwams.
From one of the ranges I had another view of the north-west range, and we
started for it, leaving the primitive country behind us. A cold,
southerly wind set in on the morning of the 18th, which made Brown and
myself shiver, and I most gladly availed myself of a flannel shirt,
whilst Brown covered himself with his blanket. We rode about five hours
over an undulating forest land, interrupted by one or two plains, and for
the greater part exceedingly stony. We came at last to fresh burnt grass,
and observed recent marks of the stone tomahawk of the natives; and,
having passed a stony slope, with irregular low stony ridges, we saw an
oak-tree creek before us, on the opposite side of which rose the granitic
range for which we had directed our course. This creek also ran on the
line of contact of primitive and basaltic rocks; the primitive side was
cut by gullies and ravines, whilst the basalt formed a steep
uninterrupted slope, though covered with boulders which had been carried
down even into the sandy bed of the creek, where they were intermingled
with those of granite and pegmatite. I called this creek "Separation
Creek," in allusion to its geological relations: at the point where we
met it, it turned to the north and north-west, which made me believe that
it was a westerly water; but in this I was mistaken.
We had some slight showers of drizzling rain during the afternoon. The
wind veered towards evening to the northward, and the night was clear.
We saw several kangaroos, and their tracks to the water showed that they
were numerous. One of them, which we saw in the creek, was of a light
grey colour, with rich fur and a white tail.
May 19.--We returned to the camp. A cold easterly wind continued during
the day; low rainy clouds in the morning formed into heavy cumuli during
the afternoon.
My geological observations lead me to the conclusion, that an immense
valley between granitic ranges has here been filled by a more modern
basaltic eruption, which (supposing that Mount Lang is basaltic in the
centre of elevation) rose in peaks and isolated hills, but formed in
general a level table land. The basalt has been again broken by still
more recent fissures, through which streams of lava have risen and
expanded over the neighbouring rock.
May 20.--We moved our camp about eighteen miles N.N.W., to Separation
Creek, the latitude of which was 18 degrees 2 minutes 22 seconds.
John Murphy found Grevillea chrysodendron in blossom, the rich orange
colour of which excited general admiration. The stringy-bark tree, and
Tristania, were growing on the sandy soil, and the latter near
watercourses. Several native bustards (Otis Novae Hollandiae, GOULD.)
were shot, and I found their stomachs full of the seeds of Grewia, which
abounded in the open patches of forest ground. In crossing a plain we
observed, under the shade of a patch of narrow-leaved tea trees, four
bowers of the bowerbird, close together, as if one habitation was not
sufficient for the wanton bird to sport in; and on the dry swamps I
mentioned above, small companies of native companions were walking around
us at some distance, but rose with their sonorous cu-r-r-r-ring cry,
whenever Brown tried to approach them. [The natives of Argyle call the
cry of the native companion, Ku-ru-duc Ku-ru-duc; the natives of
Port Essington call the bird Ororr.--NOTE BY CAPT. KING]
May 21.--I went with Brown to reconnoitre the course of the creek, and to
ascertain whether it flowed to the westward. We soon found, however, that
it turned to the north and north-east, and that it was still an eastern
water. As far as I followed it down, it formed the separation between the
primitive rocks and the basalt, but received several creeks from the
westward. In riding along we heard the cooees of natives, and passed
several large camping places near the large water-holes of the creek. A
Blackfellow emerged suddenly from the creek, holding a Casuarina branch
in his hand, and pointing to the westward. We made a sign that we were
going down the creek, and that we had no intention of hurting him; the
poor fellow, however, was so frightened that he groaned and crouched down
in the grass. Wishing not to increase his alarm, we rode on. I followed
up one of the largest tributary creeks coming from the westward towards
its head; it was lined with Casuarinas and flooded-gum trees, like
Separation Creek, and came from an entirely granitic country, ridges and
ranges, with some high hills, bounding its valley on both sides; it soon
divided, however, into branches, and as one turned too much to the north
and the other to the south, I kept between them to the westward, and
passed over a hilly, broken, granitic country. Large blocks of granite
crested the summits of the hills, and their slopes were covered with
Acacia thickets, and arborescent Hakeas and Grevilleas. A dwarf Acacia,
with rhomboid downy phyllodia, an inch long, grew between the rocks. The
natives were busy on the hills, cutting out opossums and honey. We heard
their calls and the cries of their children. As we descended into another
valley, the whole slope was on fire; we passed through it, however, with
little difficulty. We crossed ridges after ridges, passed from one little
creek and watercourse to another, all of which turned to the northward.
At last, heartily tired, and almost despairing of attaining the object of
our search, viz., a western water, we came into a valley which went down
to the south-west; and, following it down, found that it joined a larger
one which went to the westward. A broad creek, with the drooping tea tree
and a sandy bed, gave us the promise of soon finding water; and,
following the tracks of numerous kangaroos and native dogs, we came to a
small pool. After passing over very rocky granitic hills, we came into a
more open country; the banks of the creek became reedy, and water was
more abundant, and at last a fine pool, surrounded by a rich belt of
reeds, was before us. Brown was fortunate enough to shoot two ducks; and,
as the sun was setting behind a neighbouring hill, we made our camp for
the night.
May 22.--We returned to our companions, and by taking a W.N.W. course, we
avoided all the ranges and gullies that we had crossed yesterday. At the
westerly creek I found a rose-coloured Sterculia, with large campanulate
blossoms and tomentose seed-vessels: the tree had lost all its foliage. I
had met with this species on the rocky ranges of Moreton Bay (at Mount
Brisbane), but there it was a low shrub, whereas in this place, and all
round the gulf of Carpentaria, it formed a middle sized tree with
spreading branches. A new Hakea, with long thin terete leaves (different
from H. lorea) and Grevillea chrysodendron, grew along the creek.
Grevillea ceratophylla (R. Br.) and another Grevillea, with a compound
terminal thyrsus, and long lanceolate falcate leaves, grew on the slopes,
in company with a Xylomelum, with smooth and smaller seed-vessels than
those of X. pyriforme. The rocky ridges were occupied by the
stringy-bark, fine Cypress-pine trees, the stunted silver-leaved
Ironbark, a Eucalyptus, with very scanty foliage, orange-coloured
blossoms, seed-vessels longitudinally ribbed, and as large as the egg of
a fowl; its butt was covered with a lamellar bark, but the upper part and
the branches were white and smooth; also by another Eucalyptus, with a
scaly butt like the Moreton Bay ash, but with smooth upper trunk and
cordate ovate leaves, which was also new to me; we called it the
Apple-gum. We frequently met with the grass tree (Xanthorrhaea.)
May 23.--We moved our camp to the westerly creek I had found the day
before, which with several others formed the heads of a river, flowing to
the N.W. I called this river the "Lynd," after R. Lynd, Esq., a gentleman
to whom I am under the greatest obligation, for his unmeasured liberality
and kindness enabled me to devote my time exclusively to the pursuits of
science and exploration.
The nights had been as usual very cold, and the dew very heavy. The
prevailing breeze was from the east, veering towards evening to the
north-east; during the morning a cold south-east wind. The rock was
primitive, granite and pegmatite in several varities, with a few
exceptions of anagenitic formation. Near the place of our first
encampment on the Lynd, in lat. 17 degrees 58 minutes, I observed a
sienite, to which the distribution of the hornblende in layers had given
the stratified appearance of gneiss. Another rock was composed of felspar
and large leaflets of white mica, or of quartz and white mica. The veins
which traversed these rocks were all of quartz, which, within the
pegmatite, enlarged into big masses and hills, particularly where
basaltic rock was near. Mr. Gilbert and Charley went down the creek to
find water and a practicable road, in case the country should prove
mountainous and rocky. I had a view from a small peak near our camp; the
country was full of ridges, but openly timbered, and I saw a low range to
the northward, trending from east to west.
May 24.--It was the Queen's birth-day, and we celebrated it with what--as
our only remaining luxury--we were accustomed to call a fat cake, made of
four pounds of flour and some suet, which we had saved for the express
purpose, and with a pot of sugared tea. We had for several months been
without sugar, with the exception of about ten pounds, which was reserved
for cases of illness and for festivals. So necessary does it appear to
human nature to interrupt the monotony of life by marked days, on which
we indulge in recollections of the past, or in meditations on the future,
that we all enjoyed those days as much, and even more, than when
surrounded with all the blessings of civilized society; although I am
free to admit, that fat-cake and sugared tea in prospectu might induce us
to watch with more eagerness for the approach of these days of feasting.
There were, besides, several other facts interesting to the psychologist,
which exhibited the influence of our solitary life, and the unity of our
purpose, on our minds. During the early part of our journey, I had been
carried back in my dreams to scenes of recent date, and into the society
of men with whom I had lived shortly before starting on my expedition. As
I proceeded on my journey, events of earlier date returned into my mind,
with all the fantastic associations of a dream; and scenes of England,
France, and Italy passed successively. Then came the recollections of my
University life, of my parents and the members of my family; and, at
last, the days of boyhood and of school--at one time as a boy afraid of
the look of the master, and now with the independent feelings of the man,
communicating to, and discussing with him the progress of my journey, the
courses of the rivers I had found, and the possible advantages of my
discoveries. At the latter part of the journey, I had, as it were,
retraced the whole course of my life, and I was now, in my dreams, almost
invariably in Sydney, canvassing for support, and imagining that,
although I had left my camp, yet that I should return with new resources
to carry us through the remainder of our journey. It was very remarkable,
that all my companions were almost invariably anticipating the end of our
journey, dreaming that they reached the sea-coast, and met with ships, or
that they were in Port Essington and enjoying the pleasures of civilized
life; whilst I, on awaking, found my party and my interests on the place
where I had left them in my dreams. During the leisure moments of the
day, or at the commencement of night, when seated at my fire, all my
thoughts seemed riveted to the progress and success of my journey, and to
the new objects we had met with during the day. I had then to compel
myself to think of absent friends and past times, and the thought that
they supposed me dead or unsuccessful in my enterprize, brought me back
immediately to my favourite object. Much, indeed the greater portion, of
my journey had been occupied in long reconnoitring rides; and he who is
thus occupied is in a continued state of excitement, now buoyant with
hope, as he urges on his horse towards some distant range or blue
mountain, or as he follows the favourable bend of a river; now all
despairing and miserable, as he approaches the foot of the range without
finding water from which he could start again with renewed strength, or
as the river turns in an unfavourable direction, and slips out of his
course. Evening approaches; the sun has sunk below the horizon for some
time, but still he strains his eye through the gloom for the dark verdure
of a creek, or strives to follow the arrow-like flight of a pigeon, the
flapping of whose wings has filled him with a sudden hope, from which he
relapses again into a still greater sadness; with a sickened heart he
drops his head to a broken and interrupted rest, whilst his horse is
standing hobbled at his side, unwilling from excessive thirst to feed on
the dry grass. How often have I found myself in these different states of
the brightest hope and the deepest misery, riding along, thirsty, almost
lifeless and ready to drop from my saddle with fatigue; the poor horse
tired like his rider, footsore, stumbling over every stone, running
heedlessly against the trees, and wounding my knees! But suddenly, the
note of Grallina Australis, the call of cockatoos, or the croaking of
frogs, is heard, and hopes are bright again; water is certainly at hand;
the spur is applied to the flank of the tired beast, which already
partakes in his rider's anticipations, and quickens his pace--and a
lagoon, a creek, or a river, is before him. The horse is soon unsaddled,
hobbled, and well washed; a fire is made, the teapot is put to the fire,
the meat is dressed, the enjoyment of the poor reconnoiterer is perfect,
and a prayer of thankfulness to the Almighty God who protects the
wanderer on his journey, bursts from his grateful lips.
May 25.--We travelled about eight miles down the Lynd. The country was
very mountainous; granitic and pegmatite ranges bounded the valley on
both sides
May 26.--We continued our journey over the most mountainous and rocky
country we had ever passed. The ranges formed the banks of the river
itself, and even entered its bed, which gradually enlarged and was
frequently formed by several channels fringed with large drooping tea
trees. At the end of the stage, basalt was found to have broken through
the granite.
May 27.--The river turned more to the northward, and, joined by many
gullies, wound its way between wild and rocky, though low ranges. At a
place where it left a range of rugged little peaks, basalt re-appeared at
its banks, and extended for some distance, now filling flats with its
rough and cellular blocks and pebbles, and again forming small hillocks
of black bare rock. As soon, however, as the river had fairly left the
basaltic formation, fine large flats of a light sandy soil succeeded on
both sides; on which Pandanus spiralis grew in great abundance, and to a
larger size than we had seen before. The bed of the river became very
broad, and was covered with sands, shingle, and pebbles of the rocks of
its upper course. I passed through a broad rocky gap of a range tending
from east to west, and, at about two miles beyond and to the north-west
of it, we encamped, in lat. 17 degrees 54 minutes 40 seconds.
In passing this gap, on a previous reconnoitring ride with Brown, I met
with several natives with their wives and children, encamped at the north
entrance of it. When they saw us, the men poised their spears, and shook
their waddis to frighten us, but when, notwithstanding their menaces, we
approached them, they left all their goods, and with their weapons only
hurried up the rocks with wonderful agility. Three koolimans (vessels of
stringy bark) were full of honey water, from one of which I took a hearty
draught, and left a brass button for payment. Dillis, fish spears, a
roasted bandicoot, a species of potatoe, wax, a bundle of tea-tree bark
with dry shavings; several flints fastened with human hair to the ends of
sticks, and which are used as knives to cut their skin and food; a
spindle to make strings of opossum wool; and several other small
utensils, were in their camp. One of my Blackfellows found a fine
rock-crystal [Note at end of para.] in one of their bags, when we passed
the place next day with our bullocks. The poor people had evidently not
yet ventured to return. The natives we had formerly met, had generally
watched our movements from a distance, and had returned to their camp as
soon as we had fairly left it; but these seemed too much frightened; and
I should not be surprised to find that the mountainous nature of their
country had given them a greater share of superstition.
[Note: This shows how far the custom extends throughout the continent, of
considering the rock-crystal as sacred; whether it be that it has been
transmitted from tribe to tribe, or that the native was everywhere
inclined to pick up a shining stone, and to consider it endowed with
peculiar virtues. From the absence of brilliant ores, or precious stones,
in the bags and dillis of the natives, I concluded, that neither precious
stones nor brilliant metallic substances existed in the country where
they lived. Those with whom we came in contact, generally admired our
gold and silver chains and watches very much, but had nothing to show in
return except broken shells from the sea-coast]
Among the new and interesting scrubs and trees which we met with at
almost every step, I shall only mention a small Grevillea, from one to
two feet in height, with pubescent pinnatifid leaves, and a simple or
compound thyrsus of scarlet flowers; Cochlospermum gossypium, the native
cotton tree of Port Essington, whose bright showy yellow blossoms and
large capsules full of silky cotton, attracted our attention; its leaves
are deciduous, and the trees were entirely leafless; a fine species of
Calytrix on the rocks, and two of Loranthus on the drooping tea tree, the
drooping foliage of which one of them imitated, whilst the other belonged
to the group I mentioned as found at the Suttor, with its flowers
inserted on a leafy bract.
Exocarpus latifolius is so different from E. cupressiformis, in its
foliage and aspect, that I did not suspect their near relation, until I
found blossom and fruit: the ripe kernel as well as its yellow succulent
leaf-stalk have a very agreeable taste; a leguminous shrub, about five or
six feet high, with purple blossoms gathered into terminal oblong heads;
this would be an ornament to our gardens. Along the river we discovered a
large tree, about forty or fifty feet in height, with rather singularly
disposed horizontal branches and rich dark green foliage; its leaves were
oblong acute, and frequently a foot long; its flowers formed dense heads,
which grew into a fleshy body marked with the arcoles of every flower. It
is either Sarcocephalus or Zuccarinia, or nearly allied to them. The tree
has never been seen on easterly waters, but it was the invariable
companion of all the larger freshwater rivers round the gulf. A fine
species of Gomphrena was found in the sandy bed of the river. A species
of Terminalia, a fine shady tree, with spreading branches and broad
elliptical leaves, grew along the sandy creeks; and another smaller one
with Samara fruit preferred the rocky slopes. Both of these, and a third
species growing on the west side of the gulph, which I shall have to
mention hereafter, supplied us with fine eatable gum, and a fourth
species, with smooth leaves, had an eatable fruit of a purple colour.
The view I obtained from one of the hills near our yesterday's camp was
very characteristic. The country was broken by low ranges of various
extent, formed by exceedingly rocky hills and peaks, which lifted their
rugged crests above the open forest that covered their slopes. Heaps of
rocks with clusters of trees, particularly the smooth-leaved fig tree,
the rose-coloured Sterculia, Exocarpus latifolius, were scattered over
the slopes, or grew on the summits, to which they gave the resemblance of
the lifted crest of an irritated cockatoo, particularly when huge
fantastic blocks were striking out between the vegetation. As we
travelled along, ranges of hills of this character appeared one after
another; to which wallums and wallabies fled for security as we scared
them from the river's side; the rose-breasted cockatoo (Cocatua Eos,
GOULD.) visited the patches of fresh burnt grass, in large flocks;
bustards were numerous on the small flats between basaltic hillocks,
where they fed on the ripe fruit of Grewia.
On the evening of the 27th May, we killed one of our bullocks, which had
suffered more than any of the others by the journey, in consequence of
his having carried our ammunition, which had decreased comparatively
little, and the great weight of which had raised large lumps on his ribs,
which had formed into ulcers. We were very disagreeably disappointed in
not finding sufficient fat to fry the liver, which was our favourite
dish; even the fat of the marrow had disappeared and had left a watery
tissue, which, when grilled for some time, turned into a yellow
substance, having the taste of the fried yolk of an egg. We dried our
meat on the 28th, 29th, and 30th. I took a set of lunar sights, and
calculated my longitude 143 degrees 30 minutes.
May 31.--We had scarcely left, our camp, when swarms of crows and kites
(Milvus isiurus) took possession of it, after having given us a fair
fight during the previous days, whilst we were drying the meat. Their
boldness was indeed remarkable, and if the natives had as much, we should
soon have had to quit our camp. Proceeding, we travelled over a broken
and very stony country, with a stiff soil, but mixed with so much sand
that even the Severn tree grew well. There was another small tree, the
branches of which were thickly covered with bright green leaves; it had
round inferior fruit, about half an inch in diameter, which was full of
seeds: when ripe, it was slightly pulpy and acidulous, and reminded me of
the taste of the coarse German rye bread. In consequence of this
resemblance, we called this little tree the Bread tree of the Lynd. I ate
handfulls of this fruit without the slightest inconvenience. A species of
Pittosporum, and several Acacias, Pandanus, and the leguminous Ironbark,
were scattered through an open forest of Ironbark and lanceolate box. I
observed here a very ornamental little tree, with drooping branches and
linear lanceolate drooping leaves three inches long; it very much
resembled a species of Capparis that I had seen at the Isaacs. Its
blossoms are very small, and the calyx and corolla have each five
divisions; the stamens are opposite the petals; it bore a fruit like a
small apple, with a hard outside, but pulpy and many seeded within, like
Capparis; the calyx was attached to the base of the fruit.
The rock was still granitic, with small outbreaks of basalt; the leaflets
of white mica were visible everywhere in the soil and in the large
ant-hills, whose building materials were derived from the decomposed
felspar. The bed of the river was frequently rocky, and very broad, with
low banks and no water. The highest flood-marks we observed were from six
to eight feet above the level of the bed; these marks were on the trunks
of Casuarinas, Melaleucas, and flooded-gum, which grew along the channel.
The country in general had a winterly appearance; and the grass round the
camp was dry, but I observed the fine grass of the Isaacs, and many
varieties which grow on the Suttor and Burdekin, which will yield an
excellent feed in the proper season; and, even at the present, neither
our bullocks nor horses were starving.
The part of the country in which we were, possesses great interest in a
meteorological point of view. In the centre of the York Peninsula,
between the east coast and the gulf, and on the slopes to the latter, as
might be expected, the northerly and easterly winds which set in so
regularly after sunset, as well along the Burdekin as on the basaltic
table land, failed, and were succeeded here by slight westerly and
easterly breezes, without any great and decided movement in the
atmosphere; and westerly winds, which had formerly been of rare
occurrence, became more frequent and stronger. The days, from the
stillness of the air, were very hot; but at night the dews were heavy,
and it was very cold. Charley asserted that he had seen ice at our last
camp.
The black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus Banksii) has been much more
frequently observed of late.
We used the last of our salt at the last camp; and what we should do
without it, was a question of considerable interest. As I had never taken
salt with me in my reconnoitring expeditions, and had never felt the want
of it with dried beef, either grilled or raw, I recommended my companions
to eat their meat in the same state; and, in fact, good dry beef, without
any farther preparation, was much relished by all of us: for, when
grilled, it became ashy and burnt, particularly when without fat; and, if
stewed, although it yielded a good broth, it became tough and tasteless.
The meat of the last bullock was very hard and juiceless, and something
was to be done to soften it, and make it palatable: as we had no fat, we
frequently steamed it with water, but this rendered it tough, without
facilitating in the least the mastication; and its fibres, entering
between our teeth, rendered them exceedingly tender, and caused us much
pain. After a week's trial, and several experiments, we returned to our
former practice of stewing it, and in a very short time relished it as
much without salt, as we had formerly done with it.
CHAPTER IX
THE STARRY HEAVENS--SUBSTITUTE FOR COFFEE--SAWFISH--TWO-STORIED GUNYAS
OF THE NATIVES--THE MITCHELL--MURPHY'S PONY POISONED--GREEN
TREE-ANT--NEW BEVERAGE--CROCODILE--AUDACITY OF KITES--NATIVES NOT
FRIENDLY--THE CAMP ATTACKED AT NIGHT BY THEM--MESSRS. ROPER AND CALVERT
WOUNDED, AND MR. GILBERT KILLED.
June 1.--Mr. Gilbert and Charley made an excursion down the river last
night, to look for water, but, as they did not return in the morning, and
as water had been found, after they left, about four miles lower down, we
started to meet them. Observing a swarm of white cranes circling in the
air, and taking their flight down the river, I concluded that we should
meet with a good supply of water lower down, and, therefore, passed the
nearest water-hole; but, the country and the bed of the river being
exceedingly rocky, our progress was very slow. After proceeding about
eight miles, we came to the junction of a river from the south-west with
the Lynd; and encamped at some small pools of water in latitude 17
degrees 45 minutes 40 seconds: having travelled, during the last two
stages, in a west-north-west direction.
June 2.--When we left our camp this morning, Mr. Gilbert and Charley
returned from their ride; they had come on our tracks last night, but,
surrounded as they were by rocky hills and gullies, had been compelled to
encamp. We travelled about seven miles and a half, and crossed three good
sized creeks, joining the Lynd from the north east. The river divided
several times into anabranches, flowing round, and insulating rocky hills
and ridges. It was much better supplied with water, and contained several
large reedy lagoons. An elegant Acacia, about thirty or thirty-five feet
high, grew on its small flats: it had large drooping glaucous bipinnate
leaves, long broad pods, and oval seeds, half black, and half bright red.
June 3.--We continued our journey down the river, about seven or eight
miles. The first three miles were very tolerable, over limited box-flats
near the river. As we approached the ranges again, the supply of water
increased; and we passed one large poel, in particular, with many ducks
and spoonbills on it. But the ranges approached the banks of the river on
both sides, and formed either precipitous walls, or flats so exceedingly
rocky, that it was out of the question to follow it. We, therefore,
ascended the hills and mountains, and with our foot-sore cattle passed
over beds of sharp shingles of porphyry. We crept like snails over these
rocky hills, and through their gullies filled with boulders and shingles,
until I found it necessary to halt, and allow my poor beasts to recover.
During the afternoon, I examined the country in advance, and found that
the mountains extended five miles farther, and were as rocky as those we
had already passed. But, after that, they receded from the river, and the
country became comparatively level. To this place I brought forward my
party on the 4th June, and again descended into the valley of the river,
and encamped near a fine pool of water in its sandy bed, in latitude 17
degrees 34 minutes 17 seconds. Here, last night, I met a family of
natives who had just commenced their supper; but, seeing us, they ran
away and left their things, without even making an attempt to frighten
us. Upon examining their camp, I found their koolimans, (vessels to keep
water) full of bee bread, of which I partook, leaving for payment some
spare nose rings of our bullocks. In their dillies I found the fleshy
roots of a bean, which grows in a sandy soil, and has solitary yellow
blossoms; the tuber of a vine, which has palmate leaves; a bitter potato,
probably belonging to a water-plant; a fine specimen of rock-crystal; and
a large cymbium (a sea shell), besides other trifles common to almost all
the natives we had seen. Their koolimans were very large, almost like
small boats, and were made of the inner layer of the bark of the
stringy-bark tree. There was no animal food in the camp.
The whole extent of the mountainous country passed in our two last
stages, was of porphyry, with crystals of quartz and felspar in a grey
paste; on both sides of it, the rock was granite and pegmatite; and, at
the north-west side of the gorge, I observed talc-schist in the bed of
the river.
The vegetation of the forest, and along the river, did not vary; but, on
the mountains, the silver-leaved Ironbark prevailed.
The general course of the Lynd, from my last latitude to that of the 4th
June, was north-west.
Sleeping in the open air at night, with a bright sky studded with its
stars above us, we were naturally led to observe more closely the hourly
changes of the heavens; and my companions became curious to know the
names of those brilliant constellations, with which nightly observation
had now, perhaps for the first time, made them familiar. We had reached a
latitude which allowed us not only to see the brightest stars of the
southern, but, also of the northern hemisphere, and I shall never forget
the intense pleasure I experienced, and that evinced by my companions,
when I first called them, about 4 o'clock in the morning, to see Ursa
Major. The starry heaven is one of those great features of nature, which
enter unconsciously into the composition of our souls. The absence of the
stars gives us painful longings, the nature of which we frequently do not
understand, but which we call home sickness:--and their sudden
re-appearance touches us like magic, and fills us with delight. Every new
moon also was hailed with an almost superstitious devotion, and my
Blackfellows vied with each other to discover its thin crescent, and
would be almost angry with me when I strained my duller eyes in vain to
catch a glimpse of its faint light in the brilliant sky which succeeds
the setting of the sun. The questions: where were we at the last new
moon? how far have we travelled since? and where shall we be at the
next?--were invariably discussed amongst us; calculations were made as to
the time that would be required to bring us to the end of our journey,
and there was no lack of advice offered as to what should, and ought to
be done.
At several of our last camps the cry of the goat suckers, and the hooting
of owls, were heard the whole night; and immediately after sunset, the
chirping of several kinds of crickets was generally heard, the sound of
which was frequently so metallic, as to be mistaken for the tinkling of
our bell. At Separation Creek, we first met with the ring-tailed opossum;
and, on the table land, often heard its somewhat wailing cry.
June 5.--We travelled, in a direct line, about nine miles west by north,
down the river, although the distance along its banks was much greater;
for it made a large bend at first to the northward, and afterwards, being
turned by a fine conspicuous short range, to the westward. I named the
Range after W. Kirchner, Esq., another of the supporters of my
expedition. The river was here, in some places, fully half a mile broad,
and formed channels covered with low shrubs, among which a myrtle was
frequent. Between the ranges, the river became narrower: and, before it
reached Kirchner's Range, a large creek joined it from the eastward; and
another from the southward, after it had passed the range. The flats
increased on both side of the river, and were openly timbered with box
and narrow-leaved Ironbark. The rock near our yesterday's camp was
talc-schist. Farther down sienite was observed, which contained so much
hornblende as to change occasionally into hornblende rock, with scattered
crystals of quartz. Granite and pegmatite were round some lagoons near
the creek from the southward. The clustered fig tree of the Burdekin,
became again more frequent; but Sarcocephalus was the characteristic tree
of the river. The Acacia of Expedition Range and of the upper Lynd, grew
to a comparatively large size in the open forest. We observed a cotton
tree (Cochlospermum), covered with large yellow blossoms, though entirely
leafless; and we could not help thinking how great an ornament this plant
would be to the gardens of the colony.
As the water-holes became larger, water-fowl became more plentiful; and
Brown succeeded in shooting several wood-ducks and a Malacorhyncus
membranaceus. The bean of the Mackenzie was very abundant in the sandy
bed of the river; we roasted and ate some of its fruit; it was, however,
too heavy, and produced indigestion: Mr. Phillips pounded them, and they
made an excellent substitute for coffee, which I preferred to our tea,
which, at that time, was not very remarkable for its strength.
June 6.--We travelled about nine miles west by north to latitude 17
degrees 30 minutes 47 seconds. The first part of the stage was over an
undulating country timbered with box and Ironbark; but the latter part
was hilly and mountainous: the mountains were so rocky, where they
entered the bed of the river, that we were obliged to leave its banks,
and travel over a very difficult country.
On the small flats, the apple-gum grew with a few scattered Moreton Bay
ash trees; on the bergues of the river we found the white cedar (Melia
azedarach), Clerodendron; an asclepiadaceous shrub with large triangular
seed-vessels; and, on the hills, the blood-wood and stringy-bark. The
rock, as far as I examined it, was of porphyry of great hardness, and
composing hills of an almost conical form.
June 7.--The same difficult country not only continued, but rather
increased. Charley told me last night, on his return from a walk, that he
had found sandstone. To-day we travelled over porphyries like those of
the last stage: but, about four miles from the last camp, steep sandstone
rocks with excavations appeared on our left, at some distance from the
river, from which they were separated by porphyry; but, farther on, they
approached the river on both sides, and formed steep slopes, which
compelled us to travel along the bed of the river itself. Two large
creeks joined the river from the southward, one of which was running, and
also made the river run until the stream lost itself in the sandy bed. At
the end of the stage, however, the stream re-appeared, and we were fairly
on the fourth flowing river of the expedition: for the Condamine,
although not constantly, was raised by rains, and showed the origin of
its supply, by the muddy nature of its waters; the Dawson commenced
running where we left it; and the Burdekin, with several of its
tributaries, was running as far as we followed it. The waters of the
Dawson, the Burdekin, and the Lynd, were very clear, and received their
constant supply from springs.
We passed a camp of natives, who vere very much alarmed at the report of
a gun, which Mr. Gilbert happened to fire when very near them; this he
did in his anxiety to procure a pair of Geophaps plumifera, for his
collection. These pretty little pigeons had been first observed by Brown
in the course of our yesterday's stage, who shot two of them, but they
were too much mutilated to make good specimens. We frequently saw them
afterwards, but never more than two, four, or six together, running with
great rapidity and with elevated crest over the ground, and preferring
the shady rocks along the sandy bed of the river. I tried several methods
to render the potatoes, which we had found in the camps of the natives,
eatable; but neither roasting nor boiling destroyed their sickening
bitterness. At last, I pounded and washed them, and procured their
starch, which was entirely tasteless, but thickened rapidly in hot water,
like arrow-root; and was very agreeable to eat, wanting only the addition
of sugar to make it delicious; at least so we fancied.
June 8.--We travelled about nine miles west-north-west. The country was
in general open, with soft ground on the more extensive flats; although
sandstone ranges approached the river in many places. Four good-sized
creeks entered the river from the southward. The sandstone, or psammite,
was composed of large grains of quartz mixed with clay of a whitish red
or yellow colour; it frequently formed steep cliffs and craggy rugged
little peaks.
The stringy-bark grew to a fine size on the hills, and would yield,
together with Ironbark and the drooping tea-tree, the necessary timber
for building. A new species of Melaleuca and also of Boronia were found,
when entering upon the sandstone formation.
The wind for the last few days has been westerly; cumuli forming during
the day, dissolved towards sunset; the days were very hot, the nights
mild and dry. It was evident that we had descended considerably into the
basin of the gulf.
June 9.--We travelled about ten miles north-west. Box-tree flats, of more
or less extent, were intercepted by abrupt barren craggy hills composed
of sandstone, which seemed to rest on layers of argillaceous rock. The
latter was generally observed at the foot of the hills and in the bed of
the river; it had in most places been worn by the action of water. The
stringy-bark became even numerous on the flats, in consequence of the
more sandy nature of the soil: but the hills were scrubby, and Mr.
Gilbert reported that he had even seen the Bricklow. The grass of the
Isaacs grew from twelve to fifteen feet high, in the hollows near the
river, which was, as usual, fringed with Sarcocephalus; a species of
Terminalia; the drooping tea-tree; and with an Acacia which perfumed the
air with the fragrant odours of its flowers. We gathered some blossoms of
the drooping tea-tree, which were full of honey, and, when soaked,
imparted a very agreeable sweetness to the water. We frequently observed
great quantities of washed blossoms of this tree in the deserted camps of
the natives; showing that they were as fond of the honey in the blossoms
of the tea-tree, as the natives of the east coast are of that of the
several species of Banksia.
June 10.--We travelled about five miles north-north-west to latitude 17
degrees 9 minutes 17 seconds. The flats, the rugged hills, and the river,
maintained the same character. Creeks, probably of no great extent,
joined the Lynd from the south side of all the hills we passed both
yesterday and to-day.
The weather was very fine, although exceedingly hot during the day; but
the nights were mild, and without dew. An easterly and south-easterly
wind blew during the whole day, moderated a little at sunset, and again
freshened up after it; but the latter part of the night, and for an hour
and a half after sunrise, was calm. I was induced to think that this wind
originated from the current of cold air flowing from the table-land of
the Burdekin down to the gulf, as the easterly winds west of New England
do, and as the westerly winds of Sydney during July and August, which are
supposed to be equally connected with the table-land of New England and
of Bathurst. The westerly winds occurring at the upper Lynd, do not
militate against such a supposition, as they might well belong to an
upper current coming from the sea.
Two new fishes were caught; both were very small; the one
malacopterygious, and resembling the pike, would remain at times
motionless at the bottom, or dart at its prey; the other belonged to the
perches, and had an oblong compressed body, and three dark stripes
perpendicular to its length; this would hover through the water, and
nibble at the bait. Silurus and Gristes were also caught.
Brown rendered himself very useful to us in shooting ducks, which were
very numerous on the water-holes; and he succeeded several times in
killing six, eight, or ten, at oneshot; particularly the Leptotarsis,
GOULD, (whistling duck) which habitually crowd close together on the
water. Native companions were also numerous, but these birds and the
black cockatoos were the most wary of any that we met. Whilst travelling
with our bullocks through the high grass, we started daily a great number
of wallabies; two of which were taken by Charley and John Murphy,
assisted by our kangaroo dog. Brown, who had gone to the lower part of
the long pool of water near our encampment, to get a shot at some
sheldrakes (Tadorna Raja), returned in a great hurry, and told me that he
had seen a very large and most curious fish dead, and at the water's
edge. Messrs. Gilbert and Calvert went to fetch it, and I was greatly
surprised to find it a sawfish (Pristis), which I thought lived
exclusively in salt water. It was between three and four feet in length,
and only recently, perhaps a few days, dead. It had very probably come up
the river during a flood, for the water-hole in which the creature had
been detained, had no connection with the tiny stream, which hardly
resisted the absorbing power of the sands. Another question was, what
could have been the cause of its death? as the water seemed well tenanted
with small fish. We supposed that it had pursued its prey into shallow
water, and had leaped on the dry land, in its efforts to regain the deep
water. Charley also found and brought me the large scales of the fish of
the Mackenzie, and the head-bones of a large guard-fish.
June 11.--We travelled about eight miles due north. The bed of the river
was very broad; and an almost uninterrupted flat, timbered with box and
apple-gum, extended along its banks. We were delighted with the most
exquisite fragrance of several species of Acacia in blossom.
June 12.--We travelled about nine miles N.N.W. to lat. 16 degrees 55
minutes. The flats were again interrupted by sandstone ranges. One large
creek, and several smaller ones joined the river.
June 13.--We accomplished nine miles to-day in a N.N.W. direction. The
country was partly rocky; the rock was a coarse conglomerate of broken
pieces of quartz, either white or coloured with oxide of iron; it greatly
resembled the rock of the Wybong hills on the upper Hunter, and was
equally worn and excavated. The flats were limited, and timbered with
apple-gum, box, and blood-wood, where the sand was mixed with a greater
share of clay; and with stringy-bark on the sandy rocky soil; also with
flooded-gum, in the densely grassed hollows along the river. The Severn
tree, the Acacia of Expedition Range, and the little bread tree, were
frequent along the banks of the river. A species of Stravadium attracted
our attention by its loose racemes of crimson coloured flowers, and of
large three or four ribbed monospermous fruit; it was a small tree, with
bright green foliage, and was the almost constant companion of the
permanent water-holes. As its foliage and the manner of its growth
resemble the mangrove, we called it the Mangrove Myrtle.
Brown shot fifteen ducks, mostly Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD.; and Charley
a bustard (Otis Australasianus), which saved two messes of our meat.
The river was joined by a large creek from the south-west, and by several
small ones; we passed a very fine lagoon, at scarcely three miles from
our last camp.
June 14.--We travelled nine miles north by west, to lat. 16 degrees 38
minutes. The box-tree flats were very extensive, and scattered over with
small groves of the Acacia of Expedition Range. The narrow-leaved
Ironbark had disappeared with the primitive rocks; the moment sandstone
commenced, stringy-bark took its place. We passed some lagoons, crossed a
good sized creek from the south-west, and saw a small lake in the
distance. At the latter part of the stage the country became more
undulating. The edges of the stiff shallows were densely covered with the
sharp pointed structures of the white ants, about two or three feet high.
They were quite as frequent at the upper part of the river, where I
omitted to mention them. We saw a very interesting camping place of the
natives, containing several two-storied gunyas, which were constructed in
the following manner: four large forked sticks were rammed into the
ground, supporting cross poles placed in their forks, over which bark was
spread sufficiently strong and spacious for a man to lie upon; other
sheets of stringy-bark were bent over the platform, and formed an arched
roof, which would keep out any wet. At one side of these constructions,
the remains of a large fire were observed, with many mussel-shells
scattered about. All along the Lynd we had found the gunyas of the
natives made of large sheets of stringy-bark, not however supported by
forked poles, but bent, and both ends of the sheet stuck into the ground;
Mr. Gilbert thought the two-storied gunyas were burial places; but we met
with them so frequently afterwards, during our journey round the gulf,
and it was frequently so evident that they had been recently inhabited,
that no doubt remained of their being habitations of the living, and
constructed to avoid sleeping on the ground during the wet season.
June 15.--We travelled about nine miles and a half down the river, over a
country like that of yesterday, the tree vegetation was, however, more
scanty, the forest still more open, the groves of Acacia larger. Brown
returned with two sheldrakes (Tadorna Raja), four black ducks (Anas Novae
Hollandiae), four teals (Querquedula castanea); and brought the good news
that the Lynd joined a river coming from the south-east, with a rapid
stream to the westward.
June 16.--We left the Lynd, along which we had journeyed from lat. 17
degrees 58 minutes to lat. 16 degrees 30 minutes, and travelled about
twelve miles W.N.W., when we encamped at the west side of a very long
lagoon Though I did not see the junction of the two rivers myself, Mr.
Roper, Brown, and Charley, informed me, that the Lynd became very narrow,
and its banks well confined, before joining the new river; which I took
the liberty of naming after Sir Thomas Mitchell, the talented
Surveyor-General of New South Wales; they also stated that the Lynd was
well filled by a fine sheet of water. The bed of the Mitchell was very
broad, sandy, and quite bare of vegetation; showing the more frequent
recurrence of floods. A small stream meandered through the sheet of sand,
and from time to time expanded into large water-holes: the river was also
much more tortuous in its course than the Lynd, which for long distances
generally kept the same course. The Mitchell came from the eastward, and
took its course to the west-north-west. At the sudden bends of the river,
the bergue was interrupted by gullies, and occasionally by deep creeks,
which seemed, however, only to have a short course, and to be the outlets
of the waters collecting on the flats and stiff plains at some distance
from the river. The bergue was covered with fine bloodwood trees,
stringy-bark and box. At a greater distance from the river, the trees
became scanty and scattered, and, still farther, small plains extended,
clothed but sparingly with a wiry grass. These plains were bounded by an
open forest of the Acacia of Expedition Range. This little tree gave us a
good supply of a light amber-coloured wholesome gum, which we sometimes
ate in its natural state, or after it had been dissolved by boiling.
Towards the end of the day's stage, we came to several very fine lagoons;
one of which was several miles long, and apparently parallel to the
river: it was exceedingly deep, and covered with the broad leaves of
Villarsia and Nymphaea, and well stocked with numerous large fish, which
betrayed their presence by an incessant splashing during the early part
of the night. John Murphy caught the small striped perch of the Lynd; and
another small perch-like fish, with a broad anal fin, which had already
excited our admiration at the Lynd, by the beauty of its colours, and by
the singularity of its movements. Charley saw the Silurus and the
guardfish, and caught several of the broad-scaled fish of the Mackenzie;
one of which, a most beautiful specimen, has been preserved and sent to
Mr. Gould.
When we left our last camp at the Lynd, John Murphy's pony was missing.
Charley went to look for it, and did not join us before we had arrived at
our camp, after an unusually long and fatiguing stage. He brought us the
melancholy news that he had found the poor beast on the sands of the
Lynd, with its body blown up, and bleeding from the nostrils. It had
either been bitten by a snake; or had eaten some noxious herb, which had
fortunately been avoided by the other horses. Accidents of this kind were
well calculated to impress us with the conviction of our dependence on
Providence, which had hitherto been so kind and merciful.
As all our meat was consumed, I was compelled to stop, in order to kill
one of our little steers. It proved to be very fat, and allowed us once
more to indulge in our favourite dish of fried liver. Although we were
most willing to celebrate the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo, and
to revive our own ambitious feelings at the memory of the deeds of our
illustrious heroes, we had nothing left but the saturated rags of our
sugar bags; which, however, we had kept for the purpose, and which we now
boiled up with our tea: our last flour was consumed three weeks ago; and
the enjoyment of fat cake, therefore, was not to be thought of. Should
any of my readers think these ideas and likings ridiculous and foolish,
they may find plenty of analogous facts by entering the habitations of
the poor, where I have not only witnessed, but enjoyed, similar treats of
sugared tea and buttered bread.
In crossing one of the creeks we found a species of Acacia [Inga
moniliformis, D. C. Prod. Vol. II. p. 440, where it is described
as having been found at Timor.], with articulate pods and large brown
seeds; it was a small tree with spreading branches, and a dark green shady
foliage: it occurred afterwards on all the creeks and water-holes until we
reached our destination.
It was at the lower part of the Lynd that we first saw the green-tree
ant; which seemed to live in small societies in rude nests between the
green leaves of shady trees. The passer by, when touching one of these
nests, would be instantaneously covered with them, and would soon be
aware of their presence by the painful bites they are able, and
apparently most ready, to inflict.
June 19.--We travelled about eight miles N. 50 degrees W. lat. 16 degrees
22 minutes 16 seconds and again encamped at a very deep lagoon, covered
near its edges with Villarsias, but without Nymphaeas. The soil of the
flat round the lagoon, was very stiff and suitable for making bricks. The
country along the Mitchell was an immense uninterrupted flat with a very
clayey soil, on which the following plants were frequent: viz. Grevillea,
Cerotaphylla, and Mimosoides, a Melaleuca with broad lanceolate leaves,
Spathodea and a Balfouria, R. Br.
Whilst walking down by the lagoon, I found a great quantity of ripe
Grewia seeds, and, on eating many of them, it struck me, that their
slightly acidulous taste, if imparted to water, would make a very good
drink; I therefore gathered as many as I could, and boiled them for about
an hour; the beverage which they produced was at all events the best we
had tasted on our expedition: and my companions were busy the whole
afternoon in gathering and boiling the seeds.
Charley and Brown, who had gone to the river, returned at a late hour,
when they told us that they had seen the tracks of a large animal on the
sands of the river, which they judged to be about the size of a big dog,
trailing a long tail like a snake. Charley said, that when Brown fired
his gun, a deep noise like the bellowing of a bull was heard; which
frightened both so much that they immediately decamped. This was the
first time that we became aware of the existence of the crocodile in the
waters of the gulf.
June 20.--We travelled about ten miles north-west, and avoided the
gullies by keeping at a distance from the river. Plains covered with high
dry grass alternated with an open forest; in which we observed Spathodea,
Bauhinia, a Balfouria, groves of Cochlospermum gossypium, and several
other trees, which I had seen in the scrubs of Comet River; among which
was the arborescent Cassia with long pods. A Bauhinia, different from the
two species I had previously seen, was covered with red blossoms, which,
where the tree abounded, gave quite a purple hue to the country. The
stringy-bark, the bloodwood, the apple-gum, the box, and the flooded-gum,
grew along the bergue of the river.
We passed some fine lagoons at the latter end of the stage. The banks of
the river were so steep, that the access to its water was difficult; its
stream, deep and apparently slow, occupied about half the bed, which was
perhaps one hundred and eighty, or two hundred yards broad. The soil was
very sandy, and three deep channels parallel to the river were overgrown
with high stiff grass. A pretty yellow Ipomoea formed dense festoons
between the trees that fringed the waters. The unripe seeds of
Cochlospermum, when crushed, gave a fine yellow colour, shaded into an
orange hue.
Large flocks of Peristera histrionica (the Harlequin pigeon) were lying
on the patches of burnt grass on the plains, they feed on the brown seeds
of a grass, which annoyed us very much by getting into our stockings,
trowsers, and blankets. The rose-breasted cockatoo, Mr. Gilbert's
Platycercus of Darling Downs, and the Betshiregah (Melopsittacus
undulatus, GOULD.) were very numerous, and it is probable that the plains
round the gulf are their principal home, whence they migrate to the
southward. The white and black cockatoos were also very numerous.
John Murphy caught four perches, one of which weighed two pounds. The
purple ant of the east coast has disappeared, and a similar one with
brick-coloured head and thorax, but by no means so voracious, has taken
its place.
The flooded-gum and the bloodwood were in blossom: this usually takes
place, at Moreton Bay, in November and December. This different state of
vegetation to the northward and southward, may perhaps account for the
periodical migration of several kinds of birds.
June 21.--A shower of rain fell, but cleared up at midnight. We travelled
nine miles north-west to lat. 16 degrees 9 minutes 41 seconds, over a
country very much like that of the two preceding stages, and past several
fine lagoons, richly adorned by the large showy flowers of a white
Nymphaea, the seed-vessels of which some families of natives were busily
gathering: after having blossomed on the surface of the water, the
seed-vessel grows larger and heavier, and sinks slowly to the bottom,
where it rots until its seeds become free, and are either eaten by fishes
and waterfowl, or form new plants. The natives had consequently to dive
for the ripe seed-vessels; and we observed them constantly disappearing
and reappearing on the surface of the water. They did not see us until we
were close to them, when they hurried out of the water, snatched up some
weapons and ran off, leaving their harvest of Nymphaea seeds behind.
Brown had visited another lagoon, where he had seen an old man and two
gins; the former endeavoured to frighten him by setting the grass on
fire, but, when he saw that Brown still approached, he retired into the
forest. We took a net full of seeds, and I left them a large piece of
iron as payment. On returning to the camp, we boiled the seeds, after
removing the capsule; but as some of the numerous partitions had
remained, the water was rendered slightly bitter. This experiment having
failed, the boiled seeds were then (Unclear:)tied with a little fat,
which rendered them very palatable and remarkably satisfying. The best
way of cooking them was that adopted by the natives, who roast the whole
seed-vessel. I then made another trial to obtain the starch from the
bitter potatoes, in which I succeeded; but the soup for eight people,
made with the starch of sixteen potatoes, was rather thin.
We were encamped at a small creek, scarcely a mile from the river, from
which John Murphy and Brown brought the leaves of the first palm trees we
had seen on the waters of the gulf. They belonged to the genus Corypha;
some of them were very thick and high.
The mornings and evenings were very beautiful, and are surpassed by no
climate that I have ever lived in. It was delightful to watch the fading
and changing tints of the western sky after sunset, and to contemplate,
in the refreshing coolness of advancing night, the stars as they
successively appeared, and entered on their nightly course. The state of
our health showed how congenial the climate was to the human
constitution; for, without the comforts which the civilized man thinks
essentially necessary to life; without flour, without salt and miserably
clothed, we were yet all in health; although at times suffering much from
weakness and fatigue. At night we stretched ourselves on the ground,
almost as naked as the natives, and though most of my companions still
used their tents, it was amply proved afterwards that the want of this
luxury was attended with no ill consequences.
We heard some subdued cooees, not very far from our camp, which I thought
might originate from natives returning late from their excursions, and
whose attention had been attracted by our fires. I discharged a gun to
make them aware of our presence; after which we heard no more of them.
June 22.--We travelled about twelve miles N. W. 6 degrees W. to lat. 16
degrees 3 minutes 11 seconds, and encamped at a swamp or sedgy lagoon,
without any apparent outlet; near which a great number of eagles, kites,
and crows were feasting on the remains of a black Ibis. We passed a very
long lagoon, and, in the latter part of our stage, the country had much
improved, both in the increased extent of its forest land, and in the
density and richness of its grass.
June. 23.--We travelled eight or nine miles in a W. N. W. direction to
latitude 16 degrees 0 minutes 26 seconds, over many Bauhinia plains with
the Bauhinias in full blossom. The stiff soil of these plains was here
and there marked by very regular pentagonal, hexagonal, and heptagonal
cracks, and, as these cracks retain the moisture of occasional rains
better than the intervening space, they were fringed with young grass,
which showed these mathematical figures very distinctly. We passed a
great number of dry swamps or swampy water-holes; sometimes however
containing a little water. They were surrounded by the Mangrove myrtle
(Stravadium), which was mentioned as growing at the lower Lynd. The
bottom of the dry swamps was covered with a couch grass, which, like all
the other grasses, was partly withered.
Bustards were numerous, and the Harlequin pigeon was seen in large
flocks. Wallabies abounded both in the high grass of the broken country
near the river, and in the brush. Mr. Roper shot one, the hind quarters
of which weighed 15 1/2 lbs.: it was of a light grey colour, and was like
those we had seen at Separation Creek. Charley and Brown got seventeen
ducks, on one of the sedgy lagoons.
I visited the bed of the river: its banks were covered with a rather open
vine brush. Palm trees became numerous, and grew forty or fifty feet
high, with a thick trunk swelling in the middle, and tapering upwards and
downwards. Sarcocephalus, the clustered fig-tree, and the drooping
tea-tree, were also present as usual. The bed of the river, an immense
sheet of sand, was full a mile and a half broad, but the stream itself
did not exceed thirty yards in width.
During the night we had again a few drops of rain.
June 24.--We continued our journey about nine miles west by north to
latitude 15 degrees 59 minutes 30 seconds, over a rather broken country
alternating with Bauhinia plains and a well-grassed forest. The banks of
a large lagoon, on which several palm trees grew, were covered with heaps
of mussel-shells. Swarms of sheldrakes were perching in the trees, and,
as we approached, they rose with a loud noise, flying up and down the
lagoon, and circling in the air around us. A chain of water-holes,
fringed with Mangrove myrtle, changed, farther to the westward, into a
creek, which had no connection with the river, but was probably one of
the heads of the Nassau. We crossed it, and encamped on a water-hole
covered with Nymphaeas, about a mile from the river, whose brushy banks
would have prevented us from approaching it, had we wished to do so.
Though the easterly winds still prevailed, a slight north-west breeze was
very distinctly felt, from about 11 o'clock a.m.
June 25.--We travelled about ten miles N.N.W. to latitude 15 degrees 51
minutes 26 seconds, but did not follow the river, which made large
windings to the northward. It was very broad where Brown saw it last,
and, by his account, the brush was almost entirely composed of palm
trees. He saw a little boat with a fine Cymbium shell floating on the
water. Our road led us over a well grassed forest land, and several
creeks, which, although rising near the river, appeared to have no
communication with it. Some plains of considerable size were between the
river and our line of march; they were well grassed, but full of
melon-holes, and rose slightly towards the river, forming a remarkable
water-shed, perhaps, between the Nassau and the Mitchell. As we
approached the river, we entered into a flat covered with stunted box,
and intersected by numerous irregular water-courses. The box was
succeeded by a Phyllanthus scrub, through which we pushed, and then came
to a broad creek, filled with fine water, but not running, although high
water-marks on the drooping tea-trees proved that it was occasionally
flooded. We did not understand, nor could we ascertain, in what relation
this singular country and the creek stood to the river, of which nothing
was to be seen from the right bank of the creek.
The scrub, and the high grass along the creek, were swarming with white
flanked wallabies, three of which Brown and Charley succeeded in
shooting; and these, with a common grey kangaroo caught by Spring, and
five ducks shot by Brown, provided our larder with a fine supply of game.
When I first came on the Lynd, I supposed that it flowed either
independently to the head of the gulf, or that it was the tributary of a
river which collected the waters of the York Peninsula, and carried them
in a south-west or south-south-west course to the head of the gulf of
Carpentaria. Such a course would have corresponded to that of the
Burdekin at the eastern side, and the supposition was tolerably warranted
by the peculiar conformation of the gulf. I expected, therefore, at every
stage down the Lynd, at every bend to the westward, that it would keep
that course. But, having passed the latitude of the head of the gulf, as
well as those of the Van Diemen and the Staaten rivers, the Lynd still
flowed to the north-west; and then, when it joined the Mitchell, I
imagined that the new river would prove to be the Nassau; but, when it
passed the latitude of that river, I conjectured that it would join the
sea at the large embouchure in the old charts, in latitude 15 degrees 5
minutes--the "Water Plaets" of the Dutch navigators. To follow it
farther, therefore, would have been merely to satisfy my curiosity, and
an unpardonable waste of time. Besides, the number of my bullocks was
decreasing, and prudence urged the necessity of proceeding, without any
farther delay, towards the goal of my journey. I determined therefore to
leave the Mitchell at this place, and to approach the sea-coast--so near
at least, as not to risk an easy progress--and to pass round the bottom
of the gulf.
June 26.--We travelled, accordingly, about seven miles almost due west,
the latitude of our new camp being 15 degrees 52 minutes 38 seconds. On
our way we passed some very fine long water-holes; some of which were
surrounded with reeds, and others covered with the white species of
Nymphaea; groves of Pandanus spiralis occupied their banks. Some fine
plains, full of melon-holes, but well grassed, separated from each other
by belts of forest-land, in which the Pandanus was also very frequent,
were crossed during the day.
June 27.--We travelled eight miles W.S.W. over a succession of plains
separated by belts of forest, consisting of bloodwood, box, apple-gum,
and rusty-gum. Some plains were scattered over with Bauhinias. The holes
along the plains are probably filled with water during the rainy season;
dead shells of Paludina were extremely numerous, and we found even the
shield of a turtle in one of them. At the end of the stage, we skirted
some dense scrub, and encamped at one of the lagoons parallel to a dry
creek, which must belong to the Nassau, as its latitude was 15 degrees 55
minutes 8 seconds. The lagoon was covered with small white Nymphaeas,
Damasoniums, and yellow Utricularias; and on its banks were heaps of
mussel-shells. The smoke of natives' fires were seen on the plains, in
every direction; but we saw no natives. Brown approached very near to a
flock of Harlequin pigeons, and shot twenty-two of them. A young grey
kangaroo was also taken.
The kites were so bold that one of them snatched the skinned specimen of
a new species of honey-sucker out of Mr. Gilbert's tin case; and, when we
were eating our meals, they perched around us on the branches of
overhanging trees, and pounced down even upon our plates, although held
in our hands, to rob us of our dinners;--not quite so bad, perhaps, as
the Harpies in the Aeneid, but sufficiently so to be a very great nuisance
to us.
Yesterday and to-day we experienced a cold dry southerly wind, which
lasted till about 11 o'clock A. M., when it veered to the south-west, but
at night returned again, and rendered the air very cold, and dry, which
was very evident from the total absence of dew. The forenoon was very
clear; cumuli and cirrho-cumuli gathered during the afternoon. The sky of
the sunset was beautifully coloured. After sunset, the clouds cleared
off, but, as the night advanced, gradually collected again.
A circumstance occurred to-day which gave me much concern, as it showed
that the natives of this part were not so amicably disposed towards us as
those we had hitherto met:--whilst Charley and Brown were in search of
game in the vicinity of our camp, they observed a native sneaking up to
our bullocks, evidently with the intention of driving them towards a
party of his black companions, who with poised spears were waiting to
receive them. Upon detecting this manoeuvre, Charley and his companion
hurried forward to prevent their being driven away, when the native gave
the alarm, and all took to their heels, with the exception of a lame
fellow, who endeavoured to persuade his friends to stand fight. Charley,
however, fired his gun, which had the intended effect of frightening
them; for they deserted their camp, which was three hundred yards from
ours, in a great hurry, leaving, among other articles, a small net full
of potatoes, which Charley afterwards picked up. The gins had previously
retired; a proof that mischief was intended.
June 28.--We crossed the creek, near which we had encamped, and travelled
about nine miles wost, over most beautifully varied country of plains, of
forest land, and chains of lagoons. We crossed a large creek or river,
which I believed to be the main branch of the Nassau. It was well
supplied with water-holes, but there was no stream. Loose clayey
sandstone cropped out in its bed, and also in the gullies which joined
it. A small myrtle tree with smooth bark, and a leafless tree resembling
the Casuarina, grew plentifully on its banks. We saw smoke rising-in
every direction, which showed how thickly the country was inhabited. Near
the lagoons we frequently noticed bare spots of a circular form, about
twelve or fifteen feet in diameter, round each of which was a belt of
ten, twelve, or more fire places, separated from each other by only a few
feet. It seems that the natives usually sit within the circle of fires;
but it is difficult to know whether it belonged to a family, or whether
each fire had an independent proprietor. Along the Lynd and Mitchell, the
natives made their fires generally in heaps of stones, which served as
ovens for cooking their victuals. Bones of kangaroos and wallabies, and
heaps of mussel-shells, were commonly seen in their camps; but fish bones
were very rarely observed. It was very different, however, when we
travelled round the head, and along the western side, of the gulf; for
fish seemed there to form the principal food of the natives.
At the end of our stage, we came to a chain of shallow lagoons, which
were slightly connected by a hollow. Many of them were dry; and fearing
that, if we proceeded much farther, we should not find water, I encamped
on one of them, containing a shallow pool; it was surrounded by a narrow
belt of small tea trees, with stiff broad lanceolate leaves. As the water
occupied only the lower part of this basin, I deposited our luggage in
the upper part. Mr. Roper and Mr. Calvert made their tent within the belt
of trees, with its opening towards the packs; whilst Mr. Gilbert and
Murphy constructed theirs amongst the little trees, with its entrance
from the camp. Mr. Phillips's was, as usual, far from the others, and at
the opposite side of the water. Our fire place was made outside of the
trees, on the banks. Brown had shot six Leptotarsis Eytoni, (whistling
ducks) and four teals, which gave us a good dinner; during which, the
principal topic of conversation was our probable distance from the sea
coast, as it was here that we first found broken sea shells, of the genus
Cytherea. After dinner, Messrs. Roper and Calvert retired to their tent,
and Mr. Gilbert, John, and Brown, were platting palm leaves to make a
hat, and I stood musing near their fire place, looking at their work, and
occasionally joining in their conversation. Mr. Gilbert was
congratulating himself upon having succeeded in learning to plat; and,
when he had nearly completed a yard, he retired with John to their tent.
This was about 7 o'clock; and I stretched myself upon the ground as
usual, at a little distance from the fire, and fell into a dose, from
which I was suddenly roused by a loud noise, and a call for help from
Calvert and Roper. Natives had suddenly attacked us. They had doubtless
watched our movements during the afternoon, and marked the position of
the different tents; and, as soon as it was dark, sneaked upon us, and
threw a shower of spears at the tents of Calvert, Roper, and Gilbert, and
a few at that of Phillips, and also one or two towards the fire. Charley
and Brown called for caps, which I hastened to find, and, as soon as they
were provided, they discharged their guns into the crowd of the natives,
who instantly fled, leaving Roper and Calvert pierced with several
spears, and severely beaten by their waddies. Several of these spears
were barbed, and could not be extracted without difficulty. I had to
force one through the arm of Roper, to break off the barb; and to cut
another out of the groin of Mr. Calvert. John Murphy had succeeded in
getting out of the tent, and concealing himself behind a tree, whence he
fired at the natives, and severely wounded one of them, before Brown had
discharged his gun. Not seeing Mr. Gilbert, I asked for him, when Charley
told me that our unfortunate companion was no more! He had come out of
his tent with his gun, shot, and powder, and handed them to him, when he
instantly dropped down dead. Upon receiving this afflicting intelligence,
I hastened to the spot, and found Charley's account too true. He was
lying on the ground at a little distance from our fire, and, upon
examining him, I soon found, to my sorrow, that every sign of life had
disappeared. The body was, however, still warm, and I opened the veins of
both arms, as well as the temporal artery, but in vain; the stream of
life had stopped, and he was numbered with the dead.
As soon as we recovered from the panic into which we were thrown by this
fatal event, every precaution was taken to prevent another surprise; we
watched through the night, and extinguished our fires to conceal our
individual position from the natives.
A strong wind blew from the southward, which made the night air
distressingly cold; it seemed as if the wind blew through our bodies.
Under all the circumstances that had happened, we passed an anxious
night, in a state of most painful suspense as to the fate of our still
surviving companions. Mr. Roper had received two or three spear wounds in
the scalp of his head; one spear had passed through his left arm, another
into his cheek below the jugal bone, and penetrated the orbit, and
injured the optic nerve, and another in his loins, besides a heavy blow
on the shoulder. Mr. Calvert had received several severe blows from a
waddi; one on the nose which had crushed the nasal bones; one on the
elbow, and another on the back of his hand; besides which, a barbed spear
had entered his groin; and another into his knee. As may be readily
imagined, both suffered great pain, and were scarcely able to move. The
spear that terminated poor Gilbert's existence, had entered the chest,
between the clavicle and the neck; but made so small a wound, that, for
some time, I was unable to detect it. From the direction of the wound, he
had probably received the spear when stooping to leave his tent.
The dawning of the next morning, the 29th, was gladly welcomed, and I
proceeded to examine and dress the wounds of my companions, more
carefully than I had been able to do in the darkness of the night.
Very early in the morning we heard the cooees of the natiyes, who seemed
wailing, as if one of their number was either killed or severely wounded:
for we found stains of blood on their tracks. They disappeared, however,
very soon, for, on reconnoitring about the place, I saw nothing of them.
I interred the body of our ill-fated companion in the afternoon, and read
the funeral service of the English Church over him. A large fire was
afterwards made over the grave, to prevent the natives from detecting and
disinterring the body. Our cattle and horses fortunately had not been
molested.
The cold wind from the southward continued the whole day; at night it
fell calm, and continued so until the morning of the 30th June, when a
strong easterly wind set in, which afterwards veered round to the north
and north-west.
Calvert and Roper recovered wonderfully, considering the severe injuries
they had received; and the wounds, |
