Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia Volume I Part 11

MAN LOST.

To add to our distress The Doctor, as Souter was termed by his comrades, having, as soon as we halted, set out in search of water, with the tea-kettle in his hand, did not return.

When the sun had nearly set a black swan was observed high in the air, slowly winging its way towards the south-west, and many smaller birds appeared to fly in the same direction. Even the sight of an aquatic bird was refres.h.i.+ng to us, but this one did not promise much for the country to the northward for, at that time of the evening, we might safely conclude that the greater body of water lay to the south-west in the direction of the swan's flight. I found the lat.i.tude of this camp to be 29 degrees 23 minutes 54 seconds South, making our distance from the camp on the river about ten miles.

January 22.

The non-appearance of Souter occasioned me much uneasiness; fortunately the trees were marked along our line of route from the river, and it was probable that he would this morning find the line, and either follow us or retrace his steps towards the camp on the river. The men who know him best thought he would prefer the latter alternative, as he had been desirous of remaining at the depot.

CONTINUE NORTHWARD.

This was likely however to occasion some inconvenience to us, as he was a useful hand, and I did not despair, even then, of finding some use for the tea-kettle. Burnett had recovered; the morning was clear, with a pleasant breeze from the north-east, and the irresistible attraction of a perfectly unknown region still led us northward.

The undulations were scarcely perceptible, and the woods were disposed in narrow strips enclosing plains on which grew abundance of gra.s.s. They occupied the lowest parts, and umbrageous clumps of casuarinae in such situations often led me on unsuccessful searches for water, until I was almost convinced that these trees only grew where none could possibly ever be.

The prospect of finding any at length seemed almost hopeless, but I had determined to try the result of as long a journey as could be accomplished this day, with the intention of giving, in the event of failure, the little water remaining in our cask to the animals; and then to retrace our steps during the night and the cool part of the following day so as to regain, if possible, the depot camp next evening.

Meanwhile my party, faint with heat and thirst, toiled after me. In some parts of these parched plains numerous prints of human feet appeared, but the soil which had evidently been very soft when these impressions were made was now baked as hard as brick, and although we felt that:

On desert sands twere joy to scan The rudest steps of fellow man,

these made us only more sensible of the altered state of the surface at that time. Water had evidently once lodged in every hollow, and the prints of the kangaroo when pursued by the natives and impeded by the mud were visible in various places.

At five miles we entered a wood of pinetrees (callitris) the first we had seen since we left the Namoi; but on pa.s.sing through it we discovered no other change. A thick wood of Acacia pendula fell next in our way, and then several patches of casuarinae. On approaching one of these I observed a very slight hollow and, on following it to the right, or eastward, about a mile (the party having in the meantime halted) I perceived a few dry leaves in a heap, as if gathered by water falling in that direction.

WATER DISCOVERED BY MY HORSE.

Trifling as this circ.u.mstance was it was nevertheless unusual on that level surface, and I endeavoured to trace the slope downwards until my horse, who at other times would neigh after his companions, here pulled hard on the rein, as if to cross a slight rise before me. I laid the bridle on his neck while he proceeded eagerly forward over the rise, and through some wood, beyond which my eyes were once more blessed with the sight of several ponds of water, with banks of s.h.i.+ning verdure, the whole extended in a line which resembled the bed of a considerable stream. I galloped back with the good news to the party whose desperate thirst seemed to make them incredulous, especially as I continued our line of route northward until it intercepted, at about a mile on, as I foresaw it would, this chain of ponds. It was still early; but we had already accomplished a good day's journey, and we could thus encamp and turn our cattle to browse on the luxuriant verdure which surrounded these ponds.

They were wide, deep, full, and close to each other, being separated only by gra.s.sy intervals resembling d.y.k.es.

NATIVE WEIRS FOR CATCHING FISH.

Drift timber and other fluviatile relics lay high on the banks, and several weirs for catching fish, worked very neatly, stood on ground quite dry and hard. Lower down, as indicated by the flood-marks, the banks were much more broken, and the channel seemed deeper, while enormous bluegum-trees (eucalypti) grew on the banks, and I was therefore of opinion that some larger river was before us at no great distance. I did not explore this channel further, being desirous to refresh my horses and rest the party for continuing our journey next morning. In the soil here the only rock I found was a large, hard boulder, being a conglomerate of pebbles and grains of quartz, cemented by decomposed felspar or clay. Lat.i.tude 29 degrees 9 minutes 51 seconds South.

ARRIVE AT A LARGE AND RAPID RIVER.

January 23.

After crossing the line of ponds and a slight elevation beyond them we came upon a channel of considerable breadth, which contained several other very large ponds separated by quicksands, which afforded but a precarious pa.s.sage for the pack-animals. Both banks were steep, the average width exceeding fifty yards. Beyond this river channel the wood consisted chiefly of casuarinae. We next penetrated through two scrubs of dwarf eucalypti; and some trees of the callitris were also seen. At six miles the woods a.s.sumed a grander character; ma.s.ses of casuarinae enclosed open s.p.a.ces covered with rich gra.s.s; and, being in some directions extensive, afforded park-like vistas, which had a pleasing effect from the rich combination of verdure and shade in a season of excessive heat. In one of these gra.s.sy alleys a large kangaroo was seen, the first since we left the upper part of the Gwydir. The absence of this animal from the plains and low grounds was remarkable, and we had reason to conclude that he seldom frequents those parts. At eight miles our course was intercepted by a deep and rapid river, the largest that we had yet seen. I had approached within a few yards of the brink; and I was not aware of its being near until I saw the opposite water-worn sh.o.r.e, and the living waters hurrying along to the westward. They were white and turbid, and the banks, consisting of clay, were nearly perpendicular at this point, and about twenty feet higher than the surface of the stream.

On further examination I found that the course was very tortuous and the water deep. My horse was however got across by a man wading up to the neck. The softness of the clay near the stream at some parts, and the steep water-worn face of the banks at others, rendered the pa.s.sage difficult.

SEND BACK FOR THE PARTY ON THE GWYDIR.

We were all delighted however to meet such an obstruction, and I chose a favourable spot for our camp within a bend of the river; and I made arrangements for bringing forward the party left with Mr. White on the Gwydir, also for the construction of a boat by preparing a saw-pit and looking for wood favourable for that purpose. There was abundance of rich gra.s.s along the banks of this river; and here our horses at length enjoyed some days of rest.

January 24.

Early this morning I sent back a party of the men, with the freshest of the bullocks to Mr. White, to whom I also enclosed a letter for Mr. Finch which I requested might be concealed in a tree with certain marks. I hoped however that by that time Mr. Finch might have overtaken Mr.

White's party. Four men remained with me, namely two carpenters, a sawyer's man, and my own servant. The morning was cloudy, and a refres.h.i.+ng shower fell at nine A.M.

ABUNDANCE OF THREE KINDS OF FISH.

We soon found that this river contained fish in great abundance, and of three kinds at least: namely first, a firm but coa.r.s.e-tasted fish, having strong scales; this made a groaning noise when on the hook:* secondly, the fish we had found in the Peel, commonly called by the colonists the cod, although most erroneously, since it has nothing whatever to do with malacopterygious fishes:** and thirdly, the eel-fish, which we had caught at the lagoon near Tangulda.***

(*Footnote. Family, Percidae; Genus, Acerina; Subgenus, Cernua, Flem. or Ruffe; Species, Cernua bidyana mihi, or Bidyan ruffe. Colour, brownish yellow, with the belly silvery white. The three middle pectoral rays are branched. The dorsals confluent. The first dorsal fin has 11 spines, the ventrals having 1 + 6 rays, and the a.n.a.ls 3 + 6. See Plate 9.

Observation: Bidyan is the aboriginal name.)

(**Footnote. Family, Percidae; Genus, Acerina; Subgenus, Gristes, Cuv. or Growler; Species, Gristes peelii mihi, or Cod-perch. Colour, light yellow, covered with small irregular dusky spots, which get more confluent towards the back. Throat pinkish, and belly silvery white.

Scales small, and concealed in a thick epidermis. Fins obscure. The dorsals confluent. The first dorsal has 11 spines, and the caudal fin is convex. Plate 6 figure 1. Observation: This fish may be identical with the fish described by MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes Volume 3 page 45 under the name of Gristes macquariensis: but it differs from their description in not having the edge of the second dorsal and a.n.a.l white; and besides is in many respects very different from the figure given by M. Guerin of the Gristes macquariensis in the Iconographie du Regne Animal.)

(***Footnote. Family, Siluridae, Cuv.; Genus, Plotosus, Lacepede, or Eel-fish; Subgenus, Tanda.n.u.s mihi; Species, Plotosus tanda.n.u.s mihi; or Tandan Eel-fish. Colour, silvery. The dorsal fin placed halfway between the pectoral and ventral has six rays, of which the middle two are the longest. Plate 6 figure 2. Observation: This is an Asiatic form of fish; whereas the Gristes is an American form. Tandan is the aboriginal name.)

PREPARATIONS FOR CROSSING THE RIVER.

After maturely considering the prospects this river opened to us then, before exploring its course, it remained questionable whether it did or did not belong to the Darling. We were nearly in the prolongation of the supposed course of that river, and still nearer to its supposed outlet on the southern coast than we were to any part of the northern coast of Australia. No rising ground could be seen to the northward or westward, and whether we proceeded in a boat or along its bank it was desirable to explore the course of this river downwards. The horses required rest, and it was necessary to unite the party before this could be attempted. I expected Mr. Finch to arrive with the stores, and in the meantime the preparation of a strong boat was going forward, to be ready in case our further discoveries might lead to navigable waters. With this view it was made to take into three pieces. The bottom being nearly flat formed one portion, and the two sides the others. They were to be united by small screw-bolts, the carpenter having brought a number of these useful articles for such purposes; and when the sides and bottom were detached they could be carried on the carts. Thus we were to proceed with a portable punt, ready for the pa.s.sage of any river or water which might be in our way.

January 25.

This day we laid down the keel and princ.i.p.al timbers of a boat to be strongly planked, so as to be proof against the common drift-timber in the river. For this part of the work we used bluegum (eucalyptus) the only callitris we knew of being several miles back along the route.

At night some stars appeared, whereby I ascertained the lat.i.tude of this camp to be 29 degrees 2 minutes south. The thermometer at noon was 76 degrees; and at four P.M. 82 degrees.

January 26.

A clear morning with a fine breeze; the thermometer which had ranged from 90 to 108 degrees during the two last months stood now at 64 degrees. To breathe such refres.h.i.+ng air and not move forward was extremely irksome.

The river rose this day a quarter of an inch. Thermometer at six 64 degrees. Wind south. At noon 86 degrees.

NATIVES APPROACH IN THE NIGHT.

In the evening the sky became overcast with a cold and stormy wind. At ten P.M. I was called out of my tent to look at a firestick which appeared in motion amongst the trees north-eastward of our camp. We had seen no natives, but their habit of carrying a light whenever they stir at night (which they do but seldom) is well known; and the light we then saw moved in the direction of our horses and saw-pit. Our numbers did not admit of our keeping a watch, and although I had ordered the men to bring dogs on this ride they had brought none; we could only therefore lie down and trust to Providence.

VIEW FROM ONE TREE FASTENED TO ANOTHER.

January 27.

The clear cool weather continuing I endeavoured to obtain a view of the horizon from a tree raised by block and tackle to the top of another; but no point of high land appeared on any side to break a woody horizon as level as the sea. At six A.M. thermometer 70 degrees; wind south.

The natives to the number of ten or twelve appeared on the opposite bank.

Our attention was first drawn to them by the snorting and starting of the horses which happened to be grazing by the riverside. On seeing us approach they suddenly disappeared. About a dozen eggs, white, and the size of those of a blackbird, were found by one of the men in the sand near the riverbank. Each contained a perfectly formed lacertine reptile.

This morning my attention was drawn by a noise resembling the growl of a dog, when I perceived a black insect nearly as large as a bird carrying something like a gra.s.shopper, alight, and disappear in a hole. On digging, it suddenly arose from amidst the dust and escaped; but we found there several large larvae; this was the most bulky insect I ever saw. A beautiful species of stilb.u.m frequently visited my tent; its buzz, having two distinct notes, had a very pleasing sound. The sandy banks abounded with a species of monedula, and others of the Bembecidae tribe. In dead trees we found the Scutellera corallifera as described in the Appendix to Captain King's voyage.

This day the river fell nearly an inch.

MR. WHITE ARRIVES WITH THE PARTY AND LOST MAN.

January 28.

Mr. White arrived with the carts and the depot party, including Souter, The Doctor, who had wandered from our camp in search of water on the 21st instant.