diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5346.txt | 24644 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5346.zip | bin | 0 -> 538174 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/xpcsc10.txt | 24628 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/xpcsc10.zip | bin | 0 -> 537663 bytes |
7 files changed, 49288 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5346.txt b/5346.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f090c20 --- /dev/null +++ b/5346.txt @@ -0,0 +1,24644 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into +Central Australia And Overland From Adelaide To King George's Sound In The Years 1840-1: Sent By The Colonists Of South Australia, With The Sanction And Support Of The Government: Including An Account Of The Manners And Customs Of The Aborigines And The State Of Their Relations With Europeans., by Edward John Eyre + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central Australia And Overland From Adelaide To King George's Sound In The Years 1840-1: Sent By The Colonists Of South Australia, With The Sanction And Support Of The Government: Including An Account Of The Manners And Customs Of The Aborigines And The State Of Their Relations With Europeans. + +Author: Edward John Eyre + +Posting Date: June 4, 2012 [EBook #5346] +Release Date: March, 2004 +First Posted: July 2, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS *** + + + + +Produced by Col Choat + + + + + + + + + + +PRODUCTION NOTES: +--Italics in the book have been changed to to upper case in this eBook. +--Footnotes have been placed in brackets [] within the text. +--A number of tables have been omitted or rendered incomplete. These are + indicated in the eBook at the point at which they occurred in the book. +--Plates and maps in the book have not been reproduced. A list of plates + forms part of the Table of Contents. There were 2 maps included in the + book. These indicated the extent of Eyre's journeys. + + + + + + +JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY INTO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA AND OVERLAND +FROM ADELAIDE TO KING GEORGE'S SOUND IN THE YEARS 1840-1: SENT BY THE +COLONISTS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, WITH THE SANCTION AND SUPPORT OF THE +GOVERNMENT: INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE +ABORIGINES AND THE STATE OF THEIR RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS. + +by EYRE, EDWARD JOHN (1815-1901) + + + +TO LIEUT.-COLONEL GEORGE GAWLER, K.H. M.R.G.S. +UNDER WHOSE AUSPICES, AS GOVERNOR OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, +THE EXPEDITIONS, DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES, +WERE UNDERTAKEN, THESE VOLUMES ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, +AS A TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS KINDNESS AND RESPECT FOR HIS VIRTUES, +BY THE AUTHOR. + + + + + +PREFACE. + + + +In offering to the public an account of Expeditions of Discovery in +Australia, undertaken in the years 1840-1, and completed in July of the +latter year, some apology may be deemed necessary for this narrative not +having sooner appeared, or perhaps even for its being now published at +all. + +With respect to the first, the author would remark that soon after his +return to South Australia upon the close of the Expeditions, and when +contemplating an immediate return to England, he was invited by the +Governor of the Colony to remain, and undertake the task of +re-establishing peace and amicable relations with the numerous native +tribes of the Murray River, and its neighbourhood, whose daring and +successful outrages in 1841, had caused very great losses to, and created +serious apprehensions among the Colonists. + +Hoping that his personal knowledge of and extensive practical experience +among the Aborigines might prove serviceable in an employment of this +nature, the author consented to undertake it; and from the close of +September 1841, until December 1844, was unremittingly occupied with the +duties it entailed. It was consequently not in his power to attend to the +publication of his travels earlier, nor indeed can he regret a delay, +which by the facilities it afforded him of acquiring a more intimate +knowledge of the character and habits of the Aborigines, has enabled him +to render that portion of his work which relates to them more +comprehensive and satisfactory than it otherwise would have been. + +With respect to the second point, or the reasons which have led to this +work being published at all, the author would observe that he has been +led to engage in it rather from a sense of duty, and at the instance of +many of his friends, than from any wish of his own. The greater portion +of the country he explored was of so sterile and worthless a description, +and the circumstances which an attempt to cross such a desert region led +to, were of so distressing a character, that he would not willingly have +revived associations, so unsatisfactory and so painful. + +It has been his fate, however, to cross, during the course of his +explorations, a far greater extent of country than any Australian +traveller had ever done previously, and as a very large portion of this +had never before been trodden by the foot of civilized man, and from its +nature is never likely to be so invaded again, it became a duty to record +the knowledge which was thus obtained, for the information of future +travellers and as a guide to the scientific world in their inquiries into +the character and formation of so singular and interesting a country. + +To enable the reader to judge of the author's capabilities for the task +he undertook, and of the degree of confidence that may be due to his +impressions or opinions, it may not be out of place to state, that the +Expeditions of 1840--1 were not entered upon without a sufficient +previous and practical experience in exploring. + +For eight years the author had been resident in Australia, during which +he had visited many of the located parts of New South Wales, Port +Phillip, South Australia, Western Australia, and Van Diemen's Land. In +the years 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, and 1840 he had conducted expeditions +across from Liverpool Plains in New South Wales to the county of Murray, +from Sydney to Port Phillip, from Port Phillip to Adelaide, and from King +George's Sound to Swan River, besides undertaking several explorations +towards the interior, both from Port Lincoln and from Adelaide. + +To the knowledge and experience which were thus acquired, the author must +ascribe the confidence and good opinion of his fellow-colonists, which +led them in 1840 to place under his command an undertaking of such +importance, interest, and responsibility; and to these advantages he +feels that he is in a great measure indebted, under God's blessing, for +having been enabled successfully to struggle through the difficulties and +dangers which beset him, in crossing from Adelaide to King George's +Sound. + +With this explanation for obtruding upon the public, the author would +also solicit their indulgence, for the manner in which the task has been +performed. The only merit to which he can lay claim, is that of having +faithfully described what he saw, and the impressions which were produced +upon him at the time. In other respects it is feared that a work, which +was entirely (and consequently very hastily) prepared for the press from +the original notes, whilst voyaging from Australia to England, must +necessarily be crude and imperfect. Where the principal object, however, +was rather to record with accuracy than indulge in theory or conjecture, +and where a simple statement of occurrences has been more attended to +than the language in which they are narrated, plainness and fidelity +will, it is hoped, be considered as some compensation for the absence of +the embellishments of a more finished style, or a studied composition, +and especially as the uncertainty attending the duration of the author's +visit to England made it a matter of anxious consideration to hurry these +volumes through the press as rapidly as possible. There is one +circumstance to which he wishes particularly to allude, as accounting for +the very scanty notices he is now able to give of the geology or botany +of the country through which he travelled; it is the loss of all the +specimens that were collected during the earlier part of the Expedition, +which occurred after they had been sent to Adelaide; this loss has been +irreparable, and has not only prevented him from ascertaining points +about which he was dubious, but has entirely precluded him from having +the subjects considered, or the specimens classified and arranged by +gentlemen of scientific acquirements in those departments of knowledge, +in which the author is conscious he is himself defective. In the latter +part of the Expedition, or from Fowler's Bay to King George's Sound, the +dreadful nature of the country, and the difficulties and disasters to +which this led, made it quite impossible either to make collections of +any kind, or to examine the country beyond the immediate line of route; +still it is hoped that the passing notices which are made in the journal, +and the knowledge of the similarity of appearance and uniform character, +prevalent throughout the greater portion of the country passed through, +will be quite sufficient to give a general and correct impression of the +whole. + +To Mr. Gray of the British Museum, the author is particularly indebted +for his valuable contribution on the Natural History of the Southern +coast of Australia, and to Mr. Gould, the celebrated Ornithologist, his +thanks are equally due, for a classified and most interesting list of the +birds belonging to the same portion of the continent. + +To Mr. Adam White, of the British Museum, he is also indebted for an +account of some new insects, and to Dr. Richardson, for a scientific and +classified arrangement of fish caught on the Southern coast, near King +George's Sound. The plates to which the numbers refer in the +last-mentioned paper, are the admirable drawings made from life, by J. +Neill, Esq. of King George's Sound, and now lodged at the British Museum. +They are, however, both too numerous and too large to give in a work of +this description, and will probably be published at some future time by +their talented author. + +For the account given of the Aborigines the author deems it unnecessary +to offer any apology; a long experience among them, and an intimate +knowledge of their character, habits, and position with regard to +Europeans, have induced in him a deep interest on behalf of a people, who +are fast fading away before the progress of a civilization, which ought +only to have added to their improvement and prosperity. Gladly would the +author wish to see attention awakened on their behalf, and an effort at +least made to stay the torrent which is overwhelming them. + +It is most lamentable to think that the progress and prosperity of one +race should conduce to the downfal and decay of another; it is still more +so to observe the apathy and indifference with which this result is +contemplated by mankind in general, and which either leads to no +investigation being made as to the cause of this desolating influence, or +if it is, terminates, to use the language of the Count Strzelecki, "in +the inquiry, like an inquest of the one race upon the corpse of the +other, ending for the most part with the verdict of 'died by the +visitation of God.'" + +In his attempt to delineate the actual circumstances and position of the +natives, and the just claims they have upon public sympathy and +benevolence, he has been necessitated to refer largely to the testimony +of others, but in doing this he has endeavoured as far as practicable, to +support the views he has taken by the writings or opinions of those who +are, or who have been resident in the Colonies, and who might therefore +be supposed from a practical acquaintance with the subject, to be most +competent to arrive at just conclusions. + +In suggesting the only remedy which appears at all calculated to mitigate +the evil complained of, it has studiously been kept in view that there +are the interests of two classes to be provided for, those of the +Settlers, and those of the Aborigines, it is thought that these interests +cannot with advantage be separated, and it is hoped that it may be found +practicable to blend them together. + +The Aborigines of New Holland are not on the whole a numerous people; +they are generally of a very inoffensive and tractable character, and it +is believed that they may, under ordinary circumstances, almost always be +rendered peaceable and well-disposed by kind and consistent treatment. +Should this, in reality, prove to be the case, it may be found perhaps, +that they could be more easily managed, and in the long run at a less +expense, by some such system as is recommended, than by any other +requiring means of a more retaliatory or coercive character. The system +proposed is at least one which by removing in a great measure temptation +from the native, and thereby affording comparative security to the +settlers, will have a powerful effect in inducing the latter to unite +with the Government in any efforts made to ameliorate the condition of +the Aborigines; a union which under present or past systems has not ever +taken place, but one which it is very essential should be effected, if +any permanent good is hoped for. + +To Mr. Moorhouse the author returns his best thanks for his valuable +notes on the Aborigines, to which he is indebted for the opportunity of +giving an account of many of the customs and habits of the Adelaide +tribes. + +To Anthony Forster, Esq. he offers his warmest acknowledgments for his +assistance in overlooking the manuscripts during the voyage from +Australia, and correcting many errors which necessarily resulted from the +hurried manner in which they were prepared; it is to this kind +supervision must be ascribed the merit--negative though it may be--of +there not being more errors than there are. + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE +WESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR +THAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE +WESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED +INSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN +EXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THE +GOVERNOR--ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OF +EXPEDITION--NAME A DAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT +OF THE UNDERTAKING + +CHAPTER II. + +FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEP +STATION--RE-ARRANGEMENTS OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETE +THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THE +LIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OF +FIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTT +RIVERS--INDICATION OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE +OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'S +RANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON + +CHAPTER III. +SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVE +PLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERS +RANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRY +WATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE +PARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH + +CHAPTER IV. +MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THE +PARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKE +TORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGE +WATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNING +STREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THE +WATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKE +PREPARATIOUS FOR LEAVING--SEUD DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL + +CHAPTER V. +BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF +THE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCEND +TERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIR +CHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT +DECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOIN +THE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT THE DEPOT--EMBARRASSING +CIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TO THE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARREN +COUNTRY--TABLE-TOPPED ELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF +WATER--MEET NATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TO +RETURN--ARRIVAL AT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. + +CHAPTER VI. +CAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEER +SENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLUBIES--OVERSEER'S +RETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS +BED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THE +CAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THE +BURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS + +CHAPTER VII. +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMES +SALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRY +WATERCOURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATION +OF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHER +ADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDS +MOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THE +FUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING + +CHAPTER VIII. +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS +AND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORT +LINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FOR +WATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGE +ROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGE +WATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OF +PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND +OVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP + +CHAPTER IX. +BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE +ABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'S +RETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKY +BAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH +BRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONY +COUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOAT +HARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULAR +SPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS + +CHAPTER X. +COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBY +CHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALT +LAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER BILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVE +VIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE + +CHAPTER XI. +EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUB--POINT +BROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FOR +WATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'S +NEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORE +NATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBY +COUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORE +NATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVES +LEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. + +CHAPTER XII. +LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINT +FOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST +SAND-DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURN +BACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THE +HORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHED +COUNTRY--FALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVE +US--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FOR +WATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAY +SURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSES +ABANDONED--REACH THE SAND-DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE +HORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO NORTH-EAST--RECOVER +THE DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN +OF THE CUTTER + +CHAPTER XIII. +FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TO +ADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TO +ANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAIN +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND-HILLS, AND BURY +FLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TO +THE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITH +PACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THE +BIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND +BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR + +CHAPTER XIV. +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFF'S OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THE +INTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME TO THE +CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO DEPOT--BAD +WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE CUTTER HERO--JOINED BY +THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THE +HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE EXPEDITION +AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE HERO +SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVE +JOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE +DEPOT + +CHAPTER XV. +RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR +ADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE +SAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE +HORSES--REACH YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIES +AGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE +HORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THE +CLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OF +THE CLIFFS--FIND WATER + +CHAPTER XVI. +GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONG +ENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FOR +WATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDS +FROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDON +BAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OF +PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS + +CHAPTER XVII. +HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TIMOR PONY +UNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MORE +HORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECT +DEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVE +AND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUS +TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY + +CHAPTER XVIII. +GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLD +WEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLE +REPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL A +HORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOME +DISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEY +RETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF +THE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THE +OVERSEER + +APPENDIX. + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S. +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, BY DEPUTY + ASSISTANT COMMISSARY--GENERAL NEILL. THE REPTILES NAMED AND ARRANGED BY + J. E. GRAY, ESQ., AND THE FISH BY DR. RICHARDSON DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES + OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS, BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S. +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, BY J. E. + GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S. +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS, BY EDWARD + DOUBLEDAY, ESQ. F.R.S. etc. +LIST OF BIRDS KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, BY JOHN GOULD, + ESQ. F.R.S. + + +LIST OF PLATES--VOLUME I. + +Tenberry, with Wife and Child, drawn by G. Hamilton +Departure of the Expedition drawn by G. Hamilton +Opossum-hunting at Gawler Plains +Native Graves +Wylie (J. Neil) +Plate I.--New Toads and Frogs +Plate II.--New Frogs and new Bat +Plate III.--New Insects +Plate IV.--New Cray-fish +Plate V.--New Shells +Plate VI.--New Butterflies + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME II. + + +CHAPTER I. +THE CAMP PLUNDERED--NIGHT OF HORRORS--PROCEED ON TO THE WESTWARD--THE +BOYS FOLLOW US--THEY ARE LEFT BEHIND--FORCED MARCHES--DESERT +COUNTRY--BANKSIAS MET WITH--TRACES OF NATIVES--TERMINATION OF THE +CLIFFS--FIND WATER + +CHAPTER II. +REFLECTIONS UPON SITUATION--WATCH FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NATIVE +BOYS--THEIR PROBABLE FATE--PROCEED ON THE JOURNEY--FACILITY OF OBTAINING +WATER--KILL A HORSE FOR FOOD--SILVER-BARK TEA-TREE--INTENSE COLD--FIRST +HILLS SEEN--GOOD GRASS--APPETITE OF A NATIVE--INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF +UNWHOLESOME DIET--CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--GRANITE FORMS +THE LOW WATER LEVEL--TREE WASHED ON SHORE--INDISPOSITION + +CHAPTER III. +HEAVY ROAD--A YOUNG KANGAROO SHOT--GRASSY COUNTRY--POINT MALCOLM--TRACES +OF ITS HAVING BEEN VISITED BY EUROPEANS--GRASS-TREES MET WITH--A KANGAROO +KILLED--CATCH FISH--GET ANOTHER KANGAROO--CRAB HUNTING--RENEW THE +JOURNEY--CASUARINAE MET WITH--CROSS THE LEVEL BANK--LOW COUNTRY BEHIND +IT--CAPE ARID--SALT WATER CREEK--XAMIA SEEN--CABBAGE TREE OF THE +SOUND--FRESH WATER LAKE--MORE SALT STREAMS--OPOSSUMS CAUGHT--FLAG REEDS +FOUND--FRESH WATER STREAMS--BOATS SEEN--MEET WITH A WHALER + +CHAPTER IV. +GO ON BOARD THE MISSISSIPPI--WET WEATHER--VISIT LUCKY BAY--INTERVIEW WITH +NATIVES--WYLIE UNDERSTANDS THEIR LANGUAGE--GET THE HORSES SHOD--PREPARE +TO LEAVE THE VESSEL--KINDNESS AND LIBERALITY OF CAPTAIN ROSSITER--RENEW +JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--FOSSIL FORMATION STILL CONTINUES--SALT WATER +STREAMS AND LAKES--A LARGE SALT RIVER--CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY + +CHAPTER V. +LARGE WATERCOURSE--LAKE OF FRESH WATER--HEAVY RAINS--REACH MOUNT +BARREN--SALT LAKES AND STREAMS--BARREN SCRUBBY COUNTRY--RANGES BEHIND +KING GEORGE'S SOUND ARE SEEN--BRACKISH PONDS--PASS CAPE RICHE--A LARGE +SALT RIVER--CHAINS OF PONDS--GOOD LAND--HEAVILY TIMBERED COUNTRY--COLD +WEATHER--FRESH LAKE--THE CANDIUP RIVER--KING'S RIVER--EXCESSIVE +RAINS--ARRIVAL AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, AND TERMINATION OF THE +EXPEDITION--RECEPTION OF WYLIE BY THE NATIVES + +CHAPTER VI. +CONCLUDING REMARKS + + + +MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA. + +CHAPTER I. +PRELIMINARY REMARKS--UNJUST OPINIONS GENERALLY ENTERTAINED OF THE +CHARACTER OF THE NATIVE--DIFFICULTIES AND DISADVANTAGES HE LABOURS UNDER +IN HIS RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS--AGGRESSIONS AND INJURIES ON THE PART OF +THE LATTER IN GREAT DEGREE EXTENUATE HIS CRIMES + +CHAPTER II. +PHYSICAL APPEARANCE--DRESS--CHARACTER--HABITS OF LIFE--MEETINGS OF +TRIBES--WARS--DANCES--SONGS + +CHAPTER III. +FOOD--HOW PROCURED--HOW PREPARED--LIMITATION AS TO AGE, etc. + +CHAPTER IV. +PROPERTY IN +LAND--DWELLINGS--WEAPONS--IMPLEMENTS--GOVERNMENT--CUSTOMS--SOCIAL +RELATIONS--MARRIAGE--NOMENCLATURE + +CHAPTER V. +CEREMONIES AND SUPERSTITIONS--FORMS OF BURIAL--MOURNING +CUSTOMS--RELIGIOUS IDEAS--EMPIRICS, etc. + +CHAPTER VI. +NUMBERS--DISEASES--CAUSE OF LIMITED POPULATION--CRIMES AGAINST +EUROPEANS--AMONGST THEMSELVES--TREATMENT OF EACH OTHER IN DISTRIBUTION OF +FOOD, etc. + +CHAPTER VII. +LANGUAGE, DIALECTS, CUSTOMS, etc.--GENERAL SIMILARITY THROUGHOUT THE +CONTINENT--CAUSES OF DIFFERENCES--ROUTE BY WHICH THE NATIVES HAVE +OVERSPREAD THE COUNTRY, etc. + +CHAPTER VIII. +EFFECTS OF CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS--ATTEMPTS AT IMPROVEMENT AND +CIVILIZATION--ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS--DEFECTS OF THE SYSTEM + +CHAPTER IX. +SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SYSTEM ADOPTED TOWARDS THE NATIVES 458 + +* * * * * + + + +EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES OF NATIVE ORNAMENTS, WEAPONS, IMPLEMENTS, AND +WORKS OF INDUSTRY + + + +LIST OF PLATES.--VOL. II. + +Distribution of flour at Moorunde, G. Hamilton +Arrival at King George's Sound, J. Neill +Plate I.--Native Ornaments +Kangaroo Dance of King George's Sound, J. Neill +Woodcut of a Standard used in the Dances performed by day +Plate II. Native Weapons +Plate III. Native Weapons +Plate IV. Native Implements +Plate V. Native Works of Industry +Mode of disposing of the Dead of the Lower Murray +Murray River at Moorunde +Plate VI. Miscellaneous Native Articles +1. Head of war spear of the North Coast, barbed for 3 feet, total length +9 1/2 feet. +2. Head of fish spear of the North Coast, barbed for 18 inches, total +length 8 3/4 feet. +2. Head of spear of the North Coast, barbed for 18 inches, total length +8 3/4 feet. +4. Head of war spear of the North Coast, with head of quartz, 6 inches, +total length 9 1/2 feet. +5. Head of war spear of the North Coast, with head of slate, 6 inches, +total length 9 1/2 feet. +6. Two handed sword of hard wood, North Coast, 3 1/2 feet. +7. Throwing stick of North Coast, 3 feet 1 inch. +8. Throwing stick of North Coast, very pliant, 3-16ths of an inch only +thick, 3 feet 6 inches. +9. Broad short throwing stick, 2 feet 2 inches. +10. An ornament of feathers for the neck. +11. Five Kangaroo teeth in a bunch, worn round the neck. +12. A net waistband or belt, from Murray River, 8 feet long 6 inches +wide. +13. Plume of feathers tied to thin wand, and stuck in the hair at +dances--New South Wales. +14. War club. +15. War club. +16. Bag of close net work. +17. Band for forehead of Swan's down. +18. Root end of a kind of grass, used as pins for pegging out skins. +19. Sorcerer's stick. +20. Sorcerer's stick. + + + + + +VOLUME I + + + + +JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1840. + + + +Chapter I. + + +ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE +WESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR +THAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE +WESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED +INSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN +EXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR, +ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OF EXPEDITION--NAME A +DAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNDERTAKING. + +Before entering upon the account of the expedition sent to explore the +interior of Australia, to which the following pages refer, it may perhaps +be as well to advert briefly to the circumstances which led to the +undertaking itself, that the public being fully in possession of the +motives and inducements which led me, at a very great sacrifice of my +private means, to engage in an exploration so hazardous and arduous, and +informed of the degree of confidence reposed in me by those interested in +the undertaking, and the sanguine hopes and high expectations that were +formed as to the result, may be better able to judge how far that +confidence was well placed, and how far my exertions were commensurate +with the magnitude of the responsibility I had undertaken. + +I have felt it the more necessary to allude to this subject now, because +I was in some measure at the time instrumental in putting a stop to a +contemplated expedition to the westward, and of thus unintentionally +interfering with the employment of a personal friend of my own, than whom +no one could have been more fitted to command an undertaking of the kind, +from his amiable disposition, his extensive experience, and his general +knowledge and acquirements. + +Upon returning, about the middle of May 1840, from a visit to King +George's Sound and Swan River, I found public attention in Adelaide +considerably engrossed with the subject of an overland communication +between Southern and Western Australia. Captain Grey, now the Governor of +South Australia, had called at Adelaide on his way to England from King +George's Sound, and by furnishing a great deal of interesting information +relative to Western Australia, and pointing out the facilities that +existed on its eastern frontier, as far as it was then known, for the +entrance of stock from the Eastward, had called the attention of the +flock-masters of the Colony to the importance of opening a communication +between the two places, with a view to the extension of their pastoral +interests. The notes of Captain Grey, referring to this subject, were +published in the South Australian Register newspaper of the 28th March, +1840. On the 30th of the same month, a number of gentlemen, many of whom +were owners of large flocks and herds, met together, for the purpose of +taking the matter into consideration, and the result of this conference +was the appointment of a Committee, whose duty it was to report upon the +best means of accomplishing the object in view. On the 4th, 7th, and 9th +of April other meetings were held, and the results published in the South +Australian Register, of the 11th April, as follows:-- + + +OVERLAND ROUTE TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA. + +At a Meeting of the Committee for making arrangements for an expedition +to explore an overland route to Western Australia, held the 7th of April, +the Hon. the Surveyor-general in the chair, the following resolutions +were agreed to:-- + +That a communication be made to the Government of Western Australia, +detailing the objects contemplated by this Committee, and further stating +that the assistance of the Government of this province has been obtained. + +That a communication be made to the Hon. the Surveyor-general, the Hon. +the Advocate-general the Hon. G. Leake, Esq. of Western Australia, with a +request that they will form a committee in conjunction with such settlers +as may feel interested in the same undertaking, for the purpose of +collecting private subscriptions, and co-operating with this committee. + +Resolved, that similar communications be made to the Government of New +South Wales, and to the following gentlemen who are requested to act as a +committee with the same power as that of Western Australia: Hon. E. Deas +Thomson, Colonial Secretary; William Macarthur, Esq.; Captain Parker; P. +King, R.N.; Stuart Donaldson, Esq.; George Macleay, Esq.; Charles +Campbell, Esq. + +That this Committee would propose, in order to facilitate the progress of +the expedition, that depots be formed at convenient points on the route; +that it is proposed to make Fowler's Bay the first depot on the route +from Adelaide, and to leave it to the Government of Western Australia to +decide upon the sites which their local knowledge may point out as the +most eligible for similar stations, as far to the eastward as may appear +practicable. + +That a subscription list be immediately opened in Adelaide to collect +funds in aid of the undertaking. + +That R. F. Newland, Esq., be requested to act as Treasurer to this +Committee, and that subscriptions be received at the Banks of Australasia +and South Australia. + +E. C. FROME, Chairman. +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + + +The Committee again met on the 9th April--the Hon. the Assistant +Commissioner in the chair. It was resolved that the following statement +head the subscription list:-- + + +Several meetings having taken place at Adelaide of persons interested in +the discovery of an overland route to Western Australia, and it being the +general opinion of those meetings that such an enterprise would very +greatly benefit the colonists of Eastern, Southern, and Western +Australia, it was determined to open subscriptions for the furtherance of +this most desirable object under the direction of the following +Committee: + +G. A. Anstey, Esq. John Knott, Esq. +Charles Bonney, Esq. Duncan M'Farlane, Esq. +John Brown, Esq. David McLaren, Esq. +Edward Eyre, Esq. John Morphett, Esq. +John Finniss, Esq. Chas. Mann, Esq. +J. H. Fisher, Esq. R. F. Newland, Esq. +Lieutenant Frome, Dr. Rankin. Esq. +Surveyor-general G. Stevenson, Esq. +O. Gilles, Esq. F. Stephens, Esq. +Captain Grey W. Smilie, Esq. +J. B. Hack, Esq. T. B. Strangwaya, Esq. +G. Hamilton, Esq. Capt. Sturt, Ass. Com. +Ephraim Howe, Esq. John Walker, Esq. + +The very great importance of the undertaking as leading to results, and +in all probability to discoveries, the benefits of which are at present +unforeseen, but which, like the opening of the Murray to this Province, +may pave the way to a high road from hence to Western Australia, will, it +is hoped meet with that support from the public which undertakings of +great national interest deserve, and which best evince the enterprise and +well-doing of a rising colony. + +That Captain Grey, being about to embark for England, the Committee +cannot allow him to quit these shores without expressing their regret +that his stay has been so short, and the sense they entertain of the +great interest he has evinced in the welfare of the colony, and the +disinterested support he has given an enterprise which is likely to lead +to such generally beneficial results as that under consideration. + +CHAS. STURT, Chairman. +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + + +LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVED YESTERDAY. + + +The Government of South Australia 200 pounds +His Excellency the Governor +(absent at Port Lincoln) +and the Colonists 349 pounds 10 shillings + + +Such was the state in which I found the question on my return from +Western Australia. All had been done that was practicable, until answers +were received from the other Colonies, replying to the applications for +assistance and co-operation in the proposed undertaking. + +Having been always greatly interested in the examination of this vast but +comparatively unknown continent, and having already myself been +frequently engaged in long and harassing explorations, it will not be +deemed surprising that I should at once have turned my attention to the +subject so prominently occupying the public mind. I have stated that the +principal object proposed to be attained by the expedition to the +westward, was that of opening a route for the transit of stock from one +colony to the other--nay it was even proposed and agreed to by a majority +of the gentlemen attending the public meeting that the first party of +exploration should be accompanied by cattle. Now, from my previous +examination of the country to the westward of the located parts of South +Australia, I had in 1839 fully satisfied myself, not only of the +difficulty, but of the utter impracticability of opening an overland +route for stock in that direction, and I at once stated my opinion to +that effect, and endeavoured to turn the general attention from the +Westward to the North, as being the more promising opening, either for +the discovery of a good country, or of an available route across the +continent. The following extract, from a paper by me on the subject, was +published in the South Australian Register of the 23rd May, 1840, and +contains my opinion at that time of the little prospect there was of any +useful result accruing from the carrying out of the proposed expedition +to the Westward:-- + + +"It may now, therefore, be a question for those who are interested in the +sending an expedition overland to the Swan River to consider what are +likely to be the useful results from such a journey. In a geographical +point of view it will be exceedingly interesting to know the character of +the intervening country between this colony and theirs, and to unfold the +secrets hidden by those lofty, and singular cliffs at the head of the +Great Bight, and so far, it might perhaps be practicable--since it is +possible that a light party might, in a favourable season, force their +way across. As regards the transit of stock, however, my own conviction +is that it is quite impracticable. The vast extent of desert country to +the westward--the scarcity of grass--the denseness of the scrub--and the +all but total absence of water, even in the most favourable seasons, are +in themselves, sufficient bars to the transit of stock, even to a +distance we are already acquainted with. I would rather, therefore, turn +the public attention to the Northward, as being the most probable point +from which discoveries of importance may be made, or such as are likely +to prove beneficial to this and the other colonies, and from which it is +possible the veil may be lifted, from the still unknown and mysterious +interior of this vast continent." + + +On the 27th I dined with His Excellency the Governor, and had a long +conversation with him on the subject of the proposed Western Expedition, +and on the exploration of the Northern Interior. With his usual anxiety +to promote any object which he thought likely to benefit the colony, and +advance the cause of science, His Excellency expressed great interest in +the examination of the Northern Interior, and a desire that an attempt +should be made to penetrate its recesses during the ensuing season. + +As I had been the means of diverting public attention from a Western to a +Northern exploration, so was I willing to encounter myself the risks and +toils of the undertaking I had suggested, and I therefore at once +volunteered to His Excellency to take the command of any party that might +be sent out, to find one-third of the number of horses required, and pay +one-third of the expenses. Two days after this a lecture was delivered at +the Mechanics' Institute in Adelaide, by Captain Sturt, upon the +Geography and Geology of Australia, at the close of which that gentleman +acquainted the public with the proposal I had made to the Governor, and +the sanction and support which His Excellency was disposed to give it. +The following extract is from Captain Sturt's address, and shews the +disinterested and generous zeal which that talented and successful +traveller was ever ready to exert on behalf of those who were inclined to +follow the career of enterprise and ambition in which he had with such +distinction led the way. + + +"Before I conclude, however, having drawn your attention to the science +of geology, I would for a moment dwell on that of geography, and the +benefit the pursuit and study of it has been to mankind. To geography we +owe all our knowledge of the features of the earth's surface, our +intercourse with distant nations, and our enjoyments of numberless +comforts and luxuries. The sister sciences of geography and hydrography +have enabled us to pursue our way to any quarter of the habitable and +uninhabitable world. With the history of geography, moreover, our +proudest feelings are associated. Where are there names dearer to us than +those of the noble and devoted Columbus, of Sebastian Cabot, of Cook, of +Humboldt, and of Belzoni and La Perouse? Where shall we find the generous +and heroic devotion of the explorers of Africa surpassed? Of Denham, of +Clapperton, of Oudeny, and of the many who have sacrificed their valuable +lives to the pestilence of that climate or to the ferocity of its +inhabitants?--And where shall we look for the patient and persevering +endurance of Parry, of Franklin, and of Back, in the northern regions of +eternal snow? If, ladies and gentlemen, fame were to wreathe a crown to +the memory of such men, there would not be a leaf in it without a name. +The region of discovery was long open to the ambitious, but the energy +and perseverance of man has now left but little to be done in that once +extensive and honourable field. The shores of every continent have been +explored--the centre of every country has been penetrated save that of +Australia--thousands of pounds have been expended in expeditions to the +Poles--but this country, round which a girdle of civilization is forming, +is neglected, and its recesses, whether desert or fertile, are unsought +and unexplored. What is known of the interior is due rather to private +enterprise than to public energy. Here then there is still a field for +the ambitious to tread. Over the centre of this mighty continent there +hangs a veil which the most enterprising might be proud to raise. The +path to it, I would venture to say, is full of difficulty and danger; and +to him who first treads it much will be due. I, who have been as far as +any, have seen danger and difficulty thicken around me as I advanced, and +I cannot but anticipate the same obstacles to the explorer, from whatever +point of these extreme shores he may endeavour to force his way. +Nevertheless, gentlemen, I shall envy that man who shall first plant the +flag of our native country in the centre of our adopted one. There is not +one deed in those days to be compared with it, and to whoever may +undertake so praiseworthy and so devoted a task, I wish that success, +which Heaven sometimes vouchsafes to those who are actuated by the first +of motives--the public good; and the best of principles--a reliance on +Providence. I would I myself could undertake such a task, but fear that +may not be. However, there is a gentleman among us, who is auxious to +undertake such a journey. He has calculated that in taking a party five +hundred miles into the interior, the expense would not be more than 300 +pounds and the price of ten horses. At a meeting held some time ago, on +this very subject, about half that sum was subscribed.--His Excellency +the Governor has kindly promised to give 100 pounds, and two horses--and +I think we may very soon make up the remainder; and thus may set out an +expedition which may explore the as yet unknown interior of this vast +continent, which may be the means, by discovery, of conferring a lasting +benefit on the colony--and hand down to posterity the name of the person +who undertakes it." + + +On the same day I received a note from the private secretary, stating +that the Governor wished to see me, and upon calling on His Excellency I +had a long and interesting interview on the subject of the expedition, in +the course of which arrangements were proposed and a plan of operations +entered into. I found in His Excellency every thing that was kind and +obliging. Sincerely desirous to confer a benefit upon the colony over +which he presided, he was most anxious that the expedition should be +fitted out in as complete and efficient a manner as possible, and to +effect this every assistance in his power was most frankly and freely +offered. In addition to the sanction and patronage of the government and +the contribution of 100 pounds, towards defraying the expenses, His +Excellency most kindly offered me the selection of any two horses I +pleased, from among those belonging to the police, and stated, that if I +wished for the services of any of the men in the public employment they +should be permitted to accompany me on the journey. The Colonial cutter, +WATERWITCH, was also most liberally offered, and thankfully accepted, to +convey a part of the heavy stores and equipment to the head of Spencer's +Gulf, that so far, the difficulties of the land journey to that point, at +least, might be lessened. + +I was now fairly pledged to the undertaking, and as the winter was +rapidly advancing, I became most anxious to get all preparations made as +soon as possible to enable me to take advantage of the proper season. On +the first of June I commenced the necessary arrangements for organizing +my party, and getting ready the equipment required. To assist me in these +duties, and to accompany me as a companion in the journey, I engaged Mr. +Edward Bate Scott, an active, intelligent and steady young friend, who +had already been a voyage with me to Western Australia, and had travelled +with me overland from King George's Sound to Swan River. + +Meetings of the colonists interested in the undertaking were again held +on the 2nd and 5th of June, at which subscriptions were entered into for +carrying out the object of the expedition; and a brief outline of my +plans was given by the Chairman, Captain Sturt, in the following extract +from his address. + + +"The Chairman went on to state, that Mr. Eyre would first proceed to Lake +Torrens and examine it, and then penetrate as far inland in a northerly +direction as would be found practicable. With regard to an observation +which he (the Chairman) had made on Friday evening, regarding this +continent having been formerly an archipelago, he stated, that he was of +opinion that a considerable space of barren land in all probability +existed between this district and what had formerly been the next island. +This space was likely to be barren, though of course it would be +impossible to say how far it extended. He had every reason to believe, +from what he had seen of the Australian continent, that at some distance +to the northward, a large tract of barren country would be found, or +perhaps a body of water, beyond which, a good country would in all +probability exist. The contemplated expedition, he hoped would set +supposition at rest--and as the season was most favourable, and Mr. Eyre +had had much personal experience in exploring, he had no doubt but the +expedition would be successful. The eyes of all the Australasian +colonies--nay, he might say of Britain--are on the colonists of South +Australia in this matter; and he felt confident that the result would be +most beneficial, not only to this Province, but also to New South Wales +and the Australian colonies generally--for the success of one settlement +is, in a measure, the success of the others." + + +An advertisement, published in the Adelaide Journals of 13th June, shewed +the progress that had been made towards collecting subscriptions for the +undertaking, and the spirited and zealous manner in which the colonists +entered into the project. Up to that date the sum of 541 pounds 17 +shillings 5 pence had been collected and paid into the Bank of Australia. + +Having now secured the necessary co-operation and assistance, my +arrangements proceeded rapidly and unremittingly, whilst the kindness of +the Governor, the Committee of colonists, my private friends and the +public generally, relieved me of many difficulties and facilitated my +preparations in a manner such as I could hardly have hoped or expected. +Every one seemed interested in the undertaking, and anxious to promote +its success; zeal and energy and spirit were infused among all connected +with it, and everything went on prosperously. + +In addition to the valuable aid which I received from his Excellency the +Governor, I was particularly indebted to Captain Frome the +Surveyor-general, Captain Sturt the Assistant-commissioner, and Thomas +Gilbert, Esq. the Colonial storekeeper, for unceasing kindness and +attention, and for much important assistance rendered to me by the loan +of books and instruments, the preparation of charts, and the fitting up +of drays, etc. etc. + +Captain Frome, too, now laid me under increased obligations by giving up +his own servant, Corporal Coles of the Royal Sappers and Miners, upon my +expressing a wish to take him with me, and the Governor sanctioning his +going. + +This man had accompanied Captain Grey in all his expeditions on the +North-west coast of New Holland--and had been highly recommended by that +traveller; he was a wheelwright by trade, and being a soldier was likely +to prove a useful and valuable addition to my party; and I afterwards +found him a most obliging, willing and attentive person. + +To the Governor and to the Committee of colonists I owe many thanks, for +the very flattering and gratifying confidence they reposed in me, a +confidence which left me as unrestricted in my detail of outfit and +equipment, as I was unfettered in my plan of operations in the field. +This enabled me to avoid unnecessary delays, and to hasten every thing +forward as rapidly as possible, so that when requested by the Governor to +name a day for my departure I was enabled to fix upon the 18th of June. + +Having already done all in their power to forward and assist the +equipment and arrangement of the expedition, the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +were determined still further to increase the heavy debt of gratitude +which I was already under to them, by inviting myself and party to meet +the friends of the expedition at Government House on the morning of our +departure, that by a public demonstration of interest in our welfare, we +might be encouraged in the undertaking upon which we were about to +enter--and might be stimulated to brave the perils to which we should +shortly be exposed, by a remembrance of the sympathy expressed in our +behalf, and the pledge we should come under to the public upon leaving +the abode of civilised man, for the unknown and trackless region which +lay before us. + +On the 15th of June I attended a meeting of the Committee, and presented +for audit the accounts of the expenditure incurred up to that date. On +the 16th I had a sale of all my private effects, furniture, etc. by +auction, and arranged my affairs in the best way that the very limited +time at my disposal would permit. + +The 17th found me still with plenty of work to do, as there were many +little matters to attend to at the last, which the best exertions could +not sooner set aside. + +Mr. Scott, who ever since the commencement of our preparations, had been +most indefatigable and useful in his exertions, was even still more +severely tasked on this day; at night, however, we were all amply +rewarded, by seeing every thing completely and satisfactorily +arranged--the bustle, confusion, and excitement over, and our drays all +loaded, and ready to commence on the morrow a journey of which the +length, the difficulty, and the result, were all a problem yet to be +solved. + +In the short space of seventeen days from the first commencement of our +preparations, we had completely organized and fully equipped a party for +interior exploration. Every thing had been done in that short time men +hired, horses sought out and selected, drays prepared, saddlery, harness, +and the thousand little things required on such journeys, purchased, +fitted and arranged. In that short time too, the Colonists had subscribed +and collected the sum of five hundred pounds towards defraying the +expenses, exclusive of the Government contribution of 100 pounds. + +Unfortunately, at the time the expedition was undertaken, every thing in +South Australia was excessively dear, and the cost of its outfit was +therefore much greater in 1840, than it would have been any year since +that period; nine horses (including a Timor pony, subsequently procured +at Port Lincoln) cost 682 pounds 10 shillings, whilst all other things +were proportionably expensive. After the expedition had terminated and +the men's wages and other expenses had been paid, the gross outlay +amounted to 1391 pounds 0 shillings 7 pence:--of this + +Amount of Donation from Government was 100 00 00 +Amount of Subscriptions of the Colonists 582 04 09 +Sale of the Drays and part of the Equipment 28 00 00 +Amount paid by myself 680 15 10 + ---------- +Total 1391 00 07 + + +In addition to this expenditure, considerable as it was, there were very +many things obtained from various sources, which though of great value +did not come into the outlay already noted. Among these were two horses +supplied by the Government, and three supplied by myself, making with the +nine bought for 682 pounds 10 shillings, a total of fourteen horses. The +very valuable services of the cutters "HERO" and "WATERWITCH," were +furnished by the Government; who also supplied all our arms and +ammunition, with a variety of other stores. From my many friends I +received donations of books and instruments, and I was myself enabled to +supply from my own resources a portion of the harness, saddlery, tools, +and tarpaulins, together with a light cart and a tent. + +June 18.--Calling my party up early, I ordered the horses to be +harnessed, and yoked to the drays, at half past nine the whole party, +(except the overseer who was at a station up the country) proceeded to +Government House, where the drays were halted for the men to partake of a +breakfast kindly provided for them by His Excellency and Mrs. Gawler, +whilst myself and Mr. Scott joined the very large party invited to meet +us in the drawing room. + +The following account of the proceedings of the morning, taken from the +South Australian Register, of the 20th June, may perhaps be read with +interest; at least it will shew the disinterested spirit and enterprising +character of the colonists of South Australia, even at this early stage +of its history, and especially how much the members of our little party +were indebted to the kindness and good feeling of the Governor and +colonists, who were anxious to cheer and stimulate us under the +difficulties and trails we had to encounter, by their earnest wishes and +prayers for our safety and success. + + +EXPLORATORY EXPEDITION TO THE CENTRE OF NEW HOLLAND + +The arrangements for the expedition into the interior, undertaken by Mr. +Eyre, having been completed, His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +issued cards to a number of the principal colonists and personal friends +of Mr. Eyre, to meet him at Government House on the morning of his +departure. On Thursday last accordingly (the anniversary of Waterloo, in +which His Excellency and the gallant 52nd bore so conspicuous a part) a +very large party of ladies and gentlemen assembled. After an elegant +DEJEUNER A LA FOURCHETTE, His Excellency the Governor rose and spoke as +nearly as we could collect, as follows:-- + +"We are assembled to promote one of the most important undertakings that +remain to be accomplished on the face of the globe--the discovery of the +interior of Australia. As Captain Sturt in substance remarked in a recent +lecture, of the five great divisions of the earth, Europe is well known; +Asia and America have been generally searched out; the portion that +remains to be known of Africa is generally unfavourable for Europeans, +and probably unfit for colonization; but Australia, our great island +continent, with a most favourable climate, still remains unpenetrated, +mysterious, and unknown. Without doing injustice to the enterprising +attempts of Oxley, Sturt, and Mitchell, I must remark that they were +commenced from a very unfavourable point--from the eastern and almost +south-eastern extremity of the island--and consequently the great +interior still remains untouched by them, the south-eastern corner alone +having been investigated. As Captain Sturt some years since declared, +this Province is the point from which expeditions to the deep interior +should set out. This principle, I know, has been acknowledged by +scientific men in Europe; and it is most gratifying to see the spirit +with which our Colonists on the present occasion have answered to the +claim which their position imposes upon them. Mr. Eyre goes forth this +day, to endeavour to plant the British flag--the flag which in the whole +world has "braved for a thousand years the battle and the breeze"--on the +tropic of Capricorn (as nearly as possible in 135 degrees or 136 degrees +of longitude) in the very centre of our island continent. On this day +twenty-five years since, commencing almost at this very hour, the British +flag braved indeed the battle, and at length floated triumphant in +victory on the field of Waterloo. May a similar glorious success attend +the present undertaking! Mr. Eyre goes forth to brave a battle of a +different kind, but which in the whole, may present dangers equal to +those of Waterloo. May triumph crown his efforts, and may the British +flag, planted by him in the centre of Australia, wave for another +thousand years over the pence and prosperity of the mighty population +which immigration is pouring in upon us! Of the immediate results of his +journey, no one, indeed, can at present form a solid conjecture. Looking +to the dark side, he may traverse a country useless to man; but +contemplating the bright side, and remembering that but a few years since +Sturt, setting off on an equally mysterious course, laid the foundation +for the large community in which we dwell, it is in reason to hope that +Mr. Eyre will discover a country which may derive support from us, and +increase the prosperity of our Province. I must express my gratification +at the manner in which this enterprise, noble, let its results be what +they may, has been supported by our colonists at large. It is a greater +honor to be at the head of the government of a colony of enlightened and +enterprising men, than at that of an empire of enslaved and ignorant +beings in the form of men. I count it so. May the zeal which has been +exhibited in the colony in the promotion of every good and useful work +ever continue. Some ladies of Adelaide have worked a British Union Jack +for Mr. Eyre. Captain Sturt will be their representative to present it to +him. After that we will adjourn to the opposite rooms to invoke a +blessing on the enterprise. All here, and I believe the whole colony, +give to Mr. Eyre their best wishes, but to good wishes right-minded men +always add fervent prayers. There is an Almighty invisible Being in whose +hands are all events--man may propose, but it is for God only to +dispose--let us therefore implore his protection." + +"The Hon. Captain Sturt then received a very handsome Union Jack, neatly +worked in silk; and presenting it to Mr. Eyre, spoke nearly as follows:-- + +"It cannot but be gratifying to me to be selected on such an occasion as +this, to perform so prominent a part in a duty the last a community can +discharge towards one who, like you, is about to risk your life for its +good. I am to deliver to you this flag, in the name of the ladies who +made it, with their best wishes for your success, and their earnest +prayers for your safety. This noble colour, the ensign of our country, +has cheered the brave on many an occasion. It has floated over every +shore of the known world, and upon every island of the deep. But you have +to perform a very different, and a more difficult duty. You have to carry +it to the centre of a mighty continent, there to leave it as a sign to +the savage that the footstep of civilized man has penetrated so far. Go +forth, then, on your journey, with a full confidence in the goodness of +Providence; and may Heaven direct your steps to throw open the fertility +of the interior, not only for the benefit of the Province, but of our +native country; and may the moment when you unfurl this colour for the +purpose for which it was given to you, be as gratifying to you as the +present." + +"Mr. Eyre, visibly and deeply affected, returned his warmest thanks, and +expressed his sense of the kindness he had received on the present +occasion. He hoped to be able to plant the flag he had just received in +the centre of this continent. If he failed, he should, he hoped, have the +cousciousness of having earnestly endeavoured to succeed. To His +Excellency the Governor, his sincere thanks were due for the promptitude +with which so much effectual assistance to the expedition had been +rendered. Mr. Eyre also begged leave to return his thanks to the +Colonists who had so liberally supported the enterprise; and concluded by +expressing his trust that, through the blessing of God, he would be +enabled to return to them with a favourable report of the country into +which he was about to penetrate. + +"The company then returned to the library and drawing-room, where the +Colonial Chaplain, the Rev. C. B. Howard, offered up an affecting and +appropriate prayer, and at twelve precisely, Mr. Eyre, accompanied by a +very large concourse of gentlemen on horseback, left Government House, +under the hearty parting cheers of the assembled party." + +Leaving Government House under the hearty cheers of the very large +concourse assembled to witness our departure outside the grounds; Mr. +Scott, myself, and two native boys (the drays having previously gone on) +proceeded on horseback on our route, accompanied by a large body of +gentlemen on horseback, and ladies in carriages, desirous of paying us +the last kind tribute of friendship by a farewell escort of a few miles. + +At first leaving Government House we had moved on at a gentle canter, but +were scarcely outside the gates, before the cheering of the people, the +waving of hats, and the rush of so many horses, produced an emulation in +the noble steeds that almost took from us the control of their pace, as +we dashed over the bridge and up the hill in North Adelaide--it was a +heart-stirring and inspiriting scene. Carried away by the enthusiasm of +the moment, our thoughts and feelings were wrought to the highest state +of excitement. + +The time passed rapidly away, the first few miles were soon travelled +over,--then came the halt,--the parting,--the last friendly cheer;--and +we were alone in the wilderness. Our hearts were too full for +conversation, and we wended on our way slowly and in silence to overtake +the advance party. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + +FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEP +STATION--RE-ARRANGEMENT OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETE +THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THE +LIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OF +FIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTT +RIVERS--INDICATIONS OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE +OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'S +RANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON. + + +June 18.--The party having left Adelaide late in the forenoon, and it +being the first day of working the horses, I did not wish to make a long +stage; having followed the usual road, therefore, as far as the little +Parra, the drays were halted upon that watercourse (after a journey of +about twelve miles), and we then proceeded to bivouac for the first time. +For the first time too since I had engaged to command the expedition, I +had leisure to reflect upon the prospects before me. + +During the hurry and bustle of preparation, and in the enthusiasm of +departure, my mind was kept constantly on the stretch, and I had no time +for calm and cool consideration, but now that all was over and the +journey actually commenced, I was again able to collect my thoughts and +to turn my most serious and anxious attention to the duty I had +undertaken. The last few days had been so fraught with interest and +occupation, and the circumstances of our departure this morning, had been +so exciting, that when left to my own reflections, the whole appeared to +me more like a dream than a reality. The change was so great, the +contrast so striking. From the crowded drawing room of civilized life, I +had in a few hours been transferred to the solitude and silence of the +wilds, and from being but an unit in the mass of a large community, I had +suddenly become isolated with regard to the world, which, so far as I was +concerned, consisted now only of the few brave men who accompanied me, +and who were dependant for their very existence upon the energy and +perseverance and prudence with which I might conduct the task assigned to +me. With this small, but gallant and faithful band, I was to attempt to +penetrate the vast recesses of the interior of Australia, to try to lift +up the veil which has hitherto shrouded its mysteries from the researches +of the traveller, and to endeavour to plant that flag which has floated +proudly in all the known parts of the habitable globe, in the centre of a +region as yet unknown, and unvisited save by the savage or the wild +beast. + +Those only who have been placed in similar circumstances can at all +appreciate the feelings which they call forth. The hopes, fears, and +anxieties of the leader of an exploring party, must be felt to be +understood, when he is about to commence an undertaking which MUST be one +of difficulty and danger, and which MAY be of doubtful and even fatal +result. + +The toil, care, and anxiety devolving upon him are of no ordinary +character; everyday removes him further from the pale of civilization and +from aid or assistance of any kind--whilst each day too diminishes the +strength of his party and the means at his command, and thus renders him +less able to provide against or cope with the difficulties that may beset +him. A single false step, the least error of judgment, or the slightest +act of indiscretion might plunge the expedition into inextricable +difficulty or danger, or might defeat altogether the object in view. +Great indeed was the responsibility I had undertaken--and most fully did +I feel sensible of the many and anxious duties that devolved upon me. The +importance and interest attached to the solution of the geographical +problem connected with the interior of Australia, would, I well knew, +engage the observation of the scientific world. If I were successful, the +accomplishment of what I had undertaken would more than repay me in +gratification for the toil and hazard of the enterprise--but if otherwise +I could not help feeling that, however far the few friends who knew me +might give me credit for exertion or perseverance, the world at large +would be apt to reason from the result, and to make too little allowance +for difficulties and impediments, of the magnitude of which from +circumstances they could be but incompetent judges. + +With such thoughts as these, and revolving in my mind our future plans, +our chances of success or otherwise, it will not be deemed surprising, +that notwithstanding the fatigue and care I had gone through during the +last fortnight of preparation, sleep should long remain a stranger to my +pillow; and when all nature around me was buried in deep repose I alone +was waking and anxious. + +From former experience in a personal examination of the nature of the +country north of the head of Spencer's Gulf, during the months of May and +June, 1839, I had learnt that the farther the advance to the north, the +more dreary and desolate the appearance of the country became, and the +greater was the difficulty, both of finding and of obtaining access to +either water or grass. The interception of the singular basin of Lake +Torrens, which I had discovered formed a barrier to the westward, and +commencing near the head of Spencer's Gulf, was connected with it by a +narrow channel of mud and water. This lake apparently increased in width +as it stretched away to the northward, as far as the eye could reach, +when viewed from the farthest point attained by me in 1839, named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Eyre. Dreary as had been the view I then obtained, +and cheerless as was the prospect from that elevation, there was one +feature in the landscape, which still gave me hope that something might +be done in that direction, and had in fact been my principal inducement +to select a line nearly north from Spencer's Gulf, for our route on the +present expedition; this feature was the continuation, and the +undiminished elevation of the chain of hills forming Flinders range, +running nearly parallel with the course of Lake Torrens, and when last +seen by me stretching far to the northward and eastward in a broken and +picturesque outline. + +It was to this chain of hills that I now looked forward as the +stepping-stone to the interior. In its continuation were centered all my +hopes of success, because in its recesses alone could I hope to obtain +water and grass for my party. The desert region I had seen around its +base, gave no hope of either, and though the basin of Lake Torrens +appeared to be increasing so much in extent to the northward, I had seen +nothing to indicate its terminating within any practicable distance, in a +deep or navigable water. True the whole of the drainage from Flinders +range, as far as was yet known, emptied into its basin, but such was the +arid and sandy nature of the region through which it passed, that a great +part of the moisture was absorbed, whilst the low level of the basin of +the lake, apparently the same as that of the sea itself, forbade even the +most distant hope of the water being fresh, should any be found in its +bed. + +It was in reflections and speculations such as these, that many hours of +the night of my first encampment with the party passed away. The kindness +of the Governor and our many friends had been so unbounded; their anxiety +for our safety and comfort so great; their good wishes for our success so +earnest, and their confidence in our exertions, so implicit, that I could +not but look forward with apprehension, lest the success of our efforts +might not equal what our gratitude desired, and even now I began to be +fearful that the high expectations raised by the circumstances of our +departure might not be wholly realised. + +We had fairly commenced our arduous undertaking, and though the party +might appear small for the extent of the exploration contemplated, yet no +expedition could have started under more favourable or more cheering +auspices; provided with every requisite which experience pointed out as +desirable, and with every comfort which excess of kindness could suggest, +we left too, with a full sense of the difficulties before us, but with a +firm determination to overcome them, if possible. And I express but the +sentiments of the whole party when I say, that we felt the events of the +day of our departure, and the recollection of the anxiety and interest +with which our friends were anticipating our progress, and hoping for our +success, would be cherished as our watchword in the hour of danger, and +bethe incentive to perseverance and labour, when more than ordinary +trials should call for our exertions. The result we were willing to leave +in the hands of that Almighty Being whose blessing had been implored upon +our undertaking, and to whom we looked for guidance and protection in all +our wanderings. + +June 19.--On mustering the horses this morning it was found, that one or +two had been turned loose without hobbles, and being fresh and high fed +from the stables, they gave us a great deal of trouble before we could +catch them, but at last we succeeded, and the party moved on upon the +road to Gawler town, arriving there (12 miles) about noon; at this place +we halted for half an hour, at the little Inn to lunch, and this being +the last opportunity we should have of entering a house for many months +to come, I was anxious to give my men the indulgence. After lunch I again +moved on the party for five miles, crossing and encamping upon, a branch +of the Parra or Gawler, where we had abundance of good water and grass. + +June 20.--Having a long stage before us to-day, I moved on the party very +early, leaving all roads, and steering across the bush to my sheep +stations upon the Light. We passed through some very fine country, the +verdant and beautiful herbage of which, at this season of the year, +formed a carpet of rich and luxuriant vegetation. Having crossed the +grassy and well wooded ranges which confine the waters of the Light to +the westward, we descended to the plain, and reached my head station +about sunset, after a long and heavy stage of twenty miles--here we were +to remain a couple of days to break up the station, as the sheep were +sold, and the overseer and one of the men were to join the Expedition +party. + +The night set in cold and rainy, but towards morning turned to a severe +frost; one of the native boys who had been sent a short cut to the +station ahead of the drays, lost his road and was out in the cold all +night--an unusual circumstance, as a native will generally keep almost as +straight a direction through the wilds as a compass will point. + +Sunday, June 21.--We remained in camp. The day was cold, the weather +boisterous, with showers of rain at intervals, and the barometer falling; +our delay enabled me to write letters to my various friends, before +finally leaving the occupied parts of the country, I was glad too, to +give the horses and men a little rest after the fatigue they had endured +yesterday in crossing the country. + +June 22.--As we still remained in camp, the day being dark and cloudy +with occasional showers, I took the opportunity of having one of the +drays boarded close up, and of re-arranging the loads, oiling the +fire-arms, and grinding the axes, spades, etc.; we completed our +complement of tools, tents, tarpaulins, etc. from those at the station, +and had everything arranged on the drays in the most convenient manner, +always having in view safety in carriage and facility of access; the best +place for the fire-arms I found to be at the outside of the sides, the +backs, or the fronts, of those drays that were close boarded. + +By nailing half a large sheepskin with the wool on in any of these +positions, a soft cushion was formed for the fire-arms to rest against, +they were then fixed in their places by a loop of leather for the muzzle, +and a strap and buckle for the stock; whilst the other half of the +sheepskin which hung loose, doubled down in front of the weapons. between +them and the wheel, effectually preserving them from both dirt and wet, +and at the same time keeping them in a position, where they could be got +at in a moment, by simply lifting up the skin and unbuckling the strap; +by this means too, all danger or risk was avoided, which usually exists +when the fire-arms are put on or off the drays in a loaded state. I have +myself formerly seen carbines explode more than once from the cocks +catching something, in being pulled out from, or pushed in amidst the +load of a dray, independently of the difficulty of getting access to them +in cases of sudden emergency; a still better plan than the one I adopted, +would probably be to have lockers made for the guns, to hang in similar +places, and in a somewhat similar manner to that I have described, but in +this case it would be necessary for the lockers to be arranged and fitted +at the time the drays or carts were made. + +All the time I could spare from directing or superintending the loading +of the drays, I devoted to writing letters and making arrangements for +the regulation of my private affairs, which from the sudden manner in +which I had engaged in the exploring expedition, and from the busy and +hurried life I had led since the commencement of the preparations, had +fallen into some confusion. I was now, however, obliged to content myself +with such a disposition of them as the time and circumstances enabled me +to make.--I observed the latitude of the station to be 34 degrees 15 +minutes 56 seconds S. + +June 23.--Having got all the party up very early, I broke up the station, +and sent one man on horseback into Adelaide with despatches and letters. +My overseer and another man were now added to the party, making up our +complement in number. Upon re-arranging the loads of the drays yesterday, +I had found it inconvenient to have the instruments and tent equipage +upon the more heavily loaded drays, and I therefore decided upon taking +an extra cart and another horse from the station. This completed our +alterations, and the party and equipment stood thus:-- + +Mr. Eyre. +Mr. Scott, my assistant and companion. +John Baxter, Overseer. +Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +John Houston, driving a three horse dray. +R. M'Robert, driving a three horse dray. +Neramberein and Cootachah, + Aboriginal boys, to drive the sheep, track, etc. + +We had with us 13 horses and 40 sheep, and our other stores were +calculated for about three months; in addition to which we were to have a +further supply forwarded to the head of Spencer's Gulf by sea, in the +WATERWITCH, to await our arrival in that neighbourhood. This would give +us the means of remaining out nearly six months, if we found the country +practicable, and in that time we might, if no obstacles intervened, +easily reach the centre of the Continent and return, or if practicable, +cross to Port Essington on the N. W. coast. + +About eleven I moved on the party up the Light for 8 miles, and then +halted after an easy stage. As the horses were fresh and the men were not +yet accustomed to driving them, I was anxious to move quietly on at +first, that nothing might be done in a hurry, and every one might +gradually settle down to what he had to perform, and that thus by a +little care and moderation at first, those evils, which my former +travelling had taught me were frequently the result of haste or +inexperience, might be avoided. Nothing is more common than to get the +withers of horses wrung, or their shoulders and backs galled at the +commencement of a journey, and nothing more difficult than to effect a +cure of this mischief whilst the animals are in use. By the precaution +which I adopted, I succeeded in preventing this, for the present. + +As we passed up the valley of the Light, we had some rich and picturesque +scenery around us--the fertile vale running nearly north and south, +backed to the westward by well wooded irregular ranges grassed to their +summits, and to the eastward shut in by a dark looking and more heavily +timbered range, beyond which rose two peaks of more distant hills, +through the centre of the valley the Light took its course, but at +present it was only a chain of large ponds unconnected by any stream; and +thus, I believe, it remains the greater part of the year, although +occasionally swollen to a broad and rapid current. + +June 24.--The horses having strayed a little this morning, and given us +some trouble to get them, it was rather late when we started; we, +however, crossed the low ridges at the head of the Light, and entering +upon extensive plains to the north, we descended to a channel, which I +took to be the head of a watercourse called the "Gilbert." + +Finding here some tolerably good water and abundance of grass, I halted +the party for the night, though we were almost wholly without firewood, +an inconvenience that we felt considerably, as the nights now were very +cold and frosty. Our stage had been fourteen miles to-day, running at +first over low barren ridges, and then crossing rich plains of a loose +brown soil, but very heavy for the drays to travel over. + +At our camp, a steep bank of the watercourse presented an extensive +geological section, but there was nothing remarkable in it, the substrata +consisting only of a kind of pipe clay. + +June 25.--Upon starting this morning we traversed a succession of fine +open and very grassy plains, from which we ascended the low ridges +forming the division of the waters to the north and south. In the latter +direction, we had left the heads of the "Gilbert" and "Wakefield" chains +of ponds, whilst in descending in the former we came upon the "Hill," a +fine chain of ponds taking its course through a very extensive and grassy +valley, but with little timber of any kind growing near it. On this +account I crossed it, and passing on a little farther encamped the party +on a branch of the "Hutt," and within a mile and a half of the main +course of that chain of ponds. Our whole route to-day, had been through a +fine and valuable grazing district, with grass of an excellent +description, and of great luxuriance. + +We were now nearly opposite to the most northerly of the out stations, +and after seeing the party encamp, I proceeded, accompanied by Mr. Scott, +to search for the stations for the purpose of saying good bye to a few +more of my friends. We had not long, however, left the encampment when it +began to rain and drove us back to the tents, effectually defeating the +object with which we had commenced our walk. Heavy rain was apparently +falling to the westward of us, and the night set in dark and lowering. + +In some parts of the large plains we had crossed in the morning, I had +observed traces of the remains of timber, of a larger growth than any now +found in the same vicinity, and even in places where none at present +exists. Can these plains of such very great extent, and now so open and +exposed, have been once clothed with timber? and if so, by what cause, or +process, have they been so completely denuded, as not to leave a single +tree within a range of many miles? In my various wanderings in Australia, +I have frequently met with very similar appearances; and somewhat +analogous to these, are the singular little grassy openings, or plains, +which are constantly met with in the midst of the densest Eucalyptus +scrub. + +Every traveller in those dreary regions has appreciated these, (to him) +comparatively speaking, oasises of the desert--for it is in them alone, +that he can hope to obtain any food for his jaded horse; without, +however, their affording under ordinary circumstances, the prospect of +water for himself. Forcing his way through the dense, and apparently +interminable scrub, formed by the Eucalyptus dumosa, (which in some +situations is known to extend for fully 100 miles), the traveller +suddenly emerges into an open plain, sprinkled over with a fine silky +grass, varying from a few acres to many thousands in extent, but +surrounded on all sides by the dreary scrub he has left. + +In these plains I have constantly traced the remains of decayed +scrub--generally of a larger growth than that surrounding them--and +occasionally appearing to have grown very densely together. From this it +would appear that the face of the country in those low level regions, +occupied by the Eucalyptus dumosa, is gradually undergoing a process +which is changing it for the better, and in the course of centuries +perhaps those parts of Australia which are now barren and worthless, may +become rich and fertile districts, for as soon as the scrub is removed +grass appears to spring up spontaneously. The plains found interspersed +among the dense scrubs may probably have been occasioned by fires, +purposely or accidentally lighted by the natives in their wanderings, but +I do not think the same explanation would apply to those richer plains +where the timber has been of a large growth and the trees in all +probability at some distance apart--here fires might burn down a few +trees, but would not totally annihilate them over a whole district, +extending for many miles in every direction. + +June 26.--This morning brought a very heavy fog, through which we +literally could not see 100 yards, when the party moved on to the "Hutt" +chain of ponds, and then followed that watercourse up to the Broughton +river, which was crossed in Lat. 33 degrees 28 minutes S. At this point +the bed of the Broughton is of considerable width, and its channel is +occupied by long, wide and very deep water holes, connected with one +another by a strongly running stream, which seldom or never fails even in +the driest seasons. The soil upon its banks however is not valuable, +being generally stony and barren, and bearing a sort of prickly grass, +(Spinifex). Wild fowl abound on the pools. On a former occasion, when I +first discovered the Broughton, I obtained both ducks and swans from its +waters, but now I had no time for sporting, being anxious to push on to +the "reedy watercourse," a halting place in my former journey, so as to +get over all the rough and hilly ground before nightfall, that we might +have a fair start in the morning. I generally preferred, if practicable, +to lengthen the stage a little in the vicinity of watercourses or hills, +in order to get the worst of the road over whilst the horses worked +together and were warm, rather than leave a difficult country to be +passed over the first thing in the morning, when, for want of exercise, +the teams are chill and stiff, and require to be stimulated before they +will work well in unison. Our journey to-day was about twenty miles, and +the last five being over a rugged hilly road, it was late in the +afternoon when we halted for the night. + +"The reedy watercourse," is a chain of water-holes taking its rise among +some grassy and picturesque ranges to the north of us, and trending +southerly to a junction with the Broughton. Among the gorges of this +range, (which I had previously named Campbell's range,)[Note 1: After +R. Campbell, Esq. M. C. of Sydney.] are many springs of water, +and the scenery is as picturesque as the district is fertile. +Many of the hills are well rounded, very grassy, and moderately well +timbered even to their summits. This is one of the prettiest and most +desirable localities for either sheep or cattle, that I have yet seen in +the unoccupied parts of South Australia, whilst the distance from +Adelaide by land, does not at the most exceed one hundred and twenty +miles. [Note 2: All this country, and for some distance to the +north, is now occupied by stations.] The watercourse near our camp took +its course through an open valley, between bare hills on which there was +neither tree nor shrub for firewood and we were constantly obliged to go +half a mile up a steep hill before we could obtain a few stunted bushes to +cook with. As the watercourse approached the Broughton the country became +much more abrupt and broken, and after its junction with that river, the +stream wound through a succession of barren and precipitous hills, for +about fifteen miles, at a general course of south-west; these hills were +overrun almost everywhere with prickly grass and had patches of the +Eucalyptus dumosa scattered over them at intervals. + +Up to the point where it left the hills, there were ponds of water in the +bed of the Broughton, but upon leaving them the river changed its +direction to the northward, passing through extensive plains and +retaining a deep wide gravelly channel, but without surface water, the +drainage being entirely underground, and the country around comparatively +poor and valueless. + + + + +Chapter III. + + + +SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVE +PLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERS +RANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRY +WATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE +PARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH. + + +During the night the frost had been so severe, that we were obliged to +wait a little this morning for the sun to thaw the tent and tarpaulins +before they would bend to fold up. After starting, we proceeded across a +high barren open country, for about three miles on a W. N. W. course, +passing close under a peak connected with Campbell's range, which I named +Spring Hill, from the circumstance of a fine spring of water being found +about half way up it. + +Not far from the spring I discovered a poor emaciated native, entirely +alone, without either food or fire, and evidently left by his tribe to +perish there; he was a very aged man, and from hardship and want was +reduced to a mere skeleton, how long he had been on the spot where we +found him I had no means of ascertaining, but probably for some time, as +life appeared to be fast ebbing away; he seemed almost unconscious of our +presence, and stared upon us with a vacant unmeaning gaze. The pleasures +or sorrows of life were for ever over with him: his case was far beyond +the reach of human aid, and the probability is that he died a very few +hours after we left him. + +Such is the fate of the aged and helpless in savage life, nor can we +wonder that it should be so, since self-preservation is the first law of +nature, and the wandering native who has to travel always over a great +extent of ground to seek for his daily food, could not obtain enough to +support his existence, if obliged to remain with the old or the sick, or +if impeded by the incumbrance of carrying them with him; still I felt +grieved for the poor old man we had left behind us, and it was long +before I could drive away his image from my mind, or repress the +melancholy train of thoughts that the circumstance had called forth. + +From the summit of Spring Hill, I observed extensive plains to the N. W. +skirted both on their eastern and western sides, by open hills, whilst to +the N. W. and N. E. the ranges were high, and apparently terminated in +both directions by peaked summits on their eastern extremes; a little +south of west the waters of Spencer's Gulf were distinctly visible, and +the smokes ascending from the fires of the natives, were seen in many +directions among the hills. After passing Spring Hill, we crossed some +rich and extensive plains, stretching far away to the northward, and +taking a nearly north and south direction under Campbell's range; in the +upper part of these plains is the deep bed of a watercourse with water in +it all the year round, and opposite to which, in lat. 33 degrees 14 +minutes S, is a practicable pass for drays through Campbell's range, to +the grassy country to the eastward. + +June 27.--In crossing the southern extremity of these large plains, we +came suddenly upon a small party of natives engaged in digging yams of +which the plains were full; they were so intent upon their occupation +that we were close to them before they were aware of our presence; when +they saw us they appeared to be surprised and alarmed, and endeavoured to +steal off as rapidly as they could without fairly taking to their heels, +for they were evidently either unwilling or afraid to run; finding that +we did not molest them they halted, and informed us by signs that we +should soon come to water, in the direction we were going. This I knew to +be true, and about three o'clock we were in front of a water-course, I +had on a former journey named the "Rocky river," from the ragged +character of its bed where we struck it. + +We had been travelling for some distance upon a high level open country, +and now came to a sudden gorge of several hundred feet below us, through +which the Rocky river wound its course. It was a most singular and wild +looking place, and was not inaptly named by the men, the "Devil's Glen;" +looking down from the table land we were upon, the valley beneath +appeared occupied by a hundred little hills of steep ascent and rounded +summits, whilst through their pretty glens, flowed the winding stream, +shaded by many a tree and shrub--the whole forming a most interesting and +picturesque scene. + +The bed of the watercourse was over an earthy slate, and the water had a +sweetish taste. Like most of the Australian rivers, it consisted only of +ponds connected by a running stream, and even that ceased to flow a +little beyond where we struck it, being lost in the deep sandy channel +which it then assumed, and which exhibited in many places traces of very +high floods. Below our camp the banks were 50 to 60 feet high, and the +width from 60 to 100 yards, its course lay through plains to the +south-west, over which patches of scrub were scattered at intervals, and +the land in its vicinity was of an inferior description, with much +prickly grass growing upon it. + +Upwards, the Rocky river, after emerging from the gorges in which we +found it, descended through very extensive plains from the +north-north-east; there was plenty of water in its bed, and abundance of +grass over the plains, so that in its upper parts it offers fine and +extensive runs for either cattle or sheep, and will, I have no doubt, ere +many years be past, be fully occupied for pastoral purposes. + +From our present encampment a very high and pointed hill was visible far +to the N.N. W. this from the lofty way in which it towered above the +surrounding hills, I named Mount Remarkable. Our latitude at noon was 33 +degrees 25 minutes 26 seconds S. + +A very beautiful shrub was found this afternoon upon the Rocky river, in +full flower: it was a tall slender stalked bush, about six or eight feet +high, growing almost in the bed of the river, with leaves like a +geranium, and fine delicate lilac flowers about an inch and a half in +diameter; here, too, we found the first gum-trees seen upon any of the +watercourses for many miles, as all those we had recently crossed, +traversed open plains which were quite without either trees or shrubs of +any kind. + +June 28.--This morning we passed through a country of an inferior +description, making a short stage to a watercourse, named by me the +"Crystal Brook;" it was a pretty stream emanating from the hills to the +north-east, and marked in its whole course through the plains to the +northward and westward by lines of gum-trees. The pure bright water ran +over a bed of clear pebbles, with a stream nine feet wide, rippling and +murmuring like the rivulets of England--a circumstance so unusual in the +character of Australian watercourses, that it interested and pleased the +whole party far more than a larger river would have done; this +characteristic did not, however, long continue, for like all the streams +we had lately crossed, the water ceased to flow a short distance beyond +our crossing place. + +The country below us, like that through which the Rocky river took its +course, was open and of an inferior description, but I have no doubt that +by tracing the stream upwards, towards its source among the ranges, a +good and well watered country would be found; I ascertained the latitude +by a meridian altitude at Crystal brook to be 33 degrees 18 minutes 7 +seconds S. + +The hills on the opposite side of Spencer's Gulf were now plainly +visible, and one which appeared to be inland, I took to be the middle +Back mountain of Flinders; between our camp and the eastern shores of the +gulf, the land was generally low, with a good deal of scrub upon it, and +nearer the shores appeared to be swampy, and subject to inundation by the +tides. + +June 29.--Upon moving from our camp this morning we commenced following +under Flinders range. From Crystal brook, the hills rise gradually in +elevation as they trend to the northward, still keeping their western +slopes almost precipitous to the plains, out of which they appear to rise +abruptly. Our course was much embarrassed by the gullies and gorges +emanating from the hills, in some of which the crossing place was not +very good, and in all the horses got much shaken, so that when we arrived +at a large watercourse defined by gum trees, and in which was a round +hole of water that had been on a former occasion called by me "The Deep +Spring," I halted the party for the night and found that the horses were +a good deal fatigued. Fortunately there was excellent food for them, and +plenty of water. The place at which we encamped was upon one of the +numerous watercourses, proceeding from the gorges of Flinders range. It +had a wide gravelly bed, divided into two or three separate channels, but +without a drop of water below the base of the hills, excepting where we +bivouacked, at this point, there was a considerable extent of rich black +alluvial soil, and in the midst of it a mound of jet black earth, +surrounded by a few reeds. In the centre of the mound was a circular deep +hole containing water, and apparently a spring: the last time I was here, +in 1839 it was full to overflowing, but now, though in the depth of +winter, I was surprised and chagrined to see the water so much lower than +I had known it before. It was covered up too so carefully with bushes and +boughs, that it was evident the natives sometimes contemplated its being +quite dried up, [Note 3: In October 1842, I again passed this way, in +command of a party of Police sent overland to Port Lincoln, to search for +Mr. C. C. Dutton: the spring was then dried up completely.] and had taken +this means as the best they could adopt for shading and protecting the +water. On the other hand the numerous well beaten tracks leading to this +solitary pool appeared to indicate that there was no other water in the +neighbourhood. We saw kangaroos, pigeons and birds of various +descriptions, going to it in considerable number. At night too after dark +we found that a party of natives were watching also for an opportunity +to participate in so indispensable a necessary, which having secured, +they departed, and we saw nothing more of them. I observed the latitude +at this camp to be 33 degrees 7 minutes 14 seconds S. and the variation +8 degrees 53 minutes E. + +June 30.--Our road to day was much better, and less interrupted by +gullies, though we still kept close under Flinders range. We traversed a +great extent of plain land which was generally stony, but grassy, and +tolerably well adapted for sheep runs. Several watercourses take their +rise from this range, with a westerly direction towards the gulf, these +were all dry when we crossed them, but their course was indicated by gum +trees, and as some of the channels were wide and large, and had strong +traces of occasional high floods, I rode for many miles down one of the +most promising, but without being able to find a drop of water. At noon +our latitude was 32 degrees 59 minutes 8 seconds, S. + +Late in the afternoon we reached a watercourse, which I had previously +named "Myall Ponds," [Note 4: Myall is in some parts of New Holland, the +native name for the Acacia pendula.] from the many and beautiful Acacia +pendula trees that grew upon its banks. There I knew we could get water, +and at once halted the party for the night. Upon going to examine the +supply I was again disappointed at finding it so much less than when I had +been here in 1839. This did not augur well for our future prospects, and +gave me considerable anxiety relative to our future movements. + +For some days past the whole party had fully entered upon their +respective duties, each knew exactly what he had to do, and was beginning +to get accustomed to its performance, so that every thing went on +smoothly and prosperously. My own time, when not personally engaged in +conducting the party, was occupied in keeping the journals and charts, +etc. in taking and working observations--in the daily register of the +barometer, thermometer, winds, and weather, and in collecting specimens +of flowers, or minerals. My young friend, Mr. Scott, was kept equally +busy; for in many of these duties he assisted me, and in some relieved me +altogether; the regular entry of the meteorological observations, and the +collecting of flowers or shrubs generally fell to his share; +independently of which he was the only sportsman in the party, and upon +his gun we were dependant for supplies of wallabies, pigeons, ducks, or +other game, to vary our bill of fare, and make the few sheep we had with +us hold out as long as possible. As a companion I could not have made a +better selection--young, active, and cheerful, I found him ever ready to +render me all the assistance in his power. At our present encampment, +several of a species of wallabie, very much resembling a hare in flavour, +were shot by Mr. Scott, but hitherto we had not succeeded in getting a +kangaroo. + +July 1.--To-day we travelled through a similar country to that we were in +yesterday, consisting of open plains and occasionally low scrub. +Kangaroos abounded in every direction. Our stage was eighteen miles to a +watercourse called by me the "Reedy water holes," from the circumstance +of reeds growing around the margin of the water. Upon arriving at this +place I was surprised to find a strongly running stream, where formerly +there had only been a reedy pond, although the two last watercourses we +had encamped at had been much reduced and dried up. When I had been here +in 1839, they were the running streams, and this only a pool, whilst +singularly enough there did not appear to have been more rain at one +place than the other. + +We were now in full view of Spencer's gulf, but as yet could observe no +signs of the WATERWITCH, which was to meet us at the head of the gulf +with additional stores. At night I observed the latitude by altitude of a +Bootis to be 32 degrees 41 minutes 28 seconds S. + +July 2.--We moved on for 15 miles over extensive plains, covered +principally with Rhagodia, and in some places stony, and halted early in +the afternoon at a large dry watercourse, coming out from Flinders range. +Though there was no water in this channel below the base of the hill, on +sending a party a mile and a half up it with spades and buckets, we got, +by digging in the gravelly bed, as much as sufficed for ourselves and +horses. At this camp I observed the variation to be 7 degrees +24 minutes E. + +July 3.--During the night our horses had rambled a little, so that we +could not get away early, and as we had a long stage before us we were +obliged to push on to a late hour. At dark we arrived at my former depot +near Mount Arden, and took up our old position in the dry bed of the +watercourse, at the base of the hills from which it emanated; but we had +still to send the horses a mile and a half further up the gorge, over a +hilly and stony road, before we could either get water for ourselves or +them; it was therefore very late when the men returned, and the whole +party were a good deal fatigued, having travelled from Adelaide to Mount +Arden in 14 days, (deducting the two days in camp at the Light.) I now +ascertained the latitude of the depot to be 32 degrees 14 minutes S. + +July 4.--Having mustered the horses this morning, I ordered an +arrangement to be entered into for taking them to the water twice a day, +and bringing down the supply required for the use of the party. Each +person undertook this duty in turn, and thus the labour was divided. +After breakfast I went up myself to examine the state of the water and +found great abundance in its bed; there were strong traces of recent and +high flooding, the drift timber being lodged among the bushes several +feet above the ordinary channel. The grass I was sorry to find was rather +old and dry, but still there was a very fair supply of it, a point of +great importance to us at a time when it was necessary to detain the +whole party for two or three weeks in depot, to enable me to examine the +country to the north; my former experience having convinced me that it +would be dangerous to attempt to push on, before ascertaining where grass +and water could be procured. + +We had now travelled upwards of eighty miles under Flinders range, from +Crystal brook to Mount Arden, and hitherto the character of that range +had varied but little. High, rocky, and barren, it rises abruptly from +the plains, and so generally even is the country at its base, that we had +no difficulty in keeping our drays within a mile or two of it. This was +convenient, because we had not far to leave our line of route, when +compelled to send up among the ravines for water. The slopes of Flinders +range are steep and precipitous to the westward, and composed principally +of an argillaceous stone or grey quartz, very hard and ringing like metal +when struck with a hammer. + +There was no vegetation upon these hills, excepting prickly grass, and +many were coated over so completely with loose stones that from the +steepness of the declivity it was unsafe, if not impossible to ascend +them. At one or two points in our routs I climbed up to the top of high +summits, but was not rewarded for my toil, the prospect being generally +cheerless and barren in the extreme, nor did the account given by Mr. +Brown of his ascent of Mount Brown in March 1802, tempt me to delay a day +to enable me to view the uninteresting prospect he had seen from the +summit of that hill--by far the highest peak in this part of Flinders +range. + +Having decided upon ridingon a head of my party to reconnoitre, as soon +as the WATERWITCH should arrive, I at once commenced my preparations, and +made the overseer put new shoes on the horses I intended to take with me. +The very stony character of the country we had been lately traversing and +the singularly hard nature of the stone itself, had caused the shoes to +wear out very rapidly, and there was hardly a horse in the teams that did +not now require new shoes; fortunately we had brought a very large supply +with us, and my overseer was a skilful and expeditious farrier. At dusk a +watch was set upon one of the hills near us, to look out for signals from +the WATERWITCH in the direction of Spencer's gulf, but none were seen. + +July 4.--Whilst writing in my tent this evening, my attention was +attracted by the notes of swans, and upon going out I perceived a flight +of several of the black species coming up from the southward; when they +had got over the tents, they appeared to be alarmed and wheeled to the +eastward, but soon returning, they took a nearly due northerly course. +This was encouraging for us, and augured well for the existence of some +considerable body of water inland, but we hoped and expected that a few +days would perhaps give us a clue to the object of their flight. + +Sunday, July 5.--A day of rest to all. In the afternoon I employed myself +in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as also +for the master of the WATERWITCH, for whose arrival we now kept a +constant and anxious look out. In the evening about eight o'clock the +sentinel on the hill reported a fire on the opposite side of Spencer's +gulf. Upon receiving this intelligence I had blue lights exhibited, and +rockets fired, which in a little time were replied to by rockets from the +gulf and the lighting up of a second fire on shore assuring me at once of +the safe arrival of the cutter. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + +MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THE +PARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKE +TORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGE +WATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNING +STREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THE +WATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKE +PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING--SEND DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL. + + +July 6.--BEING anxious to pursue my explorations, and unwilling to lose +another day solely for the purpose of receiving my letters, I sent down +my overseer to arrange about getting our stores up from the vessel, which +was about fourteen miles away, and to request the master to await my +return from the north, and in the interval employ himself in surveying +and sounding some salt water inlets, we had seen on the eastern shores of +the gulf in our route up under Flinders range. + +Having made all necessary arrangements and wished Mr. Scott good bye, I +set off on horseback with the eldest of my native boys, taking a pack +horse to carry our provisions, and some oats for the horses. After +rounding a projecting corner of the range we passed Mount Arden, still +traversing open plains of great extent, and very stony. In some of these +plains we found large puddles of water much discoloured by the soil, so +that it was evident there had been heavy rains in this direction, though +we had none to the southward. + +After travelling twenty-four miles we came to a large watercourse winding +from Flinders range through the plains, with its direction distinctly +marked out by the numerous gum-trees upon its banks. This was the "salt +watercourse" of my former journeys so called from the large reaches of +salt water in its bed a mile or two among the hills. By digging in the +gravelly bed of the channel, where the natives had scooped a small hole, +we got some tolerable water, and were enabled to give as much as they +required to our horses, but it was a slow and tedious operation. We could +get very little out at once, and had to give it to them to drink in the +black boy's duck frock, which answered the purpose of a bucket amazingly +well. + +There was not a blade of grass, or anything that the horses could eat +near this creek, so I was obliged to tie them up for the night, after +giving to each a feed of oats. + +July 7.--Towards morning several showers of rain fell, and I found that I +had got a severe attack of rheumatism, which proved both troublesome and +painful. Pushing on for ten miles we reached the height standing out from +the main range which Colonel Gawler named Mount Eyre, from its having +been the limit of my first journey to the north in May 1839. This little +hill is somewhat detached, of considerable elevation, and with a bold +rocky overhanging summit to the southward. Having clambered to the top of +it, I had an extensive view, and took several bearings. + +The region before us appeared to consist of a low sandy country without +either trees or shrubs, save a few stunted bushes. On the east this was +backed by high rugged ranges, very barren in appearance, and extending +northward as far as the eye could reach, beyond this level country to the +West, and stretching far to the north-west, appeared a broad glittering +stripe, looking like water, and constituting the bed of Lake Torrens. The +lake appeared to be about twenty-five miles off, and of considerable +breadth; but at so great distance, it was impossible to say whether there +was actually any water in it or not. + +Having completed my observations we descended again to the plains +steering north-west for the lake. At two miles from Mount Eyre we found a +puddle of water in the midst of the plains, and halted at it for the +night. Our horses had good grass, but would not touch the water, which +was extremely thick and muddy. Upon trying it ourselves we found it was +not usable, even after it had been strained twice through a handkerchief, +whilst boiling only thickened it; it was a deep red colour, from the +soil, and was certainly an extraordinary and unpalatable mixture. + +July 8.--Our horses having strayed this morning I sent the native boy to +look for them, but as he did not return in a reasonable time, I got +anxious and went after him myself, leaving the saddles and provisions at +our sleeping place. In about four miles I met the boy returning with the +runaways, which had rambled for several miles, though they had abundance +of good feed around the camp; fortunately we found every thing safe when +we got back, but if any natives had accidentally passed that way we +should probably have lost everything, and been left in very awkward +predicament. + +This is a risk I have frequently been obliged to incur, and is one of the +inconveniences resulting from so small a number as two travelling alone; +it it is not always practicable from want of grass to tether the horses, +and frequently when they are tethered the ropes break, and occasion the +necessity of both individuals leaving the encampment to search for them +at the same time. + +Moving on to the N. W. by N. we passed over heavy sandy ridges, with +barren red plains between, and in one of the latter we found a puddle of +rain water, this upon tasting. I found to be rather saline from the +nature of the soil upon which it lay, the horses, however, drank it +readily, and we put some in a small keg for ourselves. The only +vegetation to be seen consisted of a few small stunted trees and shrubs, +and even these as we approached the vicinity of the lake disappeared +altogether, and gave place to Salsolaceous plants, the country being open +and barren in the extreme. + +I found Lake Torrens completely girded by a steep sandy ridge, exactly +like the sandy ridges bounding the sea shore, no rocks or stones were +visible any where, but many saline coasts peeped out in the outer ridge, +and upon descending westerly to its basin, I found the dry bed of the +lake coated completely over with a crust of salt, forming one unbroken +sheet of pure white, and glittering brilliantly in the sun. On stepping +upon this I found that it yielded to the foot, and that below the surface +the bed of the lake consisted of a soft mud, and the further we advanced +to the westward the more boggy it got, so that at last it became quite +impossible to proceed, and I was obliged to return to the outer margin of +the lake without ascertaining whether there was water on the surface of +its bed further west or not. + +The extraordinary deception caused by mirage and refraction, arising from +the state of the atmosphere in these regions, makes it almost impossible +to believe the evidence of one's own eyesight; but as far as I could +judge under these circumstances, it appeared to me that there was water +in the bed of the lake at a distance of four or five miles from where I +was, and at this point Lake Torrens was about fifteen or twenty miles +across, having high land bounding it to the west, seemingly a +continuation of the table land at the head of Spencer's gulf on its +western side. + +Foiled in the hope of reaching the water, I stood gazing on the dismal +prospect before me with feelings of chagrin and gloom. I can hardly say I +felt disappointed, for my expectations in this quarter had never been +sanguine; but I could not view unmoved, a scene which from its character +and extent, I well knew must exercise a great influence over my future +plans and hopes: the vast area of the lake was before me interminable as +far as the eye could see to the northward, and the country upon its +shore, was desolate and forbidding. + +It was evident, that I could never hope to take my party across the lake, +and it was equally evident, that I should not be able to travel around +its shores, from the total absence of all fresh water, grass, or wood, +whilst the very saline nature of the soil in the surrounding country, +made even the rain water salt, after lying for an hour or two upon the +ground. My only chance of success now lay in the non-termination of +Flinders range, and in the prospect it held out to me, that by continuing +our course along it we might be able to procure grass and water in its +recesses, until we were either taken beyond Lake Torrens, or led to some +practicable opening to the north. + +With a heavy heart I turned towards the mountains, and steering N. E. for +ten miles, halted at dark, where there was nothing for our horses to eat +or drink, and we were consequently obliged to tie them up for the night. +We had still a few oats left and gave each horse three pints. A short +time before encamping, I had observed that Lake Torrens was trending more +to the eastward, and that when we halted, it was not at any very great +distance from us. + +July 9.--One of our horses having got loose last night, pulled the cork +out of the keg in which was our small stock of the dirty brackish water +we had found yesterday, and rolling the keg over, destroyed its contents; +we were thus deprived of our breakfasts, and consequently had but little +delay in starting. I intended to push on steadily for the hills, but +after travelling six miles came to a puddle in the plains, with tolerable +grass around, and at this I halted for the day, to rest the horses. Our +latitude was 31 degrees 25 minutes S. by an altitude of Arcturus, Mount +Eyre then bearing S. 7 degrees E. + +July 10.--Our horses being much recruited I altered our course to-day to +N. 5 degrees E. being the bearing of the most distant range to the +northward, (subsequently named Mount Deception). We passed for the first +ten miles through an open barren country, but found a puddle at which we +watered our horses, and refilled the keg; we then entered heavy ridges of +dense red sand lying nearly north and south, and having small barren +plains between. + +There were a few stunted bushes upon the ridges and occasionally some +small straggling pines. Lake Torrens still trended easterly, being +occasionally seen from, and sometimes approaching near to our track. + +Emerging from the sandy ridges we again entered upon vast level plains +covered with rhagodia. In the midst of these we came to the bed of a +large dry watercourse, having good grass about it, but containing no +water. I halted here for the day as our horses were not very thirsty. + +Upon examining the bed of the watercourse, I found traces of a rather +recent and high flood; much drift being still left upon the bushes where +it had been swept by the torrent; I could, however, find no water +anywhere. + +A great many emus were seen during our ride, and I wounded one with my +rifle, but did not get it. We found to-day a description of flower, which +I had not seen before, white, and sweetly scented like the hawthorn, +growing upon a low prickly bush near the watercourse. + +July 11.--To-day I left our course and rambled up the watercourse to +examine its character and search for water, which however I could not +find in its channel anywhere. Traces of natives were numerous and recent +all the way as we went, till at last we came to where they had encamped +the previous night, and where they had left a fire still fresh and +burning. + +Proceeding onwards we came upon a single native, a female, young, but +miserably thin and squalid, fit emblem of the sterility of the country. +We could gain no information from her, she was so much alarmed, but not +long after parting with her we came to a puddle of water in the plains, +and encamped for the night. Our stage had been a tortuous, but not a long +one, and we halted early in the day, the latitude was 30 degrees 58 +minutes S. by an altitude of the sun at noon. + +After taking some refreshment, I walked to a rise about three miles off +at N. 40 degrees E. from which I took several bearings, and among them I +set Mount Deception at N. 25 degrees W., I then examined several of the +gorges between the front hills, where the banks were broken away, and to +my great dismay found in all of them salt mixed with the sand, the clay, +and even the rocks; whilst in the bed of the watercourse, the salt water +tea-tree was making its appearance, a shrub I had never before seen under +Flinders range, and one which never grows where the soil is not of a very +saline nature, and generally only where the water is too brackish for use. + +The beds of the watercourses were in some places quite white and glazed +with encrustations of salt, where the rains had lodged, and the water had +evaporated. Some of the cliffs which I examined presented sections of 40 +and 50 feet perpendicular height, in which layers of salt were embedded +from the very top to the bottom. + +In such a country, what accommodation could I expect, or what hopes could +I entertain for the future, when the very water shed from the clouds +would not be drinkable after remaining a few hours on the ground? +Whichever way I turned myself, to the West, to the East, or the North, +nothing but difficulties met my view. + +In one direction was an impracticable lake, skirted by heavy and scrubby +sand ridges; in another, a desert of bare and barren plains; and in a +third, a range of inhospitable rocks. The very stones lying upon the +hills looked like the scorched and withered scoria of a volcanic region; +and even the natives, judging from the specimen I had seen to-day, +partook of the general misery and wretchedness of the place. + +My heart sank within me when I reflected upon the gradual but too obvious +change that had taken place in the character of the country for the +worse, and when I considered that for some days past we had been entirely +dependent for our supply of water upon the little puddles that had been +left on the plains by the rain, and which two or three more days would +completely dry up. Under circumstances so unpropitious, I had many +misgivings, and the contemplation of our future prospect became a subject +of painful anxiety. + +July 12.--We moved away early, steering for Mount Deception. Near its +base, and emanating from it, we crossed the dry bed of a very large +watercourse, more resembling that of a river in character, its channel +being wide, deep, and well-defined, and lined with the salt-water +tea-tree; whilst its course was marked by very large, green looking +gum-trees, the bed consisted of an earthy, micaceous slate of a reddish +colour, and in very minute particles, almost in some places as fine as +sand, but we could find no water in it anywhere. + +The range in which this watercourse has its source, is of the same slaty +rock, and very rugged; it could not be less than 3,000 feet in elevation, +and its summit was only attainable by winding along the steep and stony +ridges that led round the deep gorges and ravines by which it was +surrounded. + +From the top the view was extensive and unsatisfactory. Lake Torrens +appearing as large and mysterious as ever, and bearing in its most +northerly extreme visible W. 22 degrees N. To the north was a low level +cheerless waste, and to the east Flinders range trending more easterly, +and then sweeping back to N. 28 degrees W. but its appearance seemed to +be changing and its character altering; the ranges struck me as being +more separated by ridges, with barren flats and valleys between, among +which winding to the N. W. were many large and deep watercourses, but +which when traced up, often for many miles, I found to emanate from +gorges of the hills, and to have neither water nor springs in them. + +I had fully calculated upon finding permanent water at this very high +range, and was proportionally disappointed at not succeeding, especially +after having toiled to the summit, and tired both myself and horses in +tracing up its watercourses. There was now no other alternative left me, +than to make back for the hills to the eastward, in the hope of being +more fortunate there. I had only found permanent water once, (at Salt +watercourse) since I left my party, having depended entirely upon puddles +of rain water for subsistence; but it now became imperative on me to turn +my attention exclusively to this subject, not only to enable me to bring +up my men, but to secure the possibility of my own return, as every day +that passed dried up more and more the small puddles I had found in the +plains. + +Descending Mount Deception, we travelled five miles upon a S. E. course, +and encamped upon a small dry watercourse for the night, with good grass +for our horses, but without water. + +July 13.--Bending our steps backwards, to search for water in the eastern +hills, we were lucky enough to fall in with a puddle in the plains, at +which we watered our horses, and again proceeded. + +Selecting one of the larger watercourses running out from the hills, we +traced it up a considerable distance, examining all its minor branches +carefully, and sparing no pains in seeking a permanent spring of water; +the channel, however, gradually diminished in size, as we occasionally +passed the junctions of small branches from the various gorges; the +gum-trees on its course were either dead or dying; the hills, which at a +distance had appeared very rugged and lofty, upon a nearer approach +turned out to be mere detached eminences of moderate elevation, covered +with loose stones, but without the least sign of water. + +About two o'clock, P.M. we passed a little grass, and as the day appeared +likely to become rainy, I halted for the night. Leaving the native boy to +hobble the horses, I took my gun and ascended one of the hills near me +for a view. Lake Torrens was visible to the west, and Mount Deception to +the N.W. but higher hills near me, shut out the view in every other +direction. In descending, I followed a little rocky gully leading to the +main watercourse, and to my surprise and joy, discovered a small but deep +pool of water in a hole of the rock: upon sounding the depth, I found it +would last us some time, and that I might safely bring on my party thus +far, until I could look for some other point for a depot still farther +north; the little channel where the water was, I named Depot Pool. + +Regaining the camp, I immediately set to work with the native boy to +construct a bough hut, as the weather looked very threatening. We had +hardly completed it before the rain came down in torrents, and water was +soon laying every where in the ledges of rock in the bed of the +watercourse. So little do we know what is before us, and so short a time +is necessary to change the aspect of affairs, and frequently too, when we +least expect it! + +July 14.--Our hut not having been quite water-tight before the rain came, +we got very wet during the night, and turned out early this morning to go +and hunt for firewood to warm ourselves. + +As the weather still continued rainy, I determined to give our horses a +day's rest, whilst I walked up the watercourse to examine it farther. I +found the hills open a good deal more as I proceeded, with nice grassy +valleys between; and the hills themselves, though high and steep, were +rounded at the summits, and richly clothed with vegetation: among them +numerous watercourses took their rise in the gorges, and generally these +were well marked by gum-trees. Altogether it was a pretty and fertile +spot, and though very hilly, would do well for stock, if permanent water +could be found near. I was quite unsuccessful, however, in my search for +this, and the native boy, whom I sent in the opposite direction, after my +return, was equally unfortunate. Towards evening, one of the horses +having broken his hobbles, and got alarmed, galloped off, taking the +other with him. Tired and wet as I was, I was obliged to go after them, +and it was some miles from the camp, before I could overtake and turn +them back. Our latitude was 30 degrees 55 minutes S. + +July 15.--This morning was misty and clondy, and dreadfully cold. We set +off early and commenced tracing up and examining as many of the +watercourses as we could; we did not, however, find permanent water. + +Under one low ridge we met with what I took to be a small spring +emanating from a limestone rock; but it was so small as to be quite +useless to a party like mine, though the natives appeared frequently to +have resorted to it. Finding the courses of the main channel become lost +in its many branches, I ascended the dividing ridge, and crossed into the +bed of another large watercourse, in which, after travelling but a short +distance, I found a fine spring of running water among some very broken +and precipitous ranges, which rose almost perpendicularly from the +channel; in the latter, high ledges of a slaty rock stretched +occasionally quite across its bed, making it both difficult and dangerous +to get our horses along. In the vicinity of the water the grass was +tolerably good, but the declivities upon which it principally grew, were +steep and very stony. + +Having hobbled the horses, I took my gun, and walked down the +watercourse, to a place where it forms a junction with a larger one, but +in neither could I find any more water. Upon my return, I found that the +native boy had caught an opossum in one of the trees near, which proved a +valuable addition to our scanty and unvaried fare. The latitude to-day +was 30 degrees 51 minutes S. + +July 16.--Tracing down the watercourse we were encamped on, to the +junction before mentioned, I steered a little more to the north, to +ascend a high stony range, from which I hoped to obtain a view to the +eastward; but after considerable toil in climbing, and dragging our +horses over loose rolling stones, which put them constantly in danger of +falling back, I was not rewarded for the trouble I had taken: the view to +the east was quite shut out by high rugged ranges of ironstone and +quartz, whilst to the north, the hills appeared lower and more open. + +It now became a matter of serious consideration, whether I should pursue +my researches any farther at present. I was already about 120 miles away +from my party, with barely provisions enough to last me back; and the +country, in advance, appeared to be getting daily more difficult; added +to this, the "WATERWITCH" was waiting at the head of Spencer's Gulf for +my return. + +After reflecting on my position, I decided to rejoin my party without +delay; and descending the range to the S. E., I steered for a large +watercourse we had crossed in the morning; intending to trace it up, for +the purpose of examining its branches. The bed of this watercourse, at +first, was very wide, and lined with gum-trees; but as I advanced, I +found its channel became contracted, and very rocky, the gum-trees +disappearing, and giving place to the salt-water tea-tree. By nightfall, +I was unable to proceed any further, owing to the large stones and rocks +that interposed themselves. Retracing my steps, therefore, for a mile or +two, to a little grass I had observed as I passed by, I bivouacked for +the night, being, as well as the horses, quite knocked up. The native +boy, who accompanied me, was equally fatigued; and we were both lame from +walking across so rugged a country, over a great portion of which we +found it quite impracticable to ride. Our stage could not have been less +than twenty-five or twenty-six miles during the day, yet we had not met +with a drop of water, even though we had high ranges, large watercourses, +and huge gum-trees on every side of us. As usual, the traces of high +floods were numerous; and the channels of these watercourses, confined as +they are by precipitous ranges, must, at times, be filled by rapid and +overwhelming torrents, which would collect there after heavy rains. + +Some great progressive change appears to be taking place in the climate +and seasons of this part of the country, as, in many of the watercourses, +we found all the gum-trees either dying or dead, without any young trees +growing up to replace them. The moisture which had promoted their growth, +and brought them to maturity, existed no longer; and in many places, only +the wreck of noble trees remained to indicate to the traveller what once +had been the character of this now arid region. In other watercourses the +gum-trees were still green and flourishing, and of giant growth; but we +were equally unable to discover water in these,[Note 5: We had no means +with us of digging--possibly moisture existed below the surface where the +trees were so large and green.] as in those where the trees were decaying +or withered. + +July 17.--To-day we returned to our temporary camp, tracing up various +branches of the water-courses as we went along, but without finding +water. Many of the ranges in our route consisted of masses of ironstone, +apparently containing a very large proportion of metal. In one place, I +found a mineral which I took to be tin ore; the loss, however, of all the +geological specimens I collected, after their arrival in Adelaide, has +unfortunately put it now beyond my power to test any of the rocks or +minerals, about which I was doubtful. As we encamped early, and I was +desirous of recruiting the horses, I employed myself in taking an +observation for latitude, whilst the black boy went out to look for an +opossum. He succeeded in bringing in a fine large one, which formed a +welcome addition to our meagre fare. The nights were still very frosty. + +July 18.--In travelling to "Depot Pool," the native boy caught another +opossum, and we again halted early in the day for the sake of resting the +horses. + +July 19.--Concealing among some rocks every thing we did not absolutely +require, we descended towards the plains, searching as we went, for the +most favourable line of road to them, for the drays, but at best the +country was very rough and stony. + +After clearing the hills, we made a stage of twenty-eight miles along the +plains running under Flinders range, and at night encamped upon a channel +coming out of it, where we obtained water, but very little grass for our +horses. + +July 20.--To-day I kept behind some of the low front hills, passing +through some extensive valleys between them and the main range; and as I +found abundance of water lying in pools upon the plains, I did not make +for the hills at all. + +Before sunset, I got a shot at a kangaroo with my rifle, which, though +severely wounded, gave me a long chase before I could capture it; this +furnished us with a welcome and luxurious repast. We had been so long +living upon nothing but the bush baked bread, called damper (so named, I +imagine, from its heavy, sodden character), with the exception of the one +or two occasions upon which the native boy had added an opossum to our +fare, that we were delighted to obtain a supply of animal food for a +change; and the boy, to shew how he appreciated our good luck, ate +several pounds of it for his supper. Our horses were equally fortunate +with ourselves, for we obtained both good grass and water for them. + +July 21.--Taking with us the best part of what was left of the kangaroo, +we crossed a stony ridge to the S. W., and at four miles struck a +watercourse with a large pool of water in its bed, and well adapted for a +halting place for the party on their route to the north: we had not seen +this in our outward course, having kept further to the westward in the +plains. From the water-hole, Mount Eyre bore W. 30 degrees S. distant +five miles. + +Upon leaving this pool I pushed on as rapidly as I could, being anxious +to rejoin my party; and after a hard and fatiguing ride of forty miles, +arrived at the depot under Mount Arden, late in the day, having been +absent sixteen days. I had been anxiously expected, and was cordially +welcomed by the whole party, who were getting sadly tired of inactivity, +and especially by my young friend Mr. Scott, whose eager and ardent +disposition rendered him quite uneasy under the confinement and restraint +of a depot encampment; he would gladly have shared with me the +difficulties and hazards of exploring the country in advance, but from +the very embarrassing nature of the undertaking, I did not think it right +to take more than a single native with me, as every addition to the +number of a party, on such occasions, only tends to increase the +difficulty and anxiety of the task. + +Having rested a little, and made innumerable inquiries, I was very much +gratified to find that the whole party were in good health, and that +every thing had been conducted in a satisfactory manner during my +absence. No one had been idle, and every thing that I could have wished, +had been properly arranged. The stores had been safely brought up from +the WATERWITCH, including a barometer kindly sent by the Governor, and a +large packet of English letters, at any time a highly valued prize, and +not the less so now that they were received 200 miles in the interior, +amidst the labours and anxieties of an exploring expedition. + +During my absence all the harness, hobbles, tents, tarpaulins, etc. had +been fully repaired; and according to my instructions, a large deep hole +had been dug in the slope of the hill, to bury a portion of the stores +in, that if compelled by circumstances to return from the north, we might +still have supplies to fall back upon. Mr. Scott had employed his time in +collecting botanical and geological specimens, and had already made a +very fair commencement for our collections in both these departments of +science. He had also regularly kept the meteorological journal, +registering the observations three times in each day. + +July 22.--After breakfast I had all the stores reweighed, and examined +the supplies sent us in the WATERWITCH, which consisted chiefly of flour, +biscuit, sugar, tea, salt pork, soap, tobacco, salt, canvas, etc. besides +many little luxuries which the kindness of the Governor, and the +consideration of our many friends had added to the list. + +The men during my absence, having been living entirely upon salt pork, to +economize the sheep, were glad to receive the kangaroo which I brought +home with me. + +Having inspected the stores, the whole party were put upon their +travelling rations, and the first week's allowance was issued to each, +consisting of ten pounds of meat, seven pounds of biscuit or flour, a +quarter of a pound of tea, a pound and a half of sugar, a quarter of a +pound of soap, and the same quantity of tobacco. + +Provisions of different kinds were then weighed out, headed up in casks, +and buried in the hole dug by the men during my absence, to wait our +return, if ever it should be our lot to reach the place again. The +remainder were all properly packed up, and the drays loaded and arranged +for moving on. + +After satisfactorily concluding all the preparations for leaving the +depot, I employed myself busily in writing letters and despatches until a +very late hour of the night, as it was the last opportunity I should have +for a long time, of reporting our prospects and progress, or of thanking +the Governor and our numerous friends, for the many attentions we had +experienced. + +I had hardly retired to rest before I was suddenly seized with a violent +attack of illness, arising probably from cold and over-exertion, now that +a return to my party had removed the stimulus to activity, and permitted +a reaction in the system to take place. + +July 23.--This morning I felt weak, and still very ill, and it was with +great difficulty I could manage to close my letters, and give the +necessary instructions to the overseer, whom I sent down to the head of +Spencer's Gulf, with orders to the master of the cutter to sail for +Adelaide, and to report what he had seen at the salt inlets in the east +side of Spencer's Gulf, which I had directed him to examine in the boats +whilst I was absent exploring to the north. His reply was, that there was +water enough for a ship to lie within one mile of the shore, that there +was a tolerable landing place, but that he had found no fresh water. The +men were employed during the day making a new tarpaulin from the canvas +sent up in the WATERWITCH. The following is a copy of the Report sent to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Committee for promoting the +expedition. + + +"Depot, near Mount Arden, +July 22nd, 1840. + +"Sir,--I have the honour to acquaint you for the information of His +Excellency the Governor, and of the colonists interested in the northern +expedition, with the progress made up to the present date. + +"I arrived here with my party all well, on the 3rd July instant, and on +the 6th I proceeded, accompanied by one of my native boys, on horseback, +to reconnoitre Lake Torrens and the country to the north of the depot, +leaving the party in camp to rest the horses and enable the overseer to +get up, from the head of Spencer's Gulf, the supplies kindly sent by His +Excellency the Governor in the WATERWITCH--her arrival having been +signalised the evening previous to my leaving. I arrived on the shores of +Lake Torrens the third day after leaving the depot, and have ascertained +that it is a basin of considerable magnitude, extending certainly over a +space varying in width from 15 to 20 miles, and with a length of from 40 +to 50, from its southern extremity, to the most northerly part of it, +visible from a high summit in Flinders range, (about ninety miles north +of Mount Arden). The lake is girded with an outer ridge of sand, covered +with salsolaceous plants, and with saline crusts, shewing above the +ground at intervals. Its waters appear to extend over a considerable +surface, but they are, seemingly, shallow. I could not approach the +water, from the soft nature of that part of its bed, which is uncovered, +and which appeared to reach from three to four miles from the outer bank +to the water's edge. There can be no doubt, however, of its being very +salt, as that portion of its bed which lay exposed to our view was +thickly coated with pungent particles of salt. There were not any trees +or shrubs of any kind near the lake where we made it, nor could either +grass or fresh water be procured for our horses. Lake Torrens is bounded +on its western side by high lands--apparently a continuation of the table +land to the westward of the head of Spencer's Gulf.--I should think that +it must receive a considerable drainage from that quarter, as well as the +whole of the waters falling from Flinders range to the eastward. + +"From the very inhospitable nature of the country, around the lake, I +could not examine it so carefully or so extensively as I could have +wished. My time, too, being very limited, made me hurry away to the +northward, to search for a place to which I might bring on my party, as +the grass in the neighbourhood of the depot was very old, and much less +abundant than on either of my former visits there. It became, therefore, +imperative on me to remove the horses as speedily as possible. Should +circumstances permit, I shall, however, endeavour to visit Lake Torrens +again, on my return from the northern interior. After leaving the lake I +spent many days in examining the country to the northward of our depot. +Its character seemed to vary but little; barren sandy plains still formed +the lower level, and the hills constituting the continuation of Flinders +range were still composed of quartz and ironstone; they were, however, +gradually becoming less elevated and more detached, with intervals of +stony valleys between, and the whole country was, if possible, assuming a +more barren aspect, while the springs, which had heretofore been numerous +among the hills, were very few in number--difficult to find--and very far +in amongst the ranges. After most anxious and laborious search, I at last +succeeded in finding a place about ninety miles (of latitude) north of +Mount Arden, to which I can remove my depot, and from which I can again +penetrate more to the northward. + +"After an absence of sixteen days I rejoined my party under Mount Arden +on the evening of the 21st July, and found they had safely received all +the supplies sent for our use by the WATERWITCH. The latter has been +detained until my return, for despatches, which I shall send down +to-morrow, and on the 24th I intend to move on with my party to the new +depot. I regret it is not in my power to afford more certain information +as to the future prospects of the expedition, but where so little +alteration has taken place, in the features of the country I have been +examining, conjectures alone can anticipate what may be beyond. From the +very difficult nature of the country we are advancing into, our further +progress must necessarily be very slow for some time, but I still hope +that by patience and perseverance we shall ultimately succeed in +accomplishing the object of the expedition. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, +"Your most obedient humble Servant, +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE." + +"To the Chairman of the Committee of Colonists for promoting the Northern +Expedition." + +* * * + +"Depot, near Mount Arden, +July 22nd, 1840. + +"My Dear Sir,--I beg to enclose a copy of the report of our proceedings +up to the present date, for the perusal of his Excellency the Governor. +By it his Excellency will perceive that the very inhospitable nature of +the country around Lake Torrens, added to my anxiety to remove our horses +from the depot near Mount Arden, where there was but very little grass +for them, prevented my devoting so much time to the examination of the +lake and the country around it, as I should have wished; and I therefore +intend, if possible, on my return, to investigate it more fully, being +anxious to ascertain, whether, as I suppose, there is a considerable +drainage into it from the westward. The high land seen on its opposite +side, appears to be a continuation of the table land, lying to the west +of the head of Spencer's Gulf; and though the fall of the country appears +to be to the north, I begin to be of opinion now that it is not in +reality. Lake Torrens is evidently the basin into which all the waters +from Flinders range fall, and its extent is very considerable; in fact, +where I last saw it to the north, it was impossible to say whether it +terminated or not, from the very great distance it was off. The country +lying between Flinders range on the one side, and the table land on the +other, and north of Spencer's Gulf, is of so low and so level a character +that the eye alone is not a sufficient guide as to the direction in which +the fall may be. On my previous visits, I felt convinced it was +northerly, but I am now inclined to think that the drainage from Lake +Torrens in seasons of wet, is to the south, into the head of the Gulf; +and I can only account for there not being a larger connecting +watercourse than the small shallow one found when crossing from Streaky +Bay--and which I did not then imagine extended far above the head of the +Gulf--by supposing that the seasons have so altered of late years that +the overflow of the lake has never been sufficient to cause a run of +water to the Gulf. Should my present supposition be correct, the idea of +a northerly drainage is done away with, and we have yet to come to a +"division of the waters." My uncertainty on this most important point has +made me most anxious to get my party removed to a place where they can +remain until I can decide so interesting a point, and one on which our +future prospects so much depend. The same causes that prevented my +staying a little longer in the neighbourhood of the Lake have also +prevented, as yet, my extending my researches to the north for more than +about forty miles farther than I had been when last in this +neighbourhood. The only change I observed, was the increasing barren +appearance of the country--the decrease in elevation of the ranges--their +becoming more detached, with sterile valleys between--and the general +absence of springs; the rock of the higher ridges, which were very rugged +and abrupt, was still the same, quartz and ironstone, but much more of +the latter than I had before seen, and, in some cases, with a very great +proportion of metal to the stone. The lower ridges and steep banks, when +washed away by the rains, presented great quantities of a very pungent +salt to the eye of the observer, mixed with the clay and sand of which +the banks were formed; and in this neighbourhood the watercourses were +(though dry) all lined with the salt-water tea-tree--a shrub we had never +before seen under Flinders range. My next push to the north will probably +throw some light upon our future prospects, and I only regret it will not +be in my power to communicate the intelligence. I intended to have sent +his Excellency a rough sketch of my last route, but have not been able to +get it ready in time, and I fear I have already detained the little +cutter too long: during their detention, I requested the master to +examine some salt water inlets on the east side of Spencer's Gulf, and he +said he would, but I have not yet heard the result of his researches. +Should he have found, a good landing-place for goods, it would be of much +importance to the northern parts of the colony when they become stocked; +and nearly all the country as far as the head of the Gulf is more or less +adapted for grazing. Pray return my best thanks to his Excellency for the +abundant supply of stores we have received by the WATERWITCH--especially +for the barometer, which has arrived quite safely. I shall take great +care of it, and shall make observations, whenever practicable, three +times a day--8, a.m., noon, and 5, p.m. I only returned late last night, +and have been so busy to-day preparing every thing for leaving the depot, +that I have been obliged to put off my writing until night; and I am now +acribbling in the tent, on my bed, with my young friend, Mr. Scott, fast +asleep, and a cold bleak wind whistling through the place, so that I fear +my writing will be scarcely legible. I send down the letters to the +cutter in the morning, and intend to move on my party on the 24th. With +kind remembrance to his Excellency, Mrs. Gawler, and family-- + +"Believe me, etc. +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE. +"G. Hall, Esq." + + + + +Chapter V. + + + +BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF +THE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCEND +TERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIR +CHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT +DECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOIN +THE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT DEPOT--EMBARRASSING CIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TO +THE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARREN COUNTRY--TABLE TOPPED +ELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF WATER--MEET +NATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TO RETURN--ARRIVAL +AT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. + + +July 25.--To-DAY we broke up the camp, and commenced our labours in +earnest, the men and the horses having had a rest of three weeks; the +latter were in splendid condition and spirits, having eaten twenty-five +bushels of oats, which had been sent up in the WATERWITCH. Every thing +had been well and conveniently arranged, and the whole moved on with an +order and regularity that was very gratifying. + +I was very ill at starting, and remained so for some days after, but as I +had already been twice over the ground, and as my native boy was able to +act as guide to the party, my indisposition was not of so much +consequence as it would have been under other circumstances. At times I +was quite incapable of any exertion, and could not attend to any thing, +being hardly able to sit upon my horse for half an hour together. From +the 25th to the evening of the 30th, we were engaged in travelling from +Mount Arden to Depot Pool, by the same line of route by which myself and +the native boy had returned from our exploration. In our progress we +noticed many traces of natives around us, and saw many native fires among +the hills; the people themselves did not, however, appear. + +By a little trouble in examining the watercourses before encamping, we +were generally able to procure water for our horses, at some distance +among the hills; and we were usually fortunate enough to obtain tolerable +food for them also. The grass, it is true, was generally scanty, or dry; +but we found a succulent plant of the geranium tribe, bearing a small +blue flower, and growing where the channels of the watercourses spread +out in the plains, in the greatest abundance, and in the wildest +luxuriance; of this the horses were extremely fond, and it appeared to +keep them in good condition and spirits. + +July 30.--The geological formation of the country we had passed through, +consisted in the higher ranges of an argillaceous rock, of quartz, or of +ironstone. Upon some of the hills the small loose stones had a vitrified +appearance--in others they looked like the scoria of a furnace, and +appeared to be of volcanic origin, but nowhere did I observe the +appearance of anything like a crater. In the lower or front hills the +rock was argillaceous, of a hard slaty nature, and inclined at an angle +of about 45 degrees from the horizontal. This formation was frequently +traversed by dykes of grey limestone of a very hard texture. + +Upon watering the horses at the hole in the rock, I was much disappointed +to find that they had already sunk it eighteen inches, and now began to +fear that it would not last them so long as I had anticipated, and that I +should still be obliged to cross over the hills to the very rocky channel +where I had found permanent water on the 15th of July. This I was +desirous, if possible, to avoid, both from the difficult nature of the +road by which that water must be reached, and from the circumstance that +it was going so much out of our way into an all but impracticable +country, and that consequently, when we did move on again to the north, +we should be obliged to come all the way back again over the same bad +road to gain the open country under Flinders range, where alone we could +hope to make any progress with the drays. + +July 31.--Having remained all day in camp to rest the party, I found that +the horses had again made a great diminution in the depth of the water in +the rock, I therefore had the drays all prepared in the evening, +intending to move away to the other water-course in the morning; but the +next day the horses had unfortunately strayed, and it was late before +they were brought up, so that we could not get away. Upon watering them +when they arrived, I found that less impression was made upon the water +than on the previous days; and after an anxious consultation with my +overseer, I decided upon leaving the party in camp at Depot Pool until I +could reconnoitre further north and return. + +August 1.--To prevent any difficulties during my absence, in the event of +the water failing in the rocky hole, I sent the native boy to shew the +overseer the place where the permanent water was, and gave him +instructions to move the party thither if he should find it necessary; +but not until their safety absolutely required it, or before he had fully +ascertained that no water was to be procured by digging in the bed of any +of the adjoining watercourses. During his absence, I employed myself +busily in getting ready for another push to the north with the native boy +to search for a new depot, as in a country so difficult and embarrassing, +it was quite impracticable to move on the party until after having +previously ascertained where they could be taken to with safety. Upon +examining the barometers to-day, I was much concerned to find that they +were both out of order and useless; the damp had softened the glue +fastening the bags of leather which hold the quicksilver, and the +leathers that were glued over the joints of the cisterns, and so much of +the mercury had escaped, before I was aware of it, that I found all the +previous observations valueless. I emptied the tubes and attempted to +refill them, but in so doing I unfortunately broke one of them, and the +other I could not get repaired in a satisfactory manner, not being able, +after all my efforts, to get rid of some small air bubbles that would +intrude, in spite of every care I could exercise. + +August 2.--Leaving early, I took with me a native boy, and a man on +horseback, leading a pack-horse, to carry water, as I could not but be +apprehensive, lest we might find none in the country into which we were +advancing. In following down the Depot watercourse to the plains, we +found a fire where the natives had encamped the previous night. This +surprised us, because we were not aware that there were any so +immediately in our vicinity. It however shewed us the necessity of +vigilance and circumspection in our future movements. + +Steering for the most western point of Mount Deception range, until we +opened one still more distant to the north-west, and which I named +Termination Hill, we kept pushing on through barren stony plains, without +grass or shrubs, and arrived late in the afternoon upon a large +watercourse with gum-trees, but could find no water in its bed. Near it, +however, in the plains, we were fortunate enough to discover a puddle of +rain water, and at once halted for the night, though the feed was +indifferent. We had travelled twenty-eight miles, and the pack-horse +carrying twelve gallons of water, was considerably fatigued. At the +puddle, two teal were seen, which indicated the existence of a larger +body of water somewhere in the neighbourhood, but our efforts to find it +were unsuccessful. + +August 3.--Crossing very heavy sandy ridges, we passed at intervals one +or two dry watercourses, and the beds of some small dry lakes among the +sandy ridges, in one of which was a little rain water which appeared to +be rapidly drying up. Watering the horses we moved on for Termination +Hill, but the nature of the country had been so unfavourable, that the +pack-horse was knocked up, and I was obliged to halt four miles short of +our intended destination, and where there was but poor feed for the +animals. After dinner I walked to Termination Hill and ascended it. Like +all the others I had recently examined, it was composed principally of +quartz, ironstone and a kind of slaty rock; the low hills in front +exhibiting the grey limestone, whilst patches of gum scrub were +observable in many places. From the summit of Termination Hill, Lake +Torrens bore W. 20 degrees S. but the view was obstructed by intervening +sand ridges, the elevated land on the opposite shore of the lake still +appeared to continue, and was visibly further north than the lake itself, +which, as I observed, was partially shut out by the ridges. To the north +were low broken hills similar to those around me, but less elevated, and +immediately under these hills to the westward, were heavy red sandy +ridges, such as we had crossed during the day. To the eastward and ten +degrees north of east were seen Flinders range, with which Mount +Deception and Termination Hills were connected, by low long spurs thrown +off to the northward. In the north-east the horizon was one unbroken, +low, flat, level waste, with here and there small table-topped +elevations, appearing white in the distance and seemingly exhibiting +precipitous faces. Wherever I turned, or whatever way I looked, the +prospect was cheerless and disheartening. Our stage had been twenty-two +miles. + +August 4.--After giving five gallons of water each to my own and the +native boy's horse, I sent back the man with the pack-horse and the empty +kegs to the depot. We then steered E. 5 degrees S. across some very +extensive barren stony plains, occasionally broken into irregular +surfaces with steep white banks (of a fine freestone), forming the +termination of the higher levels, fronting the hollows. These hollows or +flats were covered with salsolaceous plants and samphire, and appeared +once to have been salt swamps. + +At twenty miles we came to a small watercourse emanating from the eastern +hills, which we had now reached, and soon after to a larger one which we +traced up for five miles among the front hills, which were composed of +limestone, but were then obliged to encamp without water. Whilst rambling +about after turning out the horses, I met with a party of native women +and children, but could gain no information from them. They would not +permit me to come near them, and at last fairly ran away, leaving at +their fire two young children who could not escape. I then went to their +camp and examined the bags and property which had been left, and amongst +other things found two kangaroo skins full of water, each containing from +six to eight quarts; it was quite muddy, and had evidently been taken +from a puddle in the plains, and carried to the present encampment in the +bed of the watercourse. Having helped ourselves to some of the water, I +tied a red pocket handkerchief round one of the children, as payment for +it and returned to our own camp. + +August 5.--During the night I was taken very ill again, and felt quite +weak when I arose this morning, but circumstances admitted of no delay, +and I was obliged to go on with my exploration: I continued to trace up +the creek, which I found to be large and lined with gum-trees for many +miles among rocky and precipitous hills, but altogether without water, +and as I knew of none of this requisite, of a permanent character, behind +me, I determined to retrace my steps again to Mount Deception range. In +doing so, I had to pass near the place from whence the natives had taken +flight, and from curiosity called to see if the children had been taken +away; to my surprise and regret I found them still remaining, they had +been left by their unnatural or terrified parents without food, and +exposed to the inclemency of a cold winter's night; the fire had gone +out, and the eldest of the children had scraped a hole among the ashes in +which both were lying. They were alarmed when they saw me, and would take +nothing I offered them. The child around whom I had tied the +handkerchief, had managed to get it off and throw it to one side. I now +scarcely knew what to do, as I was fearful if I left them there, and the +parents did not return, the poor little children might perish, and yet I +was so far away from my own party, and in such difficult circumstances, +that I knew not how I could take them with me. Upon due reflection, and +considering that I had not seen a single male native, it struck me that +the women might have gone for the men and would probably return by the +evening to see where their little ones were. + +Under this impression, I put the handkerchief again round the eldest +child, and tying it firmly, I left them; I had hopes too, that some of +the natives were watching our movements from the hills, and in this case +they would at once return, when they saw us fairly depart from the +neighbourhood. + +Keeping a little to the south of west, I still found the country very +much broken into hollows, with high steep banks bounding them, this +singular formation being apparently the result of the violent action of +water; but how long ago and under what circumstances I had no means of +judging. Having found a puddle of water in the plains, I halted for the +night, our stage having been about twenty miles. + +August 6.--We again passed many of those singular hollows fronted by the +high steep banks of the upper levels, and then crossed some low ironstone +ridges to a channel emanating from Mount Deception range. This I traced +through the hills to the westward without finding any water, and then +following down the Mount Deception range in its western slopes, I +examined all the watercourses coming from it; in one, which I named The +Scott, after my young friend and fellow traveller, I found a large hole +of rain water among the rocks, and at this I halted to rest and feed the +horses. The latitude of the water in The Scott was 30 degrees 32 minutes +S. Pushing on again, late in the afternoon, I reached our camp of the 2nd +August, quite tired, and the horses much fatigued, the puddle of water we +had found here on our outward course was now nearly all dried up. + +August 7.--Making an early start I returned to the Depot Pool, and found +the party all well. They were, however, just preparing to move away, as +the water was nearly all gone. The drays were packed and everything ready +when I arrived; they had tried to obtain water by digging, but had +failed, having been stopped by hard rock. + +I was now in a very awkward dilemma. The water where we were, had been +all used, and we must consequently remove at once,--but where to, was the +question? If I went to the permanent water to the eastward, I gained +nothing, as I only harassed my party by travelling through an almost +impracticable country, over which we must return before we could move +further to the north,--and if I went to the N. W. to The Scott, I went to +a mere puddle of water, precarious and uncertain at the best, and at +which, under any circumstances, we could not remain long:--yet move I +must, as soon as the morning dawned. Many and anxious were the hours I +spent in consideration and reflection. + +Little indeed are the public aware of the difficulties and +responsibilities attached to the command of an expedition of +exploration;--the incessant toil, the sleepless hours, the anxious +thoughts that necessarily fall to the share of the leader of a party +under circumstances of difficulty or danger, are but imperfectly +understood and less appreciated by the world at large. Accustomed to +judge of undertakings only by their results, they are frequently as +unjust in their censure as they are excessive in their approval. The +traveller who discovers a rich and well watered district, encounters but +few of the hardships, and still fewer of the anxieties, that fall to the +lot of the explorer in desert regions, yet is the former lauded with +praise, whilst the latter is condemned to obloquy; although the success +perhaps of the one, or the failure of the other, may have arisen from +circumstances over which individually neither had any control. + +August 8.--The horses having rambled a little this morning it was rather +late before we got away, I had, however, made up my mind to advance at +all risks, and we accordingly travelled sixteen miles to the N. W.; +halting without any water upon the large watercourse emanating from Mount +Deception; there was no grass either, and we were consequently obliged to +tie up our horses for the night. + +August 9.--The sheep had broken out of their yard, and could not be found +this morning; so sending the party on with the native boy as a guide, I +remained behind myself with the overseer, to search for them; they were +soon found, and we moved on after the drays. In going up the watercourse +I again found a native fire, where natives had been encamped within a +mile of us during the night, without our being aware of it; so difficult +is it always to know the proximity of these children of the wilds. + +Having overtaken the party, I conducted them to The Scott, at which we +arrived early in the day, though the distance could not be less than 20 +miles. At night a party of natives were seen near, but did not come up to +us. + +August 10.--To day I prepared for another exploration to the N. W. and +had all our casks and kegs new coopered and filled with water, to make +them water tight. I found it necessary also to have our horses new shod, +which was the third set of shoes they had required in less than two +months, in consequence of the hard and stony roads over which we had +travelled. The natives were again encamped near us at night, but did not +come up. + +August 11.--Leaving directions for the overseer to dig for water during +my absence, I took a native boy and one man driving a cart loaded with +water; we had mustered all the casks and kegs in the party, holding +altogether 65 gallons, and to draw this I had our three best draught +horses yoked to the light cart, being determined to push as far as +possible to the N. W. before I returned. At first we passed over a good +road but stony, then over heavy red sand ridges, and at night encamped in +a gorge coming from Termination Hill, where we had excellent feed for the +horses, but no water. The traces of natives were numerous and recent, and +I imagine they must obtain their supply of water at puddles in the +plains, but we could find none at present. The weather was very hot and +the flies excessively annoying, even at this early period of the year. We +gave each of the horses three gallons of water out of the kegs, after +which they fed well; the hills, as we advanced were getting lower, and +the sandy ridges now wound close under them, and in some instances even +among them; still there were many birds around us, amongst which cockatoo +parrots were very numerous. Our stage was about 23 miles. + +August 12.--Steering to the N. W. to a low range (the highest summit of +which I named Mount North-west,) we just kept far enough in the plains to +intercept the watercourses from the hills where they spread into the +level country, and by this means we got excellent feed for our horses; +generally the same rich succulent herbage I have mentioned before, +occasionally mixed with wild oats. It was only in places of this +description that we could expect to find anything for our horses. In the +plains or on the hills there was not a blade of of anything green; at +night we encamped upon a small dry channel with tolerable feed, but no +water, and we again gave each horse three gallons from our kegs. + +The country we were traversing as yet under-went no alteration, the only +difference being, that the hills were getting lower and the watercourses +less numerous, and both apparently without water; the sand ridges came +more in among the hills, and the dry beds of small salt lakes were often +met with; the salsolae were more abundant, but the traces of natives were +now less frequent; whilst those we fell in with seemed for the most part +to have been left during the wet season. The rock formation still +continued the same, quartz, ironstone, slate, and grey limestone, with +saline crusts peeping above the ground in many places in the lower +levels; the sky was cloudy and threatened rain, but none fell: our stage +was 18 miles. + +August 13.--Continuing our course to the N. W. I took on the cart for 13 +miles to a large dry channel, coming from the hills, upon which we halted +for an hour or two to rest and feed the horses, as there were some +sprinklings of grass around. We had now a change in the appearance of the +country; the ironstone ranges seemed to decrease rapidly in elevation to +the north, and the region around appeared more level, with many very +singular looking table-topped elevations from 50 to 300 feet in height +and with steep precipitous sides which were red, with the ironstone +above, and white, with a substance like chalk, below. The country was +covered with salsolae, and we passed the beds of many dried up salt +lakes. Ascending the highest ridge near us, I found Lake Torrens was no +longer visible, being shut out by the sandy ridges to the westward, +whilst the low ironstone hills impeded our view to the north, and to the +east. Having given our horses water, we buried twelve gallons against our +return, and sending back the man with the cart, and extra horses, the +native boy and I still pushed on to the N. W., taking a pack-horse to +carry our provisions and a few quarts of water for ourselves. + +As we proceeded, the country changed to extensive plains and undulations +of stones and gravel, washed perfectly level by water, and with the +stones as even in size and as regularly laid as if they had been picked +out and laid by a paviour. At intervals were interspersed many of the +fragments of table land I have alluded to before, only perhaps a little +less elevated than they had previously been; we passed also the beds of +several small dry watercourses, and encamped upon one of the largest, +long after dark, having travelled twenty-five miles since we left the +cart, and having made in the whole a day's journey of thirty-seven miles. +There was tolerable food in the bed of the watercourse, but the horses +were thirsty and eat but little. Unfortunately, in crossing the stony +ground, one of them cast a shoe, and began to go a little lame. + +August 14.--Moving away very early we travelled sixteen miles due north, +through a very similar country, only that the stones and gravel in the +plains had become much finer and a good deal mixed with sand; the +fragments of table land still continued in every direction at intervals, +and their elevations still varied from 50 to 300 feet. In the upper part +these elevations appeared red from the red sandy soil, gravel, or +iron-stone grit which were generally found upon their summits. They had +all steep precipitous sides, which looked very white in the distance, and +were composed of a chalky substance, traversed by veins of very beautiful +gypsum. There were neither trees nor shrubs, nor grass, nor vegetation of +any kind except salsolaceous plants, and these every where abounded. + +In the midst of these barren miserable plains I met with four natives, as +impoverished and wretched looking as the country they inhabited. As soon +as they saw us they took to their heels, apparently in great alarm, but +as I was anxious to find out from them if there was any water near, I +galloped after two of them, and upon coming up with them was very nearly +speared for my indiscretion; for the eldest of the two men, who had in +his hand a long, rude kind of spear with which he had been digging roots +or grubs out of the ground (although I could not see the least sign of +anything edible) finding that he was rather close pressed, suddenly +halted and faced me, raising his spear to throw. + +The rapid pace at which I had been pursuing prevented my reining in my +horse, but by suddenly spurring him when within but a few yards of the +native, I wheeled on one side before the weapon had time to leave his +grasp, and then pulling up I tried to bring my friend to a parley at a +less dangerous distance. + +Finding that I did not attempt to injure him, the native stood his +ground, though tremblingly, and kept incessantly vociferating, and waving +me away; to all my signs and inquiries, he was provokingly insensible, +and would not hear of anything but my immediate departure. Sometimes he +pointed to the north, motioning me to go in that direction, but the poor +wretch was in such a state of alarm and trepidation that I could make +nothing of him and left him. He remained very quietly until I had gone +nearly a quarter of a mile, and then thinking that he had a fair start, +he again took to his heels, and ran away as fast as he could in the +direction opposite to that I had taken. + +Continuing our course northerly I steered for what appeared to be a small +lake not far away to the N. W. and crossed over some heavy ridges of +white sand; upon reaching the object of my search it proved to be a +winding arm of the main lake (Torrens) at first somewhat narrow, but +gradually enlarging as we traced it downwards. The bed of this arm was +coated over, as had been the dry part of the bed of the main lake, with a +very pungent salt, with mud and sand and water intermixed beneath the +upper crust. + +Following the arm downwards I came to a long reach of water in its +channel, about two feet deep, perfectly clear, and as salt as the sea, +and I even fancied that it had that peculiar green tinge which sea-water +when shallow usually exhibits. + +This water, however, was not continuous; a little further on, the channel +again became dry, as it increased in width in its approach to the main +lake, the bed of which, near its shores, was also dry. From a high bank +which I ascended, I had a full view of the lake stretching away to the +north-east, as far as the eye could reach, apparently about thirty miles +broad, and still seeming to be bounded on its western shores by a low +ridge, or table land, beyond which nothing could be seen. No hills were +visible any where, nor was there the least vegetation of any kind. + +I was now upwards of 100 miles away from my party in a desert, without +grass or water, nor could I expect to obtain either until my return to +the creek, where I had left the twelve gallons, and this was about fifty +miles away. The main basin of Lake Torrens was still four or five miles +distant, and I could not expect to gain any thing by going down to its +shores; as on previous occasions, I had ascertained that to attempt to +cross it, or even to reach the water a few miles from its outer edge, was +quite impossible, from the boggy nature of its bed. From my present +elevation, the lake was seen bending round to the N. E., and I became +aware that it would be a barrier to all efforts to the north. My horses +were suffering, too, from want of water and food; and I had, therefore, +no alternative but to turn back from so inhospitable and impracticable a +country. + +With a heavy heart, and many misgivings as to the future, I retreated +from the dismal scene, and measured back my steps as rapidly as possible +towards the creek where our stock of water was buried. From the state in +which our horses were, I knew, that to save their lives, it was necessary +to get them to water without loss of time, and I therefore continued our +homeward course during the whole night, and arrived early in the morning +at the place where I had parted from the cart. + +August 15.--It was now necessary to use great caution in the management +of our jaded animals. During the last two days we had ridden them fully +100 miles over a heavy country, without food or water; and for the last +twenty-four hours they had never had a moment's rest; and now we had only +twelve gallons of water for three horses and ourselves, and were still +fifty miles away from the depot, without the possibility of getting a +further supply until our arrival there. + +Having hobbled the horses out for an hour, we watched them until they had +rested a little, and got cool. I then gave them half of our supply of +water; and leaving them to feed under the superintendence of the native +boy, took my gun, and walked seven or eight miles up the creek, under a +scorching sun, to look for water, examining every gorge and nook, with an +eagerness and anxiety, which those only can know who have been similarly +circumstanced; but my search was in vain, and I returned to the +encampment tired and disappointed. Out of what was left of our water, the +boy and myself now made each a little tea, and then gave the remainder to +the horses; after which we laid down for an hour whilst they were +feeding. About four in the afternoon, we again saddled them, and moved +homewards, riding, as before, the whole night, with the exception of +about an hour, when we halted to feed the horses, upon meeting with a +rich bed of the succulent geranium, of which they were so fond. + +August 16.--Travelling on steadily, we began early in the afternoon to +draw near to the depot; and when within a mile and half of it, I was +surprised, upon looking back, to see two natives trying to steal upon us +with spears, who, as soon as they perceived they were observed, rose up, +and made violent gestures of defiance, but at once desisted from +following us. A little further on, upon a rise not far from the depot, I +was still more astonished to see at least thirty of these savages; and I +hurried forwards as quickly as possible to ascertain what it could mean, +not without some anxiety for the safety of my party. + + + + +Chapter VI. + + + +GAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEER +SENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLABIE--OVERSEER'S +RETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS +BED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THE +CAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THE +BURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS. + + +August 16.--UPON reaching the camp the extraordinary behaviour of the +natives was soon explained to me. At the time when I left the depot on +the 11th of August, in giving the overseer general directions for his +guidance, I had among other matters requested him, if he found any +natives in the neighbourhood, to try and get one up to the camp and +induce him to remain until my return, that we might, if possible, gain +some information as to the nature of the country or the direction of the +waters. In endeavouring to carry out my wishes, it seems he had one day +come across two or three natives in the plain, to whom he gave chase when +they ran away. The men escaped, but he came up with one of the females +and took her a prisoner to the camp, where he kept her for a couple of +days, but could gain no information from her; she either could not be +understood, or would not tell where there was water, although when signs +were made to her on the subject, she pointed to the east and to the +north-west. After keeping her for two days, during which, with the +exception of being a prisoner, she had been kindly treated, she was let +go with the present of a shirt and handkerchief. + +It was to revenge this aggression that the natives had now assembled; for +which I could not blame them, nor could I help regretting that the +precipitancy of my overseer should have placed me in a position which +might possibly bring me into collision with the natives, and occasion a +sacrifice of life; an occurrence I should deplore most deeply under any +circumstances, but which would be doubly lamentable when I knew that my +own party had committed the first act of aggression. + +The number of natives said to have been seen altogether, including women +and children, was between fifty and sixty, and though they had yet +actually committed no overt act against us, with the exception of trying +to steal upon myself and the native boy as we returned; yet they had +established themselves in the close vicinity of our encampment, and +repeatedly exhibited signs of defiance, such as throwing dust into the +air, shouting, and threatening with their weapons, and once or twice, the +evening before my arrival, crossing within a very short distance of the +tents, as if for the purpose of reconnoitring our position and strength; +I determined, however, nothing but the last extremity should ever induce +me to act on the defensive. [Note 6: "And they cried out, and cast off +their clothes, and threw dust into the air."--Acts xxii. 23.] + +When on my return to the depot, I had seen the natives creeping after me +with their spears, I and the native boy at once halted, turned round and +went slowly towards them, upon this they retreated. They would see by +this that we did not fear them, and as the party at the camp had been +increased in number by our return, I thought they might probably be more +cautious in their hostile demonstrations, which for the present was the +case, for we saw nothing more of them for some time. + +During my absence, the overseer, according to my instructions, had put a +party of men to dig for water in the bed of the creek, about four miles +from the depot, in a westerly direction and down upon the plains. They +were busy when I arrived at the depot; the soil already dug through had +been a very hard gravel, but as yet no water had been found, they had got +to a depth of about ten feet; but from the indurated character of the +soil were proceeding very slowly. + +I was, however, too much fatigued to go and inspect the work immediately, +the boy and myself as well as the horses being completely worn out. We +had ridden in the last five days and a half, about two hundred miles, and +walked about twenty up and down rocky and precipitous creeks, whilst, for +the last two nights before our arrival we had scarcely been off the +horses' back. + +On the 17th, which was dreadfully hot, I went in the afternoon to see +what progress was being made at the well, and found that only two feet +had been dug in the last twenty-four hours, whilst just as I arrived the +men came to a solid mass of rock, and could sink no further; I at once +ordered them to return to the camp, as I did not think it worth while to +make further attempts in so unkindly a soil, and indeed I was unwilling +to have my little party too much divided in the neighbourhood of so many +natives. The men themselves were very glad to get back to the camp, +having been apprehensive of an attack for the last two or three days. + +August 18.--This morning I sent off the overseer and a native boy to the +eastward, to look for water in the watercourses I had been at on the 5th +of August, the Scott not having then been discovered; they would now be +thirty-six miles nearer water than any I was acquainted with at that +time, and would consequently be less hurried and embarrassed in their +movements than I was. By giving them a pack-horse to carry ten gallons of +water, I hoped they would be able to examine all the watercourses so +effectually as to secure the object of their search, for I felt satisfied +that water was to be found somewhere among the high ranges we had seen in +the direction they were going; I also directed the overseer to visit the +camp where the two native children had been left, and to see what had +been their fate. + +During the day I employed myself in writing; the weather was excessively +close and oppressive, with heavy clouds coming up from the S. W. against +the wind at N. E. At night it blew almost a hurricane, accompanied by a +few drops of rain, after which, the wind then veered round to the north. + +The 19th was another oppressive hot day, with a northerly wind, and +clouds of dust which darkened the air so that we could not see the hills +distinctly, although we were close under them. The flies were also +incessant in their persecuting attacks. What with flies and dust, and +heat and indisposition, I scarcely ever remember to have spent a more +disagreeable day in my life. My eyes were swollen and very sore, and +altogether I was scarcely able to attend to any thing or employ myself in +any profitable way. + +August 20.--Some slight showers during the night made the weather cool +and pleasant, the day too was cloudy, and I was enabled to occupy myself +in charting, working out observations, etc. whilst Mr. Scott, by shooting, +supplied us with some wallabies. This animal is very like a rabbit when +running, and quite as delicate and excellent in eating. + +August 21.--Not having seen the natives for the last two days, I thought +I might venture to explore the watercourse we were encamped upon, and set +off on horseback immediately after breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott. + +We traced up its stony and rugged bed for about seven miles among the +hills, to a point where the scenery was peculiarly grand and sublime. The +cliffs rose perpendicularly from the channel of the watercourse to a +height of from six to eight hundred feet, towering above us in awful and +imposing prominencies. At their base was a large pool of clear though +brackish water; and a little beyond a clump of rushes, indicating the +existence of a spring. In the centre of these rushes the natives had dug +a small well, but the water was no better than that in the larger pool. + +The natives generally resort to such places as these when the rain water +is dried up in the plains or among the hills immediately skirting them. +Far among the fastnesses of the interior ranges, these children of the +wilds find resources which always sustain them when their ordinary +supplies are cut off; but they are not of corresponding advantage to the +explorer, because they are difficult of access, not easily found, and +seldom contain any food for his horses, so that he can barely call at +them and pass on. Such was the wretched and impracticable character of +the country in which we were now placed. + +Having tied up our horses, Mr. Scott and I ascended to the top of the +high cliff by winding along the ridges at the back of it. From its summit +we had an extensive view, and I was enabled to take several angles. One +of the high peaks in the Mount Deception range bearing S. 35 degrees W. +about five miles off I named Mount Scott. To the east were seen high +ranges, to which I had sent my overseer. Descending the hill we examined +the course of the watercourse a few miles further, and ascertaining that +there was no more water in it, retraced our steps towards the depot, +somewhat fatigued with clambering up rocky ranges under the oppressive +heat of an almost tropical sun. + +In the course of the morning Mr. Scott shot a rock wallabie of rather a +large species, and many more were seen about the high perpendicular cliff +under which we had found the water. These singular animals appeared to +have a wonderful facility for scaling precipices, for they leapt and +clambered up among the steep sides of the cliffs in a manner quite +incredible, and where it was perfectly impossible for any human being to +follow them. + +In the evening the overseer and native boy returned, they had traced up +the watercourse I turned back from on the 5th of August, and had found +water in it about eight miles beyond where I gave up the search. They had +also visited the native camp where the two little children had been left +deserted, they were now gone, and the whole plain around had been strewed +with green boughs. The handkerchief I had tied round the eldest child had +been taken off and left at the camp, the natives probably dreading to +have anything to do with property belonging to such fearful enchanters as +they doubtless suspected us to be. + +Our party being once more all together, it became necessary to decide +upon our future movements, the water in the hole at the depot being +nearly all used, and what was left being very muddy and unpalatable. +Before I abandoned our present position, however, I was anxious to make a +journey to the shores of Lake Torrens to the westward; I had already +visited its basin at points fully 150 miles apart, viz. in about 29 +degrees 10 minutes S. latitude, and in 31 degrees 30 minutes S. I had +also traced its course from various heights in Flinders range, from which +it was distinctly visible, and in my mind, had not the slightest doubt +that it was one continuous and connected basin. Still, from the hills of +our present depot, it was not visible to the north of west, and I should +not have felt myself justified in going away to the eastward, without +positively ascertaining its connection with the basin I was at to the +north-west; accordingly, as soon as the overseer returned I got ready for +another harassing and uninteresting journey to the westward. + +August 22.--Setting off early this morning, accompanied by a native boy, +I steered W.N.W. For the first four miles, I took my overseer along with +me, to shew him the direction I intended to take, so that if I did not +return in two days, he might send a pack-horse with water to meet me +along the tracks. + +After he had left I pushed steadily on for thirty-five miles, principally +over heavy sandy ridges, which were very fatiguing to the horses, and at +dark reached the outer dunes of the lake, where I was obliged to tie the +horses up to some small bushes, as there was neither water nor grass for +them. The bed of the lake where I struck it, seemed dry for some distance +from the shore, but towards the middle there appeared to be a large body +of water. From our camp Mount Deception bore E. 26 degrees S. and +Termination Hill, E. 35 degrees N. + +August 23.--Starting early, I traced the course of the lake +north-westerly for ten miles, and was then able to satisfy myself that it +was a part of the same vast basin I had seen so much further to the +north, it inclined here considerably to the westward, and this +circumstance added to the high sandy ridges intervening between it and +Flinders range fully explained the cause of our not having observed its +course to the north of west from the hills near our depot. Crossing the +sandy ridge bounding the basin of the lake, I was surprised to see its +bed apparently much contracted, and the opposite shore distinctly +visible, high, rocky and bluff to the edge of the water, seemingly only +seven or eight miles distant, and with several small islands or rocks +scattered over its surface. This was however only deceptive, and caused +by the very refractive state of the atmosphere at the time, for upon +dismounting and leading the horses into the bed of the lake, the opposite +shore appeared to recede, and the rocks or islands turned out to be only +very small lumps of dirt or clay lying in the bed of the lake, and +increased in magnitude by refraction. + +I penetrated into the basin of the lake for about six miles, and found it +so far without surface water. On entering at first, the horses sunk a +little in a stiff mud, after breaking through a white crust of salt, +which everywhere coated the surface and was about one eighth of an inch +in thickness, as we advanced the mud became much softer and greatly mixed +with salt water below the surface, until at last we found it impossible +to advance a step further, as the horses had already sunk up to their +bellies in the bog, and I was afraid we should never be able to extricate +them, and get them safely back to the shore. Could we have gone on for +some distance, I have no doubt that we should have found the bed of the +lake occupied by water, as there was every appearance of a large body of +it at a few miles to the west. As we advanced a great alteration had +taken place, in the aspect of the western shores. The bluff rocky banks +were no longer visible, but a low level country appeared to the view at +seemingly about fifteen or twenty miles distance. From the extraordinary +and deceptive appearances, caused by mirage and refraction, however, it +was impossible to tell what to make of sensible objects, or what to +believe on the evidence of vision, for upon turning back to retrace our +steps to the eastward, a vast sheet of water appeared to intervene +between us and the shore, whilst the Mount Deception ranges, which I knew +to be at least thirty-five miles distant, seemed to rise out of the bed +of the lake itself, the mock waters of which were laving their base, and +reflecting the inverted outline of their rugged summits. The whole scene +partook more of enchantment than reality, and as the eye wandered over +the smooth and unbroken crust of pure white salt which glazed the basin +of the lake, and which was lit up by the dazzling rays of a noonday sun, +the effect was glittering, and brilliant beyond conception. + +[Very similar appearances seem to have been observed by Monsieur Peron, +on the S. W. coast near Geographe Bay. "A cette epoque nous eprouvions les +effets les plus singuliers du mirage; tantot les terres les plus +uniformes et les plus basses nous paroissoient portees au dessus des +eaux, et profondement dechirrees dans toutes leurs parties; tantot leurs +cretes superieures sembloient renversees, et reposer ainsi sur les +vagues; a chaque instant on croyoit voir au large de longues chaines de +recifs, et de brisans qui sembloient se reculer a mesure qu'on s'en +approchoit davantage."--VOYAGE DE DECOUVERTES AUX TERRES AUSTRALES REDIGE +PAR PERON.] + +Upon regaining the eastern shore, I found that all I had been able to +effect was to determine that the lake still continued its course to the +N.W. that it was still guided as before, by a ridge like a sea shore, +that its area was undiminished, that its bed was dry on the surface for +at least six miles from the outer margin, and that from the increasing +softness of the mud, occasioned by its admixture with water, as I +proceeded there was every probability that still further west, water +would be found upon the surface. Beyond these few facts, all was +uncertainty and conjecture in this region of magic. Turning away from the +lake, I retraced my steps towards the depot, and halted at dark after a +stage of nearly forty miles. Here was neither grass nor water, and again +I was obliged to tie up the unfortunate horses, jaded, hungry and +thirsty. + +During the night, I released one of the poor animals for an hour or two, +thinking he would not stray from his companion, and might, perhaps, crop +a few of the little shrubs growing on the sand ridges, but on searching +for him in the morning he was gone, and I had to walk twelve miles over +the heavy sand tracking him, the boy following along our outward track +with the other horse, for fear of missing the man who was to meet us with +water. + +The stray horse had fortunately kept near the line we had followed in +going to the lake, and I came upon him in a very weak and miserable +condition, soon after the arrival of the man who had been sent to meet us +with water. By care and slow travelling, we reached the depot safely in +the afternoon, having crossed in going and returning, upwards of 100 +miles of desert country, during the last three days, in which the horses +had got nothing either to eat or drink. It is painful in the extreme, to +be obliged to subject them to such hardships, but alas, in such a +country, what else can be done. + +In the evening, I directed the overseer to have every thing got ready for +breaking up our encampment on the morrow, as the party had been fifteen +days in depot, and little else than mud remained in the hole which had +supplied them with water. + +August 25.--Slight showers during the night, and the day dark and cloudy, +with rather an oppressive atmosphere. The horses had strayed during the +night, so that it was nine o'clock before we got away. + +We had scarcely left the place of encampment, when shoutings were heard, +and signal fires lit up in every direction by the natives, to give +warning I imagine of our being abroad, and to call stragglers to their +camp. These people had still remained in our immediate vicinity, and were +now assembled in very considerable numbers on the brow of one of the +front ridges, to watch us pass by. They would not approach us, but as the +drays moved on kept running in a line with them, at some distance, and +occasionally shouting and gesticulating in an unintelligible manner. + +In our first and only intercourse with these natives, we had +unfortunately given them just cause of offence, and I was most anxious, +if possible, before leaving, to efface the unfavourable impression which +they had received. Letting the drays therefore move on, I remained behind +with Mr. Scott, leading our horses, and trying to induce some of the +natives to come up to us; for a long time, however, our efforts were in +vain, but at last I succeeded in persuading a fine athletic looking man +to approach within a moderate distance; I then shewed him a tomahawk, +which I laid on the ground, making signs that I intended it for him. When +I had retired a little, he went and took it up, evidently comprehending +its use, and appearing much pleased with the gift; the others soon +congregated around him, and Mr. Scott and I mounting our horses, followed +the party, leaving the sable council to discuss the merits of their new +acquisition, and hoping that the unfavourable opinion with which we had +at first impressed them, would be somewhat modified for the future. + +Steering N. 43 degrees W. for five miles, and then winding through the +range, in the bed of a watercourse to the plains on the other side, we +took a direction of E. 20 degrees N. for fifteen miles, arriving about +dark upon a small channel that I had crossed on the 14th of August. Here +was good feed for the horses, and plenty of water a little way up among +the hills. This watercourse I had not examined when I was here before, +preferring to trace up the larger one beyond instead. Had I followed +this, I should easily have found water, and been relieved from much of +the anxiety which I had then undergone. + +In travelling through a country previously unexplored, no pains should be +spared in examining every spot, even the most unlikely, where it is +possible for water to exist, for after searching in vain, in large deep +rocky and likely looking watercourses, I have frequently found water in +some small branch or gorge, that had appeared too insignificant, or too +uninviting to require to be explored. This I named The Mundy, after my +friend, Alfred Mundy, Esq., now the Colonial Secretary of South +Australia. + +Early this morning, I took Mr. Scott with me, to examine The Mundy, +leaving the overseer to proceed with the party. + +After entering the hills a short distance, we found in the bed of the +Mundy a strongly running stream, connecting several reaches of waters, +upon which many black ducks were sailing about. This appeared to be one +of the finest and best streams we had yet discovered, although the water +was slightly impregnated with alum. After the watercourse left the hills, +the surface water all disappeared, the drainage being then absorbed by +the light sandy soil of the plains, and this had invariably been the case +with all the waters emanating from Flinders range. + +Crossing some stony ridges, we followed the party up the large +watercourse, which I had traced so far on the 5th of August, since named +the Burr, after the Deputy Surveyor-general of the colony, and at +nineteen miles halted early in the afternoon, at some springs rising +among rocks and rushes in its bed. The water was very brackish, though +drinkable, but did not extend far on either side of the spot we were +encamped at, and when after dinner, I took a long walk up the watercourse +to search for more, I was unable to find any either in the main channel +or its branches. The grass was abundant and good. The latitude of the +camp I ascertained to be 30 degrees 27 minutes S. + +August 27.--Having risen and breakfasted very early, I took Mr. Scott and +a native boy with me, and steered for a very high hill with rather a +rounded summit, bearing from our camp E. 17 degrees S. This I named Mount +Serle, in accordance with a request made to me before my departure, by +the Governor, that I would name some remarkable feature in the country +after Mr. Serle. This was the most prominent object we had hitherto met +with; among high ranges it appeared the highest, and from a height above +our present encampment, it had been selected by us as the most likely +point from which to obtain a view to the eastward. + +The elevation of this hill could not be less than three thousand feet +above the level of the sea; but unfortunately, the injury my barometer +had sustained in the escape of some of the mercury, and my being unable +to fill it again properly, quite precluded me from ascertaining the +height with accuracy. + +In our route to Mount Serle, we observed another hill rather more to the +northward, seemingly of as great an altitude as Mount Serle itself; this +was not situate in the Mount Serle range, nor had it been seen by us in +our view from the height above the depot. + +At ten miles from our camp, we came to a large watercourse, emanating +from the Mount Serle range on the south side, and running close under its +western aspect, with an abundance of excellent clear water in it. This I +named the Frome, after the Surveyor-general of the colony, to whose +kindness I was so much indebted in preparing my outfit and for the loan +of instruments for the use of the expedition. + +Having watered our horses we tied them up to some trees, and commenced +the ascent of Mount Serle on foot. The day was exceedingly hot, and we +found our task a much harder one than we had anticipated, being compelled +to wind up and down several steep and rugged ridges before we could reach +the main one. + +At length, however, having overcome all difficulties we stood upon the +summit of the mountain. Our view was then extensive and final. At one +glance I saw the realization of my worst forebodings; and the termination +of the expedition of which I had the command. Lake Torrens now faced us +to the east, whilst on every side we were hemmed in by a barrier which we +could never hope to pass. Our toils and labours and privations, had all +been endured to no purpose; and the only alternative left us would be to +return, disappointed and baffled. + +To the north and north-west the horizon was unbroken to the naked eye, +but with the aid of a powerful telescope I could discover fragments of +table land similar to those I had seen in the neighbourhood of the lake +in that direction. At N. 8 degrees W. a very small haycock-looking hill +might be seen above the level waste, probably the last of the low spurs +of Flinders range to the north. To the north-east, the view was +obstructed by a high range immediately in front of us, but to the east +and as far as E. 13 degrees S. we saw through a break in the hills, a +broad glittering belt in appearance, like the bed of a lake, but +apparently dry. + +The ranges seemed to continue to the eastward of Mount Serle for about +fifteen miles, and then terminated abruptly in a low, level, +scrubby-looking country, also about fifteen miles in extent, between the +hills and the borders of the lake. The latter appearing about twenty-five +miles across, whilst beyond it was a level region without a height or +elevation of any kind. + +Connecting the view before me with the fact that on the 14th August, when +in about lat. 29 degrees S., I had found Lake Torrens turning round to +the north-east, and had observed no continuation of Flinders range to the +eastward of my position, I could now no longer doubt that I had almost +arrived at the termination of that range, and that the glittering belt I +now saw to the east, was in fact only an arm of the lake taking the +drainage from its eastern slopes. + +Sad and painful were the thoughts that occupied my mind in returning to +the camp. Hitherto, even when placed in the most difficult or desperate +circumstances I was cheered by hope, but now I had no longer even that +frail solace to cling to, there was no mistaking the nature of the +country, by which we were surrounded on every side, and no room for +doubting its impracticability. + + + + +Chapter VII. + + + +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMES +SALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRY +WATER-COURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATION +OF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHER +ADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDS +MOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THE +FUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING. + + +Upon returning to the depot at the Burr, I decided upon making an +excursion to the north-east, to ascertain the actual termination of +Flinders range, and the nature of the prospect beyond it; not to satisfy +myself, for a single glance from the eminence I had recently occupied at +Mount Serle, had for ever set my curiosity at rest on these points, but +in discharge of the duty I owed to the Governor, and the promoters of the +expedition, who could not be expected to be satisfied with a bare +conjecture on a subject which they had sent me practically to +demonstrate, however fairly from circumstances the conclusions might be +deduced at which I had been compelled to arrive. Accordingly, on the +morning of the 29th, I took with me my overseer, one man, a native boy, +and a cart drawn by three horses to carry water; and making an early +start, proceeded to attempt for the last time to penetrate into those +regions of gloom. + +After travelling ten miles, we arrived at the Frome, where we watered and +fed the horses. From this place I sent the overseer on before us, to see +how far the water extended, that we might determine where to fix our +halting-place for the night. After resting awhile we proceeded on with +the cart, tracing down the watercourse over a very rough and stony road +on which the cart was upset, but without any serious damage, and passing +several very large and fine water-holes with many teal and wood-duck upon +them. + +At eight miles from where we lunched, we encamped with abundance of +water, but very little grass. The latitude by meridian altitude of Altair +was 30 degrees 18 minutes 30 seconds S. In the evening the overseer +returned, and stated there was water for nine miles further, but that the +road was very rocky and bad. + +August 30.--Leaving the overseer to bring on the cart, I rode on a-head +down the watercourse to trace the continuance of the water. The road I +found to be very bad, and at twenty-three miles, upon tasting the water I +found it as salt as the sea, and the bed of the creek quite impracticable +for a cart; I therefore hurried back for seven miles, and halted the +party at the last good water-hole, which was about sixteen miles from our +yesterday's camp. + +We had seen many ducks during the day, two of which I shot, and the black +boy found a nest with fresh eggs in it, so that we fared more luxuriously +than usual. The night set in very dark and windy, but no rain fell. + +August 31.--This morning I sent the overseer back to the depot with the +cart and two horses, whilst I and the native boy proceeded on our route +on horseback, taking also a man leading a pack-horse to carry water for +us the first day. Following down the watercourse, we passed through some +imposing scenery, consisting of cliffs from six to eight hundred feet in +height, rising perpendicularly from their bases, below which were +recesses, into which the sun never shone, and whose gloomy grandeur +imparted a melancholy cast to the thoughts and feelings, in unison with +the sublimity of the scene around. + +After travelling twelve miles from the camp, we got clear of the hills, +and found an open country before us to the north; through this we +proceeded for ten miles further, still following the direction of the +watercourse, and halting upon it for the night, after having made a stage +of twenty-two miles. We had tolerable grass for the horses, but were +obliged to give them water from the kegs. + +At this place I was much astonished to see four white cockatoos, flying +about among the gum-trees in the watercourse, and immediately commenced a +narrow search for water, as I knew those birds did not frequently go far +away from it: there was not, however, a drop to be found anywhere, nor +the least sign of there having been any for a long time. What made the +circumstance of finding cockatoos here so surprising and unusual was, +that for the last two hundred miles we had never seen one at all. Where +then had these four birds come from? could it be that they had followed +under Flinders range from the south, and had strayed so far away from all +others of their kind, or had they come from some better country beyond +the desert by which I was surrounded, or how was that country to be +attained, supposing it to exist? Time only may reply to these queries, +but the occasion which prompted them was, to say the least, +extraordinary. + +Towards night the sky became overcast with clouds, and as I saw that we +should have rain, I set to work with the boy and made a house of boughs +for our protection, but the man who accompanied us was too indolent to +take the same precaution, thinking probably that the rain would pass away +as it had often done before. In this, however, he was disappointed, for +the rain came down in torrents [Note 7 at end para.]--in an hour or two +the whole country was inundated, and he was taught a lesson of industry at +the expense of a thorough and unmitigated drenching. + +[Note 7: This will not appear surprising, when the great amount of rain +which falls annually in some parts of Australia, is taken into account. +The Count Strzelecki gives 62.68 inches, as the average annual fall for +upwards of twenty years, at Port Macquarie.--At p. 193, that gentleman +remarks:--"The greatest fall of rain recorded in New South Wales, during +24 hours, amounted to 25 inches. (Port Jackson)."] + +September 1.--This morning I sent the man back to the depot with the +pack-horse, with orders to the overseer to move back the party as rapidly +as possible towards Mount Arden, that by taking advantage of the rain we +might make a short route through the plains, and avoid the necessity of +going up among the rugged and stony watercourses of the hills. + +This retrograde movement was rendered absolutely necessary from our +present position, for since we had wound through the hills to the north, +and come out upon the open plains, I saw that Flinders range had +terminated, and I now only wished to trace its northern termination so +far east as to enable me to see round it to the southward, as well as to +ascertain the character and appearance of the country to the north and to +the east; as soon therefore as the man had left, I proceeded at a course +of E. 35 degrees N. for a low and very distant elevation, apparently the +last of the hills to the eastward, this I named Mount Distance, for it +deceived us greatly as to the distance we were from it. + +In passing through the plains, which were yesterday so arid and dry, I +found immense pools, nay almost large reaches of water lodged in the +hollows, and in which boats might have floated. Such was the result of +only an hour or two's rain, whilst the ground itself, formerly so hard, +was soft and boggy in the extreme, rendering progress much slower and +more fatiguing to the horses than it otherwise would have been. By +steadily persevering we made a stage of thirty-five miles, but were +obliged to encamp at night some miles short of the little height I had +been steering for. + +During our ride we passed several dry watercourses at five, ten, +twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five miles from our last encampment. The +last we halted upon with good feed for the horses, and rainwater lodged +everywhere. All these watercourses took their course to the north, +emptying and losing themselves in the plains. In the evening heavy +showers again fell, and the night set in very dark. + +September 2.--After travelling seven miles we ascended Mount Distance, +and from it I could see that the hills now bore S. and S.E. and were +getting much lower, so that we were rapidly rounding their northern +extremity. To the north and north-east were seen only broken fragments of +table lands, similar to what I found near the lake to the north-west; the +lake itself, however, was nowhere visible, and I saw that I should have +another day's hard riding before I could satisfactorily determine its +direction. Upon descending I steered for a distant low haycock-like peak +in the midst of one of the table-topped fragments; from this rise I +expected the view would be decisive, and I named it Mount Hopeless.--From +Mount Distance it bore E. 25 degrees N. + +Crossing many little stony ridges, and passing the channel of several +watercourses, I discovered a new and still more disheartening feature in +the country, the existence of brine springs. Hitherto we had found +brackish and occasionally salt water in some of the watercourses, but by +tracing them up among the hills, we had usually found the quality to +improve as we advanced, but now the springs were out in the open plains, +and the water poisoned at its very source. + +Occasionally round the springs were a few coarse rushes, but the soil in +other respects was quite bare, destitute of vegetation, and thickly +coated over with salt, presenting the most miserable and melancholy +aspect imaginable. We were now in nearly the same latitude as that in +which Captain Sturt had discovered brine springs in the bed of the +Darling, and which had rendered even that river so perfectly salt that +his party could not make use of it. + +September 2.--At thirty-five miles we reached the little elevation I had +been steering for, and ascended Mount Hopeless, and cheerless and +hopeless indeed was the prospect before us. As I had anticipated, the +view was both extensive and decisive. We were now past all the ranges; +and for three quarters of the compass, extending from south, round by +east and north, to west, the horizon was one unbroken level, except where +the fragments of table land, or the ridge of the lake, interrupted its +uniformity + +The lake was now visible to the north and to the east; and I had at last +ascertained, beyond all doubt, that its basin, commencing near the head +of Spencer's Gulf, and following the course of Flinders range (bending +round its northern extreme to the southward), constituted those hills the +termination of the island of South Australia, for such I imagine it once +to have been. This closed all my dreams as to the expedition, and put an +end to an undertaking from which so much was anticipated. I had now a +view before me that would have damped the ardour of the most +enthusiastic, or dissipated the doubts of the most seeptical. To the +showers that fell on the evening of the 31st of August, we were solely +indebted for having been able to travel thus far; had there been much +more rain the country would have been impracticable for horses,--if less +we could not have procured water to have enabled us to make such a push +as we had done. + +The lake where it was visible, appeared, as it had ever done, to be from +twenty-five to thirty miles across, and its distance from Mount Hopeless +was nearly the same. The hills to the S. and S. W. of us, seemed to +terminate on the eastern slopes, as abruptly as on the western; and from +the point where we stood, we could distinctly trace by the gum-trees, the +direction of watercourses emanating from among them, taking northerly, +north-easterly, easterly and south-easterly courses, according to the +point of the range they came from. This had been the case during the +whole of our route under Flinder's range. We had at first found the +watercourses going to the south of west, then west, north-west, north, +and now north-east, east and south-east. I had, at the same time, +observed all around this mountain mass, the appearance of the bed of a +large lake, following the general course of the ranges on every side, and +receiving, apparently, the whole drainage from them. + +On its western, and north-western shores, I had ascertained by actual +examination, that its basin was a very low level, clearly defined, and +effectually inclosed by an elevated continuous sandy ridge, like the +outer boundary of a sea-shore, its area being of immense extent, and its +bed of so soft and yielding a nature, as to make it quite impossible to +cross it. All these points I had decided positively, and finally, as far +as regards that part of Lake Torrens, from near the head of Spencer's +Gulf, to the most north-westerly part of it, which I visited on the 14th +of August, embracing a course of fully 200 miles in its outline. I had +done this, too, under circumstances of great difficulty, toil, and +anxiety, and not without the constant risk of losing my horses, from the +fatigues and privations of the forced labours I was obliged to impose +upon them. + +Having ascertained these particulars, and at so much hazard, relative to +Lake Torrens, for so great a part of its course, what conclusion could I +arrive at with regard to the character of its other half to the +north-east, and east of Flinders ranges, as seen from Mount Hopeless, and +Mount Serle points, nearly ninety miles apart! The appearances from the +ranges were similar; the trend of all the watercourses was to the same +basin, and undoubtedly that basin, if traced far enough, must be of +nearly the same level on the eastern, as on the western side of the +ranges. I had completely ascertained that Flinders range had terminated +to the eastward, the north-east, and the north; that there were no hills +or elevations connected with it beyond, in any of these directions, and +that the horizon every where was one low uninterrupted level. + +With such data, and under such circumstances, what other opinion could I +possibly arrive at, than that the bed of Lake Torrens was nearly similar +in its character, and equally impracticable in its eastern, as its +western arm; and that, considering the difficulties I had encountered, +and the hazards I had subjected myself to, in ascertaining these points +so minutely on the western side, I could not be justified in renewing +those risks to the eastward, where the nature and extent of the +impediments were so self-evidently the same, and where there was not the +slightest hope of any useful result being attained by it. + +I was now more than a hundred miles away from my party; and having sent +them orders to move back towards Mount Arden, I had no time to lose in +following them. With bitter feelings of disappointment I turned from the +dreary and cheerless scene around me, and pushing the horses on as well +as circumstances would allow, succeeded in retracing ten miles of my +course by a little after dark, having completed a stage of fully +forty-five miles during the day. Here there was tolerable good grass, and +plenty of water from the late rains, so that the horses were more +fortunate on this excursion than usual. I observed the variation to be 4 +degrees E. + +September 3.--Travelling early, we made a long stage of about forty +miles, and encamped with good grass and water. During the day we caught +four young emus in the plains, which we roasted for supper, being very +hungry, and upon short allowance, as I had not calculated upon remaining +out so long; the black boy enjoyed them exceedingly, and I managed to get +through one myself. They were about the size of full grown fowls. + +September 4.--Making a very early start, we travelled twenty miles to the +watercourse, where we had encamped on the 31st of August, striking it a +little lower down. As I had left one or two trifles here, that I wished +to take on with me, I sent the black boy for them, telling him to follow +my tracks while I went slowly on. Upon finding that he did not overtake +me so soon as I expected, I halted for some time, but still he did not +come up, and I again proceeded; for as I had left my former track, I +concluded he had taken that line, and thus missed me. Steering, +therefore, across the hills, some of which were very stony and broken, I +made for the Mundy, which I reached very late in the evening, and found +the party safely encamped there. + +I had rode fifty-five miles, and had been on horseback about thirteen +hours, so that both myself and horse were well nigh knocked up. The black +boy had not arrived, nor did he come up during the night. + +The next day, becoming uneasy about his absence, I detained the party in +the camp, and sent Mr. Scott to search for him, who fortunately met him +almost immediately he had left us. The boy's detention had been +occasioned by the fagged condition of his horse, which prevented the +possibility of his overtaking me. As the day was wet, I did not move on, +but gave the party a day's rest, whilst I employed myself in meditating +upon the disappointment I had experienced, and the future steps it might +be most advisable to take to carry out the objects of the expedition. I +was still determined not to give up the undertaking,--but rather to +attempt to penetrate either to the eastward or westward, and to try to +find some other line of route that might afford a practicable opening to +the interior. + +September 6.--Moving on the party early to-day, I pushed steadily towards +the depot near Mount Arden. In doing this, the favourable state of the +weather enabled us to keep more in the open plains, and thus both to +avoid a good deal of rough ground, and to shorten the road considerably. + +Upon mustering the horses on the 9th, the overseer reported to me that +one of them was lying down with a broken leg, and upon going to examine +him, I found that it was one of the police horses kindly lent to the +expedition by the Governor. During the night some other horse had kicked +him and broken the thigh bone of the hind leg. The poor animal was in +great pain and unable to rise at all, I was therefore obliged to order +the overseer to shoot him. By this accident we lost a most useful horse +at a time when we could but ill spare one. + +During our progress to the south we had frequently showers and +occasionally heavy rains, which lodging in puddles on the plains, +supplied us abundantly with water, and we were unusually fortunate enough +to obtain grass also. We were thus enabled to push on upon nearly a +straight course, which, after seven days of hard travelling, brought us +once more, on the afternoon of the 12th, to our old position at the depot +near Mount Arden. I had intended to have halted the party here for a day +or two, to recruit after the severe march we had just terminated; but the +weather was so favourable and the season so far advanced, that I did not +like to lose an hour in following out my prospective plans. + +During the homeward journey from the Mundy, I had reflected much on the +position in which I was placed, and spent many an anxious hour in +deliberating as to the future. I had one of three alternatives to choose, +either to give up the expedition altogether;--to cross to the Murray to +the east and follow up that river to the Darling;--or by crossing over to +Streaky Bay to the westward, to endeavour to find some opening leading +towards the interior in that direction. After weighing well the +advantages and disadvantages of each (and there were many objections to +them all,) I determined upon adopting the last, for reasons which will be +found in my Report sent to the Governor, and to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee from Port Lincoln. [Note 8: Vide Chapter +IX.] My mind having thus been made up, I knew, from former experience, +that I had no time to lose, now that the weather was showery and +favourable, and that if I delayed at all in putting my plans into +execution I might probably be unable to cross from Mount Arden to +Streaky Bay. The distance between these two points was upwards of +two hundred miles, through a barren and desert region, in which, +though among high ranges, I had on a former occasion been unable to +discover any permanent water, and through which we could only hope +to pass by taking advantage of the puddles left by the late rains; +I therefore decided upon halting at the depot to rest the horses +even for a day; and the party had no sooner reached their encampment, +than, while one portion of the men took the horses up the watercourse to +water, the others were employed in digging up the stores we had buried +here, and in repacking and rearranging all the loads ready to move on +again immediately. By the evening all the arrangements were completed and +the whole party retired to rest much fatigued. + + + + +Chapter VIII. + + + +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS +AND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORT +LINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FOR +WATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGE +ROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGE +WATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OF +PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND +OVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP. + + +September 13.--UPON leaving the depot this morning I was obliged to leave +behind a very large tarpaulin which we did not require, and which from +the extra weight we had last night put upon the drays, we could not +conveniently carry. Steering to the south-west we came at twelve miles to +the head of Spencer's Gulf, and crossed the channel connecting it with +Lake Torrens. At this place it is not very wide, but its bed like that of +the lake is soft and boggy, with salt water mixed with the mud. We had a +good deal of difficulty in getting over it, and one of the drays having +stuck fast, we had to unload it, carrying the things over on men's backs. +A few miles beyond this we halted for the night, where there was good +grass for the horses and plenty of water in the puddles around us. We +crossed principally during the day, a rather heavy sandy country, but +were now encamped in plains of a firmer and better character for the +drays. + +September 14.--Travelling on through open plains with loose gravelly +stones, lying on their surface, we passed to the south of a small +table-topped hill, visible from Mount Arden, and very much resembling the +fragments of table land that I had met with to the north. This however +was somewhat larger than those, and though steep-sided as they were it +did not disclose the same white strata of chalk and gypsum, its formation +being more rocky and of rather a slaty character. + +September 15.--Pushing on rapidly over extensive plains very similar to +those we had already crossed, we arrived, after a long stage, under +Baxter's range, and encamped upon a small channel coming from it, with +abundance of water and good grass. This range is high and rocky, rising +abruptly out of the plains, and distinctly visible from Mount Arden, from +which it is about fifty miles distant. Its formation is entirely +conglomerate of rather a coarse description. Among its rugged overhanging +steeps are many of the large red species of wallabie similar to those we +had seen to the north at the Scott. Two of these we shot. The latitude of +our camp at Baxter's range was 32 degrees 40 minutes S. + +September 16.--Remained in camp to-day to rest the horses and prepare for +dividing the party, as from the great abundance of rain that had fallen, +I no longer apprehended a scarcity of water on the route to Streaky Bay, +and therefore decided upon sending my overseer across with the party, +whilst I myself took a dray down direct to Port Lincoln, on the west side +of Spencer's Gulf, to obtain additional supplies, with the intention of +joining them again at Streaky Bay. + +Having spent some time in taking bearings from the summit of Baxter's +range, I examined all the channels and gorges coming from it, and in most +of these I found water. I am of opinion however that in a very dry +season, the water which I now found will be quite dried up, and +especially in the largest of the watercourses, or the one upon which we +were encamped. [Note 9: In October 1842, this was quite dry, but water was +still found in holes in the rocks in the southernmost gorge, above the +waterfall, at the base of which water was also procured by digging in +the gravel.] + +A little further south, there is a rocky ravine winding through a gorge +and terminating in a waterfall, with a large pool of beautiful water at +the base, and with many large and deep holes of water in the rocks above. +In this ravine I imagine water might be procured at any period of the +year, and I am confirmed in this opinion by the circumstance of three +well beaten native roads, coming from different points of the compass, +and all converging at this place. This is an important position for +parties crossing to the westward, or going overland to Port Lincoln. +Baxter's range is the nearest point at which permanent water can be +procured on the west side of the head of Spencer's Gulf, as the Depot +creek near Mount Arden is on the eastern. Having completed my examination +of the range, and taken all my observations, I spent the remainder of the +day in constructing a chart of my former route from Streaky Bay in 1839, +and in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as a +guide for him in crossing to the westward. + +September 17.--Placing under the charge of the overseer, two drays, seven +of our best horses, all the sheep, one native boy, and two men, I saw him +fairly started this morning, and wished him a speedy and prosperous +journey. I had left with me one dray, five horses, one man, one native +boy, and Mr. Scott; with fourteen days provision and forty gallons of +water. Steering S. 25 degrees W. for sixteen miles, we halted for the +night upon a patch of tolerable grass but without any water; I was +consequently obliged to give a bucket of water to each of the horses out +of the small stock which we had brought with us. The country we travelled +through was low, level, and for the most part covered with salsolae, or +brush, the latter in some places being very dense, and causing great +fatigue to the horses in dragging the dray through it. + +September 18.--Upon taking a view of the country, this morning, previous +to starting, it appeared so low and level, and held out so little +prospect of our finding water, that I was induced to deviate from the +course I had laid down, and steering S. 20 degrees E. made for some hills +before us. After travelling four miles upon this course, I observed a +native fire upon the hills at a bearing of S. 40 degrees E. and +immediately turned towards it, fully hoping that it was at a native camp +and in the immediate vicinity of water. + +At eight miles we were close under the hills, but found the dray could +not cross the front ridges; I therefore left Mr. Scott to keep a course +parallel with the range, whilst I and the native boy rode across to where +we had seen the fire. Upon arriving at the spot I was greatly +disappointed to find, instead of a native camp, only a few burning +bushes, which had either been lit as a signal by the natives, after +noticing us in the plains, or was one of those casual fires so frequently +left by them on their line of march. I found the hills scrubby, barren, +and rocky, with much prickly grass growing upon their slopes. There were +no watercourses upon the west side of the range at all, nor could I by +tracing up some short rocky valleys coming from steep gorges in the face +of the hill find any water. The rock was principally of ironstone +formation. Upon ascending to the summit of the hill, I had an extensive +but unsatisfactory view, a vast level field of scrub stretching every +where around me, interspersed here and there with the beds of small dried +up lakes, but with no signs of water any where. At S. W. by S. I saw the +smoke of a native fire rising in the plains. Hurrying down from the +range, I followed the dray, and as soon as I overtook it, halted for the +night in the midst of a thick scrub of large tea-trees and minor shrubs. +There was a little grass scattered among the trees, on which, by giving +our horses two buckets of water each, they were able to feed tolerably +well. During the day we had travelled over a very heavy sandy country and +through dense brush, and our horses were much jaded. Occasionally we had +passed small dried up salt lakes and the beds of salt water channels; but +even these did not appear to have had any water in them for a long time. + +Upon halting the party, I sent Mr. Scott to explore the range further +south than I had been, whilst I myself went to search among the salt +lakes to the southwest. We, however, both returned equally unsuccessful, +and I now found that I should be compelled to send the dray back for a +supply of water from Baxter's range. The country was so scrubby and +difficult to get a dray through that our progress was necessarily slow; +and in the level waste before us I had no hope of finding water for some +distance further. I thought, therefore, that if the dray could bring a +supply to last us for two days after leaving our present encampment, we +should then be enabled to make a fresh push through a considerable extent +of bad country, and might have a better chance of finding water as we +advanced to the south-west. + +September 19.--This morning I unloaded the dray of every thing except the +water casks, and pitching my tent among the scrub took up my quarters +alone, whilst I sent back the man, the native boy, the dray, and all the +horses with Mr. Scott to Baxter's range. As they made an early start, I +gave them instructions to push on as rapidly as possible, so as to get +the range that night, to rest the horses next day and fill the casks with +water, and on the third day, if possible, to return the whole distance +and rejoin me. + +Having seen them fairly away, I occupied myself in writing and charting +during the day, and at night amused myself in taking stellar observations +for latitude. I had already taken the altitude of Vega, and deduced the +latitude to be 32 degrees 3 minutes 23 seconds S.; leaving my artificial +horizon on the ground outside whilst I remained in the tent waiting until +Altair came to the meridian, I then took my sextant and went out to +observe this star also; but upon putting down my hand to take hold of the +horizon glass in order to wipe the dew off, my fingers went into the +quick-silver--the horizon glass was gone, and also the piece of canvass I +had put on the ground to lie down upon whilst observing so low an +altitude as that of Vega. Searching a little more I missed a spade, a +parcel of horse shoes, an axe, a tin dish, some ropes, a grubbing hoe, +and several smaller things which had been left outside the tent, as not +being likely to take any injury from the damp. + +It was evident I was surrounded by natives, who had stolen all these +things during the short time I had been in my tent, certainly not +exceeding half an hour. The night was very windy and I had heard nothing, +besides I was encamped in the midst of a very dense brush of large +wide-spreading tea-trees and other bushes, any of which would afford a +screen for a considerable number of natives. In daylight it was +impossible to see many yards in distance, and nothing could be discerned +at night. + +The natives must have watched the dray go away in the morning, and waited +until dark for their opportunity to rob me; and most daringly and +effectually had they done it. At the time that I lay on the ground, +taking the star's altitude, they must have been close to me, and after I +went into the tent, they doubtless saw me sitting there by the light of +the candle, since the door was not quite closed, and they had come quite +in front to obtain some of the things they had stolen. The only wonder +with me was that they had not speared me, as they could scarcely have +been intimidated by my individual presence. + +As soon as I missed my horizon glass, and entertained the suspicion of +natives being about, I hurried into the tent and lighting a large blue +light, run with it rapidly through the bushes around me. The effect of +this was very beautiful amidst the darkness and gloom of the woods, and +for a great distance in every direction objects could be seen as well as +by day; the natives, however, were gone, and I could only console myself +by firing a couple of balls after them through the underwood to warn them +of the danger of intruding upon me again; I then put every thing which +had been left outside, into the tent, and kept watch for an hour or two, +but my visitors came no more. The shots, or the blue light, had +effectually frightened them. They had, however, in their turn, produced +as great an effect upon me, and had at least deprived me of one night's +rest. + +September 20.--Rising very early I set to work, with an axe, to clear +away the bushes from around my tent. I now discovered that the natives +had been concealed behind a large tea-tree not twenty yards from the +tent; there were numerous foot-marks there, and the remains of +fire-sticks which they had brought with them, for a native rarely moves +at night without fire. + +By working hard I cleared a large circle with a radius of from thirty to +forty yards, and then piling up all the bushes outside and around the +tent, which was in the centre, I was completely fortified, and my sable +friends could no longer creep upon me to steal without my hearing them. I +spent great part of the day in charting, and took a few angles from the +tent, but did not dare to venture far away. At night, when it was dark, I +mounted guard with my gun for three hours, walking round outside the +tent, and firing off my gun before I lay down, which I did with my +clothes on, ready to get up at a moment's notice. Nothing, however, +disturbed me. + +September 21.--I had been occupied during the greater part of the day in +charting, and in the evening was just shouldering my gun to mount guard +again, when I was delighted to see Mr. Scott returning with the dray, and +the party all safe. They had executed the duty entrusted to them well, +and had lost no time in rejoining me; the horses were, however, somewhat +fatigued, having come all the way from the range in one day. Being now +reinforced, I had no longer occasion to mount guard, and for the first +time since the natives had stolen upon me, enjoyed a sound sleep. + +September 22.--Moving on the party for ten miles at a course of S. 35 +degrees W., we passed through a dreadful country, composed of dense scrub +and heavy sandy ridges, with some salt water channels and beds of small +dry lakes at intervals. In many cases the margins bounding these were +composed of a kind of decomposed lime, very light and loose, which +yielded to the slightest pressure; in this our horses and drays sank +deep, throwing out as they went, clouds of fine white dust on every side +around them. This, added to the very fatiguing and harassing work of +dragging the dray through the thick scrub and over the heavy sand ridges, +almost knocked them up, and we had the sad prospect before us of +encamping at night without a blade of grass for them to eat. Just at this +juncture the native boy who was with me, said he saw rocks in one of the +distant sand hills, but upon examining the place with a telescope I could +not make out distinctly whether they were rocks or only sand. The boy +however persisted that there were rocks, and to settle the point I halted +the dray in camp, whilst I proceeded with him to the spot to look. + +At seven miles W. 10 degrees S. of the drays we reached the ridge, and to +my great delight I found the boy was right; he had seen the bare sheets +of granite peeping out near the summit of a sandy elevation, and in these +we found many holes with water in them. At the base of the hill too, was +an opening with good grass around, and a fine spring of pure water. +Hastening back to the dray, I conducted the party to the hills, which I +named Refuge Rocks, for such they were to us in our difficulties, and +such they may be to many future travellers who may have to cross this +dreary desert. + +From the nature of the road and the exhausted state of our horses, it was +very late when we encamped, but as the position was so favourable a one +to recruit at, I determined to take advantage of it, and remain a couple +of days for that purpose. + +September 23.--Leaving my party to rest, after the fatigue they had +endured in forcing a way through the scrub, I set off after breakfast to +reconnoitre our position at Refuge Rocks, and to take a series of angles. +The granite elevation, under which we were encamped, I found to be one of +three small hills, forming a triangle, about a mile apart from each +other, and having sheets of granite lying exposed upon their summits, +containing deep holes which receive and retain water after rains. The +hill we were encamped under, was the highest of the three, and the only +one under which there was a spring. [Note 10: This was dried up in +October, 1842.] There was also better grass here than around either of the +other two; it appeared, too, to be the favourite halting place of the +natives, many of whose encampments still remained, and some of which +appeared to have been in use not very long ago. The bearings from the hill +we were under, of the other two elevations, which, with it, constitute +the Refuge Rocks, were N. 15 degrees W. and W. 35 degrees N. Baxter's +range was still visible in the distance, appearing low and wedge-shaped, +with the high end towards the east, at a bearing of N. 24 degrees E. +In the western extreme it bore N. 22 degrees E. Many other hills and +peaks were apparent in various directions, to all of which I took +angles, and then returned to the tent to observe the sun's meridian +altitude for latitude. By this observation, I made the latitude +33 degrees 11 minutes 12 seconds S.; but an altitude of Altair +at night only gave 33 degrees 10 minutes 6 seconds S.; probably +the mean of the two, or 33 degrees 10 minutes 39 seconds S., will be very +nearly the true position of the spring. From the summit of the hill I had +been upon, many native fires were visible in the scrub, in almost every +direction around. At one time I counted eleven different fires from the +smokes that were ascending, and some of which were very near us. Judging +from these facts, the natives appeared to be numerous in this part of the +country, and it would be necessary to be very cautious and vigilant after +the instance I had recently met with of their cunning and daring. + +September 24.--I still kept my party in camp to refresh the horses, and +occupied myself during the morning in preparing a sketch of my route to +the north, to send to the Governor from Port Lincoln. In the afternoon, I +searched for a line of road for our drays to pass, on the following day, +through the scrubby and sandy country, which still appeared to continue +in every direction. + +September 25.--Leaving Refuge Rocks, at a course of S. 37 degrees W., we +passed over a wretched country, consisting principally of heavy sandy +ridges, very densely covered with scrub, and giving our horses a severe +and fagging day's work to get the dray along for only twelve miles. I +then halted, as we were fortunate enough to find an opening in the scrub, +with good grass. Searching about our encampment, I found in a small +valley at one end of the little plain, a round hole, dug by the natives, +to catch the drainage from the slope above it. There were two or three +quarts of water in this hole when we discovered it; but by enlarging it, +we managed to fill a bucket once every hour from the water which drained +into it. This enabled us to save, to some extent, the water we had in our +casks, at the same time that all the horses had as much as they could +drink. I took angles from the camp to all the hills in sight, and at +night made the latitude of the tent 33 degrees 18 minutes 34 seconds S. +by an altitude of a Cygnus. + +September 26.--After travelling for thirteen miles at S. 40 degrees W., I +took a set of angles from a low scrubby hill, being the last opportunity +I should have of setting many of the heights, of which I had obtained +bearings from former camps. I then changed our course to S. 27 degrees W. +for five miles, and halted for the night where there was good grass. We +could find no water during the day; I had, consequently, to give the +horses some out of the casks. The country we traversed had altered +greatly in character, and though still heavy and sandy, it was a white +coarse gritty sand, instead of a fine red; and instead of the dense +cucalyptus scrub, we had now low heathy shrubs which did not present much +impediment to the progress of the dray, and many of which bore very +beautiful flowers. Granite was frequently met with during the day, but no +water could be found. Our latitude by an altitude of a Aquilae was 33 +degrees 30 minutes S. + +September 27.--Continuing our last night's course for about seven miles, +we passed through the densest scrub I had yet met with; fortunately, it +was not growing upon a sandy soil, and we got tolerably well through it, +but the horses suffered severely. Upon emerging from the brush, I noticed +a little green looking valley, about a mile off our track, and sent Mr. +Scott to see if there was water there. Upon his return, he reported that +there was, and I at once moved down to it, to rest the horses after the +toil of breaking through the scrub. The day was not far advanced when we +halted, and I was enabled to obtain the sun's altitude at noon, making +the latitude of the camp 33 degrees 34 minutes 25 seconds S. There was +good grass for the horses, and abundance of water left by the rains in +the hollows of a small watercourse, running between two scrubby ridges. + +September 28.--Making an early start, we crossed at four and a half +miles, a low scrubby range, and there found, upon the left of our track, +some very pretty grassy hills, and a valley lightly wooded with +casuarinae. Whilst I went on with the party, I detached Mr. Scott to see +if there was water at this little patch of good country, but he did not +find any. I am still of opinion, however, that if more time for +examination had been allowed, springs would have been discovered not far +away; as every thing looked so green and luxuriant, and formed so strong +a contrast to the country around. + +Pushing on steadify, we crossed over many undulations, coated on the +surface either with sand or breccia, and frequently having a good deal of +the eucalyptus scrub upon them, at eleven miles we passed a long grassy +plain in the scrub, and once or twice crossed small openings with a +little grass. For one of these we directed our course, late in the +evening, to encamp; upon reaching it, however, we were greatly +disappointed to find it covered only by prickly grass. I was therefore +obliged, after watering the horses from the casks, to send them a mile +and half back to some grass we had seen, and where they fared tolerably +well. Our day's journey had been long and fatiguing, through a barren, +heavy country. One mile before encamping, we crossed the bed of a salt +water channel, trending to the westward, which was probably connected +with the Lagoon Harbour of Flinders, as it appeared to receive the flood +tide. Our latitude was 33 degrees 50 minutes S. by observation of a +Aquilae. + +September 29.--Whilst the man was out looking for the horses, which had +strayed a little during the night, I took a set of angles to several +heights, visible from the camp; upon the man's return, he reported that +he had found some fresh water, but upon riding to the place, I. found it +was only a very small hole in a sheet of limestone rock, near the salt +watercourse, which did not contain above a pint or two. The natives, +however, appeared to come to this occasionally for their supply; similar +holes enabling them frequently to remain out in the low countries long +after the rain has fallen. After seeing the party move on, with the +native boy to act as guide through the scrub, I rode in advance to search +for water at the hill marked by Flinders as Bluff Mount, and named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Hill. This isolated elevation rises abruptly from +the field of scrub, in the midst of which it is situated and is of +granite formation; nearly at its summit is an open grassy plain, which +was visible long before we reached it, and which leads directly over the +lowest or centre part of the range; water was found in the holes of rock +in the granite, and the grass around was very tolerable. Having +ascertained these particulars, I hurried back to the drays to conduct +them to a place of encampment. The road was very long and over a heavy +sandy country, for the most part densely covered with scrub, and it was +late, therefore, when we reached the hill. The horses, however, had good +feed and fair allowance of water, but of the latter they drank every drop +we could find. During our route to-day, I noticed some little distance to +the north-west of our track, a high scrubby range, having clear +grassy-looking openings at intervals. In this direction, it is probable +that a better line of road might be found than the one we had chosen. + +September 30.--After breakfast, I ascended to the summit of Mount Hill, +and took a set of angles; whilst the dray wound up the gap between it and +another low summit, with which it is connected. Upon descending the hill +on the opposite side, I was rejoiced to find two very large pools of +water in some granite rocks, one of them appearing to be of a permanent +character. Here I halted for an hour and a half, to give the horses a +little more water, and fill our casks again before we faced the scrubby +waste that was still seen ahead of us. I had been last night within fifty +yards of the pools that we now found, but had not discovered them, as the +evening was closing in at the time, and I was in great haste to return to +my party before dark. Leaving Mount Hill at the course of S. 27 degrees +W. we passed through a very dense scrub, the strongest, I think, we had +yet experienced; the drays were tearing down the brush with loud crashes, +at every step which the horses took, and I could only compare their +progress to the effect produced by the efforts of a clearing party, the +brush rapidly disappearing before the wheels, and leaving almost as open +a road as if it had been cut away by axes; the unfortunate animals, +however, had to bear the onus of all, and most severely were they +harassed before our short stage was over. At twelve miles we came to a +large rocky watercourse of brackish water, trending to the +east-north-east, through a narrow valley bounded by dense scrub. In this +we found pools of fresh water, and as there was good grass, I called a +halt about three in the afternoon. We were now able, for the first time +for several hundred miles, to enjoy the luxury of a swim, which we all +fully appreciated. In the afternoon Mr. Scott shot six ducks in the +pools, which furnished us with a most welcome addition to our very scanty +fare. For two days previous to this, we had been subsisting solely upon a +very limited allowance of dry bread, having only taken fourteen days +provisions with us from Baxter's range, which was nearly all expended, +whilst we were yet at least two days journey from Port Lincoln. At night +I observed the latitude of our camp, by alpha Aquilae 34 degrees +12 minutes 52 seconds S. by beta Leonis 34 degrees 12 minutes 35 seconds +S. and assumed the mean of the two, or 34 degrees 12 minutes 43 seconds as +the correct one. + +October 1.--Making an early start we passed at three miles the head of +the watercourse we had been encamped upon, and then ascended some scrubby +ranges, for about five miles further, when we entered into a narrow tract +of good grassy country, which at five miles brought us to Mr. Driver's +station; a Mr. Dutton was living at this place as Mr. Driver's manager, +and by him we were very hospitably received, and furnished with such +supplies as we required. + +[Note 11: In 1842, Mr. Dutton attempted to take some cattle overland, from +this station to the head of Spencer's Gulf; both he and his whole party +perished in the desert, (as supposed) from the want of water. In October +of that year, I was sent by Government to search for their remains, but +as it was the dry season, I could not follow up their tracks through the +arid country they had advanced into. The cattle returned.] + +It was a cattle station, and abounded with milk and butter, luxuries +which we all fully enjoyed after our long ramble in the wilds. Having +halted my party for the day, Mr. Scott and myself dined at Mr. Dutton's, +and learnt the most recent news from Adelaide and Port Lincoln. We had +much to hear and much to inquire about, for even in the few months of our +absence, it was to be presumed, that many changes would have taken place +in the fluctuating affairs of a new colony. Nor were our conjectures +wrong. + +That great reaction which was soon to convulse all the Australian +Colonies generally, to annihilate all mercantile credit, and render real +property comparatively valueless, had already commenced in South +Australia; failures, and rumours of failures, were of daily occurrence in +Adelaide, and even the little settlement of Port Lincoln had not escaped +the troubles of the times. I learnt with regret that it was rapidly +falling into decay, and its population diminishing. Many had already +deserted it, and amongst them I was surprised to hear of the departure of +Captain Porter and others, who were once the most enthusiastic admirers +and the staunchest supporters of this embryo town. That which however +affected me more particularly was the fear, that from the low and +impoverished state to which the place was now reduced, I should not be +able to obtain the supplies I required for my party, and should probably +have to delay until I could send over to Adelaide for what I wanted, even +supposing I was lucky enough to find a vessel to go across for me. In +walking round Mr. Dutton's farm I found he was ploughing up some land in +the valley for wheat, which appeared to be an excellent soil, and the +garden he had already commenced was looking promising. At night I +obtained the altitude of a Aquilae, by which I placed Mr. Driver's +station in 34 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds S. lat., or about 22 miles of +lat. north of Kirton Point. + +October 2.--Before leaving the station I purchased from Mr. Dutton a +little Timor pony for 25 pounds for one of the native boys to ride, to +replace in some measure the services of the animal I had been obliged to +have shot up to the north. The only objection to my new purchase was that +it was a little mare and already forward in foal. At Port Lincoln, +however, I was not likely to meet with any horses for sale, and did not +therefore deem it prudent to lose the only opportunity that might occur +of getting an animal of some kind. After quitting Mr. Dutton's, I +followed a dray road leading towards Port Lincoln. For the most part we +passed through green valleys with rich soil and luxuriant pasturage, but +occasionally intersected by poor sandy or gravelly soil of a saline +nature; the water was abundant from recent heavy rains, and some of the +pools fresh; others, however, were very brackish. The hills adjoining the +valley were grassy, and lightly wooded on their slopes facing the valley; +towards the summits they became scrubby, and beyond, the scrub almost +invariably made its appearance. Altogether we passed this day through a +considerable tract of country, containing much land that is well adapted +for sheep or cattle, and with a fair proportion suitable for agriculture. +It is by far the best portion of the available country in the Port +Lincoln peninsula, and I could not help regretting it should be so +limited in extent. I had now travelled all the three sides of the +triangle, and had obtained extensive views from various heights along +each of these lines of route; I had crossed from Port Lincoln to Streaky +Bay, from Streaky Bay to the head of Spencer's Gulf, and from the head of +Spencer's Gulf down to Port Lincoln again. In the course of these +journeys, I had spared no toil nor exertion, to make my examination as +complete and as useful as possible, though my labours were not rewarded +by commensurate success. The great mass of the peninsula is barren, arid, +and worthless; and although Port Lincoln possesses a beautiful, secure, +and capacious harbour, with a convenient and pretty site for a town, and +immediately contiguous to which there exists some extent of fine and +fertile soil, with several good grassy patches of country beyond; yet it +can never become a large or important place, in consequence of its +complete isolation, except by water, from every other, and the limited +nature of its own resources. + +For one or two large stock-holders, who wish to secure good grazing +ground, and be apart from others, it might answer well, but even they +would ordinarily labour under difficulties and disadvantages which would +make their situation not at all desirable. The uncertainty and expense of +procuring their supplies--of obtaining labour, and of finding a market +for their surplus stock [Note 12 at end of para.], and the almost total +impossibility of their being able to effect sales in the event of their +wishing to leave, would perhaps more than counterbalance the advantages of +having the country to themselves. Purchased in the days of wild and +foolish speculation, and when a rage existed for buying land and laying +out townships, no place has been more misrepresented or misunderstood than +Port Lincoln. Many gross and glaring misstatements have been put forth of +its character and capabilities, by those who were actuated by interested +motives, and many unintentional misrepresentations have been made and +perpetuated by others, whose judgment or information has led them into +error, so that the public generally, and especially the English public, +have had no means of discriminating between the widely conflicting +accounts that have been given. Amongst the persons from whom this small +settlement has suffered disparagement there are none, perhaps, more +blameable than those who have put forth statements which ascribe to it +advantages and qualities that it does not possess; for just in proportion +as the expectation of intending settlers have been raised by exaggeration +or untruths has been their disappointment and disgust, when the facts +themselves have stared them in the face. + +[Note 12: Pastoral settlers have left Port Lincoln in consequence of these +disadvantages--but it is possible that a comparatively large population +may locate there, hereafter, should mineral resources be found out. +Such discoveries are said to have been made, but Iam not aware upon whose +authority the report has become current.] + +The day of hallucination has now passed away, but out of the reaction +which has succeeded it, has arisen a disposition to deprive Port Lincoln +of even the merits to which it really has a legitimate claim, and which +would have been far more highly appreciated, if the previous +misstatements and consequent disappointments had not induced a feeling of +suspicion and distrust not easily effaced. + +Our stage to-day was twenty-five miles, over a pretty good road, which +brought us towards evening under the range contiguous to the township. In +one of the valleys leading from these hills on their west side we found a +small spring of good water, and as the grass around us was very abundant +and of the most luxuriant growth, I at once decided upon making this our +resting place, until I had completed my arrangements for procuring +supplies, and was again ready to move onwards. + +October 3.--Leaving our horses to enjoy the good quarters we had selected +for them, and a respite from their labours, Mr. Scott and I walked across +the range into Port Lincoln, not a little surprising the good people +there, who had not heard of our coming, and who imagined us to be many +hundreds of miles away to the north. Calling upon Dr. Harvey, the only +Government officer then at the settlement, I learnt with regret that it +was quite impossible for me to procure the supplies I required in the +town, whilst there were no vessels in the port, except foreign whalers, +who were neither likely to have, nor be willing to part with the things I +should require. What to do under such circumstances was rather a +difficult question, and my principal hope was that some small coasting +vessel might arrive in the course of a few days, or if not, I might try +to hire a whale boat from one of the whaling vessels, and send her on to +Adelaide. Dr. Harvey had a small open boat of four or five tons, but he +did not seem willing to let her go; and unless I could communicate with +Adelaide, flour was the only article I could procure, and that not from +the stores in the town, but from a small stock belonging to the +Government, which had been sent over to meet any emergency that might +arise in so isolated a place. This was placed under the charge of Dr. +Harvey, who, on behalf of the Government, kindly offered to let me have +what I required, on condition that I would replace the same quantity, by +the first opportunity. + +Having made arrangements for a supply of fresh meat and a few vegetables +during my stay, I walked out to examine the settlement. I found many neat +cottages and other improvements since I had been here in 1839; and there +were also a few gardens commenced, some of which were in a state of +cultivation and appeared to be doing well. The population, however, had +decreased, and many of the cottages were now unoccupied. Those who +remained were principally persons who had lost everything, and who could +not well get away, or who, on the other hand, had invested their property +in the place, and could not leave it except at the sacrifice of almost +everything they possessed. No one seemed to be doing well but the +inn-keeper, and he owed his success chiefly to the custom or traffic of +the foreign whalers who occasionally resorted here for refreshments. The +stockholders, living a few miles from town, who ought to have succeeded +the best, were getting dissatisfied at the many disadvantages which they +laboured under, and the smallness of the community around them, and every +thing wore a gloomy aspect. + +October 4.--After breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott, I went to Port +Lincoln to attend divine service; prayers were read by Dr. Harvey. The +congregation was small but respectable, and apparently devout. After +church, we accompanied Dr. Harvey home to dinner, and met the Captain and +Surgeon of one of the French whalers in port; both of whom appeared +intelligent, and superior to the class usually met with in such +employments. After dinner we all walked down to the lagoon, west of Port +Lincoln, where the land is of a rich black alluvial character, and well +adapted for cultivation. Returning by our tents, Dr. Harvey and the +Frenchmen took tea with us, and then returned to the settlement. In the +course of our walk this afternoon, Dr. Harvey offered to put a temporary +hatch over his boat, and send her to Adelaide for me for ten pounds, +which offer I at once accepted, and Mr. Scott volunteered to go in her as +supercargo. + +October 5.--To-day I employed myself in writing letters, whilst the dray +went to Port Lincoln for supplies. The few things I could get there were +very dear, meat 1s. per pound, potatoes 9d. per pound, salt butter 2s. +6d., a small bag, with a few old cabbage stumps, five or six shillings, +and other things in proportion. + +October 6.--Went to town, accompanied by Mr. Scott to inspect the +preparations of the little cutter he was to go to Adelaide in;--ordered +all our horses to be shod, and several spare sets of shoes to be made to +take up to the party at Streaky Bay. On our return we were accompanied by +Mr. Smith, who kindly went with Mr. Scott to the station of a Mr. Brown, +[Note 13: Since murdered by the natives.] about ten miles away, to select +sheep to take with us on our journey. Mr. Scott purchased twelve at +2 pounds each, and brought them to the station; they were not very large, +but were in fine condition. + + + + +Chapter IX. + + + +BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE +ABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'S +RETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKY +BAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH +BRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONY +COUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE-HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOAT +HARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULAR +SPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS. + + +October 6.--In the course of the afternoon I learnt that a little boy +about twelve years old, a son of Mr. Hawson's, had been speared on the +previous day by the natives, at a station about a mile and a half from my +tent. The poor little fellow had, it seems, been left alone at the +station, and the natives had come to the hut and speared him. The wounds +were of that fatal character, being from barbed spears which had remained +in the flesh, that no hopes could be entertained of his surviving their +removal. The following account of the occurrence is extracted from a +report, on the subject, to the Government by Dr. Harvey, the Colonial +Surgeon at Port Lincoln, who attended the boy in his last sufferings. + + +"The poor boy has borne this heavy affliction with the greatest +fortitude, assuring us "that he is not afraid to die." He says that on +Monday (5th), he was left in the station hut whilst his brother came into +town, and that about ten or eleven natives surrounded his hut, and wished +for something to eat. He gave them bread and rice--all he had, and as +they endeavoured to force themselves into his hut, he went out and +fastened the door, standing on the outside with his gun by his side and a +sword in his hand, which he held for the purpose of fighting them. He did +not make any signs of using them. One of the children gave him a spear to +throw, and while in the act of throwing it, he received the two spears in +his chest--he did not fall. He took up his gun and shot one of the +natives, who fell, but got up again and ran away; they all fled, but +returned and shewed signs of throwing another spear, when he lifted the +gun a second time, upon which they all made off. + +"He remained with the two spears, seven feet long, sticking in his +breast; he tried to cut and saw them without effect; he also tried to +walk home, but could not; he then sat upon the ground and put the ends of +the spears in the fire to try to burn them off, and in this position he +was found at ten o'clock at night, upon the return of his brother Edward +(having been speared eleven hours.) He immediately sawed the ends of the +spears off, and placed him on horseback, and brought him into town, when +I saw him. + +"Mr. Smith (with the police force) has gone in search of the natives, one +of whom can be identified as having thrown a spear at the boy, he having +a piece of red flannel tied round his beard. + +"This circumstance has thrown the settlement into great distress. The +German missionary, Rev. Mr. Schurman, has gone with Mr. Smith. I am told +that the natives have been fired at from some of the stations. I hope +this is not the case. The Rev. Mr. Schurman says that Mr. Edward Hawson +told him he shot after some a short time ago to frighten them, after they +had stolen something from the same hut where they speared his brother. +This is denied by the family, but I will ascertain the truth upon the +return of the party, Mr. E. Hawson having accompanied them." + + +The natives immediately disappeared from the vicinity of the settlement, +and were not heard of again for a long time. Such is the account of this +melancholy affair as given to Dr. Harvey by the boy, who, I believe, also +made depositions before a magistrate to the same effect. Supposing this +account to be true, and that the natives had not received any previous +provocation either from him or from any other settlers in the +neighbourhood, this would appear to be one of the most wanton, cold +blooded, and treacherous murders upon record, and a murder seemingly as +unprovoked as it was without object. Had the case been one in which the +European had been seen for the first time by the aboriginal inhabitants +of the country, it would have been neither surprising nor at variance +with what more civilised nations would probably have done under +circumstances of a similar nature. Could we imagine an extraordinary +looking being, whose presence and attributes were alike unknown to us, +and of a nature to excite our apprehensions, suddenly appearing in any +part of our own country, what would be the reception he would meet with +among ourselves, and especially if by locating himself in any particular +part of the country he prevented us from approaching those haunts to +which we had been accustomed from our infancy to resort, and which we +looked upon as sacred to ourselves? It is not asserting too much to say +that in such a case the country would be raised in a hue and cry, and the +intruder would meet with the fate that has sometimes befallen the +traveller or the colonist when trespassing upon the dominions of the +savage. + +In the present lamentable instance, however, the natives could not have +acted under the influence of an impulse like this. Here the Europeans had +been long located in the neighbourhood, they were known to, and had been +frequently visited by the Aborigines, and the intercourse between them +had in some instances at least been of a friendly character. What then +could have been the inducement to commit so cold and ruthless an act? or +what was the object to be attained by it? Without pausing to seek for +answers to these questions which, in the present case, it must be +difficult, if not impossible, to solve, it may be worth while to take a +view of the conduct of the Aborigines of Australia, generally, towards +the invaders and usurpers of their rights, setting aside altogether any +acts of violence or injury which they may have committed under the +influence of terror, naturally excited by the first presence of strangers +among them, and which arise from an impulse that is only shared by them +in common with mankind generally. I shall be borne out, I think, by facts +when I state that the Aborigines of this country have seldom been guilty +of wanton or unprovoked outrages, or committed acts of rapine or +bloodshed, without some strongly exciting cause, or under the influence +of feelings that would have weighed in the same degree with Europeans in +similar circumstances. The mere fact of such incentives not being clearly +apparent to us, or of our being unable to account for the sanguinary +feelings of natives in particular cases, by no means argues that +incentives do not exist, or that their feelings may not have been justly +excited. + +If we find the Aborigines of Australia ordinarily acting under the +influence of no worse motives or passions than usually actuate man in a +civilised state, we ought in fairness to suppose that sufficient +provocative for retaliation has been given in those few instances of +revenge, which, our imperfect knowledge of the circumstances attending +them does not enable us satisfactorily to account for. In considering +this question honestly, we must take into account many points that we too +often lose sight of altogether when discussing the conduct of the +natives, and more especially when we are doing so under the excitement +and irritation arising from recent hostilities. We should remember:-- + +First, That our being in their country at all is, so far as their ideas +of right and wrong are concerned, altogether an act of intrusion and +aggression. + +Secondly, That for a very long time they cannot comprehend our motives +for coming amongst them, or our object in remaining, and may very +naturally imagine that it can only be for the purpose of dispossessing +them. + +Thirdly, That our presence and settlement, in any particular locality, +do, in point of fact, actually dispossess the aboriginal inhabitants. +[Note 14: Vide, Notes on the Aborigines, chap. I.] + +Fourthly, That the localities selected by Europeans, as best adapted for +the purposes of cultivation, or of grazing, are those that would usually +be equally valued above others, by the natives themselves, as places of +resort, or districts in which they could most easily procure their food. +This would especially be the case in those parts of the country where +water was scarce, as the European always locates himself close to this +grand necessary of life. The injustice, therefore, of the white man's +intrusion upon the territory of the aboriginal inhabitant, is aggravated +greatly by his always occupying the best and most valuable portion of it. + +Fifthly, That as we ourselves have laws, customs, or prejudices, to which +we attach considerable importance, and the infringement of which we +consider either criminal or offensive, so have the natives theirs, +equally, perhaps, dear to them, but which, from our ignorance or +heedlessness, we may be continually violating, and can we wonder that +they should sometimes exact the penalty of infraction? do not we do the +same? or is ignorance a more valid excuse for civilized man than the +savage? + +Sixthly, What are the relations usually subsisting between the Aborigines +and settlers, locating in the more distant, and less populous parts of +the country: those who have placed themselves upon the outskirts of +civilization, and who, as they are in some measure beyond the protection +of the laws, are also free from their restraints? A settler going to +occupy a new station, removes, perhaps, beyond all other Europeans, +taking with him his flocks, and his herds, and his men, and locates +himself wherever he finds water, and a country adapted for his purposes. +At the first, possibly, he may see none of the inhabitants of the country +that he has thus unceremoniously taken possession of; naturally alarmed +at the inexplicable appearance, and daring intrusion of strangers, they +keep aloof, hoping, perhaps, but vainly, that the intruders may soon +retire. Days, weeks, or months pass away, and they see them still +remaining. Compelled at last, it may be by enemies without, by the want +of water in the remoter districts, by the desire to procure certain kinds +of food, which are peculiar to certain localities, and at particular +seasons of the year, or perhaps by a wish to revisit their country and +their homes, they return once more, cautiously and fearfully approaching +what is their own--the spot perhaps where they were born, the patrimony +that has descended to them through many generations;--and what is the +reception that is given them upon their own lands? often they are met by +repulsion, and sometimes by violence, and are compelled to retire again +to strange aud unsuitable localities. Passing over the fearful scenes of +horror and bloodshed, that have but too frequently been perpetrated in +all the Australian colonies upon the natives in the remoter districts, by +the most desperate and abandoned of our countrymen; and overlooking, +also, the recklessness that too generally pervades the shepherds and +stock-keepers of the interior, with regard to the coloured races, a +recklessness that leads them to think as little of firing at a black, as +at a bird, and which makes the number they have killed, or the atrocities +that have attended the deeds, a matter for a tale, a jest or boast at +their pothouse revelries; overlooking these, let us suppose that the +settler is actuated by no bad intentions, and that he is sincerely +anxious to avoid any collision with the natives, or not to do them any +injury, yet under these even comparatively favourable circumstances, what +frequently is the result? The settler finds himself almost alone in the +wilds, with but few men around him, and these, principally occupied in +attending to stock, are dispersed over a considerable extent of country; +he finds himself cut off from assistance, or resources of any kind, +whilst he has heard fearful accounts of the ferocity, or the treachery of +the savage; he therefore comes to the conclusion, that it will be less +trouble, and annoyance, and risk, to keep the natives away from his +station altogether; and as soon as they make their appearance, they are +roughly waved away from their own possessions: should they hesitate, or +appear unwilling to depart, threats are made use of, weapons perhaps +produced, and a show, at least, is made of an offensive character, even +if no stronger measures be resorted to. What must be the natural +impression produced upon the mind of the natives by treatment like this? +Can it engender feelings otherwise than of a hostile and vindictive kind; +or can we wonder that he should take the first opportunity of venting +those feelings upon his aggressor? + +But let us go even a little further, and suppose the case of a settler, +who, actuated by no selfish motives, and blinded by no fears, does not +discourage or repel the natives upon their first approach; suppose that +he treats them with kindness and consideration (and there are happily +many such settlers in Australia), what recompense can he make them for +the injury he has done, by dispossessing them of their lands, by +occupying their waters, and by depriving them of their supply of food? He +neither does nor can replace the loss. They are sometimes allowed, it is +true, to frequent again the localities they once called their own, but +these are now shorn of the attractions which they formerly +possessed--they are no longer of any value to them--and where are they to +procure the food that the wild animals once supplied them with so +abundantly? In the place of the kangaroo, the emu, and the wallabie, they +now see only the flocks and herds of the strangers, and nothing is left +to them but the prospect of dreary banishment, or a life of misery and +privation. Can it then be a matter of wonder, that under such +circumstances as these, and whilst those who dispossessed them, are +revelling in plenty near them, they should sometimes be tempted to +appropriate a portion of the superabundance they see around them, and rob +those who had first robbed them? The only wonder is, that such acts of +reprisal are so seldom committed. Where is the European nation, that thus +situated, and finding themselves, as is often the case with the natives, +numerically and physically stronger than their oppressors, would be +guilty of so little retaliation, of so few excesses? The eye of +compassion, or of philanthropy, will easily discover the anomalous and +unfavourable position of the Aborigines of our colonies, when brought +into contact with the European settlers. They are strangers in their own +land, and possess no longer the usual means of procuring their daily +subsistence; hungry, and famished, they wander about begging among the +scattered stations, where they are treated with a familiarity by the men +living at them, which makes them become familiar in turn, until, at last, +getting impatient and troublesome, they are roughly repulsed, and +feelings of resentment and revenge are kindled. This, I am persuaded, is +the cause and origin of many of the affrays with the natives, which are +apparently inexplicable to us. Nor ought we to wonder, that a slight +insult, or a trifling injury, should sometimes hurry them to an act +apparently not warranted by the provocation. Who can tell how long their +feelings had been rankling in their bosoms; how long, or how much they +had borne; a single drop will make the cup run over, when filled up to +the brim; a single spark will ignite the mine, that, by its explosion, +will scatter destruction around it; and may not one foolish indiscretion, +one thoughtless act of contumely or wrong, arouse to vengeance the +passions that have long been burning, though concealed? With the same +dispositions and tempers as ourselves, they are subject to the same +impulses and infirmities. Little accustomed to restrain their feelings, +it is natural, that when goaded beyond endurance, the effect should be +violent, and fatal to those who roused them;--the smothered fire but +bursts out the stronger from having been pent up; and the rankling +passions are but fanned into wilder fury, from having been repressed. + +Seventhly, There are also other considerations to be taken into the +account, when we form our opinion of the character and conduct of the +natives, to which we do not frequently allow their due weight and +importance, but which will fully account for aggressions having been +committed by natives upon unoffending individuals, and even sometimes +upon those who have treated them kindly. First, that the native considers +it a virtue to revenge an injury. Secondly, if he cannot revenge it upon +the actual individual who injured him, he thinks that the offence is +equally expiated if he can do so upon any other of the same race; he does +not look upon it as the offence of an individual, but as an act of war on +the part of the nation, and he takes the first opportunity of making a +reprisal upon any one of the enemy who may happen to fall in his way; no +matter whether that person injured him or not, or whether he knew of the +offence having been committed, or the war declared. And is not the custom +of civilized powers very similar to this? Admitting that civilization, +and refinement, have modified the horrors of such a system, the principle +is still the same. This is the principle that invariably guides the +native in his relations with other native tribes around him, and it is +generally the same that he acts upon in his intercourse with us. Shall we +then arrogate to ourselves the sole power of acting unjustly, or of +judging of what is expedient? And are we to make no allowance for the +standard of right by which the native is guided in the system of policy +he may adopt? Weighing candidly, then, the points to which reference has +been made, can we wonder, that in the outskirts of the colony, where the +intercourse between the native and the European has been but limited, and +where that intercourse has, perhaps, only generated a mutual distrust; +where the objects, the intentions, or the motives of the white man, can +neither be known nor understood, and where the natural inference from his +acts cannot be favourable, can we wonder, that under such circumstances, +and acting from the impression of some wrong, real or imagined, or goaded +on by hunger, which the white man's presence prevents him from appeasing, +the native should sometimes be tempted to acts of violence or robbery? He +is only doing what his habits and ideas have taught him to think +commendable. He is doing what men in a more civilized state would have +done under the same circumstances, what they daily do under the sanction +of the law of nations--a law that provides not for the safety, +privileges, and protection of the Aborigines, and owners of the soil, but +which merely lays down rules for the direction of the privileged robber +in the distribution of the booty of any newly discovered country. With +reference to the particular case in question, the murder of Master +Hawson, it appears from Dr. Harvey's report (already quoted), that in +addition to any incentives, such as I have described, as likely to arise +in the minds of the natives, there had been the still greater provocation +of their having been fired at, but a short time previously, from the same +station, and by the murdered boy's brother. We may well pause, therefore, +ere we hastily condemn, or unjustly punish, in cases where the +circumstances connected with their occurrence, can only be brought before +us in a partial and imperfect manner. + +The 7th was spent in preparing my despatches for Adelaide. On the 8th I +sent in a dray to Port Lincoln, with Mr. Scott's luggage, and those +things that were to be sent to Adelaide, comprising all the specimens of +geology and botany we had collected, a rough chart of our route, and the +despatches and letters which I had written. The boat was not ready at the +time appointed, and Mr. Scott returned to the tents. In the evening, +however, he again went to the settlement, and about ten, P.M., he, and +the man who was to manage the boat, went on board to sail for Adelaide. I +had been taken very ill during the day, and was unable to accompany him +to the place of embarkation. The following is a copy of my despatch to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Northern Expedition Committee, +embodying my reasons for going to the westward. + + +"Port Lincoln, October, 1840. + +"Sir,--Having fallen back upon Port Lincoln for supplies, an opportunity +has occurred to me of writing a brief and hurried report of our +proceedings. I have, therefore, the honour to acquaint you, for the +information of His Excellency, the Governor, and the colonists interested +in the Northern Expedition, with the result of my examination of the +country north of Spencer's Gulf, and of the further steps I contemplate +taking to endeavour to carry out the wishes of the Committee, and +accomplish the object for which the expedition was fitted out. + +"Upon leaving our depot, near Mount Arden, the low, arid, and sandy +nature of the country between the hills and Lake Torrens, compelled us to +follow close under the continuation of Flinders range. Here our progress +was necessarily very slow, from the rugged nature of the country, the +scarcity of water, and the great difficulty both of finding and obtaining +access to it. As we advanced, the hills inclined considerably to the +eastward, gradually becoming less elevated, until, in latitude 29 degrees +20 minutes S., they ceased altogether, and we found ourselves in a very +low and level country, consisting of large stony plains, varied +occasionally by sand; and the whole having evidently been subject to +recent and extensive inundation. These plains are destitute of water, +grass, and timber, and have only a few salsolaceous plants growing upon +them; whilst their surface, whether stony or sandy, is quite smooth and +even, as if washed so by the action of the water. Throughout this level +tract of country were interspersed, in various directions, many small +flat-topped elevations, varying in height from 50 to 300 feet, and almost +invariably exhibiting precipitous banks. These elevations are composed +almost wholly of a chalky substance, coated over on the upper surface by +stones, or a sandy soil, and present the appearance of having formed a +table land that has been washed to pieces by the violent action of water, +and of which these fragments now only remain. Upon forcing a way through +this dreary region, in three different directions, I found that the whole +of the low country round the termination of Flinders range, was +completely surrounded by Lake Torrens, which, commencing not far from the +head of Spencer's Gulf, takes a circuitous course of fully 400 miles, of +an apparent breadth of from twenty to thirty miles, following the sweep +of Flinders range, and almost encircling it in the form of a horse shoe. + +"The greater part of the vast area contained in the bed of this immense +lake, is certainly dry on the surface, and consists of a mixture of sand +and mud, of so soft and yielding a character, as to render perfectly +ineffective all attempts either to cross it, or reach the edge of the +water, which appears to exist at a distance of some miles from the outer +margin. On one occasion only was I able to taste of its waters; in a +small arm of the lake near the most north-westerly part of it, which I +visited, and here the water was as salt as the sea. The lake on its +eastern and southern sides, is bounded by a high sandy ridge, with +salsolae and some brushwood growing upon it, but without any other +vegetation. The other shores presented, as far as I could judge, a very +similar appearance; and when I ascended several of the heights in +Flinders range--from which the views were very extensive, and the +opposite shores of the lake seemed to be distinctly visible--no rise or +hill of any kind could ever be perceived, either to the west, the north, +on the east; the whole region around appeared to be one vast, low, and +dreary waste. One very high and prominent summit in this range, I have +named Mount Serle; it is situated in 30 degrees 30 minutes south +latitude, and about 139 degrees 10 minutes east longitude, and is the +first point from which I obtained a view of Lake Torrens to the eastward +of Flinders range, and discovered that I was hemmed in on every side by a +barrier it was impossible to pass. I had now no alternative left me, but +to conduct my party back to Mount Arden, and then decide what steps I +should adopt to carry out the objects of the expedition. It was evident, +that to avoid Lake Torrens, and the low desert by which it is surrounded, +I must go very far either to the east or to the west before again +attempting to penetrate to the north. + +"My party had already been upwards of three months absent from Adelaide, +and our provisions were too much reduced to admit of our renewing the +expedition in either direction, without first obtaining additional +supplies. The two following were therefore the only plans which appeared +feasible to me, or likely to promote the intentions of the colonists, and +effect the examination of the northern interior:-- + +"First--To move my party to the southward, to endeavour to procure +supplies from the nearest stations north of Adelaide, and then, by +crossing to the Darling, to trace that river up until I found high land +leading to the north-west. + +"Secondly--To cross over to Streaky Bay, send from thence to Port Lincoln +for supplies, and then follow the line of coast to the westward, until I +met with a tract of country practicable to the north. To the first of +these plans were many objections; amongst the principal ones, were, the +very unfavourable accounts given both by Captain Sturt, and Major +Mitchell, of the country to the west of the Darling River--the fact of +Captain Sturt's having found the waters of that river salt during a +continued ride of many days--the numerous tribes of natives likely to be +met with, and the very small party I should have with me; lastly, the +course of the river itself, which trending so much to the eastward, would +take us from, rather than towards the centre of this Continent. On the +other hand, by crossing to the westward, I should have to encounter a +country which I knew to be all but destitute of water, and to consist, +for a very great distance, of barren sandy ridges and low lands, covered +by an almost impenetrable scrub, at a season, too, when but little rain +could be expected, and the heat would, in all probability, be intense; +still, of the two, the latter appeared to me the least objectionable, as +we should at least be going towards the point we wished to reach, and +through a country as yet quite unknown. + +"After mature and anxious consideration, therefore, I decided upon +adopting it, hoping that my decision may meet with the approbation of the +Committee. + +"Previous to our arrival at Mount Arden, we experienced very showery +weather for some days, (otherwise we could not have attempted a passage +to the westward); and as there were no longer any apprehensions of water +being found on the route to Streaky Bay, I sent two of my teams across +upon our old tracks, in charge of my overseer, whilst I conducted the +third myself, in company with Mr. Scott, direct to Port Lincoln, to +procure the supplies we required. In crossing from Mount Arden, towards +Port Lincoln, we travelled generally through a low barren country, +densely covered by brush, among which were scattered, at considerable +intervals, a few small patches of grass, with here and there some rocky +elevations; in the latter, we were usually able to procure water for +ourselves and horses, until we arrived at the districts already explored, +in traversing which we passed (to the N. E. of Port Lincoln) some rich, +well watered valleys, bounded by a considerable extent of grassy hills, +well adopted for sheep or cattle, arriving at Port Lincoln on the 3rd of +October. As a line of route from Adelaide for the emigration of stock, +the course we followed, though it cannot be called a good one, is +perfectly practicable in the winter season; and I have no doubt, when the +country becomes better known, the present track might be considerably +improved upon, and both grass and water obtained in greater abundance. + +"I regret extremely to acquaint you, that on the morning of the 9th +September, one of the police horses (called "Grey Paddy") kindly lent to +the Expedition by His Excellency the Governor, was found with his leg +broken, apparently from the kick of another horse during the night, and I +was obliged to order him to be shot in consequence. With this exception, +no serious accident has occurred, and the whole of the party are in the +enjoyment of good health and spirits. As the Expedition will still be +absent, in all probability, upwards of five months, I have availed myself +of a kind offer from Dr. Harvey, to send his boat over to Adelaide, and +have sent Mr. Scott to receive any instructions his Excellency the +Governor, or the Committee, may wish to give relative to our future +proceedings; and immediately Mr. S. returns, I shall hurry up to Streaky +Bay with the supplies, and at once move on to the westward, my overseer +being now engaged in preparing for our forcing a passage through the +scrub, to the north-west of Streaky Bay, as soon as we arrive there with +the remainder of the party. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, +"Your obedient servant, +"EDW. JOHN EYRE." + +"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + + +From the 9th to the 22nd of October, I was occupied a good deal at the +camp, having only one man and a native boy to attend to the tent, the +horses and the sheep, so that I was in a great measure confined at home, +occasionally only making short excursions to the town to superintend the +preparation of a large supply of horse-shoes, or visiting the stations of +some of the nearest country settlers. I had lately bought a kangaroo dog, +from the captain of an American whaler, and in these rambles had frequent +opportunities of trying my new purchase, both after emus and kangaroos, +but he was quite useless for hunting either, and did little credit to the +honesty of the person who sold him to me, and who had asked and received +a high price, in consideration of the animal being, as he assured me, of +a better description than ordinary. Of the natives of the district I saw +nothing whatever; the death of young Hawson, and the subsequent scouring +of the country by police, had driven them away from the occupied parts, +and forced them to the fastnesses of the hills, or to the scrubs; I was, +however, enabled by the kindness of Mr. Schurman, a German Missionary, +stationed at Port Lincoln, to obtain a limited collection of words and +phrases in the dialect of the district, and which I hoped might be of +some use to me hereafter. Mr. Schurman has since published a copious +vocabulary and grammar, of the language in use in this part of Australia. + +On the 22nd, upon going into the settlement, I found the Government +cutter WATERWITCH at anchor in the harbour, having Mr. Scott on board, +and a most abundant supply of stores and provisions, liberally sent us by +his Excellency the Governor, who had also most kindly placed the cutter +at my disposal, to accompany and co-operate with me along the coast to +the westward. + +Mr. Scott had managed every thing confided to him most admirably; and I +felt very greatly indebted to him for the ready and enterprising manner +in which he had volunteered, to undertake a voyage from Port Lincoln to +Adelaide in a small open boat, and the successful manner in which he had +accomplished it. Among other commissions, I had requested him to bring me +another man to accompany the expedition in the place of the one (R. +M'Robert) who had driven the dray to Port Lincoln, and with whom I was +going to part; as also to bring for me a native, named Wylie, an +aborigine, from King George's Sound, whom I had taken with me to Adelaide +on my return in May last, but who had been too ill to accompany me at the +time the expedition started; the latter he had not been able to +accomplish, as the boy was in the country when he reached Adelaide, and +there was not time to get him down before the WATERWITCH sailed. The man, +however, he had procured, and I was glad to recognize in him an old +servant, who had been with me in several of my former expeditions, and +who was a most excellent carter and tent servant. His name was Thomas +Costelow. + +Having received large packets of papers and many letters, both from +relations in England, and from many warm-hearted friends in Adelaide, I +returned with Mr. Scott and Costelow to the tent, to make immediate +preparations for our departure. The delay, occasioned by my having been +obliged to send to Adelaide for our supplies, had so greatly protracted +the period of my absence from the rest of my party, beyond what I had +anticipated, that I became most anxious to rejoin them: the summer +weather too, was rapidly approaching, and I dreaded the task of forcing a +way through the low level scrubby waste, around Streaky and Smoky Bays, +under a tropical sun. + +From the despatches received, I was glad to find that the Governor and +the Colonists had approved of the step I had taken, in moving to the +westward, which was gratifying and satisfactory, notwithstanding the +disappointments I had experienced. In the course of the day, I sent in a +dray to Port Lincoln, with our heavy baggage to put on board the cutter, +with orders to Mr. Germain the master, to sail immediately for Streaky +Bay, and lose no time in communicating with the party there. Before the +cutter sailed, I purchased an excellent little boat to be sent with her +for use in our coast or inland explorations, should it be found +necessary. + +October 23.--The blacksmith not having finished all the shoes, I was +compelled to remain another day in camp; the man too, who had been left +in charge of the sheep had lost them all; whilst the one, therefore, was +finishing his work and the other looking for his sheep, I employed myself +in writing letters for Adelaide, and in arranging my business in Port +Lincoln, etc. + +October 24.--Having struck the tent, and loaded the dray, Mr. Scott and I +rode into town to breakfast with Dr. Harvey, and take leave of our Port +Lincoln friends. After transacting business matters, I settled with the +man who was going to leave me, deducting the price of the sheep which by +his carelessness he had lost, and which had not been recovered; I then +paid Dr. Harvey for the hire of his boat, etc. and in arranging for it, he +generously refused to receive more than 5 pounds as his boat had not been +used in the return voyage from Adelaide. He also most kindly supplied us +with some few small things, which we yet required, and was altogether +most attentive and courteous. + +Upon returning to our camp, I moved on the party, delighted once more +with the prospect of being actively employed. Whilst I conducted the +dray, I sent Mr. Scott round by Mr. Brown's station, to buy eleven more +sheep in the place of those M'Robert had lost, and at night he rejoined +us with them near Mr. White's station, about ten miles from Port Lincoln; +it was late before the sheep came, and the yard to put them in was made, +and as there were so few of them, they were a good deal alarmed and would +not go into the yard, rushing about violently, breaking away every time +we drove them near it; at last we got ten safely housed, and were obliged +to put up with the loss of the eleventh, the night being quite dark. + +Mr. White and Mr. Poole visited us from their station, and I tried to +purchase from the former a noble dog that he possessed, of the mastiff +breed, but could not prevail upon him to part with it. + +On the 25th I detained the party in camp, that I might get our sheep +shorn, and send to Port Lincoln to inquire if there were any more letters +for me by Dr. Harvey's little boat, which was expected to arrive to-day. +Mr. Scott, who rode into the settlement, returned in the afternoon. + +October 26.--Sending the dray on under the guidance of the native boy, I +rode with Mr. Scott up to Mr. White's station to wish him good bye, and +to make another effort to secure an additional dog or two; finding that +he would not sell the noble mastiff I so much wished to have, I bought +from him two good kangaroo dogs, at rather a high price, with which I +hastened on after the drays, and soon overtook them, but not before my +new dogs had secured two fine kangaroos. For the first few miles we +crossed a low flat country, which afterwards became undulating and +covered with dwarf scrub, after this we passed over barren ridges for +about three miles, with quartz lying exposed on the surface and timbered +by the bastard gum or forest casuarinae. We then descended to a level +sandy region, clothed with small brush, and having very many salt lakes +scattered over its surface; around the hollows in which these waters were +collected, and occasionally around basins that were now dry, we found +large trees of the gum, together with a few casuarinae. A very similar +kind of low country appeared to extend far to the eastward and +north-west. + +Kangaroos were very numerous, especially near those hollows, that were +surrounded by gum-trees, to which they retired for shelter during the +heat of the day. We encamped at night in the midst of many of these salt +lakes, without any water, but the grass was good. Our stage had been 25 +miles upon a course of N. 25 degrees W. After watching the horses for a +few hours, we tied them up for the night, not daring to trust them loose +without water. A few natives had been seen during the day, but they ran +away. + +A singular feature attending the salt lakes, or the hollows where water +had formerly lodged, was the existence of innumerable small stones, +resembling biscuits or cakes in shape, perfectly circular and flat, but a +little convexed in the upper surface, they were of various sizes, and +appeared to consist of lime, being formed into their present shape by the +action of water. Very similar ones have since been found in the volcanic +region near Mount Gambier, on the southern coast of New Holland. From our +present camp were seen before us to the north-west some low green looking +ranges, lightly timbered, and promising a better country than we had +hitherto met with. + +October 27.--Having arrived at the hills, in about three miles, we found +them abundantly grassed, but very rugged and rocky, of an oolitic +limestone formation, with occasionally a light reddish soil covering the +rock in the flats and valleys. Between these ranges and the sea, which +was about a mile beyond them, were rather high sand hills, having a few +stunted trees growing upon them, but otherwise destitute of vegetation. +No water could be found, nor were there any watercourses from the hills, +where we examined them. + +Keeping under the east side of the ranges for a few miles, we crossed the +main ridge to the westward, and after a stage of about thirteen miles, +halted under a high hill, which I named Mount Hope, in my former journey. +In a gorge of the range where the granite cropped out among the +limestone, we found a spring of beautiful water, and encamped for the +day. Mr. Scott and one of the native boys shot several pigeons, which +came to the spring to drink in the evening in great numbers. In the +meantime I had ascended the hill for a view, and to take angles. At a +bearing of W. S. W. I set Point Drummond only a few miles distant from +the camp, and between it and a bearing of S. W. was a considerable salt +water lagoon on the eastern side of the sand hills of the coast; the +surrounding country was low, level and scrubby. To the westward a great +extent of dense scrub was visible, amid which were one or two elevations; +and a salt lake, at a bearing of S. 60 degrees E. I made the latitude of +this camp 34 degrees 7 minutes 16 seconds S. and the variation of the +compass 4 degrees 10 minutes E. + +October 28.--Travelling onwards for four miles, we passed a fine spring, +situated in a swamp to our left, and at two more we came to a sheet of +water, named Lake Hamilton, [Note 15: After my friend George Hamilton, +Esq.] a large and apparently deep lake, with but a few hundred yards +of a steep high bank, intervening between it and the sea; the +latter was rapidly encroaching upon this barrier, and would probably +in the course of a few years more force a way through, and lay +under water a considerable extent of low country in that vicinity. Around +the margin of the lake was abundance of good grass, but the bank between +it and the sea was high and very rocky. + +After leaving the lake we entered upon a succession of low grassy hills +but most dreadfully stony, and at night encamped upon a swamp, after a +stage of about sixteen miles. Here we procured abundance of good water by +digging through the limestone crust, near the surface. The country around +was still of the same character as before, but amidst the never-ceasing +strata of limestone which everywhere protruded, were innumerable large +wombat holes--yet strange to say not one of these was tenanted. The whole +fraternity of these animals appeared to have been cut off altogether in +some unaccountable manner, or to have migrated simultaneously to some +other part. No emus or kangaroos were to be seen anywhere, and the whole +region around wore a singularly wild and deserted aspect. + +October 29.--Our route was again over low stony hills, but with rather +better valleys between them; this kind of country appeared to extend from +five to twelve miles inland from the coast, and then commenced the low +level waste of barren scrubby land, which we so constantly saw to the +eastward of us. + +I had intended to make a short stage to-day to a spring, situated in the +midst of a swamp, in latitude 33 degrees 46 minutes 35 seconds S., but +having kept rather too far away from the coast, I missed it, and had to +push on for twenty-three miles to a rich and very pretty valley, under a +grassy range, lightly wooded with casuarinae. The soil was somewhat +sandy, but clothed with vegetation; in holes in the rocks we procured +abundance of water from a little valley near our camp, and in a swamp +about a mile and a half north-east was a spring. Our stage was a long +one, and the day being excessively hot, our horses, sheep, and dogs were +nearly all knocked up. Of the latter two were unfortunately missing when +we arrived at our halting ground; one came up afterwards, but the other +could nowhere be found, though both had been seen not two miles away. The +missing dog [Note 16 at end of para.], was the best of the two which I had +purchased of Mr. White, and I felt sorry for a loss which it would be +impossible for me to replace. Many native fires were seen to-day, and +especially in the direction of a high bare-looking detached range to the +north-east, named by me from its shape, Mount Wedge; none of these people +were, however, seen, but a fire still burning was found where we encamped +for the night. + +[Note 16: Upon returning to Adelaide in 1841, I learnt that the dog had +gone back all the way to Mr. White's station, and as Mr. White wished to +keep the animal, he returned the money he had received at his sale.] + +On the 30th we remained stationary to rest the horses, and to try and +recover the lost dog, but after a long and fruitless search, we were +obliged to give up the attempt. + +On the 31st, after crossing a ridge under which we were encamped, we +passed through a very pretty grassy and park-like country, and what was +very unusual, not stony on the surface. There were in places a great many +wombat holes, but these were now all occupied by their tenants, and the +whole aspect of the country was more encouraging and cheerful; the extent +of good country was, however, very limited. Towards the coast was a low +scrubby-looking region with salt lakes, and to the east it was bounded by +a dense brush, beyond which were extensive plains of a barren and scrubby +appearance. In the midst of these plains were large fields of a coarse +wiry-kind of grass, growing in enormous tufts, five or six feet high, and +indicating the places where swamps exist in wet seasons; these were now +quite dry, but we had always found the same coarse-tufted grass growing +around the margins of the salt lakes, and in those places also where we +had found water. This description of country seemed to extend to the base +of Wedge Hill, which I intended to have ascended, but the weather was too +cloudy to obtain a view from it. The character of the country to the +north and north-east was equally low and unpromising, with the exception +of two peaks seen at considerable distances apart. + +Our stage to-day was sixteen miles to Lake Newland, [Note 17: Named after +my friend R. F. Newland, Esq.] a large salt-water lake, with numerous +fine and strong springs of excellent water, bubbling up almost +in the midst of the salt. In one place one of these springs was +surrounded by a narrow strip of soil, and the stream emanating from it +took its winding course through the skirts of the salt-water lake itself, +inclosed by a very narrow bank of earth, on either side; this slight +barrier being the only division between the salt and the fresh water. +From the abundance of fresh water at Lake Newland, and the many patches +of tolerably grassy country around, a very fair station might be formed, +either for sheep or cattle. + +November 1.--Leaving Lake Newland we passed through a scrubby country, +which extended close under the coast hummocks for five miles, and then +ascended a high barren range. The view from this was extensive, but only +over a mass of low and desolate scrub, with the exception of one or two +elevations to the north and north-east. Towards the coast, amidst the +waste around, was a large sheet of salt water, with here and there a few +openings near it, studded with casuarinae, to this we bent our steps, and +at twelve miles from our last night's camp took up our position in lat. +33 degrees 14 minutes 36 seconds S. upon the lagoon seen by Flinders from +the masthead. + +The traces of natives and their beaten pathways were here very numerous +(of the latter of which there could not be less than thirty) all leading +to a large deep hole, sunk about eight feet, principally through a soft +limestone rock. This was carefully blocked up with large stones and mud, +but upon clearing it out the water came bubbling up rapidly, and we got +an abundant supply. The entrance from seawards to the sheet of water, or +lagoon, is between two heads, (one of them being a high bluff) little +more than a mile apart. There appeared to be a reef off the entrance +outside, but our being without a boat prevented us from ascertaining how +far this inlet was adapted for a harbour. Inside, the water is shallow +towards the south, but deeper in the northern half of the inlet. + +November 2.--Tracing round the shores, we passed several other holes dug +by the natives in the sand, to procure water; these, however, did not +appear of so permanent a character as the first, for many had fallen in, +and others contained but very little water. The huts of the natives were +numerous, and of a large and substantial description; but we saw none of +their owners. + +After leaving the inlet we pushed on through the scrub to a high bluff of +granitic formation, distant about sixteen miles N. 35 degrees W., and +named by me Mount Hall. [Note 18: After G. Hall, Esq. the Governor's +Private Secretary.] The road being very heavy, it was late when we arrived +there, and both our horses and sheep were much fatigued. We got a +little water from holes in the sheets of granite, and had very good +grass in an opening under the hill. + +From the summit of Mount Hall the view was extensive, and I obtained many +angles. The surrounding country was low, level, and barren, and densely +covered with scrub, among which, to the north-west were seen many +salt-water lakes. At intervals a few elevations were seen amidst this low +waste, apparently similar to the hill we were upon, among them were one +or two very distant at a little N. of E., and nearer, one at E. 16 +degrees N.; the latter I named Mount Cooper. [Note 19: After Charles +Cooper, Esq. the Judge of the colony.] At a bearing of S. 35 degrees W. +another saltwater inlet was seen apparently communicating with the sea; +but this we could not satisfactorily ascertain from its great +distance. The latitude of Mount Hall, deduced from observations of a +Lyrae and a Aquilae, was 33 degrees 2 minutes 40 seconds S. Several +native fires were seen to the east and south-east in the scrub. + +November 3.--After seeing the party ready tomove on, I left Mr. Scott to +conduct the dray, whilst I rode forward in advance to the depot near +Streaky Bay, where I arrived early in the afternoon, and was delighted to +find the party all well, and everything going on prosperously. They had +expected me some time before and were looking out very anxiously for my +arrival. The WATERWITCH had arrived on the 29th of October, but the +master did not communicate with my party before the 31st; so that until +the last three days they had been quite ignorant of our movements, and +uneasy at our so greatly exceeding the time originally fixed for +rejoining them. Having sent back a man, and two fresh and strong horses +to assist the dray, I reconnoitred once more our depot of 1839. Situated +in the middle of some extensive grassy openings among the scrub, is a +solid sheet of limestone of a very hard texture: in the centre of this +rock is a small oblong opening, a foot deep and only just large enough to +admit of a pint pot being dipped in it. This curious little hole +contained water from five to seven inches in depth, the level of which +was maintained as rapidly as a person could bale it out; this was our +sole supply for ourselves and horses, but it was a never-failing one. + +[Note 20: The water had not a pleasant flavour, as it was of a chalybeate +nature; but in a country where water was scarce, it was invaluable. When I +was here in 1839, it had even then this disagreeable taste, but now it was +much worse, in consequence, probably, of the contaminating substance +being washed off more abundantly than formerly from the rocks enclosing +the reservoir by the rapid flow of water necessary to replace the large +consumption of my party.] + +The spring is situated in latitude 32 degrees 49 minutes 0 seconds S. and +about three miles south-east from the most southerly bight of Streaky +Bay. About one mile and a half to the west is another small hole of +better flavoured water, but not so abundant in its supply. + +I found all the horses in excellent condition, and one, a very fine mare +of my own, had foaled about six weeks before. Around the camp were +immense piles of oyster shells, pretty plainly indicating the feasting my +men had enjoyed during my absence, whilst their strong and healthy +appearance shewed how well such fare had agreed with them. The oysters +were procured from the most southerly bight of Streaky Bay, on some mud +banks about two or three hundred yards below low water mark, where they +are found in immense numbers and of different sizes. The flavour of these +oysters was excellent, and the smaller ones were of great delicacy. The +men were in the habit of taking a cart down to the beach frequently, +where, by wading up to their knees in the sea at low water, they were +enabled to fill it. This supply lasted for two or three days. + +Many drays might easily be loaded, one after the other, from these oyster +beds. The natives of the district do not appear to eat them, for I never +could find a single shell at any of their encampments. It is difficult to +account for the taste or prejudice of the native, which guides him in his +selection or rejection of particular kinds of food. What is eaten readily +by the natives in one part of Australia is left untouched by them in +another, thus the oyster is eaten at Sydney, and I believe King George's +Sound, but not at Streaky Bay. The unio or freshwater muscle is eaten in +great numbers by all the natives of New South Wales and South Australia; +but Captain Grey found that a Perth native, who accompanied him on one of +his expeditions, would not touch this kind of food even when almost +starving. Snakes are eaten by some tribes, but not by others; and so with +many other kinds of food which they make use of. + +About three o'clock, Mr. Scott arrived with the dray, after a long and +harassing stage of twenty miles over a low, stony, and scrubby tract of +country, between Mount Hall and Streaky Bay, and which extended beyond +our track to the coast hummocks to the west. These latter appeared +somewhat high, and under them we had seen many salt-water lakes from the +summit of Mount Hall. + +My party were now once more all assembled together, after having been +separated for nearly seven weeks; during which, neither division knew +what had befallen the other, and both were necessarily anxious to be +reunited again, since, in the event of any mischance occurring to either, +the other would have been placed in circumstances of much difficulty, if +not of danger; and the whole object of the undertaking would have been +frustrated. + +The great delay caused by my having been obliged to send over from Port +Lincoln to Adelaide for supplies, had thrown us very late in the season; +the summer was rapidly advancing, the weather even now, being frequently +intensely hot, whilst the grass was gradually drying up and losing its +nourishment. Our sending to Adelaide had, however, obtained for us the +valuable services of the WATERWITCH to assist us in tracing round the +desert line of coast to the north-west, and had enabled us to procure a +larger and more varied supply of stores, than we could possibly have +brought up from Port Lincoln in a single dray. We were now amply +furnished with conveniences of every kind; and both men and horses were +in good plight and ready to enter upon the task before them. + + + + +Chapter X. + + + +COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBY +CHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALT +LAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER HILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVE +VIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE. + + +During the time that I had been occupied in conducting my division of the +party from Baxter's Range to Port Lincoln, the overseer had been engaged +in guiding the other portion across to Streaky Bay, upon my former track +from thence to Mount Arden, in September 1839. The following brief +extracts from my Journal of that period, whilst crossing from Streaky Bay +to Mount Arden, will convey an idea of the character of the country +extending between these two points; and of the great difficulty, indeed +almost the impossibility of forcing a passage, except immediately after +the occurrence of heavy rains. + +1839, Sept. 18.--We left the depot near Streaky Bay, at a course nearly +due east, and passing through alternations of brush and of open grassy +plains, upon the skirts of which grew a few casuarinae; halted after a +stage of eighteen miles, at an opening in the brush, where we had good +grass, but no water; we were consequently obliged to watch the horses +during the night, to prevent their straying. From this camp Mount Hall +bore S. 2 degrees E. and Mount Cooper S. E. the variation of the compass +being 2 degrees 22 minutes E. + +September 19.--Travelling east through the same kind of country for +fifteen miles, we halted upon a high scrubby ridge; having a few grassy +openings at intervals, and with large sheets of granite exposed in some +parts of its surface. In the holes among these rocks we procured a supply +of water that had been deposited by the late rains; but which a few warm +days would have dried up. The latitude of the water was 32 degrees 48 +minutes S. and from it Mount Hall bore S. 38 degrees W., Mount Cooper S. +15 degrees W. Before us to the north-east were visible many peaks of a +range, with a high and broken outline, which I named the Gawler range, +after His Excellency Colonel Gawler, the Governor of South Australia. One +very high peak in this range I named Mount Sturt, after my friend Captain +Sturt; it bore from our present camp E. 10 degrees N. and had been +previously seen from the summit of Mount Hall. + +September 20.--Our route to-day was through a perfect desert, very +scrubby and stony, with much prickly grass growing upon the sand ridges, +which alternated with the hard limestone flats; there were very few clear +intervals of country upon our whole course; and for the last five miles +the heavy sand and dense scrub made it very difficult to get on at all. +After a long stage of twenty-five miles nearly due east, we halted at a +high ridge similar to that upon which we encamped last night, with sheets +of granite exposed on its surface, and rain water lodged in the hollows. +The horses were all completely knocked up with the severe labour of this +day's stage; I ascertained the latitude of the camp to be 32 degrees 47 +minutes 40 seconds S. and the variation of the compass which increased as +we advanced to the eastward, was now 4 degrees 12 minutes E. The Gawler +range was now distinctly visible, extending from N. 15 degrees W. to N. +65 degrees E. and presenting the broken and picturesque outline of a vast +mountain mass rising abruptly out of the low scrubby country around. The +principal elevations in this extensive range, could not be less than two +thousand feet; and they appeared to increase in height as the range +trended to the north-west. To the eastward the ranges decreased somewhat +in elevation, but were still very lofty. + +September 21.--We had another long stage to-day of twenty miles, over, if +possible, a worse road than yesterday, no intermission whatever of the +heavy steep sandy ridges and dense eucalyptus scrub; the horses were +dreadfully jaded, and we were obliged to relieve them by yoking up all +the riding horses that would draw. Even with this aid we did not get the +journey over until an hour and a half after dark. During the day our +course had been more to the northward of east, and brought us close under +the Gawler range. At fourteen miles after starting, we passed a salt lake +on our right, and several salt ponds on our left; but we could find no +permanent fresh water anywhere. In the rocks of the range we had encamped +under, we procured a small quantity left by the rains, but this supply +was rapidly disappearing under the rays of a very hot sun, and had we +been a few days later, we could not have crossed at all. The latitude of +our camp was 32 degrees 41 minutes 40 seconds S. + +September 22.--This morning I ascended one of the heights in the Gawler +range, from which the view is extensive to the southward, over a +generally low level country, with occasional elevations at intervals; to +the north the view is obstructed by the Gawler range, consisting +apparently of a succession of detached ridges high and rocky, and +entirely of a porphoritic granite lying in huge bare masses upon the +surface. The hills [Note 21 at end of para.] were without either timber or +shrubs, and very barren, with their front slopes exceedingly steep, and +covered by small loose stones; several salt lakes were seen in various +directions, but no indications of fresh water or springs. + +[Note 21: Peron's description of the mountains on the South-western coast, +is singularly applicable to the Gawler range--He says, Tom. III. p. 233. +"Sur ces montagnes pelees on ne voit pas un arbre, pas un arbriseau, pas +un arbuste; rien, en un mot, qui puisse faire souponner l'existence de +queque terre vegetale. La durete du roc paroit braver ici tous les +efforts de la nature, et resister a ces memes moyens de decomposition qu' +elle emploie ailleurs avec tant de succes."] + +It was late before the party moved on to-day, but the road was somewhat +better, and there were many intervals of open grassy plains under the +hills along which we travelled, at a course of E. 17 degrees N. for +twenty-five miles. Encamping at night with tolerable grass, but without +water. There had been a considerable pool of rain water here a few days +ago, but it was now nearly dried up by the sun, and I was obliged to +order the horses to be watched during the night. + +To-day I found a most splendid creeping plant in flower, growing in +between the ranges, it was quite new to me, and very beautiful; the leaf +was like that of the vetch but larger, the flower bright scarlet, with a +rich purple centre, shaped like a half globe with the convex side +outwards; it was winged, and something like a sweet pea in shape, the +flowers hung pendent upon long slender stalks, very similar to those of +sweet peas, and in the greatest profusion; altogether it was one of the +prettiest and richest looking flowers I have seen in Australia. + +September 23.--Moving on over a firm road, but with much scrub and +prickly grass, we travelled for fifteen miles under the hills at a course +of E. 20 degrees N., encamping early in the afternoon close under them, +and procuring a little water left in the hollows by the rains. I ascended +another of the heights in the Gawler range to-day, but could obtain no +clear view from it, the weather being hazy. Ridge behind ridge still +appeared to rise to the north, beyond the front one under which we were +travelling; and several salt lakes were seen among the hills at +intervals. The rock of which the hills were composed was now changed from +a porphoritic granite to a reddish quartz, which was scattered all over +the front hills in loose small fragments. The latitude of our camp was 32 +degrees 30 minutes 35 seconds S. + +September 24.--Our road was firmer to-day, over a red gritty soil of +sandy loam and gravel. The hills were still covered with quartz, but +decreasing perceptibly in elevation as we advanced to the east. At about +eight miles we were lucky enough to find a puddle of rain water, and at +once halted for the day to rest and refresh the horses. Having ascended a +high peak near the camp, I found I was surrounded by a mass of hills on +every side; they gradually increased in elevation as they stretched to +the northwest, becoming lower at a bearing of north, and quite detached +to the north-east; resembling so many islands in the level waste around +them. + +September 25.--Moving from our camp early we had an excellent road, and +travelled rapidly for about twenty miles, nearly due east, halting for +the night under a high red hill, where we found some rain water for our +horses; but the grass was very scarce. After dinner I ascended the hill +near the camp and obtained a distant view of Mount Brown, and the range +on the east side of Spencer's Gulf. To the north was one vast sea of +level scrub, and in the midst of it a lake; but seemingly of no very +great size. A few elevations were seen to the south-east, of all of which +I took bearings, and then descended to the camp again. The bearing of +Mount Brown, from this hill, was E. 10 degrees S.; and the latitude of +the camp, under the hill, was 30 degrees 27 minutes 55 seconds S. + +September 26.--Passing up a barren valley between low hills, we had at +first a good road, but afterwards it became very stony. We encamped +early, after a short stage of fifteen miles, having gradually left most +of the hills to the north of us. One that we were encamped under I +ascended, and had a very extensive view, and took many angles. A large +lake (named Lake Gilles) [Note 22: After the first Colonial Treasurer of +the province.] bore nearly due south, and was the same that had been +seen from Baxter's range; the latter was now distinctly visible +at a bearing of E. 20 degrees S. The latitude of our camp was 32 degrees +35 minutes 58 seconds S. There was barely enough rain water found to +supply our horses, but the feed was tolerably good. + +September 27.--We had a very bad stony road to-day, consisting +principally of quartz and iron-stone, of which the ranges had latterly +been entirely composed. Our stage was sixteen miles, passing round the +south end of Baxter's range, and encamping under it, on the eastern +front, upon a gorge, in which was plenty of water and good grass. We had +thus, by taking advantage of the rains that had fallen, been enabled to +force a passage from Streaky Bay to Spencer's Gulf; but we had done so +with much difficulty, and had we been but a few days later, we should +have failed altogether, for though travelling for a great part of the +distance under very high rocky ranges, we never found a drop of permanent +fresh-water nor a single spring near them. There are no watercourses, and +no timber; all is barren rocky and naked in the extreme. The waters that +collected after rains, lodged in the basins of small lakes; but such was +the nature of the soil that these were invariably salt. + +It was through this dreary region I had left my overseer to take his +division of the party when we separated at Baxter's range; but I confided +the task to him with confidence. Rain had at that time fallen very +abundantly; he had already been over the road with me before, and knew +all the places where water or grass was likely to be found; and our +former dray tracks of 1839, which were still distinctly visible, would be +a sufficient guide to prevent his getting off the line of route. The +skill, judgment, and success with which the overseer conducted the task +assigned to him, fully justified the confidence I reposed in him; and +upon my rejoining the party at Streaky Bay, after an absence of seven +weeks, I was much gratified to find that neither the men, animals, or +equipment, were in the least degree the worse for their passage through +the desert. + + + + +Chapter XI. + + + +EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUE--POINT +BROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FOR +WATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'S +NEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORE +NATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBY +COUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORE +NATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVES +LEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. + + +November 4.--To-DAY the party were occupied in sorting and packing +stores, which I intended to send on board the WATERWITCH to Fowler's Bay, +that by lightening the loads upon the drays, we might the more easily +force a passage through the dense scrub which I knew we had to pass +before we reached that point. In the afternoon the men were engaged in +shearing the remainder of our sheep, washing their own clothes and +preparing everything for breaking up the camp, whilst I rode down to +Streaky Bay, and went on board the cutter to give orders relative to the +reception of our stores tomorrow. + +The harbour of Streaky Bay is extensive, but generally open to the +westward. In its most southerly bight, however, is a secure well +sheltered bay, for vessels of moderate draught of water; being protected +by a long sandy shoal which must be rounded before a vessel can enter. + +[Note 23: A plan of this harbour was made by Mr. Cannan, one of the +Government assistant surveyors of South Australia, when sent by the +Government in a cutter to meet my party with provisions in 1839.] + +November 5.--To-day we were engaged in carting down the stores and a +supply of water to the cutter, which we got safely on board, when I gave +written instructions to the master to sail at once, and land a cask of +water, a little higher up the bay, for the use of the horses. In the +evening the drays were loaded and all got ready for our departure +to-morrow. + +November 6.--Having had the horses watched last night we were enabled to +move away early, and about noon arrived at the place I had appointed Mr. +Germain to land the cask of water: it was all ready, and we watered the +horses, took luncheon and moved on again, directing Mr. Germain to +proceed to Smoky Bay, and land water for us again there. The country we +passed through to-day was low, level, and sandy, and covered with prickly +grass, with a few tea-tree swamps, but no fresh water. The shore of +Streaky Bay on its western side was bounded by high steep sandy hummocks, +behind which we travelled, and at night halted on the borders of a dense +scrub, nearly opposite the middle of the bay, after a stage of about +eighteen miles. Our vicinity to the sea enabled Mr. Scott, myself, and +the native boys to enjoy a swim, a luxury highly appreciated by a +traveller after a day's hard work, amidst heat and dust, and one which I +anticipated we should frequently obtain in our course to the westward. + +November 7.--Breakfasted before daylight, and moved on with the earliest +dawn to encounter a scrub which I knew to be of heavier timber, and +growing more closely together than any we had yet attempted. It consisted +of Eucalyptus dumosa and the salt-water tea-tree, (the latter of a very +large growth and very dense,) in a heavy sandy soil. + +By keeping the axes constantly at work in advance of the drays, we +succeeded in slowly forcing a passage through this dreadful country, +emerging in about seventeen miles at an open plain behind Point Brown, +and in the midst of which was a well of water. The entrance to this well +was by a circular opening, through a solid sheet of limestone, about +fifteen inches in diameter, but enlarging a little about a foot below the +surface. The water was at a depth of ten feet, and so choked up with sand +and dirt that we were obliged to clear the hole out effectually before we +could get any for the horses. This was both a difficult and an unpleasant +occupation, as the man engaged in it had to lower himself through the +very narrow aperture at the top and work in a very cramped position +amongst the dirt and wet below, with the mud dripping upon him; it was +drawn up in a bag, for a bucket could not be used in so contracted a +space. As a spade could not be employed a large shell left by the natives +was used for scooping up the dirt, which made the operation both slow and +tiresome. Our horses were dreadfully fagged and very thirsty after the +severe toil they had endured in dragging the drays through so heavy a +scrub, but with all our exertions we could only obtain from the spring +about two buckets of water apiece for them. As this was not nearly enough +to satisfy them, I was obliged to have them watched for the night to +prevent their straying. The men had been kept incessantly at work from +five in the morning until nearly ten at night, and the additional duty of +watching the horses bore very hard upon them; but they knew it to be +necessary, and did it cheerfully. + +We had passed during our route through one or two of the small grassy +openings so constantly met with even in the densest scrubs, and, as +usual, I noticed upon these plains the remains of former scrub, where the +trees were apparently of a larger growth than those now existing around. +The soil too, from a loose sand, had become firmer and more united, and +wherever the scrub had disappeared its place had been supplied by grass. +This strongly confirmed my opinion, long ago formed, that those vast +level wastes in Australia, now covered with low scrub, (and formerly, I +imagine, the bed of the ocean,) are gradually undergoing a process of +amelioration which may one day fit them for the purposes of pasture or +agriculture. The smoke of many native fires was seen during the day +behind and around us, but we did not fall in with any of the natives. + +November 8.--Having given each of the horses a bucket of water from the +well, we moved on again through the same dense scrub we had encountered +yesterday, but, if possible, more harassing, from the increased steepness +of the sandy ridges and the quantity of dead timber lying on the surface, +and causing a great impediment to our progress. We forced our way through +this worse than desert region, for about fourteen miles, and arrived +early in the afternoon, with our horses quite exhausted, upon the shores +of Smoky Bay, at a point where the natives had dug a hole in the sand +hills near the beach to procure water, and from which the south end of +the island of St. Peter bore W. 15 degrees S. + +The WATERWITCH was already here, and supplied us with a cask of water, +until the men had dined and rested a little, before entering upon the +task of digging for water, which proved to be a most arduous undertaking, +and occupied us all the afternoon. We had to sink through a loose sand +for fifteen feet, which from its nature, added to the effect of a strong +wind that was blowing at the time, drifted in almost as fast as it was +thrown out. We were consequently obliged to make a very large opening +before we could get at the water at all; it was then very abundant, but +dreadfully salt, being little better than the sea water itself; the +horses and sheep however drank it greedily, as we had been able to give +them but little of that received from the vessel. + +November 9.--Upon mustering the horses this morning I found they were +looking so exhausted and jaded after the hard toil they had gone through +in the last three days, that I could not venture to put them to work +again to-day. I was consequently obliged to remain in camp, to rest both +them and the men, all of whom were much fatigued. The well in the sand +was even salter to-day than we had found it yesterday, and was quite +unserviceable; the men had sunk the hole rather too deep, that they might +get the water in greater abundance; but when the tide rose it flowed in +under the sand and spoiled the whole. As the water, even at the best, had +been so salt that we could not use it ourselves, and as it was far from +being wholesome for the horses, I did not think it worth while to give +the men the fatigue of digging another hole. I therefore put both horses +and men upon a limited allowance, and got a cask containing sixty gallons +from the cutter for our day's supply. I also took the opportunity of +again lightening our loads by sending on board some more of the baggage +and the light cart. This, by decreasing the number of our teams, would, I +thought, enable me to change the horses occasionally in the others, and +give me an extra man to assist in clearing a road through the scrub, +Having completed my arrangements, I sent on the WATERWITCH to the +north-east part of Denial Bay, to land water there, as I did not expect +to get any until our arrival at Point Peter. Mr. Scott accompanied the +cutter, having expressed a wish to take a trip in her for a few days. + +During the forenoon we were visited by a party of natives, who came to +get water at the hole in the sand. They were not much alarmed, and soon +became very friendly, remaining near us all night; from them I learned +that there was no water inland, and none along the coast for two days' +journey, after which we should come to plenty, at a place called by them +"Beelimah Gaip-pe;." Their language was nearly the same as that of Port +Lincoln, intermixed with a few words in use at King George's Sound, +and I now regretted greatly that I had not the Western Australian native +with me. + +I found a most singular custom prevailing among the natives of this part +of the country, which I had never found to exist anywhere else (except at +Port Lincoln), and the origin of which it would be most difficult to +account for. In various parts of Australia some of the tribes practise +the rite of circumcision, whilst others do not; but in the Port Lincoln +peninsula, and along the coast to the westward, the natives not only are +circumcised, but have in addition another most extraordinary ceremonial. +[Note 24: Finditus usque ad urethram a parte infera penis.] Among the party +of natives at the camp I examined many, and all had been operated upon. +The ceremony with them seemed to have taken place between the ages +of twelve and fourteen years, for several of the boys of that age +had recently undergone the operation, the wounds being still fresh +and inflamed. This extraordinary and inexplicable custom must have a +great tendency to prevent the rapid increase of the population; and its +adoption may perhaps be a wise ordination of Providence, for that +purpose, in a country of so desert and arid a character as that which +these people occupy. + +November 10.--Getting the party away about five o'clock this morning, I +persuaded one of the natives, named "Wilguldy," an intelligent cheerful +old man, to accompany us as a guide, and as an inducement, had him +mounted on a horse, to the great admiration and envy of his fellows, all +of whom followed us on foot, keeping up in a line with the dray through +the scrub, and procuring their food as they went along, which consisted +of snakes, lizards, guanas, bandicoots, rats, wallabies, etc. etc. and it +was surprising to see the apparent ease with which, in merely walking +across the country, they each procured an abundant supply for the day. + +In one place in the scrub we came to a large circular mound of sand, +about two feet high, and several yards in circumference; this they +immediately began to explore, carefully throwing away the sand with their +hands from the centre, until they had worked down to a deep narrow hole, +round the sides of which, and embedded in the sand, were four fine large +eggs of a delicate pink colour, and fully the size of a goose egg. I had +often seen these hills before, but did not know that they were nests, and +that they contained so valuable a prize to a traveller in the desert. The +eggs were presented to me by the natives, and when cooked were of a very +rich and delicate flavour. The nest was that of a wild pheasant, +(Leipoa), a bird of the size of a hen pheasant of England, and greatly +resembling it in appearance and plumage; these birds are very cautious +and shy, and run rapidly through the underwood, rarely flying unless when +closely pursued. The shell of the egg is thin and fragile, and the young +are hatched entirely by the heat of the sun, scratching their way out as +soon as they are born, at which time they are able to shift for +themselves. [Note 25: For a further account of the LEIPOA, vide +CHAPTER III. of Notes on the Aborigines.] + +Our road to-day was through a heavy sandy country, covered for the most +part densely with the eucalyptus and tea-tree. About eleven we struck the +south-east corner of Denial Bay, and proceeded on to the north-east, +where I had appointed the cutter to meet me. To my surprise she was not +to be seen anywhere, and I began to get anxious about our supply of water +for the horses, as we were entirely dependant upon her for it. In the +afternoon I observed the vessel rounding into the south-east bight of the +bay, and was obliged to send my overseer on horseback a long ride round +the bay, to tell the master to send us water to the place of our +encampment. He had been to the island of St. Peter yesterday looking for +birds' eggs, and having neglected to take advantage of a fair wind, was +not now able to get the cutter up to us. The water had consequently to be +brought in the boat a distance of eight miles through a heavy sea, and at +considerable risk. Mr. Scott, who came with the master in the boat, +returned on board again in the evening. Our stage to-day had been +eighteen miles, and the horses were both tired and thirsty. The small +supply of water brought us in the boat being insufficient for them, we +again were obliged to watch them at night. + +November 11.--Guided by our friend "Wilguldy," we cut off all the corners +and bends of the coast, and steering straight for "Beelimah Gaippe," +arrived there about noon, after a stage of twelve miles; the road +was harder and more open, but still in places we had to pass +through a very dense brush. The water to which the native took us was +procured by digging about four feet deep, in a swamp behind the coast +hummocks, which were here high and bare, and composed of white sand. The +water was abundant and good, and the grass tolerable, so that I +determined to remain a day to rest and recruit the horses; it was so +rarely that we had the opportunity of procuring both grass and water. The +dogs killed a kangaroo, which enabled us to give our guide an abundant +feast of food, to which he had been accustomed; but to do the old man +justice, I must say he was not very scrupulous about his diet, for he ate +readily of any thing that we offered him. + +After we had encamped some more natives came up and joined us from the +vicinity of Point Peter, which lay a few miles to the east of us; they +were known to those who had accompanied us, and were very friendly and +well conducted. To many inquiries about water inland, they all assured me +that there was none to be found in that direction; but said that there +was water further along the coast called "Berinyana gaippe," and only one +day's journey from our present encampment. + +November 12.--I sent the overseer this morning to communicate with the +cutter, and to request the master to fill up as much water as he could, +preparatory to our moving onwards to Fowler's Bay. In the evening the +overseer returned, accompanied by Mr. Scott, to acquaint me that the +water near Point Peter was a considerable distance from the vessel; and +that it would be impracticable to fill up all the casks, with no other +means than they had at command. + +I took the sun's altitude, at noon, for latitude; but the day was windy, +and the mercury shook so much that I could not depend upon the +observation within three or four miles. It gave nearly 32 degrees 10 +seconds S. which I thought too much to the northward. The sun set by +compass W. 24 1/2 degrees S. + +November 13.--Guided by the natives, we moved onward through a densely +scrubby country, and were again obliged to keep the men with axes +constantly at work, in advance of the drays to clear the road. Our +progress was necessarily slow, and the work very harassing to the horses; +fortunately the stage was not a very long one, and in fourteen miles we +reached "Berinyana gaippe," a small hole dug by the natives, amongst +the sand hummocks of the coast, a little north of Point Bell. +By enlarging this a little, we procured water in great abundance +and of excellent quality. Our course had been generally west by south; +and from our camp, the eastern extreme of Point Bell, bore S. 28 degrees +W., and the centre of the "Purdies Islands" E. 49 degrees S. + +November 14.--Upon moving on this morning, we were obliged to keep more +to the north to avoid some salt lakes and low swamps near the coast. The +natives still accompanied us through a very sandy and scrubby country to +a watering place among some sand hills, which they called +"Wademar gaippe." Here we encamped early, after a stage of ten miles, +and were enabled to procure abundance of good water, at a depth of about +four feet below the surface. + +There was a large sheet of salt water near our camp which seemed to be an +inlet of the sea, and after a hasty dinner I walked down to examine it. +The water generally appeared shallow, but in some places it was very +deep; after tracing it for five miles, and going round one end of it, I +found no junction with the sea, though the fragments of shells and other +marine remains, clearly shewed that there must have been a junction at no +very remote period. The sand hummocks between the lake and the sea being +very high, I ascended them to take bearings, and then returning to the +lake halted, with the black boy who had accompanied me, to bathe, and +rest ourselves. The weather was most intensely hot, and our walk had been +long and fatiguing, amongst sand hills under a noonday sun. We fully +appreciated the luxury of a swim, and especially as we were lucky enough +to find a hole of fresh water on the edge of the lake, to slake our +parching thirst. Ducks, teal, and pigeons were numerous, and the recent +traces of natives apparent everywhere. It was after sunset when we +returned, tired and weary, to our camp. + +November 15.--In the morning we started as early as possible to get the +stage over before the great heat of the day came on, still accompanied +and guided by the friendly natives, who took us through the best and most +open line of country. At six miles we entered a very dense scrub, leaving +to the north of us, several patches of open plains; to the north-east +were seen the smokes of several fires. The natives had told us that there +was water out in that direction, at a short day's journey; but, as they +did not wish us to go to it, I inferred that they thought there was not +enough to satisfy our party, having now frequently seen how great was the +supply we required at each encampment. I was myself of the opinion that a +hole probably existed to the north-east similar to the one we had found +in the plains behind Point Brown, where the access is difficult, and the +quantity procurable at any one time not very great. The scrub we had +traversed to-day was principally of salt-water tea-tree, growing upon a +succession of steep sandy ridges, which presented a formidable barrier to +the progress of the drays; the distance to be accomplished was not above +fourteen miles; but so difficult was the nature of the country, and so +oppressive the heat, that, notwithstanding our very early start, it was +four o'clock in the afternoon before we arrived at the place of +destination, which was called by the natives, "Mobeela gaippe." +The horses and men were greatly fatigued, but for the latter, +the labours of the day were far from being over, for, upon arriving +at the place where the water was to be procured, I found that +the holes, sunk by the natives, were through ridges of a loose sand to a +depth of fourteen or fifteen feet, at the bottom of which, water was +obtained in very small quantities. There were several of these holes +still open, and the traces of many others in every direction around, +which had either fallen in or been filled up by the drifting of the sand. +These singular wells, although sunk through a loose sand to a depth of +fourteen or fifteen feet, were only about two feet in diameter at the +bore, quite circular, carried straight down, and the work beautifully +executed. To get at the water, the natives placed a long pole against one +side of the well, ascending and descending by it to avoid friction +against the sides, which would have inevitably sent the sand tumbling in +upon them. We, however, who were so much clumsier in all our movements, +could not make use of the same expedient, nor indeed, would the size of +the wells, made by the natives, have enabled us even with their +assistance, to get out a moderate supply for the horses. It became +necessary, therefore, to open a new well, of much larger dimensions, a +task of no easy kind in so loose a sand. + +Having put the overseer and men to their arduous employment, I ascended +the highest of the sand hills, and took a set of angles, among which +Point Fowler bore W. 16 degrees S. and Point Bell, E. 40 degrees S. + +A small lake was visible at W. 40 degrees N. The country still looked +very cheerless in every direction, and no signs of improvement appeared +to relieve the dreary scene around, or to lead me to hope for better +country beyond. + +Upon rejoining the well diggers, I found after great exertions they had +thrown out an immense quantity of sand, and made a large and commodious +well, and were just going to commence watering the horses; at this +juncture and before a single bucket of water could be taken out, the sand +slipped, and the sides of the well tumbled in, nearly burving alive the +man who was at the bottom. The labour of two hours was lost, and tired as +they were, the men had to begin their work afresh. It was eight at night +before the well was cleared out again sufficiently to enable us to water +the horses, for almost as fast as the sand was thrown out other sand fell +in; by nine the whole of them had received two buckets of water each, +when the sides of the well again shot in, and we were obliged to give up +our digging operations altogether, as the men were completely exhausted; +to relieve them Mr. Scott and I watched the horses during the night. + +November 16.--Intending to remain in camp to-day, I set the men to clear +out the well once more. It was a tedious and laborious task, in +consequence of the banks of sand falling in so repeatedly, and +frustrating all their efforts, but at last by sinking a large cask bored +full of auger holes we contrived about one o'clock, to get all the horses +and sheep watered; in the evening, however, the whole again fell in, and +we gave up, in despair, the hopeless attempt to procure any further +supply of water, under such discouraging circumstances. + +For some days past, we had been travelling through a country in which the +Mesembryanthemum grows in the greatest abundance, it was in full fruit, +and constituted a favourite and important article of food among the +native population; all our party partook of it freely, and found it both +a wholesome and an agreeable addition to their fare; when ripe, the fruit +is rich, juicy, and sweet, of about the size of a gooseberry. In hot +weather it is most grateful and refreshing. I had often tasted this fruit +before, but never until now liked it; in fact, I never in any other part +of Australia, saw it growing in such abundance, or in so great +perfection, as along the western coast. During our stay in camp a native +had been sent out to call some of the other natives, and towards evening +a good many came up, and were all regularly introduced to us by +'Wilguldy' and the others, who had been with us so long; I gave them a +feast of rice which they appeared to enjoy greatly. Our more immediate +friends and guides had learnt to drink tea, and eat meat and damper, with +which we supplied them liberally, in return for the valuable services +they rendered us. + +November 17.--Moving on early, we were guided by the natives for about +twelve miles, round the head of Fowler's Bay, crossing through a very +sandy, scrubby, and hilly country, and encamping at a water hole, dug +between the sandy ridges, about two o'clock in the day. I had ridden a +little in advance of the party, and arriving at the water first, +surprised some women and children encamped there, and very busily engaged +in roasting snakes and lizards over a fire. They were much afraid and ran +away on seeing me, leaving their food upon the embers, this our friendly +guides unceremoniously seized upon and devoured, as soon as they came up +with the drays. These few women were the first we had seen for some time, +as the men appeared to keep them studiously out of our way, and it struck +me that this might be in consequence of the conduct of the whalers or +sealers with whom they might have come in contact on the coast. Old +Wilguldy, however, appeared to be less scrupulous on this point, and +frequently made very significant offers on the subject. + +Soon after we had encamped several natives came up and joined those with +us. They were exceedingly polite and orderly--indeed the best conducted, +most obliging natives I ever met with--never troubling or importuning for +any thing, and not crowding around in that unmannerly disagreeable +manner, which savages frequently adopt--nor did I ever find any of them +guilty of theft; on the contrary, several times when we had left some +article behind, they called to us, and pointed it out. To them we were +indebted for the facilities we had enjoyed in obtaining water; for +without their guidance, we could never have removed from any encampment +without previously ascertaining where the next water could be procured; +and to have done this would have caused us great delay, and much +additional toil. By having them with us we were enabled to move with +confidence and celerity; and in following their guidance we knew that we +were taking that line of route which was the shortest, and the best +practicable under the circumstances. Upon arriving at any of the watering +places to which they had conducted us, they always pointed out the water, +and gave it up to us entirely, no longer looking upon it as their own, +and literally not taking a drink from it themselves when thirsty, without +first asking permission from us. Surely this true politeness--this +genuine hospitality of the untutored savage, may well put to the blush, +for their exclusiveness and illiberality, his more civilised brethren. In +how strong a light does such simple kindness of the inhabitant of the +wilds to Europeans travelling through his country (when his fears are not +excited or his prejudices violated,) stand contrasted with the treatment +he experiences from them when they occupy his country, and dispossess him +of his all. + +There were now a considerable number of natives with us, all of whom had +been subjected to the singular ceremony before described. Those we had +recently met with, had, in addition, a curious brand, or mark on the +stomach, extending above and below the navel, and produced by the +application of fire. I had previously noticed a similar mark in use among +one or two tribes high up on the Murray River, (South Australia,) and +which is there called "Renditch." At the latter place, however, the brand +was on the breast, here it was on the stomach. I have never been able to +account in any way for the origin or meaning of this mark; but it is +doubtless used as a feature of distinction, or else why should it only be +found in one or two tribes and so far apart, had it been accidental or +arisen from lying near or upon the fires in cold weather, every +individual of certain tribes would not have been affected, and some +individuals of every tribe would: now, the first, as far as my experience +enabled me to judge, is the case; but the latter most assuredly is not. +Both at the Murray, and near Fowler's Bay, the natives always told me, +that the marks were made by fire, though how, or for what purpose, I +could never learn at either place. + +November 18.--Our horses being all knocked up, and many of them having +their shoulders severely galled by the racking motion of the drays +winding up and down the heavy sandy ridges, or in and out of the dense +scrubs, I determined to remain for some time in depot to recover them, +whilst I reconnoitred the country to the west, as far as the head of the +great Australian Bight. To leave my party in the best position I could, I +sent the overseer round Point Fowler to see if there was any better place +for the horses in that direction, and to communicate with the master of +the WATERWITCH on the subject of landing our stores. Upon the overseer's +return, he reported that there was fresh water under Point Fowler, but +very little grass; that he had not been able to communicate with the +cutter, the wind being unfavourable and violent, and the cutter's boat on +board, but they had noticed him, and shewn their colours; he said, +moreover, that the vessel was lying in a very exposed situation, and did +not appear at all protected by Point Fowler, which, as she was not well +found in ground-tackle, might possibly occasion her being driven ashore, +if a gale came on from the south-east. This news was by no means +satisfactory, and I became anxious to get our things all landed that the +cutter might go to a place of greater safety. + +November 19.--The wind still being unfavourable, the day was spent in +removing the drays, tents, etc. to a more elevated situation. Our camp had +been on the low ground, near the water, in the midst of many scrubby +hills, all of which commanded our position. There were now a great many +well armed natives around us, and though they were very kind and +friendly, I did not like the idea of their occupying the acclivities +immediately above us--at all events, not during my contemplated absence +from the party. I therefore had every thing removed to the hill next +above them, and was a good deal amused at the result of this manoeuvre, +for they seemed equally as uneasy as we had been at the heights above +them being occupied. In a very short time they also broke up camp, and +took possession of the next hill beyond us. This defeated the object I +had in view in our former removal, and I now determined not to be +out-manoeuvred any more, but take up our position on the highest hill we +could find. This was a very scrubby one, but by a vigorous application of +the axes for an hour or two, we completely cleared its summit; and then +taking up the drays, tent, baggage, etc. we occupied the best and most +commanding station in the neighbourhood. The result of this movement was, +that during the day the natives all left, and went in the direction of +where the cutter was. I was not sorry for their departure; for although +they had been very friendly and useful to us, yet now that I contemplated +keeping the party for a long time in camp, and should myself probably be +a considerable time absent, I was more satisfied at the idea of the +natives being away, than otherwise; not that I thought there was the +least danger to be apprehended from them if they were properly treated; +but the time of my men would be much occupied in attending to the horses +and sheep; and they were too few in number, to admit of much of that time +being taken up in watching the camp or the natives who might be near it; +for I always deemed it necessary, as a mere matter of prudence, to keep a +strict look out when any natives were near us, however friendly they +might profess to be. + +Upon walking round the shores of Fowler's Bay, I found them literally +strewed in all directions with the bones and carcases of whales, which +had been taken here by the American ship I saw at Port Lincoln, and had +been washed on shore by the waves. To judge from the great number of +these remains, of which very many were easily recognisable as being those +of distinct animals, the American must have had a most fortunate and +successful season. + +It has often surprised me, that the English having so many colonies and +settlements on the shores of Australia, should never think it worth their +while to send whalers to fish off its coasts, where the whales are in +such great numbers, and where the bays and harbours are so numerous and +convenient, for carrying on this lucrative employment. I believe scarcely +a single vessel fishes any where off these coasts, which are entirely +monopolised by the French and Americans, who come in great numbers; there +cannot, I think, be less than three hundred foreign vessels annually +whaling off the coasts, and in the seas contiguous to our possessions in +the Southern Ocean. I have generally met with a great many French and +American vessels in the few ports or bays that I have occasionally been +at on the southern coast of Australia; and I have no doubt that they all +reap a rich harvest. + +Among the many relics strewed around Fowler's Bay, I found the shell of a +very large turtle laying on the beach; it had been taken by the crew of +the vessel that I met at Port Lincoln, and could not have weighed less +than three to four hundred weight. I was not previously aware that turtle +was ever found so far to the southward, and had never seen the least +trace of them before. + + + + +Chapter XII. + + + +LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINT +FOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST SAND +DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURN +BACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THE +HORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHED +COUNTRY--EALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVE +US--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FOR +WATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAY +SURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSES +ABANDONED--REACH THE SAND DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE +HORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO N. E.--RECOVER THE +DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN OF +THE CUTTER. + + +November 20.--THE wind being favourable for the boats landing to-day, I +sent the overseer with pack-horses to the west side of Fowler's Bay, to +bring up some flour and other stores for the use of the party; at the +same time I wrote to the master of the cutter, to know whether he +considered his anchorage, at Fowler's Bay, perfectly safe. His reply was, +that the anchorage was good and secure if he had been provided with a +proper cable; but that as he was not, he could not depend upon the vessel +being safe; should a heavy swell set in from the southeast. Upon this +report, I decided upon landing all the stores from the cutter; and +sending her to lay at a secure place on the west side of Denial Bay, +until I returned from exploring the country, near the head of the Great +Bight. On the 22nd, I gave orders to this effect, at the same time +directing the captain to return to Fowler's Bay by the 11th December, at +which time I hoped to have accomplished the journey I contemplated. + +On the same day I gave my overseer instructions for his guidance during +my absence; and after sending the drays on to the water behind Point +Fowler, that they might be nearer to the vessel, I set off on horseback +to the westward, accompanied by a native; and taking with us a pack-horse +to carry provisions. Crossing for about six miles through scrub, at a +west by south course, we entered open grassy plains, among which were +many beds of small dried up salt lakes. This description of country +continued for about six miles, when we again entered a very dense scrub, +and continued in it for eight miles, until we struck the coast. Not +finding any indications of water or grass, I pushed up along the beach +for three miles further, and was then obliged to encamp without either, +as it had become too dark to proceed. + +November 23.--Moving along the coast for ten miles, we came to large high +drifts of pure white sand, from which some red-winged cockatoos and +pigeons flew out, and near which were several native encampments. I now +fully hoped to find water; but after a long and anxious examination, was +obliged to give up the search. I knew that our only hope of finding water +lay in these drifts of sand; but as it was frequently very difficult to +find, and never could be procured without digging, (sometimes to a great +depth,) I began to fear that our attempt to reach the head of the Bight +was almost hopeless. We had no means of digging in the sand to any depth; +whilst, from the constant drift, caused by the winds among these bare +hills, it was exceedingly disagreeable to remain even for a short time to +examine them. The wind was blowing strong, and whirlwinds of sand were +circling around us, with a violence which we could scarcely struggle +against, and during which we could hardly venture either to open our +eyes, or to draw our breath. + +Leaving the sand-drifts we travelled behind the coast ridge through a +more open but still sandy country, making a long stage to some more high +bare sand-drifts, amidst which we again made a long but unsuccessful +search for water; at night we encamped near them, and our unfortunate +horses were again obliged to be tied up for the second time without +either grass or water. + +November 24.--Finding that there was little prospect of procuring water +a-head, and that our horses were scarcely able to move at all, I felt it +necessary to retrace our steps as speedily as possible, to try to save +the lives of the animals we had with us. In order that we might effect +this and be encumbered by no unnecessary articles, I concealed, and left +among some bushes, all our baggage, pack-saddles, etc. After passing about +five miles beyond the sand-drifts where I had seen the cockatoos and +pigeons, one of the horses became completely exhausted and could not +proceed any further; I was necessitated therefore to tie him to a bush +and push on with the other two to save them. + +When I left my party on the 22nd, I had directed them to remove to some +water-holes behind Point Fowler, but, as I had not seen this place +myself, I was obliged to steer in the dark in some measure at random, not +knowing exactly where they were. The greatest part of our route being +through a dense brush, we received many scratches and bruises from the +boughs as we led our horses along, to say nothing of the danger we were +constantly in of having our eyes put out by branches we could not see, +and which frequently brought us to a stand still by painful blows across +the face. At last we arrived at the open plains I had crossed on my +outward track, and following them down came to two deep holes in the +limestone rock, similar to the one behind Point Brown. By descending into +these holes we found a little water, and were enabled to give each of the +horses three pints; we then pushed on again, hoping to reach the camp, +but getting entangled among the scrub, were obliged at midnight to halt +until daylight appeared, being almost as much exhausted as the horses, +and quite as much in want of water, for we had not tasted the little that +had been procured from the hole found in the plains. + +November 25.--At the first streak of daylight we moved on, and in one +mile and a half reached the camp near Point Fowler, before any of the +party were up. We had guessed our course well in the dark last night, and +could not have gone more direct had it been daylight. Having called up +the party and made them get a hasty breakfast, I hurried off a dray +loaded with water, and accompanied by the overseer, one man, and the +black boy, to follow up our tracks to where the tired horse had been +tied. During my absence I found that every thing but the cart had been +landed from the cutter, and safely brought up to the camp, and that as +soon as that was on shore she would be ready to go and lie at anchor at +Denial Bay. + +About noon I was greatly surprised and vexed to see my overseer return +driving the loose horses before him. It seemed that whilst feeding around +the camp they had observed the dray and other horses going away and had +followed upon the tracks, so that the overseer had no alternative but to +drive them back to the camp. This was very unfortunate, as it would +occasion great delay in reaching the one we had left tied in the scrub. I +directed the overseer to hurry back as rapidly as possible, and by +travelling all night to endeavour to make up for lost time, for I greatly +feared that if not relieved before another day passed away, it would be +quite impossible to save the animal alive. + +After resting myself a little I walked about to reconnoitre the +neighbourhood of our camp, not having seen it before. The situation was +at the west side of the upper extreme of Point Fowler, immediately behind +the sand-drifts of the coast, which there were high, bare, and of white +sand. The water was on the inland side, immediately under the sand-hills, +and procured in the greatest abundance and of good quality, by sinking +from one to three feet. It was found in a bed of white pipe-clay. To the +north-west of us were some open grassy plains, among which our horses and +sheep obtained their food, whilst here and there were scattered a few +salt swamps or beds of lakes, generally, however, dry. The whole country +was of fossil formation, and the borders of the lakes and swamps +exhibited indurated masses of marine shells, apparently but a very recent +deposit. Further inland the country was crusted on the surface with an +oolitic limestone, and for the most part covered by brush; a few open +plains being interspersed here and there among the scrubs, as is +generally the case in that description of country. + +The natives still appeared to be in our neighbourhood, but none had been +near us since they first left on the 19th. I would now gladly have got +one of them to accompany me to look for water, but none could be found. +On the 26th and 27th I was occupied in getting up the cart, some casks, +etc. from the cutter, and preparing for another attempt to round the head +of the Great Bight. The vessel then sailed for Denial Bay, where she +could lie in greater safety, until I required her again. + +Early on the 27th the man and black boy returned with the dray from the +westward, they had found the horse very weak and much exhausted, but by +care and attention he was got a little round, and the overseer had +remained to bring him slowly on: he had been four entire days and nights +without food or water, and for the first two days and a half of this time +had been severely worked. In the evening the overseer came up, driving +the jaded animal, somewhat recovered indeed--but miserably reduced in +condition. + +The party with the dray had taken spades with them to dig for water at +the sand hills, where I had seen the pigeons and cockatoos on the 23rd, +and at ten feet they had been lucky enough to procure abundance, which +although of a brackish quality was usable; from the great depth, however, +at which it was obtained, and the precarious nature of the soil, it was +very troublesome to get at it. + +November 28.--This morning I sent away a dray with three horses, carrying +seventy gallons of water to assist me in again endeavouring to get round +the Bight. As the road was very scrubby, and much impeded by fallen +timber, I had previously sent on a man to clear it a little; and about +ten o'clock I followed with the native boy. We got tolerably well through +the scrub, and encamped in a plain about sixteen miles from the depot, +where there was good grass. The weather being cool and showery, our +horses would not drink more than a bucket each from the casks. + +November 29.--Having moved on the dray early over rather a heavy road, we +took up our quarters under the white sand-drifts, after a stage of nine +miles. I then left the boy in charge of the camp, and proceeded myself +with the two men, and provided with spades and buckets, to where the +overseer had obtained water by digging; the place was about two miles +from our camp, between the sand-drifts and the sea, and immediately +behind the front ridges of the coast. By enlarging the hole, and sinking +a tub bored full of holes, we managed to water the horses, and get a +supply for ourselves. In the afternoon an attempt was made to dig a well +nearer the camp, but a stratum of rock put an end to our labours. + +November 30.--Sending back one of the men to the depot, I left the native +boy to guide the dray, whilst I diverged towards the coast to look for +water among the sand-drifts, that were seen occasionally in that +direction; in none of them, however, could I obtain a drop. The country +travelled over consisted of very heavy sand ridges, covered for the most +part with low scrub, and as the stage was a long one (twenty-two miles), +I found upon overtaking the dray that the horses were knocked up, and a +party of fourteen natives surrounding it, who were making vehement +gesticulations to the man not to proceed, and he being only accompanied +by a single black boy was greatly alarmed, and did not know what to do; +indeed, had I not arrived opportunely, I have no doubt that he would have +turned the horses round, and driven back again. Upon coming up with the +natives, I saw at once that none of them had been with us before, but at +the same time they appeared friendly and well-behaved, making signs for +us not to proceed, and pointing to some sand-drifts at the coast which we +had passed, implying, as I understood them, that there was water there. +We were now in an opening among the scrub, consisting of small grassy +undulating plains, and at these I determined to halt for the night, +hoping the natives would remain near us, and guide us to water to-morrow. +To induce them to do this, after giving the horses each two buckets of +water, I gave two gallons among them also, besides some bread. They at +once took possession of an elevation a little above our position, and +formed their camp for the night. As we were so few in number compared to +the natives, we were obliged to keep a watch upon them during the whole +night, and they did the same upon us--but at a much less individual +inconvenience from their number; they appeared to take the duty in +turn--two always being upon guard at once. + +December 1.--After giving the natives some water, and taking breakfast +ourselves, we moved on in the direction they wished us to go, followed by +the whole party; at two miles they brought us to the sea over a dreadful +heavy road, but upon then asking them where the water was, they now told +us to our horror, that there was "mukka gaip-pe," or, no water. +The truth was now evident, we had mutually misunderstood one +another; they seeing strangers suddenly appear, had taken it for granted +they came from the sea, and pointed there, whilst we, intent only upon +procuring water, had fancied they had told us we should find it where +they pointed; upon reaching the coast both were disappointed--they at not +seeing a ship, and we at not finding water. + +It was now a difficult matter to decide what to do: our horses were +greatly jaded, owing to the hilly and sandy character of the country; our +water was reduced to a low ebb in the casks, for relying upon the natives +guiding us to more, we had used it improvidently; whilst the very least +distance we could be away from the water, at the sand-drifts, was +twenty-five miles; if we went back we lost all our previous labour, and +could not do so without leaving the dray behind, and if we went forward, +it was very problematical whether water could be procured within any +distance attainable by our tired horses. + +The natives now asserted there was water to the north-west, but that it +was a long way off. As they still seemed willing to accompany us, I +determined to proceed, and pushed on parallel with the coast behind the +front ridges; at nine miles the horses were quite exhausted, and could +get no further, so that I was obliged to halt for the night, where a few +tufts of withered grass were found under the hummocks. + +Our sable friends had gradually dropped off, one or two at a time, until +only three remained. These I endeavoured to make friends with, by giving +them plenty of water and bread, and after taking a hasty meal, I got them +to go with me and the native boy along the coast, to search for water. +After going about a mile, they would proceed no further, making signs +that they should be very thirsty, and enabling me clearly to comprehend, +that there was no water until the head of the Great Bight was rounded. As +I did not know exactly, what the actual distance might be, I still hoped +I should be able to reach it, and leaving the natives to return, I and +the boy pushed on beyond all the sandy hills and cliffs, to the low sandy +tract bordering upon the head of the Bight, from which we were about +twelve miles distant. The day was hazy, or the cliffs of the Great Bight +would have been distinctly visible. + +We lost a good deal of time in tracking the foot-steps of a party of +native women and children, among some bare sand-drifts, hoping the track +would lead to water; but the party seemed to have been rambling about +without any fixed object, and all our efforts to find water were in vain; +the whole surface of the country, (except where it was hidden by the +sand-drifts) was one sheet of limestone crust, and wherever we attempted +to dig among the sand-drifts, the rock invariably stopped us. + +As it was getting on towards evening, I returned to where I had left the +dray, and giving each of the horses one bucket of water and five pints of +oats, was obliged to have them tied for the night, myself and the man +being too much fatigued to watch them. + +December 2.--We had not moved far upon our return, when one of our most +valuable dray-horses became completely overdone with fatigue, and I was +obliged to take it out of the team and put in a riding horse, to try, if +possible, to reach the plains where the grass was. We just got to the +borders of this open patch of country, when the poor animal (a mare) +could not be got a yard farther, and we were compelled to halt and decide +upon what was best to be done. The water in the cask was nearly all +consumed, the mare could not stir, and the other horses were very weak, +so that no time was to be lost; I immediately decided upon leaving the +man to take care of the mare and the dray, whilst I and the native boy +took the other horses back for more water; having measured out to the +man, water amounting to a quart per day, during our contemplated absence, +I gave all that was left, consisting of about half a bucket full, to the +mare, and then accompanied by the boy, pushed steadily back towards the +water at the sand hills, distant about twenty-five miles. At dark we +arrived there, but the sand had fallen in, and we had to labour hard to +clear out the hole again; it was eleven o'clock at night before we could +get the horses watered, and we then had to take them a mile and a half +before we could get any grass for them. Returning from this duty, we had +to collect and carry on our backs for more than a mile, a few bundles of +sticks and bushes, to make a little fire for ourselves, near the water, +the night being intensely cold. It was past two o'clock in the morning +before we could lay down, and then, tired and harassed as we were, it was +too cold and damp for us to rest. + +December 3.--The scorching rays of the morning sun awoke us early, weary +and unrefreshed, we had no trees to shade us, and were obliged to get up. +After looking at the well, and congratulating ourselves upon its not +having fallen in, we set off to look for the horses, they had wandered +away in search of food, causing us a long and tiresome walk over the +sand-hills in the sun, before we could find them; having at last got them +and driven them to where the water was, we were chagrined to find that +during our absence the well had again fallen in, and we had the labour of +clearing it out to go through again. + +The day was excessively oppressive, with a hot parching wind, and both we +and the horses drank incessantly. Towards night we took the horses away +to the grass, and remained near them ourselves for the sake of the +firewood, which was there more abundant. + +We had thunder towards evening, and a few dops of rain fell, but not +sufficient to moderate the temperature, the heat continuing as oppressive +as before. + +December 4.--After watering the horses, we took ten gallons upon a +pack-horse, and proceeded on our return to the man we had left; the state +in which our own horses were, having made it absolutely necessary to give +them the day's rest they had yesterday enjoyed. We arrived about five in +the afternoon, at the little plain where we had left the man; he was +anxiously looking out for us, having just finished his last quart of +water. The poor mare looked very weak and wretched, but after giving her +at intervals, eight gallons of water, she fed a little, and I fully hoped +we should succeed in saving her life. No natives had been seen during our +absence. + +The night set in very dark and lowering, and I expected a heavy fall of +rain; to catch which we spread our oilskins and tarpaulin, and placed out +the buckets and pannekins, or whatever else would hold water: a few +drops, however, only fell, and the storm passed away, leaving us as much +under a feeling of disappointment, as we had been previously of hope: one +little shower would have relieved us at once from all our difficulties. + +December 5.--Upon getting up early, I thought the horses looked so much +refreshed, that we might attempt to take back the dray, and had some of +the strongest of them yoked up. We proceeded well for two miles and a +half to our encampment of the 30th November; and as there was then a well +defined track, I left the man to proceed alone, whilst I myself went once +more to the coast to make a last effort to procure water among some of +the sand-drifts. In this I was unsuccessful. There were not the slightest +indications of water existing any where. In returning to rejoin the dray, +I struck into our outward track, about three miles below, where I had +left it, and was surprised to find that the dray had not yet passed, +though I had been three hours absent. Hastily riding up the track, I +found the man not half a mile from where I had left him, and surrounded +by natives. They had come up shortly after my departure; and the man, +getting alarmed, was not able to manage his team properly, but by +harassing them had quite knocked up all the horses; the sun was getting +hot, and I saw at once it would be useless to try and take the dray any +further. + +Having turned out the horses to rest a little, I went to the natives to +try to find out, if possible, where they procured water, but in vain. +They insisted that there was none near us, and pointed in the direction +of the head of the Bight to the north-west, and of the sand hills to the +south-east, as being the only places where it could be procured; when I +considered, however, that I had seen these same natives on the 30th +November, and that I found them within half a mile of the same place, +five days afterwards, I could not help thinking that there must be water +not very far away. It is true, the natives require but little water +generally, but they cannot do without it altogether. If there was a small +hole any where near us, why they should refuse to point it out, I could +not imagine. I had never before found the least unwillingness on their +part to give us information of this kind; but on the contrary, they were +ever anxious and ready to conduct us to the waters that they were +acquainted with. I could only conclude, therefore, that what they stated +was true--that there was no water near us, and that they had probably +come out upon a hunting excursion, and carried their own supplies with +them in skins, occasionally, perhaps, renewing this from the small +quantities found in the hollows of the gum scrub, and which is deposited +there by the rains, or procuring a drink, as they required it, from the +long lateral roots of the same tree. [Note 26: Vide Chapter XVI., towards +the close.] I have myself seen water obtained in both these ways. The +principal inducement to the natives to frequent the small plains +where we were encamped, appeared to be, to get the fruit of the +Mesembryanthemum, which grew there in immense quantities, and was +now just ripe; whilst the scrub, by which these plains were surrounded, +seemed to be alive with wallabie, adding variety to abundance in the +article of food. + +We were now on the horns of a very serious dilemma: our horses were +completely fagged out, and could take the dray no further. We were +surrounded by natives, and could not leave it, and the things upon it, +whilst they were present (for many of these things we could not afford to +lose); and on the other hand, we were twenty-two miles from any water, +and our horses were suffering so much from the want of it, that unless we +got them there shortly, we could not hope to save the lives of any one of +them. + +Had the natives been away, we could have buried the baggage, and left the +dray; but as it was, we had only to wait patiently, hoping they would +soon depart. Such, however, was not their intention; there they sat +coolly and calmly, facing and watching us, as if determined to sit us +out. It was most provoking to see the careless indifference with which +they did this, sheltering themselves under the shade of a few shrubs, or +lounging about the slopes near us, to gather the berries of the +Mesembryanthemum. I was vexed and irritated beyond measure, as hour after +hour passed away, and our unconscious tormentors still remained. Every +moment, as it flew, lessened the chance of saving the lives of our +horses; and yet I could not bring myself to abandon so many things that +we could not do without, and which we could not in any way replace. What +made the circumstances, too, so much worse, was, that we had last night +given to our horses every drop of water, except the small quantity put +apart for our breakfasts. + +We had now none, and were suffering greatly from the heat, and from +thirst, the day being calm and clear, and intolerably hot. When we had +first unyoked the horses, I made the man and native boy lay down in the +shade, to sleep, whilst I attended to the animals, and kept an eye on the +natives. About noon I called them up again, and we all made our dinner +off a little bread, and some of the fruit that grew around us, the +moisture of which alone enabled us to eat at all, our mouths were so +thoroughly dry and parched. + +A movement was now observed among the natives; and gathering up their +spears, they all went off. Having placed the native boy upon an eminence +to watch them, the man and I at once set to work to carry our baggage to +the top of a sand-hill, that it might be buried at some distance from the +dray. We had hardly commenced our labours, however, before the boy called +out that the natives were returning, and in a little time they all +occupied their former position; either they had only gone as a ruse to +see what we intended to do, or they had been noticing us, and had seen us +removing our baggage, or else they had observed the boy watching them, +and wished to disappoint him. Whatever the inducement was, there they +were again, and we had as little prospect of being able to accomplish our +object as ever. If any thing could have palliated aggressive measures +towards the aborigines, it would surely be such circumstances as we were +now in; our own safety, and the lives of our horses, depended entirely +upon our getting rid of them. Yet with the full power to compel them (for +we were all armed), I could not admit the necessity of the case as any +excuse for our acting offensively towards those who had been friendly to +us, and who knew not the embarrassment and danger which their presence +caused us. + +Strongly as our patience had been exercised in the morning, it was still +more severely tested in the afternoon--for eight long hours had those +natives sat opposite to us watching. From eight in the morning until four +in the afternoon, we had been doomed to disappointment. About this time, +however, a general movement again took place; once more they collected +their spears, shouldered their wallets, and moved off rapidly and +steadily towards the south-east. It was evident they had many miles to go +to their encampment, and I now knew we should be troubled with them no +more. Leaving the boy to keep guard again upon the hill, the man and I +dug a large hole, and buried all our provisions, harness, pack-saddles, +water-casks, etc. leaving the dray alone exposed in the plains. After +smoothing the surface of the ground, we made a large fire over the place +where the things were concealed, and no trace remained of the earth +having been disturbed. + +We had now no time to lose, and moving away slowly, drove the horses +before us towards the water. The delay, however, had been fatal; the +strength of the poor animals was too far exhausted, and before we had +gone seven miles, one of them could not proceed, and we were obliged to +leave him; at three miles further two more were unable to go on, and +they, too, were abandoned, though within twelve miles of the water. We +had still two left, just able to crawl along, and these, by dint of great +perseverance and care, we at last got to the water about four o'clock in +the morning of the 6th. They were completely exhausted, and it was quite +impossible they could go back the same day, to take water to those we had +left behind. The man, myself, and the boy were in but little better +plight; the anxiety we had gone through, the great heat of the weather, +and the harassing task of travelling over the heavy sandy hills, covered +with scrub, in the dark, and driving jaded animals before us, added to +the want of water we were suffering under, had made us exceedingly weak, +and rendered us almost incapable of further exertion. In the evening I +sent the man, who had been resting all day, to try and bring the two +horses nearest to us a few miles on the road, whilst I was to meet him +with water in the morning. Native fires were seen to the north-east of us +at night, but the people did not seem to have been at the water at the +sand-hills for their supply, no traces of their having recently visited +it being found. + +December 7.--After giving the horses water we put ten gallons upon one of +them, and hurried off to the animals we had left. The state of those with +us necessarily made our progress slow, and it was four o'clock before we +arrived at the place where they were, about eleven miles from the water. +The man had gone on to the furthest of the three, and had brought them +all nearly together; upon joining him we received the melancholy +intelligence, that our best draught mare had just breathed her +last--another lay rolling on the ground in agony--and the third appeared +but little better. After moistening their mouths with water, we made +gruel for them with flour and water, and gave it to them warm: this they +drank readily, and appeared much revived by it, so that I fully hoped we +should save both of them. After a little time we gave each about four +gallons of water, and fed them with all the bread we had. We then let +them rest and crop the withered grass until nine o'clock, hoping, that in +the cool of the evening, we should succeed in getting them to the water, +now so few miles away. At first moving on, both horses travelled very +well for two miles, but at the end of the third, one of them was unable +to go any further, and I left the man to remain, and bring him on again +when rested; the other I took on myself to within six miles of the water, +when he, too, became worn out, and I had to leave him, and go for a fresh +supply of water. + +About four in the morning of the 8th, I arrived with the boy at the +water, just as day was breaking, and quite exhausted. We managed to water +the two horses with us, but were too tired either to make a fire or get +anything to eat ourselves; and lay down for an hour or two on the sand. +At six we got up, watered the horses again, and had breakfast; after +which, I filled the kegs and proceeded once more with ten gallons of +water to the unfortunate animals we had left behind. The black boy was +too tired to accompany me, and I left him to enjoy his rest, after giving +him my rifle for his protection, in the event of natives coming during my +absence. + +Upon arriving at the place where I had left the horse, I found him in a +sad condition, but still alive. The other, left further away, in charge +of the man, had also been brought up to the same place, but died just as +I got up to him; there was but one left now out of the three, and to save +him, all our care and attention were directed. By making gruel, and +giving it to him constantly, we got him round a little, and moved him on +to a grassy plain, about a mile further; here we gave him a hearty drink +of water, and left him to feed and rest for several hours. Towards +evening we again moved on slowly, and as he appeared to travel well, I +left the man to bring him on quietly for the last five miles, whilst I +took back to the water the two noble animals that had gone through so +much and such severe toil in the attempt made to save the others. In the +evening I reached the camp near the water, and found the native boy quite +safe and recruited. For the first time for many nights, I had the +prospect of an undisturbed rest; but about the middle of the night I was +awoke by the return of the man with the woful news, that the last of the +three horses was also dead, after travelling to within four miles of the +water. All our efforts, all our exertions had been in vain; the dreadful +nature of the country, and our unlucky meeting with the natives, had +defeated the incessant toil and anxiety of seven days' unremitting +endeavours to save them; and the expedition had sustained a loss of three +of its best horses, an injury as severe as it was irreparable. + +December 9.--At day-break, this morning, I sent off the man to the depot +at Fowler's Bay, with orders to the overseer to send five fresh horses, +two men, and a supply of provisions; requesting Mr. Scott to accompany +them, for the purpose of taking back the two tired horses we still had +with us at the sand-hills. Upon the man's departure, we took the two +horses to water, and brought up ten gallons to the camp, where the grass +was; after which, whilst the horses were feeding and resting, we tried to +pass away the day in the same manner; the heat, however, was too great, +and the troubles and anxieties of the last few days had created such an +irritation of mind that I could not rest: my slumbers were broken and +unrefreshing; but the boy managed better, he had no unpleasant +anticipations for the future, and already had forgotten the annoyance of +the past. + +December 10.--After an early breakfast, we took the horses to water and +cleared the hole out thoroughly, as I expected five more horses in the +evening. Upon returning to the plain, fires of the natives were again +seen to the north-east; but they did not approach us. Our provisions were +now quite exhausted, and having already lived for many days upon a very +low diet, we looked out anxiously for the expected relay. About four +o'clock, Mr. Scott, two men, and five horses arrived, bringing us +supplies; so that no time had been lost after the arrival of my +messenger. The hole having been previously enlarged and cleared out, no +difficulty was experienced in watering the horses, and about sunset all +encamped together under the sand-hills at the grassy plain. + +December 11.--Leaving directions with Mr. Scott to take back to the +depot, to-morrow, the two horses we had been working so severely, and +which were now recruiting a little; and giving orders to the two men to +follow the dray track to the north-west tomorrow, with the three fresh +horses, I once more set off with the native boy to revisit the scene of +our late disasters; and recover the dray and other things we had +abandoned. We passed by the three dead horses on our route, now lying +stiff and cold; in our situation a melancholy spectacle, and which +awakened gloomy and cheerless anticipations for the future, by reminding +us of the crippled state of our resources, and of the dreadful character +of the inhospitable region we had to penetrate. At dark we came to the +little plain where the dray was, and found both it and our baggage +undisturbed; nor was it apparent that any natives had visited the place +since we left it. During the evening a few slight showers fell, which, +with a heavy dew, moistened the withered grass, and enabled our horses to +feed tolerably well. + +December 12.--I had proceeded a day in advance of the men and horses +coming to recover the dray, in order that I might satisfy myself whether +there was water or not near the plains to the east or north-east, as +there were some grounds for supposing that such might be the case, from +the fact of so many natives having been twice seen there, and the +probability that they had remained for five days in the neighbourhood. +To-day I devoted to a thorough examination of the country around; and, +accompanied by the boy, proceeded early away to the north-east, returning +southerly, and then crossing back westerly to the camp. We travelled over +a great extent of ground, consisting principally of very dense scrub, +with here and there occasional grassy openings; but no where could we +observe the slightest indications of the existence of water, although the +traces of natives were numerous and recent; and we tracked them for +several miles, often seeing places where they had broken down the shrubs +to get a grub, which is generally found there, out of the root; and +observing the fragments of the long lateral roots of the gum-scrub, which +they had dug up to get water from. And this, I am inclined to think, is +what they depend upon principally in these arid regions for the little +water they require. The general direction taken by these wanderers of the +desert, was to the north-east. About four o'clock the men with the +dray-horses arrived, bringing ten gallons of water, which we divided +among the horses, and then took it in turn to watch them during the +night. + +December 13.--Having buried a few things that I might require when I +should come out here again, (for I determined not to give up the attempt +to round the Great Bight,) I had all the rest of our luggage taken up, +and the horses being harnessed, we returned with the dray to the water at +the sand-hills, arriving there early in the afternoon. We had yoked up +three strong fresh horses, that had done no work for some time +previously; and yet, such was the nature of the country, that with an +almost empty dray, they had hardly been able to reach the water, at the +furthest only twenty-two miles distant, and in accomplishing this, they +had been upwards of ten hours in the collar. How then could we expect to +get through such a region with drays heavily loaded, as ours must be, +when we moved on finally. + +On the 14th we remained in camp to refresh the horses, and early on the +following day proceeded through the scrub, on our return to the depot; +first burying our pack-saddle, and a few other things, in the plain near +the sand-hills. Notwithstanding the care we had taken of the horses, and +the little work we had given them, they got fagged in going through the +scrub, and I was obliged to halt the dray at the rocky well in the +plains, five miles short of the depot. I myself went on with the boy to +the camp at Point Fowler, where I found the party feasting upon emus, +four of which they had shot during my absence. + +December 16.--About ten to-day the dray and men arrived safely at the +depot, being the last detachment of the party engaged in this most +unfortunate expedition, which had occupied so much time and caused such +severe and fatal loss, independently of its not accomplishing the object +for which it was undertaken. In the evening I sent Mr. Scott to see if +the cutter had returned, and upon his coming back he reported that she +had just arrived, but that he had not been able to communicate with her. + + + + +Chapter XIII. + + + +FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TO +ADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TO +ANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAIN +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND HILLS, AND BURY +FLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TO +THE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITH +PACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THE +BIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN +KAUEE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR. + + +December 17.--HAVING now maturely considered the serious position I was +in, the difficult nature of the country, the reduced condition and +diminished number of my horses, and the very unfavourable season of the +year, I decided upon taking advantage of a considerate clause in the +Governor's letter, authorizing me "to send back the WATERWITCH to +Adelaide for assistance, if required." + +From the experience I had already had, and from the knowledge I had thus +acquired of the character of the country to the westward and to the +north, it was evident that I could never hope to take my whole party, +small as it was, with me in either direction. I had already lost three +horses in an attempt to get round the head of the Bight, and I had also +found that my three best horses now remaining, when strong and fresh +after a long period of rest at the depot, had with difficulty been able +to move along with an empty dray in the heavy sandy country to the +north-west; how could I expect, then, to take drays when loaded with +provisions and other stores? Hitherto we had enjoyed the assistance of +the cutter in passing up the coast--by putting all our heavy baggage on +board of her, the drays were comparatively empty, and we had got on +tolerably well. We could no longer, however, avail ourselves of this +valuable aid, for we were now past all harbours. Fowler's Bay being the +last place of refuge where a vessel could take shelter for many hundred +miles, whilst the fearful nature of the coast and the strong current +setting into the Bight, made it very dangerous for a vessel to approach +the land at all. Upon leaving Fowler's Bay, therefore, it was evident +that we must be dependent entirely upon our own resources; and it became +necessary for me to weigh well and maturely how I might best arrange my +plans so as to meet the necessity of the case. It appeared to me that if +I sent two of my men back to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, a single dray +would carry every necessary for the reduced party remaining, and that by +obtaining a supply of oats and bran for the horses, and giving them a +long rest, they might so far recover strength and spirits as to afford me +reasonable grounds of hope that we might succeed in forcing a passage +through the country to the westward, bad as it evidently was. Acting upon +the opinion I had arrived at, I sent for the master of the cutter and +requested him to get ready at once for sea, and then communicated my +decision to the two men who were to leave us, Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +and John Houston, requesting them to get ready to embark to-morrow. They +did not appear to experience much surprise, and were I think on the whole +rather pleased than otherwise at the prospect of a return to Adelaide. +Both these men had conducted themselves remarkably well during the whole +time they were in the party, and one of them, John Houston, had been with +me in my late disastrous expedition, during which his obedience and good +conduct had been beyond all praise. We had, however, now been absent for +six months, had traversed a great extent of country, and undergone many +hardships; the country we had met with had unfortunately always been of +the most barren and disheartening character, and that which was yet +before us appeared to be if possible still worse, so that I could not +wonder that my men should appear gratified in the prospect of a +termination to their labours. With so little to cheer and encourage, they +might well perhaps doubt of our final success. + +December 18.--Having once decided upon my plans, I lost no time in +putting them in execution. A dray, three sets of horses' harness, and +some other things were sent on board the WATERWITCH, together with half a +sheep and sixty pounds of biscuit for the crew, who were now running +short of provisions. Several casks were brought on shore for us to bury +stores in, and the boat I had purchased at Port Lincoln was left, at Mr. +Scott's request, for him to fish in during the absence of the cutter. +After I had settled with the two men for their services, both of whom had +large sums to receive, they took leave of us, and went on board. + +My own time had been fully occupied for the last two days, in writing +letters and preparing despatches; by great exertions I got all ready this +evening, and upon Mr. Germain's coming up at night, I delivered them to +him, and directed him to sail as soon as possible. The following copy of +my despatch to his Excellency the Governor, will convey a brief summary +of the result of the expedition; from the time of our leaving Port +Lincoln up to the sailing of the WATERWITCH from Fowler's Bay, and of the +future plans I intended to adopt, to carry out the object of the +undertaking. + + +"POINT FOWLER, 17TH DECEMBER, 1840. + +"SIR,--By the return of the WATERWITCH, I have the honour to furnish you, +for the information of His Excellency the Governor, with a brief account +of our proceedings up to the present date. + +"Upon the return of Mr. Scott from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, I left the +latter place on the 24th October, following my former line of route along +the coast to Streaky Bay, and rejoining my party there on the 3rd +November. + +"The WATERWITCH had already arrived with the stores sent for the use of +the expedition, and I have since detained her to co-operate with my +party, in accordance with the kind permission of his Excellency the +Governor. + +"From previous experience, I was aware, that after leaving Streaky Bay, +we should have obstacles of no ordinary kind to contend with; and as I +advanced, I found the difficulties of the undertaking even greater than I +had anticipated; the heavy sandy nature of the country, its arid +character, the scarcity of grass, and the very dense brushes through +which we had frequently to clear a road with our axes, formed impediments +of no trifling description, and such as, when combined with the very +unfavourable season of the year, we could hardly have overcome without +the assistance of the WATERWITCH. By putting on board the cutter the +greater part of our dead weight, we relieved our jaded horses from loads +they could no longer draw; and by obtaining from her occasional supplies +of water at such points of the coast as we could procure none on shore, +we were enabled to reach Fowler's Bay on the 22nd November. + +"From this point I could no longer avail myself of the valuable services +of the cutter, the wild unprotected character of the coast extending +around the Great Australian Bight, rendering it too dangerous for a +vessel to attempt to approach so fearful a shore, and where there is no +harbour or shelter of any kind to make for in case of need. + +"Under these circumstances, I left my party in camp behind Point Fowler, +whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by a native boy, to examine the +country a-head, and I now only detained the WATERWITCH, in the hopes that +by penetrating on horseback beyond the head of the Great Bight, I might +be able to give his Excellency some idea of our future prospects. + +"For the last twenty-four days I have been engaged in attempting to round +the head of the Bight; but so difficult is the country, that I have not +as yet been able to accomplish it. In my first essay I was driven back by +the want of water and obliged to abandon one of my horses. This animal I +subsequently recovered. + +"In my second attempt, I went, accompanied by one of my native boys, and +a man driving a dray loaded solely with water and our provisions; but +such was the dreadful nature of the country, that after penetrating to +within twelve miles of the head of the Bight, I was again obliged to +abandon three of our horses, a dray, and our provisions. The poor horses +were so exhausted by previous fatigue and privation, that they could not +return, and I was most reluctantly obliged to leave them to obtain relief +for ourselves, and the two remaining horses we had with us. After +reaching the nearest water, we made every effort to save the unfortunate +animals we had left behind; and for seven days, myself, the man, and a +boy, were incessantly and laboriously engaged almost day and night in +carrying water backwards and forwards to them--feeding them with bread, +gruel, etc. I regret to say that all our efforts were in vain, and that +the expedition has sustained a fatal and irreparable injury in the loss +of three of its best draught horses. The dray and the provisions I +subsequently recovered, and on the evening of the 15th December, I +rejoined my party behind Point Fowler, to prepare despatches for the +WATERWITCH, since the weak and unserviceable condition of nearly the +whole of our remaining horses rendered any further attempt to penetrate +so inhospitable a region quite impracticable for the present. In +traversing the country along the coast from Streaky Bay to the limits of +our present exploration, within twelve miles of the head of the Great +Bight, we have found the country of a very uniform description--low flat +lands, or a succession of sandy ridges, densely covered with a brush of +EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA, salt water tea-tree, and other shrubs--whilst here and +there appear a few isolated patches of open grassy plains, scattered at +intervals among the scrub. The surface rock is invariably an oolitic +limestone, mixed with an imperfect freestone, and in some places exhibits +fossil banks, which bear evident marks of being of a very recent +formation. + +"The whole of this extent of country is totally destitute of surface +water--we have never met with a watercourse, or pool of any description, +and all the water we have obtained since we left Streaky Bay has been by +digging, generally in the large drifts of pure white sand close to the +coast. This is a work frequently of much time and labour, as from the +depth we have had to sink, and the looseness of the sand, the hole has +often filled nearly as fast as we could clear it out; the water too thus +obtained has almost always been brackish, occasionally salt. Latterly +even this resource has failed us; after digging a few feet we have been +impeded by rock, which gradually approaching nearer the surface towards +the head of the Great Bight, at last occupies its whole extent, unless +where partially concealed by sand-drifts, or low sandy ridges covered +with brush. We have seen no trees or timber of any kind of larger growth +than the scrub, nor have we met with the Casuarinae since we left Streaky +Bay. + +"The natives along this coast are not very numerous; those we have met +with have been timid, but friendly, and in some instances have rendered +us important assistance in guiding us through the brush, and shewing us +where to dig for water--their language appears to be a good deal similar +to that at King George's Sound. When questioned about the interior +towards the north, they invariably assert that there is no fresh water +inland; nor could we discover that they are acquainted with the existence +of a large body of water of any kind in that direction. + +"Hitherto the reduced condition of my horses, the nature of the country, +and the season of the year, have effectually prevented my examining the +interior beyond a very few miles from the coast. When we have once +rounded the Bight (and I confidently hope to accomplish this), the +country may perhaps alter its character so far as to enable me to +prosecute the main object of the expedition, that of examining the +Northern Interior. Should such unfortunately not be the case, I shall +endeavour to examine the line of coast as far as practicable towards King +George's Sound, occasionally radiating inland whenever circumstances may +admit of it. + +"The very severe loss the expedition has sustained in the death of four +of its best horses since leaving Adelaide in June last, added to the +unfavourable season of the year, and the embarrassing nature of the +country, have rendered it impossible for me to carry provisions for the +whole party for a length of time sufficient to enable me to prosecute the +undertaking I am engaged in with any prospect of success; whilst the wild +and fearful nature of this breaker-beaten coast wholly precludes me from +making use of the assistance and co-operation of the WATERWITCH. I have +consequently been under the necessity of reducing the strength of my +already small party, and have sent two men back in the cutter; retaining +only my overseer and one man, exclusive of Mr. Scott and two native boys. +Upon leaving the depot at Fowler's Bay, it is my intention to proceed +with only a single dray to carry our provisions, instead of (as formerly) +with two drays and a cart. + +"From the reduced state of our horses, it will be absolutely necessary +for us to remain in depot five or six weeks to rest them. Such, however, +is the dry and withered state of the little grass we have, and so +destitute is it of all nutritive qualities, that I much fear that even at +the expiration of this long respite from their labours, our horses will +not have improved much in strength or condition. I have therefore +unhesitatingly taken advantage of the very kind permission of his +Excellency the Governor, to request that a supply of oats and bran may be +sent to us, should his Excellency not require the services of the +WATERWITCH for more important employment. For ourselves we require no +additional provisions, the most liberal and abundant supply we formerly +received being fully sufficient to last us for six months longer. + +"I have much pleasure in recording the continued steadiness and good +conduct of my men, and I regret extremely the necessity which has +compelled me to dispense with the services of two of them before the +termination of the expedition, and after they have taken so considerable +a share in its labours. + +"I have the honor to be, Sir, +"Your very obedient servant, +"EDW. JOHN EYRE. + +"TO GEO. HALL, ESQ., PRIVATE SECRETARY, ETC." + + +After the departure of the cutter, our mode of life was for some time +very monotonous, and our camp bore a gloomy and melancholy aspect; the +loss of two men from our little band, made a sad alteration in its former +cheerful character. Mr. Scott usually employed himself in shooting or +fishing; one of the native boys was always out shepherding the sheep, and +the only remaining man I had was occupied in attending to the horses, so +that there were generally left only myself, the overseer, and one native +boy at the camp, which was desolate and gloomy, as a deserted village. +The overseer was pretty well employed, in making boots for the party, in +shoeing the horses, repairing the harness, and in doing other little odd +jobs of a similar kind; the black boys took their turns in shepherding +the sheep; but I was without active employment, and felt more strongly +than any of them that relaxation of body and depression of spirits, which +inactivity ever produces. + +For a time indeed, the writing up of my journals, the filling up my +charts, and superintending the arranging, packing, and burying of our +surplus stores, amused and occupied me, but as these were soon over, I +began to repine and fret at the life of indolence and inactivity. I was +doomed to suffer. Frequently required at the camp, to give directions +about, or to assist in the daily routine of duty, I did not like to +absent myself long away at once; there were no objects of interest near +me, within the limits of a day's excursion on foot, and the weak state of +the horses, prevented me from making any examinations of the country at a +greater distance on horseback; I felt like a prisoner condemned to drag +out a dull and useless existence through a given number of days or weeks, +and like him too, I sighed for freedom, and looked forward with +impatience, to the time when I might again enter upon more active and +congenial pursuits. Fatigue, privation, disappointment, disasters, and +all the various vicissitudes, incidental to a life of active exploration +had occasionally, it is true, been the source of great anxiety or +annoyance, but all were preferable to that oppressive feeling of listless +apathy, of discontent and dissatisfaction, which resulted from the life I +was now obliged to lead. + +Christmas day came, and made a slight though temporary break in the daily +monotony of our life. The kindness of our friends had supplied us with +many luxuries; and we were enabled even in the wilds, to participate in +the fare of the season: whilst the season itself, and the circumstances +under which it was ushered in to us, called forth feelings and +associations connected with other scenes and with friends, who were far +away; awakening, for a time at least, a train of happier thoughts and +kindlier feelings than we had for a long time experienced. + +On the 26th, I found that our horses and sheep were falling off so much +in condition, from the scarcity of grass, and its dry and sapless +quality, that it became absolutely necessary for us to remove elsewhere; +I had already had all our surplus stores and baggage headed up in casks, +or packed in cases, and carefully buried (previously covered over with a +tarpaulin and with bushes to keep them from damp), near the sand-hills, +and to-day I moved on the party for five miles to the well in the plains; +the grass here was very abundant, but still dry, and without much +nourishment; the water was plentiful, but brackish and awkward to get at, +being through a hole in a solid sheet of limestone, similar to that +behind Point Brown. Upon cleaning it out and deepening it a little, it +tasted even worse than before, but still we were thankful for it. + +The geological character of the country was exactly similar to that we +had been in so long, entirely of fossil formation, with a calcareous +oolitic limestone forming the upper crusts, and though this was +occasionally concealed by sand on the surface, we always were stopped by +it in digging; it was seemingly a very recent deposit, full of marine +shells, in every stage of petrifaction. Granite we had not seen for some +time, though I have no doubt that it occasionally protrudes; a small +piece, found near an encampment of the natives, and evidently brought +there by them, clearly proved the existence of this rock at no very great +distance, probably small elevations of granite may occasionally be found +among the scrubs, similar to those we had so frequently met with in the +same character of country. Another substance found at one of the native +encampments, and more interesting to us, not having been before met with, +was a piece of pure flint, of exactly the same character as the best gun +flint. This probably had been brought from the neighbourhood of the Great +Bight, in the cliffs of which Captain Flinders imagined he saw chalk, and +where I hoped that some change in the geological formation of the country +would lead to an improvement in its general appearance and character. + +The weather had been (with the exception of one or two hot days) +unusually cold and favourable for the time of year. Our horses had +enjoyed a long rest, and though the dry state of the grass had prevented +them from recovering their condition, I hoped they were stronger and in +better spirits, and determined to make one more effort to get round the +head of the Bight;--if unsuccessful this time, I knew it would be final, +as I should no longer have the means of making any future trial, for I +fully made up my mind to take all our best and strongest animals, and +either succeed in the attempt or lose all. + +On the 29th, I commenced making preparations, and on the following day +left the camp, the sheep, and four horses in charge of Mr. Scott and the +youngest of the native boys, whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by +the overseer and eldest native boy on horseback, and a man driving a dray +with three horses, to cross once more through the scrub to the westward. +We took with us three bags of flour, a number of empty casks and kegs, +and two pack-saddles, besides spades and buckets, and such other minor +articles as were likely to be required. It was late in the day when we +arrived at the plains under the sand hills; and though we had brought our +six best and strongest horses, they were greatly fagged with their day's +work. We had still to take them some distance to the water, and back +again to the grass. At the water we found traces of a great many natives +who appeared to have left only in the morning, and who could not be very +far away; none were however seen. + +December 31.--We remained in camp to rest the horses, and took the +opportunity of carrying up all the water we could, every time the animals +went backwards and forwards, to a large cask which had been fixed on the +dray. The taste of the water was much worse than when we had been here +before, being both salter and more bitter; this, probably, might arise +from the well having been dug too deep, or from the tide having been +higher than usual, though I did not notice that such had been the case. +In the afternoon we buried the three bags of flour we had brought headed +up in a cask. + +January 1, 1841.--This morning I went down with the men to assist in +watering the horses, and upon returning to the camp, found my black boy +familiarly seated among a party of natives who had come up during our +absence. Two of them were natives I had seen to the north-west, and had +been among the party whose presence at the plains, on the 5th of +December, when I was surrounded by so many difficulties, had proved so +annoying to us at the time, and so fatal in its consequences to our +horses. They recognised me at once, and apparently described to the other +natives, the circumstances under which they had met me, lamenting most +pathetically the death of the horses; the dead bodies of which they had +probably seen in their route to the water. Upon examining their weapons +they shewed us several that were headed with flint, telling us that they +procured it to the north-west, thus confirming my previous conjectures as +to the existence of flint in that direction. To our inquiries about +water, they still persisted that there was none inland, and that it took +them five days, from where we were, to travel to that at the head of the +Bight. No other, they said, existed in any direction near us, except a +small hole to the north-west, among some sand hills, about two miles off; +these they pointed out, and offered to go with me and shew me the place +where the water was. I accepted the offer, and proceeded to the +sand-drifts, accompanied by one of them. On our arrival he shewed me the +remains of a large deep hole that had been dug in one of the sandy flats; +but in which the water was now inaccessible, from the great quantity of +sand that had drifted in and choked it up. By forcing a spear down to a +considerable depth, the native brought it out moist, and shewed it me to +prove that he had not been deceiving me. I now returned to the camp, more +than ever disposed to credit what I had been told relative to the +interior. I had never found the natives attempt to hide from us any +waters that they knew of, on the contrary, they had always been eager and +ready to point them out, frequently accompanying us for miles, through +the heat and amongst scrub, to shew us where they were. I had, therefore, +no reason to doubt the accuracy of their statements when they informed me +that there was none inland! Many different natives, and at considerable +intervals of country apart, had all united in the same statement, and as +far as I had yet been able to examine so arid a country personally, my +own observations tended to confirm the truth of what they had told me. + +In the evening several of the natives went down with the men to water the +horses, and when there drank a quantity of water that was absolutely +incredible, each man taking from three to four quarts, and this in +addition to what they got at the camp during the earlier part of the day. +Strange that a people who appear to do with so little water, when +traversing the deserts, should use it in such excess when the opportunity +of indulgence occurs to them, yet such have I frequently observed to be +the case, and especially on those occasions where they have least food. +It would seem that, accustomed generally to have the stomach distended +after meals, they endeavour to produce this effect with water, when +deprived of the opportunity of doing so with more solid substances. At +night the natives all encamped with us in the plain. + +January 2.--Having watered the horses early, we left the encampment, +accompanied by some of the natives, to push once more to the north-west. +On the dray we had eighty-five gallons of water; but as we had left all +our flour, and some other articles, I hoped we should get on well. The +heavy nature of the road, however, again told severely upon the horses: +twice we had to unload the dray, and at last, after travelling only +fourteen miles, the horses could go no further; I was obliged, therefore, +to come to a halt, and decide what was best to be done. There appeared to +be a disastrous fatality attending all our movements in this wretched +region, which was quite inexplicable. Every time that we had attempted to +force a passage through it, we had been baffled and driven back. Twice I +had been obliged to abandon our horses before; and on the last of these +occasions had incurred a loss of the three best of them; now, after +giving them a long period of rest, and respite from labour, and after +taking every precaution which prudence or experience could suggest, I had +the mortification of finding that we were in the same predicament we had +been in before, and with as little prospect of accomplishing our object. +Having but little time for deliberation, I at once ordered the overseer +and man to take the horses back to the water, and give them two days rest +there, and then to rejoin us again on the third, whilst I and the native +boy would remain with the dray, until their return. The natives also +remained with us for the first night; but finding we still continued in +camp, they left on the following morning, which I was sorry for, as I +hoped one would have been induced to go with us to the Great Bight. + +On the fifth of January, the overseer and man returned with the horses; +but so little had they benefited by their two days rest, that upon being +yoked up, and put to the dray, they would not move it. We were obliged, +therefore, to unload once more, and lighten the load by burying a cask of +water, and giving another to the horses. After this, we succeeded in +getting them along, with the remainder, to the undulating plains; and +here we halted for the night, after a stage of only seven miles, but one, +which, short as it was, had nearly worn out the draught horses. Here we +dug a large hole, and buried twenty-two gallons of water, for my own +horse, and that of the black boy, on our return; and as I determined to +take a man with me, with a pack-horse, nine gallons more were buried +apart from the other, for them, so that when the man got his cask of +water, he might not disturb ours, or leave traces by which the natives +could discover it. + +January 6.--Sending back the dray with the overseer, at the first dawn of +day, I and the native boy proceeded to the north-west, accompanied by the +man leading a pack-horse with twelve gallons of water. The day turned out +hot, and the road was over a very heavy sandy country; but by eleven +o'clock we had accomplished a distance of seventeen miles, and had +reached the furthest point from which I turned back on the 1st December. +I walked alternately with the boy, so as not to oppress the riding +horses, but the man walked all the way. + +The weather was most intensely hot, a strong wind blowing from the +north-east, throwing upon us an oppressive and scorching current of +heated air, like the hot blast of a furnace. There was no +misunderstanding the nature of the country from which such a wind came; +often as I had been annoyed by the heat, I had never experienced any +thing like it before. Had anything been wanting to confirm my previous +opinion of the arid and desert character of the great mass of the +interior of Australia, this wind would have been quite sufficient for +that purpose. From those who differ from me in opinion (and some there +are who do so whose intelligence and judgment entitle their opinion to +great respect), I would ask, could such a wind be be wafted over an +inland sea? or could it have passed over the supposed high, and perhaps +snowcapped mountains of the interior. + +We were all now suffering greatly from the heat; the man who was with me +was quite exhausted: under the annoyances of the moment, his spirits +failed him, and giving way to his feelings of fatigue and thirst, he lay +rolling on the ground, and groaning in despair; all my efforts to rouse +him were for a long time in vain, and I could not even induce him to get +up to boil a little tea for himself. We had halted about eleven in the +midst of a low sandy flat, not far from the sea, thinking, that by a +careful examination, we might find a place where water could be procured +by digging. There were, however, no trees or bushes near us; and the heat +of the sun, and the glare of the sand, were so intolerable, that I was +obliged to get up the horses, and compel the man to go on a little +further to seek for shelter. + +Proceeding one mile towards the sea, we came to a projecting rock upon +its shores; and as there was no hope of a better place being found, I +tied up my horses near it; the rock was not large enough to protect them +entirely from the sun, but by standing close under it, their heads and +necks were tolerably shaded. For ourselves, a recess of the rock afforded +a delightful retreat, whilst the immediate vicinity of the sea enabled us +every now and then to take a run, and plunge amidst its breakers, and +again return to the shelter of the cavern. For two or three hours we +remained in, under the protection of the rock, without clothes, and +occasionally bathing to cool ourselves. The native boy and I derived +great advantage from thus dipping in the sea, but it was a long time +before I could induce the man to follow our example, either by persuasion +or threats; his courage had failed him, and he lay moaning like a child. +At last I succeeded in getting him to strip and bathe, and he at once +found the benefit of it, becoming in a short time comparatively cool and +comfortable. We then each had a little more tea, and afterwards attempted +to dig for water among the sand-hills. The sand, however, was so loose, +that it ran in faster than we could throw it out, and we were obliged to +give up the attempt. + +As the afternoon was far advanced, we saddled the horses, and pushed on +again for five miles, hoping, but in vain, to find a little grass. At +night we halted among the sandy ridges behind the seashore, and after +giving the horses four quarts of oats and a bucket of water a-piece, we +were obliged to tie them up, there not being a blade of grass anywhere +about. The wind at night changed to the south-west, and was very cold, +chilling us almost as much as the previous heat had oppressed us. These +sudden and excessive changes in temperature induce great susceptibility +in the system, and expose the traveller to frequent heats and chills that +cannot be otherwise than injurious to the constitution. + +January 7.--Having concealed some water, provisions, and the pack-saddle +at the camp, I sent the man back with the pack-horse to encamp at the +undulating plains, where nine gallons of water had been left for him and +his horse, and the following day he was to rejoin the overseer at the +sand hills. + +To the latter I sent a note, requesting him to send two fresh horses to +meet me at the plains on the 15th of January, for, from the weak +condition of the animals we had with us, and from the almost total +absence of grass for them, I could not but dread lest we might be obliged +to abandon them too, and in this case, if we did not succeed in finding +water, we should perhaps have great difficulty in returning ourselves. + +As soon as the man was gone, we once more moved on to the north-west, +through the same barren region of heavy sandy ridges, entirely destitute +of grass or timber. After travelling through this for ten miles, we came +upon a native pathway, and following it under the hummocks of the coast +for eight miles, lost it at some bare sand-drifts, close to the head of +the Great Bight, where we had at last arrived, after our many former +ineffectual attempts. + +Following the general direction the native pathway had taken, we ascended +the sand-drifts, and finding the recent tracks of natives, we followed +them from one sand-hill to another, until we suddenly came upon four +persons encamped by a hole dug for water in the sand. We had so +completely taken them by surprise, that they were a good deal alarmed, +and seizing their spears, assumed an offensive attitude. Finding that we +did not wish to injure them, they became friendly in their manner, and +offered us some fruit, of which they had a few quarts on a piece of bark. +This fruit grows upon a low brambly-looking bush, upon the sand-hills or +in the flats, where the soil is of a saline nature. It is found also in +the plains bordering upon the lower parts of the Murrumbidgee, but in +much greater abundance along the whole line of coast to the westward. The +berry is oblong, about the shape and size of an English sloe, is very +pulpy and juicy, and has a small pyramidal stone in the centre, which is +very hard and somewhat indented. When ripe it is a dark purple, a clear +red, or a bright yellow, for there are varieties. The purple is the best +flavoured, but all are somewhat saline in taste. To the natives these +berries are an important article of food at this season of the year, and +to obtain them and the fruit of the mesembryanthemum, they go to a great +distance, and far away from water. In eating the berries, the natives +make use of them whole, never taking the trouble to get rid of the +stones, nor do they seem to experience any ill results from so doing. + +Having unsaddled the horses, we set to work to dig holes to water them; +the sand, however, was very loose, and hindered us greatly. The natives, +who were sitting at no great distance, observed the difficulty under +which we were labouring, and one of them who appeared the most +influential among them, said something to two of the others, upon which +they got up and came towards us, making signs to us to get out of the +hole, and let them in; having done so, one of them jumped in, and dug, in +an incredibly short time, a deep narrow hole with his hands; then sitting +so as to prevent the sand running in, he ladled out the water with a pint +pot, emptying it into our bucket, which was held by the other native. As +our horses drank a great deal, and the position of the man in the hole +was a very cramped one, the two natives kept changing places with each +other, until we had got all the water we required. + +In this instance we were indebted solely to the good nature and kindness +of these children of the wilds for the means of watering our horses: +unsolicited they had offered us their aid, without which we never could +have accomplished our purpose. Having given the principal native a knife +as a reward for the assistance afforded us, we offered the others a +portion of our food, being the only way in which we could shew our +gratitude to them; they seemed pleased with this attention, and though +they could not value the gift, they appeared to appreciate the motives +which induced it. + +Having rested for a time, and enjoyed a little tea, we inquired of the +natives for grass for our horses, as there was none to be seen anywhere. +They told us that there was none at all where we were, but they would +take us to some further along the coast, where we could also procure +water, without difficulty, as the sand was firm and hard, and the water +at no great depth. Guided by our new friends, we crossed the sand-hills +to the beach, and following round the head of the Great Bight for five +miles, we arrived at some more high drifts of white sand; turning in +among these, they took us to a flat where some small holes were dug in +the sand, which was hard and firm; none of them were two feet deep, and +the water was excellent and abundant: the name of the place was +Yeer-kumban-kauwe. + +Whilst I was employed in digging a large square hole, to enable us to dip +the bucket when watering the horses, the native boy went, accompanied by +one of the natives as a guide, to look for grass. Upon his return, he +said he had been taken to a small plain about a mile away, behind the +sand hills, where there was plenty of grass, though of a dry character; +to this we sent the horses for the night. In returning, a few sea fowl +were shot as a present for our friends, with whom we encamped, gratified +that we had at last surmounted the difficulty of rounding the Great +Bight, and that once more we had a point where grass and water could be +procured, and from which we might again make another push still further +to the westward. + +In the evening, we made many inquiries of the natives, as to the nature +of the country inland, the existence of timber, rocks, water, etc. and +though we were far from being able to understand all that they said, or +to acquire half the information that they wished to convey to us, we +still comprehended them sufficiently to gather many useful and important +particulars. In the interior, they assured us, most positively, there was +no water, either fresh or salt, nor anything like a sea or lake of any +description. + +They did not misunderstand us, nor did we misapprehend them upon this +point, for to our repeated inquiries for salt water, they invariably +pointed to a salt lake, some distance behind the sand-hills, as the only +one they knew of, and which at this time we had not seen. + +With respect to hills or timber, they said, that neither existed inland, +but that further along the coast to the westward, we should find trees of +a larger growth, and among the branches of which lived a large animal, +which by their description, I readily recognized as being the Sloth of +New South Wales; an animal whose habits exactly agreed with their +description, and which I knew to be an inhabitant of a barren country, +where the scrub was of a larger growth than ordinary. One of the natives +had a belt round his waist, made of the fur of the animal they described, +and on inspecting it, the colour and length of the hair bore out my +previous impression. + +The next water along the coast we were informed, was ten days journey +from Yeerkumban kauwe, and was situated among sand-drifts, similar to +those we were at, but beyond the termination of the line of cliffs, +extending westward from the head of the Bight, and which were distinctly +visible from the shore near our camp. These cliffs they called, +"Bundah," and at two days' journey from their commencement, they +told us were procured the specimens of flints (Jula) we had seen +upon their weapons, and of which one or two small pieces had been picked +up by us among the sand-drifts, having probably been dropped there by the +natives. + +January 8.--To-day we remained in camp to recruit the horses, and the +natives remained with us; soon after breakfast one of them lit a signal +fire upon a sand-hill, and not long afterwards we were joined by three +more of the tribe, but the women kept out of sight. I now sent the native +boy out with one to shoot birds for them, but he came back with only a +single crow, and I was obliged to go myself, to try whether I could not +succeed better. Being lucky enough to procure four, I gave them to the +natives, and returning to the camp we all dined, and afterwards lay down +to rest for an hour. + +Upon getting up, I missed a knife I had been using, and which had been +lying beside me. One of the strange natives who had come to the camp this +morning, had been sitting near me, and I at once suspected him to be the +thief, but he was now gone, and I had no prospect of recovering the lost +article. In the afternoon, the stranger came up to the camp again, and I +at once taxed him with the theft; this he vehemently denied, telling me +it was lost in the sand, and pretending to look anxiously for it; he +appeared, however, restless and uneasy, and soon after taking up his +spears went away with two others. My own native boy happened to be coming +over the sand-hills at the time, but unobserved by them, and as they +crossed the ridge he saw the man I had accused stop to pick something up, +and immediately called out to me; upon this I took my gun, and ascending +the hill, saw the native throw down the knife, which my own boy then +picked up; the other natives had now come up, and seemed very anxious to +prevent any hostilities, and to the chief of those who had been so +friendly with us, I explained as well as I could the nature of the +misunderstanding, and requested him to order the dishonest native away, +upon which he spoke to them in his own language, and all took up their +spears and went away, except himself and one other. These two men +remained with us until dark, but as the evening appeared likely to be +wet, they left us also, when we lay down for the night. + +January 9.--The morning set in cold, dark and rainy, and as much wet had +fallen during the night, we had been thoroughly drenched through, our +fire had been extinguished, and it was long before we could get it lit +again, and even then we could hardly keep it in; the few bushes among the +sand hills were generally small, and being for the most part green as +well as wet, it required our utmost efforts to prevent the fire from +going out; so far indeed were we from being either cheered or warmed by +the few sparks we were able to keep together, that the chill and +comfortless aspect of its feeble rays, made us only shiver the more, as +the rain fell coldly and heavily upon our already saturated garments. +About noon the weather cleared up a little, and after getting up and +watering the horses, we collected a large quantity of firewood and made +waterproof huts for ourselves. The rain, however, was over, and we no +longer required them. + + + + +Chapter XIV. + + + +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THE +INTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME +TO THE CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO +DEPOT--BAD WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE GUTTER +HERO--JOINED BY THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO +THE HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE +EXPEDITION AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE +HERO SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVE +JOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE +DEPOT. + + +January 10.--WE left Yeer-kumban-kauwe early, and proceeding to the +westward, passed through an open level tract of country, of from three to +four hundred feet in elevation, and terminating seawards abruptly, in +bold and overhanging cliffs, which had been remarked by Captain Flinders, +but which upon our nearer approach, presented nothing very remarkable in +appearance, being only the sudden termination of a perfectly level +country, with its outer face washed, steep and precipitous, by the +unceasing lash of the southern ocean. The upper surface of this country, +like that of all we had passed through lately, consisted of a calcareous +oolitic limestone, below which was a hard concrete substance of sand or +of reddish soil, mixed with shells and pebbles; below this again, the +principal portion of the cliff consisted of a very hard and coarse grey +limestone, and under this a narrow belt of a whitish or cream-coloured +substance, lying in horizontal strata; but what this was we could not yet +determine, being unable to get down to it any where. The cliffs were +frightfully undermined in many places, enormous masses lay dissevered +from the main land by deep fissures, and appearing to require but a touch +to plunge them headlong into the abyss below. Back from the sea, the +country was level, tolerably open, and covered with salsolae, or low, +prickly shrubs, with here and there belts of the eucalyptus dumosa. In +places two or three miles back from the coast there was a great deal of +grass, that at a better season of the year would have been valuable; now +it was dry and sapless. No timber was visible any where, nor the +slightest rise of any kind. The whole of this level region, elevated as +it was above the sea, was completely coated over with small fresh water +spiral shells, of two different kinds. + +After travelling about twenty-five miles along the cliffs, we came all at +once to innumerable pieces of beautiful flint, lying on the surface, +about two hundred yards inland. This was the place at which the natives +had told us they procured the flint; but how it attained so elevated a +position, or by what means it became scattered over the surface in such +great quantities in that particular place, could only be a matter of +conjecture. There was no change whatever in the character or appearance +of the country, or of the cliffs, and the latter were as steep and +impracticable as ever. + +Five miles beyond the flint district we turned a little inland and halted +for the night upon a patch of withered grass. During the day we had been +fortunate enough to find a puddle of water in a hollow of the rock left +by yesterday's rain, at which we watered the horses, and then lading out +the remainder into our bucket carefully covered it up with a stone slab +until our return, as I well knew, if exposed to the sun and wind, there +would not be a drop left in a very few hours. Kangaroos had been seen in +great numbers during the day, but we had not been able to get a shot at +one. Our provisions were now nearly exhausted, and for some days we had +been upon very reduced allowances, so that it was not without some degree +of chagrin that we saw so many fine animals bounding unscathed around us. + +January 11.--Having travelled fifteen miles further along the cliffs, I +found them still continue unchanged, with the same level uninteresting +country behind. I had now accomplished all that I expected to do on this +excursion, by ascertaining the character of the country around the Great +Bight; and as our horses were too weak to attempt to push beyond the +cliffs to the next water, and as we ourselves were without provisions, I +turned homewards, and by making a late and forced march, arrived at the +place where we had left the bucket of water, after a day's ride of +forty-five miles. Our precaution as we had gone out proved of inestimable +value to us now. The bucket of water was full and uninjured, and we were +enabled thus to give our horses a gallon and a half each, and allow them +to feed upon the withered grass instead of tying them up to bushes, which +we must have done if we had had no water. + +January 12.--In our route back to "Yeer-kumban-kauwe" we were lucky +enough to add to our fare a rat and a bandicoot, we might also have had a +large brown snake, but neither the boy nor I felt inclined to +experimentalise upon so uninviting an article of food; after all it was +probably mere prejudice, and the animal might have been as good eating as +an eel. We arrived at the water about noon, and the remainder of the day +afforded a grateful rest both to ourselves and to the horses. + +January 13.--Our fire had gone out during the night, and all our matches +being wet, we could not relight it until noon, when the rays of a hot sun +had dried them again. Having eaten our slender dinner, I walked out to +water the horses, leaving the boy in charge of the camp. Upon my return I +found him comfortably seated between two of our friends the natives, who +had just returned from a hunting excursion, bringing with them the half +roasted carcass of a very fine kangaroo. They had already bestowed upon +the boy two very large pieces, and as soon as I made my appearance they +were equally liberal to me, getting up the moment I arrived at the camp, +and bringing it over to me of their own accord. The supply was a most +acceptable one, and we felt very grateful for it. Having received as much +of the kangaroo as would fully last for two days, I gave a knife in +return to the eldest of the men, with which he seemed highly delighted. I +would gladly have given one to the other also, but I had only one left, +and could not spare it. The natives remained in camp with us for the +night, and seemed a good deal surprised when they saw us re-roasting the +kangaroo; frequently intimating to us that it had already been cooked, +and evidently pitying the want of taste which prevented us from +appreciating their skill in the culinary art. + +January 14.--Upon our leaving this morning the natives buried in the sand +the remains of their kangaroo, and accompanied us a mile or two on our +road, then turning in among the sand-hills they returned to renew their +feast. They had been eating almost incessantly ever since they arrived at +the water yesterday, and during the night they had repeatedly got up for +the same purpose. The appetites of these people know no restraint when +they have the means of gratifying them; they have no idea of temperance +or prudence, and are equally regardless of the evil resulting from excess +as they are improvident in preparing for the necessities of the +morrow--"sufficient (literally so to them) for the day is the evil +thereof." + +In our route to-day instead of following round the sea-shore, we struck +across behind the sand-hills, from "Yeerkumban-kauwe" to the water we had +first found on the 7th of January, and in doing so we passed along a +large but shallow salt-water lake, which the natives had pointed to on +the evening of the 7th, when I made inquiries relative to the existence +of salt water inland. The margin of this lake was soft and boggy, and we +were nearly losing one of our horses which sank unexpectedly in the mud. +About noon we arrived at the camp, from which I had sent the man back on +the 6th, and having picked up the water and other things left there, +proceeded to the sand-hills near which we had halted during the intense +heat of that day. We now rested for several hours, and again moved +onwards about eleven at night to avoid the great heat of the day whilst +crossing the sandy country before us. + +January 15.--At sunrise we arrived at the undulating plains, where twenty +gallons of water had been left buried for us. Here I found the overseer +with two fresh horses, according to the instructions I had sent him on +the 6th, by the man who returned. After resting for an hour or two, I set +off with the native boy upon the fresh horses, and rode to the water at +the sand-drifts, leaving the overseer to bring on the tired animals the +next day. It was nearly dark when we arrived at the plain under the +sand-hills, and very late before we had watered the horses and brought +them back to the grass. + +January 16.--After breakfast, in returning from the water, we had a feast +upon some berries, growing on the briary bushes behind the sand-hills; +they were similar to those the natives had offered to us, at the head of +the Bight, on the 7th, were very abundant, and just becoming ripe. About +eight o'clock we set off for the depot, and arrived there at two, glad to +reach our temporary home once more, after eighteen days absence, and +heartily welcomed by Mr. Scott, who complained bitterly of having been +left alone so long. Under the circumstances of the case, however, it had +been quite unavoidable. Upon tasting the water at the well, I found, that +from so much having been taken out, it had now become so very brackish, +that it was scarcely usable, and I decided upon returning again to +Fowler's Bay, where the water was good, as soon as the overseer came +back. + +January 17.--Spent the day in writing, and in meditating upon my future +plans and prospects. I had now been forty-five miles beyond the head of +the Great Bight, that point to which I had looked with interest and hope; +now, I had ascertained that no improvement took place there, in the +appearance or character of the country, but, if any thing, that it became +less inviting, and more arid. The account of the natives fully satisfied +me that there was no possibility of getting inland, and my own experience +told me that I could never hope to take a loaded dray through the +dreadful country I had already traversed on horseback. What then was I to +do? or how proceed for the future? The following brief abstract of the +labours of the party, and the work performed by the horses in the three +attempts made to get round the head of the Great Bight, may perhaps seem +incredible to those who know nothing of the difficulty of forcing a +passage through such a country as we were in, and amidst all the +disadvantages we were under, from the season of the year and other causes. + + +ABSTRACT OF LABOURS OF THE PARTY IN ROUNDING THE GREAT BIGHT. + +Names. Distances ridden. No. of days employed. +Mr Eyre 643 miles 40 +Mr. Scott 50 miles 4 +The Overseer 230 miles 22 +Costelow 22 +Houston 12 +Corporal Coles 8 +Eldest native boy 270 miles 19 +Youngest native boy 395 miles 23 + + +A dray loaded with water was drawn backwards and forwards 238 miles; many +of the horses, in addition to the distances they were ridden, or worked +in the dray, were driven loose, in going or returning, for about eighty +miles. Most of the party walked considerable distances in addition to +those ridden. All the party were engaged, more or less, in connection +with the three attempts to round the Bight, as were also all the horses, +and of the latter, three perished from over fatigue and want of water. +Yet, after all, the distance examined did not exceed 135 miles, and might +have been done easily in ten days, and without any loss, had the +situation of the watering places, or the nature of the country, been +previously known. + +None but a person who has been similarly circumstanced, can at all +conceive the incessant toil and harassing anxiety of the explorer; when +baffled and defeated, he has to traverse over and over again the same +dreary wastes, gaining but a few miles of ground at each fresh attempt, +whilst each renewal of the effort but exhausts still more the strength +and condition of his animals, or the energy and spirits of his men. + +Upon maturely considering our circumstances and position, I decided to +attempt to force a passage round the Great Bight, with pack-horses only, +sending, upon the return of the cutter, all our heavy stores and drays in +her to Cape Arid, if I found, upon her arrival, the instructions I might +receive, would justify me in taking her so far beyond the boundaries of +South Australia. This was the only plan that appeared to me at all +feasible, and I determined to adopt it as soon as our horses were +sufficiently recruited to commence their labours again. + +On the 18th, the overseer returned with the two jaded horses we had used +on our last excursion, looking very wretched and weak. The day was +intensely hot, with the wind due north: the thermometer in the shade, in +a well lined tent, being 105 degrees at 11 A.M.--a strong corroboration, +if such were required, of the statement of the natives, that there was no +large body of inland water. At 2, P.M. the wind changed to west, and the +thermometer suddenly fell to 95 degrees; a little afterwards, it veered +to south-west, and again fell to 80 degrees; the afternoon then became +comparatively cool and pleasant. + +The quality of the water at the well, was now beginning to affect the +health of the whole party; and on the 19th and 20th I put into execution +my resolution of removing to Fowler's Bay, where we again enjoyed the +luxury of good water. Upon digging up the things we had left buried, we +found them perfectly dry. On the 21st, I sent Mr. Scott down to the bay, +to see if the cutter had come back, but she had not. On his return, he +brought up a few fish he had caught, which, added to ten pigeons, shot by +himself and the native boys, at the sand-hills, gave a little variety to +our fare; indeed, for several days, after taking up our old position at +Point Fowler, we were well supplied both with fish and pigeons. + +Time passed gradually away until the evening of the 25th, when a party of +natives once more came up, and took up their abode near us--three were of +those who had accompanied us all the way from Denial Bay, and some others +had also been with us before. On the 26th, I went down myself to Fowler's +Bay to look out for the cutter, which we now daily expected. Just as I +arrived at the beach she came rounding into the bay, and Mr. Scott and +myself got into our little boat, and pulled off to her, though with great +difficulty, the wind blowing very fresh and dead against us, with the sea +running high. We had three miles to go, and for a long time it was very +doubtful whether we should succeed in reaching the vessel; our utmost +efforts appearing barely to enable us to keep our ground. I was myself, +at the best, not very skilful in using an oar, and neither of us had had +much practice in pulling in a heavy sea. However, we got on board after a +good deal of fatigue, and were rewarded by receiving many letters, both +English and Colonial. I found that in returning to Adelaide the +Water-witch had proved so leaky as to be deemed unsafe for further +service on so wild a coast, and that the Governor had, in consequence, +with the promptness and consideration which so eminently distinguished +him, chartered the "HERO," a fine cutter, a little larger than the +WATERWITCH, and placing her under the command of Mr. Germain, had sent +him to our assistance. On board the HERO I was pleased to find the native +from King George's Sound, named Wylie, whom I had sent for, and who was +almost wild with delight at meeting us, having been much disappointed at +being out of the way when I sent for him from Port Lincoln. + +After receiving our despatches, and taking Wylie with us, we set sail for +the shore, and then walked up in the evening to our depot; my other two +native boys were greatly rejoiced to find their old friend once more with +them; they had much to tell to, and much to hear from each other, and all +sat up to a late hour. For myself, the many letters I had received, gave +me ample enjoyment and occupation for the night, whilst the large pile of +newspapers from Adelaide, Swan River, and Sydney, promised a fund of +interest for some time to come. Nothing could exceed the kindness and +attention of our friends in Adelaide, who had literally inundated us with +presents of every kind, each appearing to vie with the other in their +endeavours to console us under our disappointments, to cheer us in our +future efforts, and if possible, to make us almost forget that we were in +the wilds. Among other presents I received a fine and valuable +kangaroo-dog from my friend, Captain Sturt, and which had fortunately +arrived safely, and in excellent condition. + +The bran and oats which I had applied for had been most liberally +provided, so that by remaining in depot for a few weeks longer, we might +again hope to get our horses into good condition. From his Excellency the +Governor I received a kind and friendly letter, acquainting me that the +HERO was entirely at my disposal within the limits of South Australia, +but that being under charter I could not take her to Cape Arid, or beyond +the boundaries of the province, and requesting, that if I desired further +aid, or to be met any where, at a future time, that I would communicate +with the Government to that effect by the HERO'S return. The whole tenor +of his Excellency's letter evinced a degree of consideration and kindness +that I could hardly have expected amidst the many anxious duties and +onerous responsibilities devolving upon him at this time; and if any +thing could have added to the feelings of gratitude and respect I +entertained towards him, it would be the knowledge, that with the +disinterested generosity of a noble mind, he was giving up a portion of +his valuable time and attention to our plans, our wants, and our safety, +at a time when the circumstances of the colony over which he presided had +beset his own path with many difficulties, and when every day but added +to the annoyances and embarrassments which a sudden reaction in the +progress and prospects of the province necessarily produced. + +In the instructions I received relative to the cutter, I have mentioned +that I was restricted to employing her within the limits of the colony of +South Australia, and thus, the plan I had formed of sending our drays and +heavy stores in her to Cape Arid, whilst we proceeded overland ourselves +with pack-horses, was completely overturned, and it became now a matter +of very serious consideration to decide what I should do under the +circumstances. It was impossible for me to take my whole party and the +drays overland through the dreadful country verging upon the Great Bight; +whilst if I took the party, and left the drays, it was equally hopeless +that I could carry upon pack-horses a sufficiency of provisions to last +us to King George's Sound. There remained, then, but two alternatives, +either to break through the instructions I had received with regard to +the HERO, or to reduce my party still further, and attempt to force a +passage almost alone. The first I did not, for many reasons, think myself +justified in doing--the second, therefore, became my DERNIER RESORT, and +I reluctantly decided upon adopting it. + +It now became my duty to determine without delay who were to be my +companions in the perilous attempt before me. The first and most painful +necessity impressed upon me by the step I contemplated, was that of +parting with my young friend, Mr. Scott, who had been with me from the +commencement of the undertaking, and who had always been zealous and +active in promoting its interests as far as lay in his power. I knew +that, on an occasion like this, the spirit and enterprise of his +character would prompt in him a wish to remain and share the difficulties +and dangers to which I might be exposed: but I felt that I ought not to +allow him to do so; I had no right to lead a young enthusiastic friend +into a peril from which escape seemed to be all but hopeless; and painful +as it would be to us both to separate under such circumstances, there was +now no other alternative; the path of duty was plain and imperative, and +I was bound to follow it. + +On the 28th, I took the opportunity, whilst walking down to the beach +with Mr. Scott, of explaining the circumstances in which I was placed, +and the decision to which I had been forced. He was much affected at the +intelligence, and would fain have remained to share with me the result of +the expedition, whatever that might be; but I dared not consent to it. + +The only man left, belonging to the party, was the one who had +accompanied me towards the head of the Great Bight, and suffered so much +from the heat on the 6th January. His experience on that occasion of the +nature of the country, and the climate we were advancing into, had, in a +great measure, damped his ardour for exploring; so that when told that +the expedition, as far as he was concerned, had terminated, and that he +would have to go back to Adelaide with Mr. Scott, he did not express any +regret. I had ever found him a useful and obedient man, and with the +exception of his losing courage under the heat, upon the occasion alluded +to, he had been a hardy and industrious man, and capable of enduring much +fatigue. + +The native boys I intended to accompany me in my journey, as they would +be better able to put up with the fatigues and privations we should have +to go through, than Europeans; whilst their quickness of sight, habit of +observation, and skill in tracking, might occasionally be of essential +service to me. The native who had lately joined me from Adelaide, and +whose country was around King George's Sound, would, I hoped, be able to +interpret to any tribes we might meet with, as it appeared to me that +some of the words we had heard in use among the natives of this part of +the coast were very similar to some I had heard among the natives of King +George's Sound. Three natives, however, were more than I required, and I +would gladly have sent the youngest of them back to Adelaide, but he had +been with me several years, and I did not like to send him away whilst he +was willing to remain; besides, he was so young and so light in weight, +that if we were able to get on at all, his presence could cause but +little extra difficulty. I therefore decided upon taking him also. + +There remained now only the overseer; a man who had been in my service +for many years, and whose energy, activity, and many useful qualities, +had made him an invaluable servant to me at all times; whilst his +courage, prudence, good conduct, and fidelity, made me very desirous to +have him with me in this last effort to cross to the westward. Having +sent for him, I explained to him most fully the circumstances in which I +was placed, the utter impossibility of taking on the whole party through +so inhospitable a region as that before us, my own firm determination +never to return unsuccessful, but either to accomplish the object I had +in view, or perish in the attempt. I pointed out to him that there were +still eight hundred and fifty miles of an unknown country yet to be +traversed and explored; that, in all probability, this would consist +principally, if not wholly, of an all but impracticable desert. I +reminded him of the fatigues, difficulties, and losses we had already +experienced in attempting to reconnoitre the country only as far as the +head of the Great Bight; and stated to him my own conviction, that from +the knowledge and experience we had already acquired of the nature of the +country; the journey before us must of necessity be a long and harassing +one--one of unceasing toil, privation, and anxiety, whilst, from the +smallness of our party, the probable want of water, and other causes, it +would be one, also, of more than ordinary risk and danger. I then left +him to determine whether he would return to Adelaide, in the cutter, or +remain and accompany me. His reply was, that although he had become tired +of remaining so long away in the wilds, and should be glad when the +expedition had terminated, yet he would willingly remain with me to the +last; and would accompany me to the westward at every hazard. + +Our future movements being now arranged, and the division of the party +decided upon, it remained only for me to put my plans into execution. The +prospect of the approaching separation, had cast a gloom over the whole +party, and now that all was finally determined, I felt that the sooner it +was over the better. I lost no time, therefore, in getting up all the +bran and oats from the cutter, and in putting on board of her our drays, +and such stores as we did not require, directing the master to hold +himself in readiness to return to Adelaide immediately. + +By the 31st January, every thing was ready; my farewell letters were +written to the kind friends in Adelaide, to whom I owed so much; and my +final report to the Chairman of the Committee, for promoting the +expedition--that expedition being now brought to a close, and its members +disbanded. + +In the evening the man and Mr. Scott went on board the cutter, taking +with them our three kangaroo dogs, which the arid nature of the country +rendered it impossible for me to keep. I regretted exceedingly being +compelled to part with the dogs, but it would have been certain +destruction to them to have attempted to take them with me. + +The following is a copy of my final report to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee:-- + + +"Fowler's Bay, 30th Jan., 1841. + +"Sir,--By the return of the HERO from Fowler's Bay, I have the honour to +acquaint you, for the information of his Excellency the Governor, and the +colonists interested, with the unsuccessful termination of the expedition +placed under my command, for the purpose of exploring the northern +interior. Since my last report to his Excellency the Governor, containing +an account of two most disastrous attempts to head the Great Australian +Bight, I have, accompanied by one of my native boys, made a third and +more successful one. On this occasion, I with some difficulty advanced +about fifty miles beyond the head of the Great Bight, along the line of +high cliffs described by Flinders, and which have hitherto been supposed +to be composed principally of chalk. I found the country between the head +of Fowler's Bay and the head of the Great Bight to consist of a +succession of sandy ridges, all of which were more or less covered by a +low scrub, and without either grass or water for the last sixty miles. +This tract is of so uneven and heavy a nature that it would be quite +impossible for me to take a loaded dray across it at this very +unfavourable season of the year, and with horses so spiritless and jaded +as ours have become, from the incessant and laborious work they have gone +through during the last seven months. Upon rounding the head of the +Bight, I met with a few friendly natives, who shewed me where both grass +and water was to be procured, at the same time assuring me that there was +no more along the coast for ten of their days' journeys, (probably 100 +miles) or where the first break takes place in the long and continuous +line of cliffs which extend so far to the westward of the head of the +Great Bight. Upon reaching these cliffs I felt much disappointed, as I +had long looked forward to some considerable and important change in the +character of the country. There was, however, nothing very remarkable in +their appearance, nor did the features of the country around undergo any +material change. The cliffs themselves struck me as merely exhibiting the +precipitous banks of an almost level country of moderate elevation (three +or four hundred feet) which the violent lash of the whole of the Southern +Ocean was always acting upon and undermining. Their rock formation +consisted of various strata, the upper crust or surface being an oolitic +limestone; below this is an indented concrete mixture of sand, soil, +small pebbles, and shells; beneath this appear immense masses of a coarse +greyish limestone, of which by far the greater portion of the cliffs are +composed; and immediately below these again is a narrow stripe of a +whitish, or rather a cream-coloured substance, lying in horizontal +strata, but which the impracticable nature of the cliffs did not permit +me to examine. After riding for forty-five miles along their summits, I +was in no instance able to descend; their brinks were perfectly steep and +overhanging, and in many places enormous masses appeared severed by deep +cracks from the main land, and requiring but a slight touch to plunge +them into the abyss below. As far as I have yet been along these cliffs, +I have seen nothing in their appearance to lead me to suppose that any +portion of them is composed of chalk. Immediately along their summits, +and for a few hundred yards back, very numerous pieces of pure flint are +lying loosely scattered upon the surface of the limestone. How they +obtained so elevated a position, or whence they are from, may admit, +perhaps, of some speculation. Back from the sea, and as far as the eye +could reach, the country was level and generally open, with some low +prickly bushes and salsolaceous plants growing upon it; here and there +patches of the gum scrub shewed themselves, and among which a few small +grassy openings were interspersed. The whole of this tract was thickly +covered by small land shells, about the size of snail shells--and some of +them somewhat resembling those in shape. There were no sudden depressions +or abrupt elevations anywhere; neither hills, trees, or water were to be +observed; nor was there the least indication of improvement or change in +the general character of this desolate and forbidding region. The natives +we met with at the head of the Bight were very friendly, and readily +afforded us every information we required--as far as we could make them +comprehend our wishes. + +"We most distinctly understood from them, that there was no water along +the coast, westerly, for ten of their days' journeys; and that inland, +there was neither fresh nor salt water, hills or timber, as far as they +had ever been; an account which but too well agreed with the opinion I +had myself formed, upon ascertaining that the same dreary, barren region +I had been traversing so long, still continued at a point where I had +ever looked forward to some great and important change taking place in +the features of the country, and from which I had hoped I might +eventually have accomplished the object for which the expedition was +fitted out. Such, however, was not the case; there was not any +improvement in the appearance of the country, or the least indication +that there might be a change for the better, within any practicable +distance. I had already examined the tract of country from the longitude +of Adelaide, to the parallel of almost 130 degrees E. longitude; an +extent comprising nearly 8 1/2 degrees of longitude; without my having +found a single point from which it was possible to penetrate for into the +interior; and I now find myself in circumstances of so embarrassing and +hopeless a character, that I have most reluctantly been compelled to give +up all further idea of contending with obstacles which there is no +reasonable hope of ever overcoming. I have now, therefore, with much +regret completely broken up my small but devoted party. Two of my men +returned to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, five weeks ago. + +"Mr. Scott and another of my men proceed on Monday in the HERO; whilst +myself, my native boys, and the overseer (who has chosen to accompany me) +proceed hence overland to King George's Sound, as soon as our horses are +a little recruited by the abundant supply of forage we received by the +HERO. + +"In this undertaking, my young friend Mr. Scott--with his usual spirit +and perseverance--was most anxious to have joined me; but painful as it +has been to refuse, I have felt it my duty, from the nature of the +service, not to comply with his request. It now only remains for me to +return my most sincere thanks to the many friends to whose kindness I +have been so much indebted during the continuance of this long and +anxious undertaking. To his Excellency the Governor I feel that I can +never be sufficiently grateful for the very kind, prompt, and liberal +support and encouragement which I have invariably experienced, and to +which I have been mainly indebted for the means of accomplishing even the +little I have done. To yourself, as chairman, the committee, and the +colonists, by whom the expedition was fitted out, I return my most +sincere acknowledgments for the very great honour done me in appointing +me to the command of an undertaking at once so interesting and +important--for the liberal and kind way in which I have been supported, +and my wishes complied with; and, above all, for the flattering and +encouraging confidence expressed in my abilities and perseverance. To a +conviction of the existence of this confidence in the minds of those by +whom I was appointed, I feel that I owe much of the stimulus that has +sustained and encouraged me under difficulties and disappointments of no +ordinary kind. Deeply as I lament the unsuccessful and unsatisfactory +result of an undertaking from which so much was expected, I have the +cheering consciousness of having endeavoured faithfully to discharge the +trust confided to me; and although from a concurrence of most unfortunate +circumstances which no human prudence could foresee or guard against, and +which the most untiring perseverance has been unable to surmount, I have +not succeeded in effecting the great objects for which this expedition +was fitted out, I would fain hope that our labours have not been +altogether in vain, but that hereafter, some future and more fortunate +traveller, judging from the considerable extent of country we have +examined, and the features it has developed, may, by knowing where the +interior is not practicable, be directed to where it is. + +"In concluding my report of our endeavours to penetrate the northern +interior, I beg to express to all who have been connected with the +expedition, my sincere thanks for their zeal and good conduct. In my +young friend, Mr. Scott, I have had a cheerful companion and useful +assistant; whilst in my overseer and men, I have met with a most +praiseworthy readiness and steadiness of conduct, under circumstances and +disappointments that have at once been trying and disheartening. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, + +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE. + +"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + + +We were now alone, myself, my overseer, and three native boys, with a +fearful task before us, the bridge was broken down behind us, and we must +succeed in reaching King George's Sound, or perish; no middle course +remained. It was impossible for us to be insensible to the isolated and +hazardous position we were in; but this very feeling only nerved and +stimulated us the more in our exertions, to accomplish the duty we had +engaged in; the result we humbly left to that Almighty Being who had +guided and guarded us hitherto, amidst all our difficulties, and in all +our wanderings, and who, whatever he might ordain, would undoubtedly +order every thing for the best. + +Our time was now entirely taken up, in the daily routine of the camp, +attending to the sheep and horses, and in making preparations for our +journey. We had a large supply of corn and bran sent for our horses, and +as long as any of this remained, I determined to continue in depot. + +In the mean time, the overseer was thoroughly occupied in preparing +pack-saddles, (all of which we had to make) extra bridles, new hobbles, +and in shoeing all the horses. I undertook the duty of new stuffing and +repairing the various saddles, making what extra clothes were required +for myself and the native boys for our journey; weighing out and packing +in small linen bags, all the rations of tea, sugar, etc. which would be +required weekly, preparing strong canvas saddle-bags, making light +oilskins to protect our things from the wet, etc. etc. These many necessary +and important preparations kept us all very busy, and the time passed +rapidly away. On one occasion, I attempted with one of my native boys, to +explore the country due north of Fowler's Bay, but the weather turned out +unfavourable, the wind being from the north-east, and scorchingly hot; I +succeeded, however, in penetrating fully twenty miles in the direction I +had taken, the first ten of which was through a dense heavy scrub, of the +Eucalyptus dumosa, or the tea-tree. Emerging from this, we entered an +open pretty looking country, consisting of grassy plains of great extent, +divided by belts of shrubs and bush; as we advanced the shrubs became +less numerous, the country more open, and salsolaceous plants began to +occupy the place of the grass. Had we been able to continue our +exploration for another day's journey, I have no doubt, from the change +which appeared gradually to be taking place as we advanced north, that +the whole country around would have been one vast level open waste, +without bush or shrub of any kind, and covered by salsolae. I felt +strongly convinced, we were gradually approaching a similar kind of +country to that I had been in between Lake Torrens and Flinders range; +the only difference was that as far as we had yet gone from Fowler's Bay, +the elevation of the country did not appear to have been diminished; its +average height above the level of the sea, I judged to be about 300 feet, +and forming doubtless a continuation of the table land, I had found +existing at the head of the Great Bight. The weather, however, was as +unfavourable as the country, for such researches, at this season of the +year, and the horses I had taken out with me suffered a good deal, even +in the short space of two days, during which I was engaged in this +attempt. + +On some occasions the thermometer was 113 degrees in the shade, and +whenever the wind was from the north-east, it was hot and oppressive +beyond all conception. The natives, though occasionally seen, generally +kept away from us during the time we were in depot. One old man alone +(called Mumma) came up to our camp, and remained with us for +several days; he was one of the few who had accompanied us so far from +the neighbourhood of Denial Bay, and seemed to have taken a great fancy +to us. We now endeavoured to reward him for his former services, by +giving him a red shirt, a blanket, and a tomahawk, and whenever we got +our meals he joined us, eating and drinking readily any thing we gave +him--tea, broth, pease soup, mutton, salt pork, rice, damper, sugar, +dried fruits, were all alike to him, nothing came amiss, and he appeared +to grow better in condition every day. + +At last he too got tired of remaining so long in one place; the novelty +had worn away, and packing up his things he left us. During the time this +man had been with us, I took the opportunity of ascertaining whether the +King George's Sound native, Wylie, could understand him, but I found he +could not. There were one or two words common to both, but the general +character, meaning, and sound of the two languages were so very different +upon comparison, that I could myself understand the old man much better +than Wylie could. + +Whilst remaining in depot, the whole party were one day suddenly seized +with a severe attack of illness, accompanied with vomiting and violent +pain in the stomach, and I began to fear that we had unknowingly taken +some deleterious ingredient in our food, as all were seized in the same +way; this attack continued for several days, without our being able to +discover the cause of it, but at last by changing the sugar we were +using, we again got well. It appeared that a new bag of sugar had been +broached about the time we were first attacked, and upon inspecting it, +we found the bag quite wet--something or other of a deleterious character +having been spilled over it, and which had doubtless caused us the +inconvenience we experienced. Fortunately we had other sugar that had not +been so injured, and the loss of the damaged bag was not of great +consequence to us. + +By the 23rd of February our preparations for entering upon our journey +were nearly all completed, the horses had eaten up all their bran and +corn, and were now in good condition; all our pack-saddles, saddles, and +harness were ready, our provisions were all packed, and every thing in +order for commencing the undertaking; there remained but to bury our +surplus stores, and for this the hole was already dug. On the afternoon +of the 24th I intended finally to evacuate the depot, and on the evening +of the 23rd, to amuse my natives, I had all the rockets and blue-lights +we had, fired off, since we could not take them with us, our pack-horses +being barely able to carry for us the mere necessaries of life. + + + + +Chapter XV. + + + +RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR +ADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE +SAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE +HORSES--REACH YEERKUMBAN KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIES +AGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE +HORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THE +CLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OF +THE CLIFFS--FIND WATER. + + +February 24.--THIS being the day I had appointed to enter upon the +arduous task before me, I had the party up at a very early hour. Our +loads were all arranged for each of the horses; our blankets and coats +were all packed up, and we were in the act of burying in a hole under +ground the few stores we could not take with us, when to our surprise a +shot was heard in the direction of Fowler's Bay, and shortly after a +second; we then observed two people in the distance following up the dray +tracks leading to the depot. Imagining that some whaler had anchored in +the bay, and being anxious to prevent our underground store from being +noticed, we hastily spread the tarpaulins over the hole, so that what we +were about could not be observed, and then fired shots in reply. + +As the parties we had seen gradually approached nearer I recognised one +of them with the telescope as being Mr. Germain, the master of the HERO; +the other I could not make out at first from his being enveloped in heavy +pilot clothes; a little time however enabled me to distinguish under this +guise my young friend Mr. Scott, and I went anxiously to meet him, and +learn what had brought him back. Our greeting over, he informed me that +the Governor had sent him back with letters to me, and desired me to +return in the HERO to Adelaide. As Mr. Scott had not brought the letters +up, I walked down with him after luncheon, and went on board the cutter, +where I received many friendly letters, all urging me to return and give +up the attempt I meditated to the westward, and which every one appeared +to consider as little less than madness. From the Governor I received a +kind letter to the same effect, offering to assist me in any further +attempts I might wish to make round Lake Torrens, or to explore the +Northern Interior, and placing absolutely at my disposal, within the +colony, the services of the HERO, to enable me either to take my party +back overland, or to follow out any examinations I might wish to make +from the coast northerly. As a further inducement, and with a view to +lessen the feelings of disappointment I might experience at the +unsuccessful termination of an expedition from which such great results +had been expected, the assistant commissioner had been instructed to +write to me officially, communicating the approbation of His Excellency +and of the Colonists of the way in which I had discharged the trust +confided to me, and directing me to relinquish all further attempts to +the westward, and to return in the HERO to Adelaide. + +Added to the numerous letters I received, were many friendly messages to +the same effect, sent to me through Mr. Scott. I felt deeply sensible of +the lively interest expressed in my welfare, and most grateful for the +kind feeling manifested towards me on the part of the Governor and the +Colonists; it was with much pain and regret, therefore, that I found +myself unable to comply with their requests, and felt compelled by duty +to adopt a course at variance with their wishes. When I first broke up my +party and sent Mr. Scott back to Adelaide, on the 31st January, 1841, I +had well and maturely considered the step I felt myself called upon to +adopt; after giving my best and serious attention to the arguments of my +friends, and carefully reconsidering the subject now, I saw nothing to +induce me to change the opinion I had then arrived at. + +It will be remembered, that in stating the origin and commencement of the +Northern expedition, it was remarked, that a previously contemplated +expedition to the Westward, was made to give way to it, and that I had +myself been principally instrumental in changing the direction of public +attention from the one to the other; it will be remembered also, what +publicity had been given to our departure, how great was the interest +felt in the progress of our labours, and how sanguine were the +expectations formed as to the results; alas, how signally had these hopes +been dashed to the ground, after the toils, anxieties, and privations of +eight months, neither useful nor valuable discoveries had been made; +hemmed in by an impracticable desert, or the bed of an impassable lake, I +had been baffled and defeated in every direction, and to have returned +now, would have been, to have rendered of no avail the great expenses +that had been incurred in the outfit of the expedition, to have thrown +away the only opportunity presented to me of making some amends for past +failure, and of endeavouring to justify the confidence that had been +reposed in me, by carrying through the exploration which had been +originally contemplated to the westward, now it was no longer possible to +accomplish that to the north, for which it had given place; I considered +myself in duty and in honour bound, not to turn back from this attempt, +as long as there was the remotest possibility of success, without any +regard to considerations of a personal or private nature. Under these +feelings, therefore, I resolved to remain only another day in depot, to +reply to the letters I had received, and return my best thanks to the +many friends who had expressed such kind interest on my behalf. + +February 25.--Having finished my letters, and buried all the spare +stores, I sent the native boys away early with the sheep, that they might +travel more slowly than we should do with the horses. About two we loaded +the pack animals, and wishing Mr. Scott a final adieu, set off upon our +route. The party consisted of myself, the overseer, three native boys, +nine horses, one Timor pony, one foal, born at Streaky Bay, and six +sheep; our flour which was buried at the sand-hills to the north-west, +was calculated for nine weeks, at an allowance of six pounds of flour +each weekly, with a proportionate quantity of tea and sugar. The long +rest our horses had enjoyed, and the large supply of oats and bran we had +received for them, had brought them round wonderfully, they were now in +good condition, and strong, and could not have commenced the journey +under more favourable circumstances, had it been the winter instead of +the summer season. + +Two of the native boys having gone on early in the morning with the +sheep, there remained only myself, the overseer, and one native, to +manage ten horses, and we were consequently obliged to drive some of the +pack-horses loose; at first they went well and quietly, but something +having unluckily startled one of them, he frightened the others, and four +out of the number set off at full gallop, and never stopped for five +miles, by which time they had got rid of all their loads except the +saddles. Sending the black boy back to the depot with the four horses +that had not got away, I and the overseer went on horseback after the +others, picking up the baggage they had been carrying, scattered about in +every direction; luckily no great damage was done, and at sunset we were +all assembled again at the depot, and the animals reloaded. Leaving a +short note for Mr. Scott, who had gone on board the cutter, we again +recommenced our journey, and, travelling for five miles, halted at the +well in the plains. I intended to have made a long stage, but the night +set in so dark that I did not like to venture amongst the scrub with the +pack-horses now they were so fresh, and where, if they did get frightened +and gallop off, they would cause us much greater trouble and delay than +they had done in the daytime. + +February 26.--Moving on very early, we arrived at the grassy plain under +the sand-hills, a little after three in the afternoon, just in time to +save the gun and clothes of the black boys, which they had imprudently +left there whilst they took the sheep to water, a mile and a half away. +At the very instant of our arrival, a native was prowling about the camp, +and would, doubtless, soon have carried off every thing. Upon examining +the place at which we had buried our flour on the 31st December, and upon +which we were now dependent for our supply, I found that we had only just +arrived in time to save it from the depredations of the natives; it +seems, that having found where the cask containing it was buried, and +being unable, from its weight, to get it out of the ground, they had +broken a square hole in one of the staves (by what means I could not +discover), and though, as yet, every thing was safe and uninjured inside, +I have no doubt, that, had we been one day later in coming, they would +have enlarged the opening in the cask, and scattered or destroyed the +contents, and we should have then had the unpleasant and laborious task +of returning to that we had buried at Fowler's Bay for a fresh supply. A +bucket, which we had also left buried, was broken to pieces, a two gallon +keg carried off, and a twenty-five gallon cask full of water had been dug +up, and the water drank or emptied, so that we were very fortunate in +arriving when we did to prevent further loss. + +The black boys, who had gone a-head with the sheep, returned soon after +our arrival, tired and hungry, having only had one meal since they left +us on the 25th. They had been over the sandhills to fetch water, and were +now coming to try and find the flour which they knew we had left buried +at these plains. After dark, accompanied by the overseer, I took the +horses down to the water, but the sand had slipped in, and we could not +get them watered to-night. + +February 27.--Sending the overseer and two boys down with the horses to +the well this morning, I and the other boy set to work, and dug out the +cask with the flour, which we then weighed out, and subdivided into +packages of fifty pounds each, for the convenience of carrying. The +native I had seen about the camp, on our approach, yesterday, had +returned, and slept near us at night; but upon inquiring from him this +morning, where our two-gallon keg was, he took the very earliest +opportunity of decamping, being probably afraid that we should charge him +with the robbery, or punish him for it. The natives, generally, are a +strange and singular race of people, and their customs and habits are +often quite inexplicable to us. Sometimes, in barely passing through a +country, we have them gathering from all quarters, and surrounding us, +anxious and curious to observe our persons, or actions; at other times, +we may remain in camp for weeks together without seeing a single native, +though many may be in the neighbourhood; when they do come, too, they +usually depart as suddenly as their visit had been unexpected. Among all +who had come under my observation, hitherto, along this coast, I found +that every male had undergone the singular ceremony I have described as +prevailing in the Port Lincoln peninsula; each, too, had the cartilage of +the nose perforated, but none had lost the front teeth, nor did I see any +(with one exception) having scars raised on the back, breast, or arms, as +is frequently the case with many tribes in Australia. + +For the last few days, the weather had been tolerably cool, and we had +not been much troubled with musquitoes; instead, however, we were +persecuted severely by a very large greyish kind of horsefly, with a huge +proboscis for sucking up the blood. These pests were in great numbers, +and proved a sad annoyance, lighting upon us in every direction, and +inflicting very irritating wounds even through clothes of considerable +thickness. + +February 28.--As we had a long distance to travel to the next water, and +the sheep could not keep pace with the horses, I left the overseer and +two natives to bring the latter after us, whilst I and the younger boy +set off with the sheep. At fifteen miles, we passed the place where the +nine-gallon keg of water had been buried on the 5th January. Upon digging +it up, and taking out the bung, the water appeared discoloured and +offensive in smell. It was still clear, however, and the sheep drank +hastily of it, and we did the same ourselves, but the horses would not +touch it. Leaving the cask out in the air with the bung out that it might +sweeten a little against the overseer came up, we went on with the sheep +to the undulating plains, arriving there between ten and eleven at night. +After hobbling the horses, and making a brush-yard for the sheep, we laid +down, tired with the labours of the day. + +March 1.--Travelling through the plains for a mile, we came to our former +encampment, where we had left some stores, and a large cask of water; the +latter had dried up to about two quarts, and was very horrible, both in +smell and flavour; but still we were glad to take it, for, calculating +upon finding an abundance in this cask, we had imprudently brought but +little with us. After breakfast, I dug up some of the provisions buried +here; and leaving a note for the overseer, proceeded onwards with the +boy, and the sheep, for twenty-four miles. The stage was a long one, and +over heavy ground, so that the sheep began to get tired, as we did +ourselves also, one of us being always obliged to walk whilst the other +was riding. We had two horses with us, but required one exclusively to +carry our coats, blankets, and provisions, the other one we rode in turn. + +March 2.--A hot day, with the wind north-east. Between eleven and twelve +we arrived at the first water, at the head of the Bight, and had a long +and arduous task to get the sheep and horses watered, no natives being +here to help us now, and the sand rushing in as fast as we could throw it +out. By great exertion we effected our object, and then getting some tea, +and leaving a note to tell the overseer not to halt at this difficult +watering-place, if he could possibly avoid it, we pushed on again, and +took up our position at Yeerkumban kauwe, in time to dig holes, and water +the sheep, before dark. + +March 3.--Having got up and watered the horses and sheep, I sent the boy +out to tend them at grass, whilst I commenced digging two large holes to +water the pack-horses, that there might be no delay when the overseer +came up with them. I had nothing but a shell to dig with, and, as a very +large excavation was required to enable a bucket to be dipped, my +occupation was neither a light nor a short one. Having completed my work, +I killed a sheep, well knowing the party would be fatigued and hungry, +when they came up. About three they made their appearance, and thus, upon +the whole, we had very successfully got over this our first push, and +were soon very comfortably established at "Yeerkumban kauwe." The holes I +had dug enabled us easily and speedily to water the horses, and the sheep +I had killed afforded a refreshing meal to the overseer and boys, after +their harassing journey. In the afternoon the sand blew about in a most +annoying manner, covering us from head to foot, and filling everything we +put down, if but for an instant. This sand had been our constant torment +for many weeks past; condemned to live among the sand-hills for the sake +of procuring water, we were never free from irritation and inconvenience. +It floated on the surface of the water, penetrated into our clothes, +hair, eyes, and ears, our provisions were covered over with it, and our +blankets half buried when we lay down at nights,--it was a perpetual and +never-ceasing torment, and as if to increase our miseries we were again +afflicted with swarms of large horse-flies, which bit us dreadfully. On +the 4th, we remained in camp to rest the horses, and I walked round to +reconnoitre. Upon the beach I found the fragments of a wreck, consisting +of part of a mast, a tiller wheel, and some copper sheathings, the last +sad records of the fate of some unfortunate vessel on this wild and +breaker-beaten shore. There was nothing to indicate its size, or name, or +the period when the wreck occurred. + +No recent traces of natives having been either at Yeerkumban kauwe, or +the more distant water, were visible anywhere, and I imagined they might +perhaps have made an excursion to the westward. A large flight of +red-winged cockatoos were seen today hovering around the sand-hills, and +appearing quite disconcerted at finding us in possession of the water; we +had not before seen them in the neighbourhood, and I can hardly +conjecture where they go to from this place, for generally they are birds +fond of water. + +Knowing from the accounts of the natives that upon leaving Yeerkumban +kauwe, I should have a task before me of no ordinary difficulty to get +either the sheep or the horses to the next water, I determined to proceed +myself in advance, with the sheep, that by travelling slowly, at the same +time that we kept steadily advancing, every chance might be given to them +of accomplishing the journey in safety. I was anxious too to precede my +party, in order that by finding out where the water was, I might be on +the look out for them, to guide them to it, and that thus when in their +greatest difficulty, no time should be lost in searching for water. +Having given the overseer orders to keep the tracks of my horses, when he +had travelled about seventy miles along the coast, I set off on the 7th +March, with the youngest of the natives to assist me in driving the +sheep, leaving the two elder ones with the overseer, to aid in managing +the pack-horses. As before we took two horses with us, one to carry our +provisions and water, and the other to ride upon in turn, the boy +however, being young, and incapable of much fatigue, the greater portion +of the walking naturally fell to my share. The day was cool and +favourable, and we accomplished a stage of twenty-four miles; the +afternoon became dark and lowering, and I fully expected rain, but +towards sunset two or three drops fell, and the clouds cleared away. Our +horses fed tolerably upon the little withered grass that we found, but +the sheep were too tired to eat, and lay down; we put them therefore into +a yard we had made for them for the night. + +March 8.--Having turned the sheep out of the yard three hours before +daylight, I was in hopes they would have fed a little before we moved on, +but they would not touch such food as we had for them, and at six I was +obliged to proceed onwards; the morning was dark and looked like rain, +but as was the case yesterday, a drop or two only fell. We made a stage +to-day of twenty-six miles, through a level country, generally open, but +near the sea covered with a very low dwarf tea-tree, small prickly +bushes, and salsolae, and having the surface almost every where sprinkled +over with fresh-water shells; further from the coast the plains extending +to the north were very extensive, level, and divided by belts of scrub or +shrubs. There was no perceptible inclination of the country in any +direction, the level land ran to the very borders of the sea, where it +abruptly terminated, forming the steep and precipitous cliffs, observed +by Captain Flinders, and which it was quite impossible to descend +anywhere. The general elevation of this table land, was from three to +four hundred feet. + +The day turned out fine and clear, and the effect produced by refraction +in these vast plains was singular and deceptive: more than once we turned +considerably out of our way to examine some large timber, as we thought +it to be, to the north of us, but which, upon our approach, proved to be +low scrubby bushes. At another time we imagined we saw two natives in the +distance, and went towards them as carefully and cautiously as we could; +instead, however, of our having seen the heads of natives, as we +supposed, above the bushes, it turned out to be only crows. Yet the +native boy, whose quickness and accuracy of vision had often before +surprised me, was equally deceived with myself. Upon halting in the +evening our sheep again were very tired, and refused to eat. The horses +too were now beginning to feel the want of water, and fed but little. I +therefore sat up and watched them until half past eight, after which I +tied them up to some bushes. At one o'clock I again got up and let them +loose, hoping they might feed a little better in the cool of the night. +The scud was rapidly passing the moon, and I watched for hours the clouds +gathering to the south and passing to the north, but no rain fell. + +March 9.--Moving on early we passed through a similar country to that we +had before traversed; but there was more of the tea-tree scrub, which +made our travelling more difficult and fatiguing. This kind of scrub, +which is different from any I had seen before, is a low bush running +along the ground, with very thick and crooked roots and branches, and +forming a close matted and harassing obstacle to the traveller. The sheep +and horses got very tired, from having to lift their legs so high to +clear it every step they took. To the westward we found the country +rising as we advanced, and the cliffs becoming higher; they now answered +fully, where we could obtain a view of any projecting parts, to the +description given by Flinders--"the upper part brown and the lower part +white;" but as yet we could not find any place where we could descend to +examine them. The lower, or white part, appeared soft and crumbling, and +its decay had left the upper, or harder rock, fearfully overhanging the +ocean. Upon the summits we again found flints in the greatest abundance +lying loosely scattered over the surface. + +The day was cloudy and gathering for rain, but none fell. After +travelling twenty-five miles we halted for an hour or two to rest the +sheep and horses, feeding was out of the question, for they were too much +in want of water to attempt to cat the dry and withered grass around us. +We now lay down to rest ourselves, and the boy soon fell asleep; I was +however feverish and restless, and could not close my eyes. In an hour +and a half I arose, got up the horses and saddled them, and then, awaking +my companion, we again pushed on by moonlight. At ten miles we crossed a +well beaten native pathway, plainly discernible even then, and this we +followed down towards the cliffs, fully hoping it would lead to water. +Our hopes however had been excited but to render our disappointment the +greater, for upon tracing it onwards we found it terminate abruptly at a +large circular hole of limestone rock, which would retain a considerable +quantity of water after rains, but was now without a single drop. +Gloomily turning away we again pushed on for eight miles further, and at +three in the morning of the 10th were compelled to halt from downright +exhaustion and fatigue. The horses and sheep were knocked up. The poor +boy was so tired and sleepy that he could scarcely sit upon his horse, +and I found myself actually dosing as I walked: mechanically my legs kept +moving forwards, but my eyes were every now and then closed in +forgetfulness of all around me, until I was suddenly thrown down by +getting entangled amongst the scrub, or aroused by a severe blow across +the face from the recoil of a bough after the passage of the boy's horse. +I now judged we had come about ninety-three miles from Yeerkumban-kauwe, +and hoped that we could not be very far from water. Having tied up the +horses for an hour or two, and without making a fire, or even unrolling +our cloaks to cover us, we stretched ourselves on the ground, and were in +a few moments fast asleep. + +March 10.--At five we were again on our route, every moment expecting to +see a break in the line of cliffs along which we had now travelled so +far. Alas! they still continued stretching as far as the eye could see to +the westward, and as fast as we arrived at one point which had bounded +our vision (and beyond which we hoped a change might occur), it was but +to be met with the view of another beyond. Distressing and fatal as the +continuance of these cliffs might prove to us, there was a grandeur and +sublimity in their appearance that was most imposing, and which struck me +with admiration. Stretching out before us in lofty unbroken outline, they +presented the singular and romantic appearance of massy battlements of +masonry, supported by huge buttresses, and glittering in the morning sun +which had now risen upon them, and made the scene beautiful even amidst +the dangers and anxieties of our situation. It was indeed a rich and +gorgeous view for a painter, and I never felt so much regret at my +inability to sketch as I did at this moment. + +Still we kept moving onwards and still the cliffs continued. Hour after +hour passed away, mile after mile was traversed, and yet no change was +observable. My anxiety for the party who were to follow behind with the +pack-horses became very great; the state of doubt and uncertainty I was +in was almost insupportable, and I began to fear that neither sheep nor +horses would ever reach the water, even should we suceeed in doing so +ourselves, which now appeared to be very doubtful. At noon I considered +we had come one hundred and ten miles from the last water, and still the +country remained the same. The cliffs indeed appeared to be gradually +declining a little in elevation to the westward, but there was nothing to +indicate their speedy termination. Our sheep still travelled, but they +were getting so tired, and their pace was so slow, that I thought it +would be better to leave them behind, and by moving more rapidly with the +horses endeavour at least to save their lives. Foreseeing that such a +contingency as this might occur, I had given the overseer strict orders +to keep the tracks of my horses, that if I should be compelled to abandon +the sheep he might find them and bring them on with his party. + +Having decided upon this plan we set to work and made a strong high yard +of such shrubs as we could find, and in this we shut up the sheep. I then +wrote a note for the overseer, directing him to bury the loads of the +horses, and hastening on with the animals alone endeavour to save their +lives. To attract attention I raised a long stick above the sheep-yard, +and tied to it a red handkerchief, which could be seen a long way off. At +one we again proceeded, and were able to advance more rapidly than we +could whilst the sheep were with us. In a few miles we came to a +well-beaten native road, and again our hopes were raised of speedily +terminating the anxiety and suspense we were in. Following the road for +ten miles it conducted us to where the cliffs receded a little from the +sea, leaving a small barren valley between them and the ocean, of low, +sandy ground; the road ceased here at a deep rocky gorge of the cliffs, +where there was a breach leading down to the valley. There were several +deep holes among the rocks where water would be procurable after rains, +but they were now all dry. The state of mind in which we passed on may be +better imagined than described. We had now been four days without a drop +of water for our horses, and we had no longer any for ourselves, whilst +there appeared as little probability of our shortly procuring it as there +had been two days ago. A break, it is true, had occurred in the line of +the cliffs, but this appeared of a very temporary character, for we could +see beyond them the valley again abutting upon the ocean. + +At dark we were fifteen miles from where we left the sheep, and were +again upon a native pathway, which we twice tried to follow down the +steep and rugged slopes of the table land into the valley below. We were +only, however, fagging our poor horses and bewildering ourselves to no +purpose, for we invariably lost all track at the bottom, and I at last +became convinced that it was useless to try and trace the natives' +roadway further, since it always appeared to stop at rocky holes where +there was no water now. Keeping, therefore, the high ground, we travelled +near the top of the cliffs, bounding the sandy valley, but here again a +new obstacle impeded our progress. The country, which had heretofore been +tolerably open was now become very scrubby, and we found it almost +impossible either to keep a straight course, or to make any progress +through it in the dark. Still we kept perseveringly onwards, leading our +horses and forcing our way through in the best way we could. It was, +however, all in vain; we made so little headway, and were so completely +exhausting the little strength we had left, that I felt compelled to +desist. The poor boy was quite worn out, and could scarcely move. I was +myself but little better, and we were both suffering from a parching +thirst; under such obstacles labour and perseverance were but thrown +away, and I determined to await the day-light. After tying up the horses +the boy lay down, and was soon asleep, happy in his ignorance of the +dangers which threatened him. I lay down, too, but not to sleep; my own +distresses were lost in the apprehensions which I entertained for those +who were behind. We were now about one hundred and twenty-eight miles +from the last water; we had been four whole days and nights without a +drop for our horses, and almost without food also, (for parched as they +were they could not feed upon the dry and withered grass we found.) The +state the poor animals were in was truly pitiable, what then was likely +to be the condition of those that were coming after us, and carrying +heavy packs. It was questionable, even, if they would reach the distance +we had already attained in safety; and it was clear, that unless I +discovered water early in the morning, the whole of our horses must +perish, whilst it would be very doubtful if we could succeed even in +saving our own lives. + +March 11.--Early this morning we moved on, leading slowly our jaded +animals through the scrub. The night had been one of painful suspense and +gloomy forebodings; and the day set in dark and cloudy, as if to +tantalise us with the hope of rain which was not destined to fall. In a +few miles we reached the edge of the cliffs, from which we had a good +view of the sandy valley we had been travelling round, but which the +thick scrub had prevented our scrutinising sooner. I now noticed some +hillocks of bare sand in the midst of it. These I had not seen before, as +the only previous point from which they could have been visible had been +passed by us in the dark. It now struck me, that the water spoken of by +the natives at Yeerkumban-kauwe might be situated among these sand-hills, +and that we were going away from instead of approaching it. The bare idea +of such a possibility was almost maddening, and as the dreadful thought +flashed across my mind I stood for a moment undecided and irresolute as +to what I ought to do. We were now many miles past these hills, and if we +went back to examine them for water, and did not find it, we could never +hope that our horses would be able to return again to search elsewhere; +whilst if there was water there, and we did not return, every step we +took would but carry us further from it, and lead to our certain +destruction. + +For a few minutes I carefully scanned the line of coast before me. In the +distance beyond a projecting point of the cliffs, I fancied I discerned a +low sandy shore, and my mind was made up at once, to advance in the line +we were pursuing. After a little while, we again came to a well beaten +native pathway, and following this along the summit of the cliffs, were +brought by it, in seven miles, to the point where they receded from the +sea-shore; as they inclined inland, leaving a low sandy country between +them and some high bare sand-hills near the sea. The road now led us down +a very rocky steep part of the cliffs, near the angle where they broke +away from the beach, but upon reaching the bottom we lost it altogether +on the sandy shore; following along by the water's edge, we felt cooled +and refreshed by the sea air, and in one mile and a half from where we +had descended the cliffs, we reached the white sand-drifts. Upon turning +into these to search for water, we were fortunate enough to strike the +very place where the natives had dug little wells; and thus on the fifth +day of our sufferings, we were again blessed with abundance of +water,--nor could I help considering it as a special instance of the +goodness of Providence, that we had passed the sandy valley in the dark, +and had thereby been deterred from descending to examine the sand-hills +it contained; had we done so, the extra fatigue to our horses and the +great length of time it would have taken up, would probably have +prevented the horses from ever reaching the water we were now at. It took +us about two hours to water the animals, and get a little tea for +ourselves, after which the boy laid down to sleep, and I walked round to +search for grass. A little grew between the sand-drifts and the cliffs, +and though dry and withered, I was most thankful to find it. I then +returned to the camp and laid down, but could not sleep, for although +relieved myself, my anxiety became but the greater, for the party behind, +and the more so, because at present I could do nothing to aid them; it +was impossible that either the horses, or ourselves, could go back to +meet them without a few hours' rest, and yet the loss of a few hours +might be of the utmost consequence; I determined, however, to return and +meet them as early as possible in the morning, and in the mean time, as I +knew that the overseer and natives would, when they came, be greatly +fatigued, and unable to dig holes to water the horses, I called up the +boy, and with his assistance dug two large holes about five feet deep, +from which the horses could readily and without delay be watered upon +their arrival. As we had only some shells left by the natives to work +with, our wells progressed slowly, and we were occupied to a late hour. +In the evening we watered the horses, and before laying down ourselves, +drove them to the grass I had discovered. For the first time for many +nights, I enjoyed a sound and refreshing sleep. + + + + +Chapter XVI. + + + +GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONG +ENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FOR +WATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDS +FROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDON +BAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OF +PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS. + + +March 12.--THE first streak of daylight found us on our way to meet the +party, carrying with us three gallons of water upon one of the horses, +the other was ridden by the boy. Upon passing the sandy valley, where I +had been in such a state of suspense and doubt at seeing the sand-hills +behind me, I determined to descend and examine them; but before doing so, +I wrote a note for the overseer (in case he should pass whilst I was in +the valley,) and hoisted a red handkerchief to attract his attention to +it. + +I was unsuccessful in my search for water; but whilst among the +sand-hills, I saw the party slowly filing along the cliffs above the +valley, and leaving the boy to look about a little longer, I struck +across to meet them. Both horses and people I found greatly fatigued, but +upon the whole, they had got through the difficulty better than I had +anticipated; after leaving a great part of the loads of the pack-horses +about seventeen miles back, according to the written instructions I had +left. The sheep, it seemed, had broken out of the yard and travelled +backwards, and were picked up by the overseer, twelve miles away from +where we had left them; as they had got very tired and were delaying the +horses, he left one of the natives, this morning, to follow slowly with +them, whilst he pushed on with the pack-horses as rapidly as they could +go. After giving him the pleasing intelligence that his toil was nearly +over for the present, and leaving some few directions, I pushed on again +with the boy, who had not found the least sign of water in the valley, to +meet the native with the sheep. In about three miles we saw him coming on +alone without them, he said they were a mile further back, and so tired +they could not travel. Halting our horses, I sent him to bring them on, +and during his absence, had some tea made and dinner prepared for him. +When the sheep came up they were in sad condition, but by giving them +water and a few hours rest, they recovered sufficiently to travel on in +the evening to the water. + +At night, the whole party were, by God's blessing, once more together, +and in safety, after having passed over one hundred and thirty-five miles +of desert country, without a drop of water in its whole extent, and at a +season of the year the most unfavourable for such an undertaking. In +accomplishing this distance, the sheep had been six and the horses five +days without water, and both had been almost wholly without food for the +greater part of the time. The little grass we found was so dry and +withered, that the parched and thirsty animals could not eat it after the +second day. The day following our arrival at the water was one of intense +heat, and had we experienced such on our journey, neither men nor horses +could ever have accomplished it; most grateful did we feel, therefore, to +that merciful Being who had shrouded us from a semi-tropical sun, at a +time when our exposure to it would have ensured our destruction. + +From the 12th to the 18th we remained at the sand-drifts, during which +time we were engaged in attending to the horses, in sending back to +recover the stores that had been left by the overseer, and in examining +the country around. The natives had told me that there were two watering +places at the termination of the cliffs to the eastward, and that these +were situated in a somewhat similar manner to those at the head of the +Great Bight. We were encamped at one, and I made several ineffectual +attempts to find the other during the time the horses were recruiting. +The traces of natives near us were numerous, and once we saw their fires, +but they did not shew themselves at all. The line of cliffs which had so +suddenly turned away from the sea, receded inland from eight to ten +miles, but still running parallel with the coast; between it and the sea +the country was low and scrubby, with many beds of dried up salt lakes; +but neither timber nor grass, except the little patch we were encamped +at. Above the cliffs the appearance of the country was the same as we had +previously found upon their summits, with, perhaps, rather more scrub; +pigeons were numerous at the sand-hills, and several flocks of +red-crested and red-winged cockatoos were hovering about, watching for an +opportunity to feast upon the red berries I have before spoken of, and +which were here found in very great abundance, and of an excellent +quality. The sand, as usual at our encampments, was a most dreadful +annoyance, and from which we had rarely any respite. The large flies were +also very numerous, troublesome and irritating tormentors. They literally +assailed us by hundreds at a time, biting through our clothes, and +causing us constant employment in endeavouring to keep them off. I have +counted twenty-three of these blood-suckers at one time upon a patch of +my trousers eight inches square. + +Being now at a part of the cliffs where they receded from the sea, and +where they had a last become accessible, I devoted some time to an +examination of their geological character. The part that I selected was +high, steep, and bluff towards the sea, which washed its base; presenting +the appearance described by Captain Flinders, as noted before. By +crawling and scrambling among the crags, I managed, at some risk, to get +at these singular cliffs. The brown or upper portion consisted of an +exceedingly hard, coarse grey limestone, among which some few shells were +embedded, but which, from the hard nature of the rock, I could not break +out; the lower or white part consisted of a gritty chalk, full of broken +shells and marine productions, and having a somewhat saline taste: parts +of it exactly resembled the formation that I had found up to the north, +among the fragments of table-land; the chalk was soft and friable at the +surface, and easily cut out with a tomahawk, it was traversed +horizontally by strata of flint, ranging in depth from six to eighteen +inches, and having varying thicknesses of chalk between the several +strata. The chalk had worn away from beneath the harder rock above, +leaving the latter most frightfully overhanging and threatening instant +annihilation to the intruder. Huge mis-shapen masses were lying with +their rugged pinnacles above the water, in every direction at the foot of +the cliffs, plainly indicated the frequency of a falling crag, and I felt +quite a relief when my examination was completed, and I got away from so +dangerous a post. + +I have remarked that the natives at the head of the Great Bight had +intimated to us, that there were two places where water might be found in +this neighbourhood, not far apart, and as with all our efforts we had +only succeeded in discovering one, I concluded that the other must be a +little further along the coast to the westward; in this supposition I was +strengthened, by observing that all the native tracks we had met with +apparently took this direction. Under this impression I determined to +move slowly along the coast until we came to it, and in order that our +horses might carry no unnecessary loads, to take but a few quarts of +water in our kegs. + +On the 18th we moved on, making a short stage of fourteen miles, through +a heavy, sandy, and scrubby country. At first I tried the beach, but +finding the sand very loose and unsuitable for travelling, I was again +compelled to enter the scrub behind the sea-shore ridge, travelling +through a succession of low scrubby undulations, with here and there the +beds of dried up lakes The traces of natives were now more recent and +numerous, but found principally near the bushes bearing the red berries, +and which grew behind the front ridge of the coast in the greatest +abundance. From this circumstance, and from our having now travelled a +considerable distance beyond the first water, I began to fear that the +second which had been spoken of by the natives must, if it existed at +all, be behind us instead of in advance, and that in reality the fruit we +saw, and not water, was the object for which the natives, whose tracks +were around us, were travelling to the westward. The day was cloudy, and +likely for rain, but after a few drops had fallen, the clouds passed +away. In the afternoon the overseer dug behind the sand-ridge, and at six +feet came to water, but perfectly salt. + +March 19.--To-day we travelled onwards for twenty-six miles, through a +country exactly similar to that we had passed through yesterday. At three +in the afternoon we halted at an opening when there was abundance of +grass, though dry and withered. The indications of natives having +recently passed still continued, and confirmed me in my impression, that +they were on a journey to the westward, and from one distant water to +another, and principally for the purpose of gathering the fruit. We were +now forty miles from the last water, and I became assured that we had +very far to go to the next; I had for some time given over any hope of +finding the second water spoken of by the natives at the head of the +Bight, and considered that we must have passed it if it existed, long +ago, perhaps even in that very valley, or among those very sandhills +where we had searched so unsuccessfully on the 12th. There was now the +prospect of a long journey before us without water, as we had brought +only a little with us for ourselves, and which was nearly exhausted, +whilst our horses had been quite without, and were already suffering from +thirst. Consulting with the overseer, I resolved to leave our baggage +where we were, whilst the horses were sent back to the water (forty +miles) to rest and recruit for three or four days; by this means I +expected they would gather strength, and as they would have but little +weight to carry until they reached our present position, when they +returned we should be better able to force a passage through the waste +before us, at the same time that we should be able to procure a fresh and +larger stock of water for ourselves. At midnight I sent the whole party +back to the last water, but remained myself to take care of the baggage +and sheep. I retained an allowance of a pint of water per day for six +days, this being the contemplated period of the overseer's absence. My +situation was not at all enviable, but circumstances rendered it +unavoidable. + +From the departure of my party, until their return, I spent a miserable +time, being unable to leave the camp at all. Shortly after the party +left, the sheep broke out of the yard, and missing the horses with which +they had been accustomed to travel and to feed, set off as rapidly as +they could after them; I succeeded in getting them back, but they were +exceedingly troublesome and restless, attempting to start off, or to get +down to the sea whenever my eye was off them for an instant, and never +feeding quietly for ten minutes together; finding at last that they would +be quite unmanageable, I made a very strong and high yard, and putting +them in, kept them generally shut up, letting them out only to feed for +two or three hours at once. This gave me a little time to examine my +maps, and to reflect upon my position and prospects, which involved the +welfare of others, as well as my own. We had still 600 miles of country +to traverse, measured in straight lines across the chart; but taking into +account the inequalities of the ground, and the circuit we were +frequently obliged to make, we could not hope to accomplish this in less +than 800 miles of distance. With every thing in our favour we could not +expect to accomplish this in less than eight weeks; but with all the +impediment and embarrassments we were likely to meet with, it would +probably take us twelve. Our sheep were reduced to three in number, and +our sole stock of flour now amounted to 142 pounds, to be shared out +amongst five persons, added to which the aspect of the country before us +was disheartening in the extreme; the places at which there was any +likelihood of finding water were probably few and far apart, and the +strength of our horses was already greatly reduced by the hardships they +had undergone. Ever since we had left Fowler's Bay, the whole party, +excepting the youngest boys, had been obliged chiefly to walk, and yet +every care and precaution we could adopt were unable to counteract the +evil effects of a barren country, and an unfavourable season of the year. +The task before us was indeed a fearful one, but I firmly hoped by +patience and perseverance, safely and successfully to accomplish it at +last. + +During nearly the whole time that my party were away the weather was cool +and cloudy. Occasionally there was a great deal of thunder and lightning, +accompanied by a few drops of rain, but it always cleared away without +heavy showers. The storms came up from seawards, and generally passed +inland to the north-east; which struck me as being somewhat singular, +especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that on one or two +occasions, when the wind was from the north-east, it was comparatively +cool, and so unlike any of those scorching blasts we had experienced from +the same quarter when on the western side of the Great Bight. There was +another thing connected with my present position which equally surprised +me, and was quite as inexplicable: whilst engaged one morning rambling +about the encampment as far as I could venture away, I met with several +flights of a very large description of parrot, quite unknown to me, +coming apparently from the north-east, and settling among the shrubs and +bushes around. They had evidently come to eat the fruit growing behind +the sand-hills, but being scared by my following them about, to try and +shoot one, they took wing and went off again in the direction they had +come from. + +Several days had now elapsed since the departure of the overseer with the +horses, and as the time for their return drew nigh I became anxious and +restless. The little stock of water left me was quite exhausted. It had +originally been very limited, but was reduced still further by the +necessity I was under of keeping it in a wooden keg, where it evaporated, +and once or twice by my spilling some. At last, on the 25th, I was +gratified by seeing my party approach. They had successfully accomplished +their mission, and brought a good supply of water for ourselves, but the +horses looked weary and weak, although they had only travelled fourteen +miles that day. After they had rested a few hours I broke up the +encampment, and travelling for fourteen miles further over a scrubby +country, came to a patch of grass, at which we halted early. From the +nature of the country, and the consequent embarrassment it entailed upon +us, it was impossible for any of the party to have any longer even the +slight advantage formerly enjoyed of occasionally riding for a few miles +in turn; all were now obliged to walk, except the two youngest boys, who +were still permitted to ride at intervals. The weather was cloudy, and +showers were passing to the north-east. + +March 26.--Upon moving on this morning we passed through the same +wretched kind of country for eighteen miles, to an opening in the scrub +where was a little grass, and at which we halted to rest. There was so +much scrub, and the sandy ridges were so heavy and harassing to the +horses, that I began to doubt almost if we should get them along at all. +We were now seventy-two miles from the water, and had, in all +probability, as much further to go before we came to any more, and I saw +that unless something was done to lighten the loads of the pack-animals +(trifling as were the burdens they carried) we never could hope to get +them on. Leaving the natives to enjoy a sleep, the overseer and I opened +and re-sorted all our baggage, throwing away every thing that we could at +all dispense with; our great coats, jackets, and other articles of dress +were thrown away; a single spare shirt and pair of boots and socks being +all that were kept for each, besides our blankets and the things we stood +in, and which consisted only of trowsers, shirt, and shoes. Most of our +pack-saddles, all our horse-shoes, most of our kegs for holding water, +all our buckets but one, our medicines, some of our fire-arms, a quantity +of ammunition, and a variety of other things, were here abandoned. Among +the many things that we were compelled to leave behind there was none +that I regretted parting with more than a copy of Captain Sturt's +Expeditions, which had been sent to me by the author to Fowler's Bay to +amuse and cheer me on the solitary task I had engaged in; it was the last +kind offering of friendship from a highly esteemed friend, and nothing +but necessity would have induced me to part with it. Could the donor, +however, have seen the miserable plight we were reduced to, he would have +pitied and forgiven an act that circumstances alone compelled me to. + +After all our arrangements were made, and every thing rejected that we +could do without, I found that the loads of the horses were reduced in +the aggregate about two hundred pounds; but this being divided among ten, +relieved each only a little. Myself, the overseer, and the King George's +Sound native invariably walked the whole way, but the two younger natives +were still permitted to ride alternately upon one of the strongest +horses. As our allowance of flour was very small, and the fatigue and +exertion we were all obliged to undergo very great, I ordered a sheep to +be killed before we moved on again. We had been upon short allowance for +some time, and were getting weak and hardly able to go through the toils +that devolved upon us. Now, I knew that our safety depended upon that of +our horses, and that their lives again were contingent upon the amount of +fatigue we were ourselves able to endure, and the degree of exertion we +were capable of making to relieve them in extremity. I did not therefore +hesitate to make use of one of our three remaining sheep to strengthen us +for coming trials, instead of retaining them until perhaps they might be +of little use to us. The whole party had a hearty meal, and then, +watching the horses until midnight, we moved on when the moon rose. + +During the morning we had passed along an extensive dried-up salt swamp +behind the coast ridge, which was soft for the horses in some places, but +free from that high brush which fatigued them so much, and which now +appeared to come close in to the sea, forming upon the high sandy ridges +a dense scrub. The level bank of the higher ground, or continuation of +the cliffs of the Bight, which had heretofore been distinctly visible at +a distance of ten or twelve miles inland, could no longer be seen: it had +either merged in the scrubby and sandy elevations around us, or was hid +by them from our view. + +March 27.--During the night we travelled slowly over densely scrubby and +sandy ridges, occasionally crossing large sheets of oolitic limestone, in +which were deep holes that would most likely retain water after rains, +but which were now quite dry. As the daylight dawned the dreadful nature +of the scrub drove us to the sea beach; fortunately it was low water, and +we obtained a firm hard sand to travel over, though occasionally +obstructed by enormous masses of sea-weed, thrown into heaps of very many +feet in thickness and several hundreds of yards in length, looking +exactly like hay cut and pressed ready for packing. + +To-day we overtook the natives, whose tracks we had seen so frequently on +our route. There was a large party of them, all busily engaged in eating +the red berries which grew behind the coast ridge in such vast +quantities; they did not appear so much afraid of us as of our horses, at +which they were dreadfully alarmed, so that all our efforts to +communicate with them were fruitless; they would not come near us, nor +would they give us the opportunity of getting near them, but ran away +whenever I advanced towards them, though alone and unarmed. During the +route I frequently ascended high scrubby ridges to reconnoitre the +country inland, but never could obtain a view of any extent, the whole +region around appeared one mass of dense impenetrable scrub running down +to the very borders of the ocean. + +After travelling twenty miles I found that our horses needed rest, and +halted for an hour or two during the heat of the day, though without +grass, save the coarse wiry vegetation that binds the loose sands +together, and without even bushes to afford them shade from the heat, for +had we gone into the scrub for shelter we should have lost even the +wretched kind of grass we had. + +At half past two we again moved onwards, keeping along the beach, but +frequently forced by the masses of sea-weed to travel above high water +mark in the heavy loose sand. After advancing ten miles the tide became +too high for us to continue on the shore, and the scrub prevented our +travelling to the back, we were compelled therefore to halt for the night +with hardly a blade of grass for our horses. I considered we were now one +hundred and two miles from the last water, and expected we had about +fifty more to go to the next; the poor animals were almost exhausted, but +as the dew was heavy they were disposed to eat had there been grass of +any kind for them. The overseer and I as usual watched them alternately, +each taking the duty for four hours and sleeping the other four; to me +this was the first sleep I had had for the last three nights. + +Whilst in camp, during the heat of the day, the native boys shewed me the +way in which natives procure water for themselves, when wandering among +the scrubs, and by means of which they are enabled to remain out almost +any length of time, in a country quite destitute of surface water. I had +often heard of the natives procuring water from the roots of trees, and +had frequently seen indications of their having so obtained it, but I had +never before seen the process actually gone through. Selecting a large +healthy looking tree out of the gum-scrub, and growing in a hollow, or +flat between two ridges, the native digs round at a few feet from the +trunk, to find the lateral roots; to one unaccustomed to the work, it is +a difficult and laborious thing frequently to find these roots, but to +the practised eye of the native, some slight inequality of the surface, +or some other mark, points out to him their exact position at once, and +he rarely digs in the wrong place. Upon breaking the end next to the +tree, the root is lifted, and run out for twenty or thirty feet; the bark +is then peeled off, and the root broken into pieces, six or eight inches +long, and these again, if thick, are split into thinner pieces; they are +then sucked, or shaken over a piece of bark, or stuck up together in the +bark upon their ends, and water is slowly discharged from them; if +shaken, it comes out like a shower of very fine rain. The roots vary in +diameter from one inch to three; the best are those from one to two and a +half inches, and of great length. The quantity of water contained in a +good root, would probably fill two-thirds of a pint. I saw my own boys +get one-third of a pint out in this way in about a quarter of an hour, +and they were by no means adepts at the practice, having never been +compelled to resort to it from necessity. + +Natives who, from infancy, have been accustomed to travel through arid +regions, can remain any length of time out in a country where there are +no indications of water. The circumstance of natives being seen, in +travelling through an unknown district, is therefore no proof of the +existence of water in their vicinity. I have myself observed, that no +part of the country is so utterly worthless, as not to have attractions +sufficient occasionally to tempt the wandering savage into its recesses. +In the arid, barren, naked plains of the north, with not a shrub to +shelter him from the heat, not a stick to burn for his fire (except what +he carried with him), the native is found, and where, as far as I could +ascertain, the whole country around appeared equally devoid of either +animal or vegetable life. In other cases, the very regions, which, in the +eyes of the European, are most barren and worthless, are to the native +the most valuable and productive. Such are dense brushes, or sandy tracts +of country, covered with shrubs, for here the wallabie, the opossum, the +kangaroo rat, the bandicoot, the leipoa, snakes, lizards, iguanas, and +many other animals, reptiles, birds, etc., abound; whilst the kangaroo, +the emu, and the native dog, are found upon their borders, or in the +vicinity of those small, grassy plains, which are occasionally met with +amidst the closest brushes. + + + + +Chapter XVII. + + + +HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TINOR PONY +UNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MORE +HORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECT +DEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVE +AND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUS +TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY. + + +March 28.--AT daylight we moved on, every one walking, even the youngest +boy could not ride now, as the horses were so weak and jaded. Soon after +leaving the camp, one of them laid down, although the weight upon his +back was very light; we were consequently obliged to distribute the few +things he carried among the others, and let him follow loose. Our route +lay along the beach, as the dense scrub inland prevented us from +following any other course; we had, therefore, to go far out of our way, +tracing round every point, and following along every bay, whilst the +sea-weed frequently obstructed our path, and drove us again to the loose +sands, above high water mark, causing extra fatigue to our unfortunate +horses. At other times we were forced to go between these banks of +sea-weed and the sea, into the sea itself, on which occasions it required +our utmost vigilance to prevent the wretched horses from drinking the +salt water, which would inevitably have destroyed them. In order to +prevent this we were obliged to walk ourselves in the water, on the +sea-side of them, one of the party being in advance, leading one horse, +another being behind to keep up the rear, and the other three being at +intervals along the outside of the line, to keep them from stopping for +an instant until the danger was past. + +We had scarcely advanced six miles from our last night's camp when the +little Timor pony I had purchased at Port Lincoln broke down completely; +for some time it had been weak, and we were obliged to drive it loose, +but it was now unable to proceed further, and we were compelled to +abandon it to a miserable and certain death, that by pushing on, we might +use every exertion in our power to relieve the others, though scarcely +daring to hope that we could save even one of them. It was, indeed, a +fearful and heart-rending scene to behold the noble animals which had +served us so long and so faithfully, suffering the extremity of thirst +and hunger, without having it in our power to relieve them. Five days of +misery had passed over their heads since the last water had been left, +and one hundred and twelve miles of country had been traversed without +the possibility of procuring food for them, other than the dry and +sapless remains of last year's grass, and this but rarely to be met with. +No rains had fallen to refresh them, and they were reduced to a most +pitiable condition, still they travelled onwards, with a spirit and +endurance truly surprising. Whenever we halted, they followed us about +like dogs wherever we went, appearing to look to us only for aid, and +exhibiting that confidence in us which I trust we all reposed in the +Almighty, for most truly did we feel, that in His mercy and protection +alone our safety could now ever be hoped for. + +About ten o'clock the tide became too high for us to keep the beach, and +we were compelled to halt for some hours. Our horses were nearly all +exhausted, and I dreaded that when we next moved on many of them would be +unable to proceed far, and that, one by one, they would all perish, +overcome by sufferings which those, who have not witnessed such scenes, +can have no conception of. We should then have been entirely dependent +upon our own strength and exertions, nearly midway between Adelaide and +King George's Sound, with a fearful country on either side of us, with a +very small supply of provisions, and without water. + +The position we were in, frequently forced sad forebodings with respect +to the future, and though I by no means contemplated with apathy the +probable fate that might await us, yet I was never for a moment undecided +as to the plan it would be necessary to adopt, in such a desperate +extremity--at all hazards, I was determined to proceed onwards. + +The country we had already passed through, precluded all hope of our +recrossing it without the horses to carry water for us, and without +provisions to enable us to endure the dreadful fatigue of forced marches, +across the desert. The country before us was, it is true, quite unknown, +but it could hardly be worse than that we had traversed, and the chance +was that it might be better. We were now pushing on for some sand-hills, +marked down in Captain Flinders' chart at about 126 1/2 degrees of east +longitude; I did not expect to procure water until we reached these, but +I felt sure we should obtain it on our arrival there. After this point +was passed, there appeared to be one more long push without any +likelihood of procuring water, as the cliffs again became the boundary of +the ocean; but beyond Cape Arid, the change in the character and +appearance of the country, as described by Flinders, indicated the +existence of a better and more practicable line of country than we had +yet fallen in with. + +My overseer, however, was now unfortunately beginning to take up an +opposite opinion, and though he still went through the duty devolving +upon him with assiduity and cheerfulness, it was evident that his mind +was ill at ease, and that he had many gloomy anticipations of the future. +He fancied there were no sand-hills ahead, that we should never reach any +water in that direction, and that there was little hope of saving any of +the horses. In this latter idea I rather encouraged him than otherwise, +deeming it advisable to contemplate the darker side of the picture, and +by accustoming ourselves to look forward to being left entirely dependent +upon our own strength and efforts, in some measure to prepare ourselves +for such an event, should it unfortunately befal us. In conversing with +him upon our prospects, and the position we should be in if we lost all +our horses, I regretted extremely to find that his mind was continually +occupied with thoughts of returning, and that he seemed to think the only +chance of saving our lives, would be to push on to the water ourselves, +and then endeavour again to return to Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a +large quantity of provisions. Still it was a gratification to find that +the only European with me, did not altogether give way to despondency, +and could even calmly contemplate the prospect before us, considering and +reasoning upon the plan it might be best to adopt, in the event of our +worst forebodings being realized. In discussing these subjects, I +carefully avoiding irritating or alarming him, by a declaration of my own +opinions and resolutions, rather agreeing with him than otherwise, at the +same time, that I pointed out the certain risk that would attend any +attempt to go back to Fowler's Bay, and the probability there was of much +less danger attending the effort to advance to King George's Sound. With +respect to the native boys, they appeared to think or care but little +about the future; they were not sensible of their danger, and having +something still to eat and drink, they played and laughed and joked with +each other as much as ever. + +Whilst waiting for the tide to fall, to enable us to proceed, the +overseer dug a hole, and we buried nearly every thing we had with us, +saddles, fire-arms, ammunition, provisions; all things were here +abandoned except two guns, the keg with the little water we had left, and +a very little flour, tea and sugar. I determined to relieve our horses +altogether from every weight (trifling as was the weight of all we had), +and by pushing, if possible, on to the water, endeavour to save their +lives; after which we could return for the things we had abandoned. Our +arrangements being completed, we all bathed in the sea, ate a scanty +meal, and again moved onwards at half past two o'clock. + +The poor horses started better than could have been expected, but it was +soon evident that all were fast failing, and many already quite +exhausted. At six miles my favourite mare could no longer keep up with +the rest, and we were obliged to let her drop behind. Her foal, now six +months old, we got away with some difficulty from her, and kept it with +the other horses; at four miles further another of the horses failed, and +I had him tied up, in the hope that if we reached water during the +evening, I might send back and recover him. + +Towards dark we all imagined we saw a long point stretching to the S. W. +and backed by high sandy looking cones. We hoped that these might be the +sand-hills we were pushing for, and our hearts beat high with hope once +more. It, however, soon become too dark to discern anything, and at +fourteen miles from where we had halted in the morning, we were again +obliged by the tide to encamp for the night, as the country behind the +shore was densely scrubby, and quite impracticable as a line of route. It +was nine o'clock when we halted, and we were all very tired, and our feet +somewhat inflamed, from getting so frequently wet with the salt water, +whilst endeavouring to keep the horses from it; there was no grass but +the coarse wiry kind that bound the sand together, of this the poor +animals cropped a little, as a very heavy dew fell, and served to moisten +it. As usual, the overseer and myself kept watch upon the horses at +night, whilst the natives enjoyed their undisturbed repose. Two of the +boys were young, and none of the three had their frame and muscles +sufficiently developed to enable them to undergo the fatigue of walking +during the day if deprived of their rest at night; still the duty became +very hard upon two persons, where it was of constant occurrence, and +superadded to the ordinary day's labour. + +March 29.--After calling up the party, I ascended the highest sand-hill +near me, from which the prospect was cheerless and gloomy, and the point +and sandy cones we imagined we had seen last night had vanished. Indeed, +upon examining the chart, and considering that as yet we had advanced +only one hundred and twenty-six miles from the last water, I felt +convinced that we had still very far to go before we could expect to +reach the sand-drifts. The supply of water we had brought for ourselves +was nearly exhausted, and we could afford none for breakfast to-day; the +night, however, had been cool, and we did not feel the want of it so +much. Upon moving, I sent one of the natives back to the horse I had tied +up, about four miles from our camp to try to bring him on to where we +should halt in the middle of the day. + +For ten miles we continued along the beach until we came to a bluff rocky +ridge, running close into the sea; here we rested until the tide fell, +and to give the native boy an opportunity of rejoining us, which he did +soon after, but without the horse; the poor animal had travelled about +eight miles with him from the place where we had left him, but had then +been unable to come any further, and he abandoned him. + +Whilst the party were in camp, I sent the overseer to a distant point of +land to try and get a view of the coast beyond; but upon his return, +after a long walk, he told me his view to the west was obstructed by a +point similar to the one I had sent him to. During the day, we had passed +a rather recent native encampment, where were left some vessels of bark +for holding water, or for collecting it from the roots of trees, or the +grass. Near where we halted in the middle of the day, the foot-prints of +the natives were quite fresh, and shewed that they were travelling the +same way as ourselves. + +For the last two or three days, we had passed many pieces of wreck upon +the beach, oars, thwarts of boats, fragments of masts, spars, etc. strewed +about in every direction; none of them, however, appeared to have been +recently deposited there, and many of the oars, and lighter spars, were +stuck up on their ends in the sand above high water mark, probably so +placed by the natives, but with what object I know not. One oar was stuck +up upon a high sand ridge, some distance from the shore, and I spent some +time in examining the place, in the vain hope that it might be an +indication of our vicinity to water. + +In the afternoon we all had a little tea; and after a bathe in the sea, +again moved onwards; fortunately the beach was firm and hard, and the +evening cool; the horses advanced slowly and steadily, and in a way that +quite surprised me. After travelling for thirteen miles, we encamped +under the coast ridge late in the evening, all very much exhausted, +having made several ineffectual searches for water, among the sandy +ridges, as we passed along. + +In our route along the shore, we had seen immense numbers of fish in the +shallow waters, and among the reefs lying off the coast; several dead +ones had been picked up, and of these the boys made a feast at night. Our +last drop of water was consumed this evening, and we then all lay down to +rest, after turning the horses behind the first ridge of the coast, as we +could find no grass; and neither the overseer nor I were able to watch +them, being both too much worn out with the labours of the day, and our +exertions, in searching for water. + +March 30.--Getting up as soon as the day dawned, I found that some of the +horses had crossed the sand ridge to the beach, and rambled some distance +backwards. I found, too, that in the dark, we had missed a patch of +tolerable grass among the scrub, not far from our camp. I regretted this +the more, as during the night a very heavy dew had fallen, and the horses +might perhaps have fed a little. + +Leaving the overseer to search for those that had strayed, I took a +sponge, and went to try to collect some of the dew which was hanging in +spangles upon the grass and shrubs; brushing these with the sponge, I +squeezed it, when saturated, into a quart pot, which, in an hour's time, +I filled with water. The native boys were occupied in the same way; and +by using a handful of fine grass, instead of a sponge, they collected +about a quart among them. Having taken the water to the camp, and made it +into tea, we divided it amongst the party, and never was a meal more +truly relished, although we all ate the last morsel of bread we had with +us, and none knew when we might again enjoy either a drink of water, or a +mouthful of bread. We had now demonstrated the practicability of +collecting water from the dew. I had often heard from the natives that +they were in the habit of practising this plan, but had never before +actually witnessed its adoption. It was, however, very cold work, and +completely wet me through from head to foot, a greater quantity of water +by far having been shaken over me, from the bushes, than I was able to +collect with my sponge. The natives make use of a large oblong vessel of +bark, which they hold under the branches, whilst they brush them with a +little grass, as I did with the sponge; the water thus falls into the +trough held for it, and which, in consequence of the surface being so +much larger than the orifice of a quart pot, is proportionably sooner +filled. After the sun once rises, the spangles fall from the boughs, and +no more water can be collected; it is therefore necessary to be at work +very early, if success is an object of importance. + +The morning was very hazy, and at first nothing could be seen of the +country before us; but as the mist gradually cleared away a long point +was seen to the south-west, but so very distant that I felt certain our +horses never would get there if it lay between us and the water. To our +astonishment they kept moving steadily along the beach, which was +tolerably firm near the sea, in which were many reefs and shelves of +rocks, covered with muscles below low water mark. As we progressed, it +was evident that the country was undergoing a considerable change; the +sea shore dunes and the ridges immediately behind them were now of a pure +white sand, and steep, whilst those further back were very high and +covered with low bushes. Upon ascending one of the latter I had a good +view around, and to my inexpressible pleasure and relief saw the high +drifts of sand we were looking for so anxiously, in the corner between us +and the more distant point of land first seen. The height of the +intervening ridges and the sand-drifts being in the angle prevented us +from noticing them sooner. + +We had now travelled ten miles, and the sand-hills were about five miles +further. The horses were, however, becoming exhausted, and the day was so +hot that I was compelled to halt, and even now, in sight of our +long-expected goal, I feared we might be too late to save them. Leaving +the boys to attend to the animals, I took the overseer up one of the +ridges to reconnoitre the country for the purpose of ascertaining whether +there was no place near us where water might be procured by digging. +After a careful examination a hollow was selected between the two front +ridges of white sand, where the overseer thought it likely we might be +successful. The boys were called up to assist in digging, and the work +was anxiously commenced; our suspense increasing every moment as the well +was deepened. At about five feet the sand was observed to be quite moist, +and upon its being tasted was pronounced quite free from any saline +qualities. This was joyous news, but too good to be implicitly believed, +and though we all tasted it over and over again, we could scarcely +believe that such really was the case. By sinking another foot the +question was put beyond all doubt, and to our great relief fresh water +was obtained at a depth of six feet from the surface, on the seventh day +of our distress, and after we had travelled one hundred and sixty miles +since we had left the last water. Words would be inadequate to express +the joy and thankfulness of my little party at once more finding +ourselves in safety, and with abundance of water near us. A few hours +before hope itself seemed almost extinguished, and those only who have +been subjeet to a similar extremity of distress can have any just idea of +the relief we experienced. The mind seemed to have been weighed down by +intense anxiety and over-wrought feelings. At first the gloomy +restlessness of disappointment or the feverish impatience of hope had +operated upon our minds alternately, but these had long since given way +to that calm settled determination of purpose, and cool steady vigour of +action which desperate circumstances can alone inspire. Day by day our +prospects of success had gradually diminished; our horses had become +reduced to so dreadful a state that many had died, and all were likely to +do so soon; we ourselves were weak and exhausted by fatigue, and it +appeared impossible that either could have gone many miles further. In +this last extremity we had been relieved. That gracious God, without +whose assistance all hope of safety had been in vain, had heard our +earnest prayers for his aid, and I trust that in our deliverance we +recognized and acknowledged with sincerity and thankfulness his guiding +and protecting hand. It is in circumstances only such as we had lately +been placed in that the utter hopelessness of all human efforts is truly +felt, and it is when relieved from such a situation that the hand of a +directing and beneficent Being appears most plainly discernible, +fulfilling those gracious promises which he has made, to hear them that +call upon him in the day of trouble. + +[Note 27: "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and +their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of +Israel will not forsake them." + +"I will open rivers in high places, and fountains +in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, +and the dry land springs of water."--Isa. xli. 17, 18. + +"I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the +desert."--Isa. xliii. 19.] + +As soon as each had satisfied his thirst the pots were filled and boiled +for tea, and some bread was baked, whilst the overseer and natives were +still increasing the size of the well to enable us to water the horses. +We then got a hasty meal that we might the better go through the fatigue +of attending to the suffering animals. Our utmost caution now became +necessary in their management; they had been seven days without a drop of +water, and almost without food also, and had suffered so much that with +abundance of water near us, and whilst they were suffering agonies from +the want of it, we dared not give it to them freely. Having tied them up +to some low bushes, we gave each in turn about four gallons, and then +driving them away for half a mile to where there was a little withered +grass, we watched them until the evening, and again gave each about four +gallons more of water. + +Whilst thus engaged, a very fine looking native with his wife and family, +passed us and halted for a few moments to observe us, and procure a drink +from the well we had made. This man did not seem at all alarmed, and made +signs that he was going to sleep, a little further along the coast, where +there was also water, pointing to the white sandhills about five miles +from us. The language he spoke seemed to be the same as that of the other +natives we had met with along the Great Bight, nor did the King George's +Sound native understand him a bit better than he had done the others. + +At night one of our two remaining sheep was killed, and the overseer and +myself proceeded to watch the horses for the night. The poor creatures +were scarcely able to crawl, yet were restless and uneasy, and fed but +little, they had tasted water and they were almost mad for it, so that it +was a severe task to both myself and the overseer to keep them from +returning to the well. The single sheep now left had also given us a good +deal of trouble, it was frightened at being alone, and frustrated all our +efforts to yard it, preferring to accompany and remain with the +horses,--an arrangement we were obliged to acquiesce in. + +March 31.--The morning broke wild and lowering, and the sand blew +fearfully about from the drifts among which the water was. Our well had +tumbled in during the night, and we had to undergo considerable labour +before we could water the horses. After clearing it out, we gave each of +them seven gallons, and again sent them away to the grass, letting the +native boys watch them during the day, whilst we rested for a few hours, +shifted our camp to a more sheltered place, weighed out a week's +allowance of flour at half a pound each per day, and made sundry other +necessary arrangements. + +Fearful of losing our only remaining sheep, if left to wander about, we +made a strong yard to put it into at nights, for a long time, however, we +could not get it to go near the yard, and only succeeded at last by +leading in a horse first, behind which it walked quite orderly. + +April 1.--The last night had been bitterly cold and frosty, and as we +were badly clad, and without the means of making a large or permanent +fire, we all felt acutely the severity of the weather. After breakfast, I +left the overseer and natives to clear out the well, which had again +fallen in, and water the horses, whilst I walked five miles along the +beach to the westward, and then turned inland to examine the sand-drifts +there and search for grass. Behind the drifts I found some open sandy +plains, with a coarse kind of dry grass upon them, and as they were not +far from where the natives had dug wells for water, I thought the place +might suit us to encamp at for a time when we left our present position. +In returning to the camp, through the scrub behind the coast, I shot a +fine wallabie, and saw several others; but having only cartridges with +me, I did not like to cut up the balls for ammunition. + +April 2.--Another severe cold frosty night made us fully sensible that +the winter was rapidly closing in upon us, notwithstanding the +ill-provided and unprotected state we were in to encounter its +inclemencies. Our well had again tumbled in, and gave us a good deal of +trouble, besides, each successive clearing out deepened it considerably, +and this took us to a level where the brackish water mixed with the +fresh; from this cause the water was now too brackish to be palatable, +and we sunk another well apart from that used for the horses, at which to +procure any water we required for our own use. During the afternoon I +shot a wallabie behind the camp, but the place being densely scrubby, and +the animal not quite dead, I did not get it. + +On the 3rd, I sent the overseer out in one direction and I went myself +out in another, to examine the country and try to procure wallabies for +food. We both returned late, greatly fatigued with walking through dense +scrubs and over steep heavy sand ridges, but without having fired a shot. + +Our mutton (excepting the last sheep) being all used on the 4th, we were +reduced to our daily allowance of half a pound of flour each, without any +meat. + +On the 5th, the overseer and one of the native boys got ready to go back +for some of the stores and other things we had abandoned, forty-seven +miles away. As they were likely to have severe exercise, and to be away +for four days, I gave them five pounds extra of flour above their daily +allowance, together with the wallabie which I had shot, and which had not +yet been used; they drove before them three horses to carry their supply +of water, and bring back the things sent for. + +As soon as they were gone, with the assistance of the two native boys who +were left, I removed the camp to the white sand-drifts, five miles +further west. Being anxious to keep as near to the grass as I could, I +commenced digging at some distance away from where the natives procured +their water, but at a place where there were a great many rushes. After +sinking to about seven feet, I found the soil as dry as ever, and +removing to the native wells, with some little trouble opened a hole +large enough to water all the horses. The single sheep gave us a great +deal of trouble and kept us running about from one sand hill to another, +until we were tired out, before we could capture it; at last we +succeeded, and I tied him up for the night, resolved never to let him +loose again. + +In the evening I noticed the native boys looking more woe-begone and +hungry than usual. Heretofore, since our mutton was consumed, they had +helped out their daily half-pound of flour, with the roasted roots of the +gum-scrub, but to-day they had been too busy to get any, and I was +obliged to give to each a piece of bread beyond the regular allowance. It +was pitiable to see them craving for food, and not to have the power of +satisfying them; they were young and had large appetites, and never +having been accustomed to any restraint of this nature, scarcity of food +was the more sensibly felt, especially as they could not comprehend the +necessity that compelled us to hoard with greater care than a miser does +his gold, the little stock of provisions which we yet had left. + +April 6.--The severe frost and intense cold of last night entirely +deprived me of sleep, and I was glad when the daylight broke, though +still weary and unrefreshed. After clearing out the well, and watering +the horses, I sent one of the boys out to watch them, and gave the other +the gun to try and shoot a wallabie, but after expending the only two +charges of slugs I had left, he returned unsuccessful. At night we all +made up our supper with the bark of the young roots of the gum-scrub. It +appears to be extensively used for food by the natives in this district, +judging from the remnants left at their encamping places. The bark is +peeled off the young roots of the eucalyptus dumosa, put into hot ashes +until nearly crisp, and then the dust being shaken off, it is pounded +between two stones and ready for use. Upon being chewed, a farinaceous +powder is imbibed from between the fibres of the bark, by no means +unpleasant in flavour, but rather sweet, and resembling the taste of +malt; how far a person could live upon this diet alone, I have no means +of judging, but it certainly appeases the appetite, and is, I should +suppose, nutritious. + +April 7.--Another sleepless night from the intense cold. Upon getting up +I put a mark upon the beach to guide the overseer to our camp on his +return, then weighed out flour and baked bread for the party, as I found +it lasted much better when used stale than fresh. I tried to shoot some +pigeons with small gravel, having plenty of powder but no shot. My +efforts were, however, in vain, for though I several times knocked them +over, and tore feathers out, I killed none. The day being very clear, I +ascended the highest sand-hill to obtain a view of what had appeared to +us to be a long point of land, stretching to the south-west. It was now +clearly recognisable as the high level line of cliffs forming the western +boundary of the Great Bight, and I at once knew, that when we left our +present position, we could hope for no water for at least 140 or 150 +miles beyond. + +The weather on the 8th and 9th suddenly became mild and soft, with the +appearance of rain, but none fell. I was becoming anxious about the +return of my overseer and native boy, who had been absent nine tides, +when they ought to have returned in eight, and I could not help fearing +some mischance had befallen them, and frequently went back wards and +forwards to the beach, to look for them. The tenth tide found me +anxiously at my post on the look out, and after watching for a long time +I thought I discerned some dark objects in the distance, slowly +advancing; gradually I made out a single horse, driven by two people, and +at once descended to meet them. Their dismal tale was soon told. After +leaving us on the 5th, they reached their destination on the 7th; but in +returning one of the horses became blind, and was too weak to advance +further, when they had barely advanced thirteen miles; they were +consequently obliged to abandon him, and leave behind the things he had +been carrying. With the other two horses they got to within five miles of +the place we first procured water at on the 30th March. Here a second +horse had become unable to proceed, and the things he had carried were +also obliged to be left behind. They then got both horses to the first +well at the sand-hills and watered them, and after resting a couple of +hours came on to join me. Short as this distance was, the jaded horse +could not travel it, and was left behind a mile and a half back. Having +shewn the overseer and boy the camp, I sent the other two natives to +fetch up the tired horse, whilst I attended to the other, and put the +solitary sheep in for the night. By a little after dark all was arranged, +and the horse that had been left behind once more with the others. + +From the overseer I learnt, that during the fifty miles he had retraced +our route to obtain the provisions we had left, he had five times dug for +water: four times he had found salt water, and once he had been stopped +by rock. The last effort of this kind he had made not far from where we +found water on the 30th of March, and I could not but be struck with the +singular and providential circumstance of our first halting and +attempting to dig for water on that day in all our distress, at the very +first place, and at the only place, within the 160 miles we had +traversed, where water could have been procured. It will be remembered, +that in our advance, we had travelled a great part of the latter portion +of this distance by night, and that thus there was a probability of our +having passed unknowingly some place where water might have been +procured. The overseer had now travelled over the same ground in +daylight, with renovated strength, and in a condition comparatively +strong, and fresh for exertion. He had dug wherever he thought there was +a chance of procuring water, but without success in any one single +instance. + +After learning all the particulars of the late unlucky journey, I found +that a great part of the things I had sent for were still thirty-eight +miles back, having only been brought twelve miles from where they had +originally been left; the rest of the things were ten miles away, and as +nearly all our provisions, and many other indispensable articles were +among them, it became absolutely necessary that they should be recovered +in some way or other, but how that was to be accomplished was a question +which we could not so easily determine. Our horses were quite unfit for +service of any kind, and the late unfortunate attempt had but added to +the difficulties by which we were surrounded, and inflicted upon us the +additional loss of another valuable animal. Many and anxious were the +hours I spent in contemplating the circumstances we were in, and in +revolving in my mind the best means at our command to extricate ourselves +from so perilous a situation. We were still 650 miles from King George's +Sound, with an entirely unknown country before us. Our provisions, when +again recovered, would be barely sufficient to last us for three weeks +and a half, at a very reduced rate of allowance. Our horses were jaded +and miserable beyond all conception; they could literally scarcely crawl, +and it was evident they would be unable to move on again at all without +many days' rest where we were. On the other hand we had still the +prospect of another of those fearful pushes without water to encounter, +as soon as we left our present encampment, and had first to recover the +provisions and other things yet so far away. Nothing could be more +disheartening than our situation, and it was also one in which it was +difficult to decide what was best to be done. Aware that a single false +step would now be fatal to us all, I saw that our circumstances required +promptness and decision. With every thing depending upon my sole +judgment, and the determination I arrived at, I felt deeply and anxiously +the over-whelming responsibility that devolved upon me. + +We were now about half way between Fowler's Bay and King George's Sound, +located among barren sand-drifts, and without a drop of water beyond us +on either side, within a less distance than 150 miles. Our provisions +were rapidly decreasing, whilst we were lying idle and inactive in camp; +and yet it would be absolutely necessary for us thus to remain for some +time longer, or at once abandon the horses, and endeavour to make our way +without them. To the latter, however, there were many objections, one of +which was, that I well knew from the experience we had already had, that +if we abandoned the horses, and had those fearful long distances to +travel without water, we never could accomplish them on foot, if +compelled at the same time to live upon a very low diet, to carry our +arms, ammunition, and provisions, and in addition to these, a stock of +water, sufficient to last six or seven days. The only thing that had +enabled us to get through so far on our journey in safety, had been the +having the horses with us, for though weak and jaded, they had yet +carried the few things, which were indispensable to us, and which we +never could have carried ourselves under the circumstances. + +There was another inducement to continue with the horses, which had +considerable weight with me, and however revolting the idea might be at +first, it was a resource which I foresaw the desperate circumstances we +were in must soon compel us to adopt. It was certainly horrible to +contemplate the destruction of the noble animals that had accompanied us +so far, but ere long I well knew that such would be the only chance of +saving our own lives, and I hoped that by accustoming the mind to dwell +upon the subject beforehand, when the evil hour did arrive, the horror +and disgust would be in some degree lessened. Upon consulting the +overseer, I was glad to find that he agreed with me fully in the +expediency of not abandoning the horses until it became unavoidable, and +that he had himself already contemplated the probability of our being +very shortly reduced to the alternative of using them for food. + +It remained now only to decide, which way we would go when we agan moved +on, whether to prosecute our journey to the Sound, or try to retrace our +steps to Fowler's Bay. On this point my own opinion never wavered for an +instant. My conviction of the utter impossibility of our ever being able +to recross the fearful country we had passed through with such +difficulty, under circumstances so much more favourable than we were now +in, was so strong that I never for a moment entertained the idea myself. +I knew the many and frightful pushes without water we should have to make +in any such attempt, and though the country before us was unknown, it +could not well be worse than that we had passed through, whilst the +probability was, that after the first long stage was accomplished, and +which would take us beyond the western boundary of the Great Bight, we +should experience a change in the character of the country, and be able +to advance with comparative ease and facility. Unhappily my overseer +differed from me in opinion upon this point. + +The last desperate march we had made, had produced so strong an +impression upon his mind, that he could not divest himself of the idea +that the further we went to the westward the more arid the country would +be found, and that eventually we should all perish from want of water; on +the other hand, the very reduced allowance of food we were compelled to +limit ourselves to, made his thoughts always turn to the depot at +Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a large supply of provisions of all +kinds. In vain I pointed out to him the certain difficulties we must +encounter in any attempt to return, the little probability there was of a +single horse surviving even the first of those dreadful stages we should +have to make, and the utter impossibility of our getting successfully +through without the horses; and, on the other hand, the very cheering +prospect there was of all our most serious difficulties being terminated +as soon as we had turned the western extremity of the Bight (to +accomplish which, would not occupy more than six or seven days at the +furthest when we moved on,) and the strong hopes that we might then +reasonably entertain of falling in with some vessel, sealing or whaling +upon the coast, and from which we might obtain a fresh supply of +provisions. All my arguments were fruitless. With the characteristic +obedience and fidelity with which he had ever served me, he readily +acquiesced in any plan I might decide upon adopting; but I perceived, +with pain, that I could not convince him that the view I took was the +proper one, and that the plan I intended to follow was the only one which +held out to us even the remotest hopes of eventual safety and success. + +Finding that I made little progress in removing his doubts on the +question of our advance, I resolved to pursue the subject no further, +until the time for decision came, hoping that in the interim, his +opinions and feelings might in some degree be modified, and that he might +then accompany me cheerfully. The important and pressing duty of +recovering at once the stores we had left behind, now claimed my +attention. The overseer, with his usual anxiety to save me from any extra +labour, kindly offered to attempt this object again; but as he had just +returned from a severe, though unfortunately unsuccessful journey for the +same purpose, I decided upon doing it myself, and at once made my +preparations for leaving the camp. + + + + +Chapter XVIII. + + + +GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLD +WEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLE +REPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL A +HORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOME +DISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEY +RETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF +THE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THE +OVERSEER. + + +April 10.--FOUR days' provisions having been given to each of the party, +I took the King George's Sound native with me to retrace, on foot, our +route to the eastward. For the first ten miles I was accompanied by one +of the other native boys, leading a horse to carry a little water for us, +and take back the stores the overseer had buried at that point, when the +second horse knocked up with him on the morning of the 9th. Having found +the things, and put them on the horse, I sent the boy with them back to +the camp, together with a large sting-ray fish which he had speared in +the surf near the shore. It was a large, coarse, ugly-looking thing, but +as it seemed to be of the same family as the skate, I did not imagine we +should run any risk in eating it. In other respects, circumstances had +broken through many scruples and prejudices, and we were by no means +particular as to what the fish might be, if it were eatable. + +Having buried our little keg of water until our return, the King George's +Sound native and myself pushed on for five miles further, and then halted +for the night, after a day's journey of fifteen miles. We now cooked some +sting-ray fish (for the native with me had speared a second one,) and +though it was coarse and dry, our appetites had been sharpened by our +walk, and we thought it far from being unpalatable. + +April 11.--Moving away long before daylight, we pushed steadily on, and +about dusk arrived, after a stage of twenty-three miles, at the place +where our stores were. I found a much greater weight here than I +expected, and feared it would be quite impossible for us to carry the +whole away. By the light of the fire, I threw out saddles, clothes, +oil-skins, etc. that we did not absolutely require, and packing up the +remainder, weighed a bundle of thirty-two pounds for myself to carry, and +one of twenty-two for the native, who also had a gun to take. Our +arrangements being completed for the morrow, we enjoyed our supper of +sting-ray, and lay down for the night. + +April 12.--To-day the weather was cloudy and sultry, and we found it very +oppressive carrying the weight we had with us, especially as we had no +water. By steady perseverance, we gained the place where our little keg +had been buried; and having refreshed ourselves with a little tea, again +pushed on for a few miles to a place where I had appointed the overseer +to send a native to meet us with water. He was already there, and we all +encamped together for the night, soon forgetting, in refreshing sleep, +the fatigues and labours of the day. + +The 13th was a dark cloudy day, with light rains in the morning. About +noon we arrived at the camp, after having walked seventy-six miles in the +last three days and a half, during great part of which, we had carried +heavy weights. We had, however, successfully accomplished the object for +which we had gone, and had now anxieties only for our future progress, +the provisions and other stores being all safely recovered. + +During my absence, I had requested the overseer to bake some bread, in +order that it might be tolerably stale before we used it. To my regret +and annoyance, I found that he had baked one third of our whole supply, +so that it would be necessary to use more than our stated allowance, or +else to let it spoil. It was the more vexing, to think that in this case +the provisions had been so improvidently expended, from the fact of our +having plenty of the sting-ray fish, and not requiring so much bread. + +April 14.--Early this morning I sent the overseer, and one of the native +boys, with three days' provision to the commencement of the cliffs to the +westward, visible from the sand-hills near our camp, in order that they +might ascertain the exact distance they were from us, and whether any +grass or water could be procured nearer to their base than where we were. +After their departure, I attended to the horses, and then amused myself +preparing some fishing lines to set off the shore, with a large stone as +an anchor, and a small keg for a buoy. The day was, however, wild and +boisterous; and in my attempts to get through the surf, to set the lines, +I was thrown down, together with the large stone I was carrying, and my +leg severely cut and bruised. The weather was extremely cold, too, and +being without coat or jacket of any kind, I suffered severely from it. + +The 15th was another cold day, with the wind at south-west, and we could +neither set the lines, nor spear sting-ray, whilst the supply we had +before obtained was now nearly exhausted. One of the horses was taken +ill, and unable to rise, from the effects of the cold; his limbs were +cramped and stiff, and apparently unable to sustain the weight of his +body. After plucking dry grass, and making a bed for him, placing a +breakwind of boughs round, and making a fire near him, we left him for +the night. + +Late in the evening, the overseer and boy returned from the westward, and +reported, that the cliffs were sixteen miles away; that they had dug for +water, but that none could be found, and that there was hardly a blade of +grass any where, whilst the whole region around was becoming densely +scrubby; through much of which we should have to pass before we reached +the cliffs. Altogether, the overseer seemed quite discouraged by the +appearance of the country, and to dread the idea of moving on in that +direction, often saying, that he wished he was back, and that he thought +he could retrace his steps to Fowler's Bay, where a supply of provisions +had been buried. I was vexed at these remarks, because I felt that I +could not coincide in them, and because I knew that when the moment for +decision came, my past experience, and the strong reasons which had +produced in my own mind quite a different conviction, would compel me to +act in opposition to the wishes of the only European with me, and he a +person, too, whom I sincerely respected for the fidelity and devotion +with which he had followed me through all my wanderings. I was afraid, +too, that the native boys, hearing his remarks, and perceiving that he +had no confidence in our future movements, would catch up the same idea, +and that, in addition to the other difficulties and anxieties I had to +cope with, would be the still more frightful one of disaffection and +discontent. Another subject of uneasiness arose from the nature of our +diet;--for some few days we had all been using a good deal of the +sting-ray fish, and though at first we had found it palatable, either +from confining ourselves too exclusively to it, or from eating too much, +it had latterly disagreed with us. The overseer declared it made him ill +and weak, and that he could do nothing whilst living upon it. The boys +said the same; and yet we had nothing else to supply its place, and the +small quantity of flour left would not admit of our using more than was +barely necessary to sustain life. At this time we had hardly any fish +left, and the whole party were ravenously hungry. In this dilemma, I +determined to have the sick horse killed for food. It was impossible he +could ever recover, and by depriving him of life a few hours sooner than +the natural course of events would have done, we should be enabled to get +a supply of food to last us over a few days more, by which time I hoped +we might again be able to venture on, and attempt another push to the +westward. + +Early on the morning of the 16th, I sent the overseer to kill the +unfortunate horse, which was still alive, but unable to rise from the +ground, having never moved from the place where he had first been found +lying yesterday morning. The miserable animal was in the most wretched +state possible, thin and emaciated by dreadful and long continued +sufferings, and labouring under some complaint, that in a very few hours +at the farthest, must have terminated its life. + +After a great portion of the meat had been cut off from the carcase, in +thin slices, they were dipped in salt water and hung up upon strings to +dry in the sun. I could not bring myself to eat any to-day, so horrible +and revolting did it appear to me, but the overseer made a hearty dinner, +and the native boys gorged themselves to excess, remaining the whole +afternoon by the carcase, where they made a fire, cutting off and +roasting such portions as had been left. They looked like ravenous wolves +about their prey, and when they returned to the camp at night, they were +loaded with as much cooked meat as they could carry, and which they were +continually eating during the night; I made a meal upon some of the +sting-ray that was still left, but it made me dreadfully sick, and I was +obliged to lie down, seriously ill. + +April 17.--Being rather better to-day, I was obliged to overcome my +repugnance to the disagreeable food we were compelled to resort to, and +the ice once broken, I found that although it was far from being +palatable, I could gradually reconcile myself to it. The boys after +breakfast again went down to the carcase, and spent the whole day +roasting and eating, and at night they again returned to the camp loaded. +We turned all the meat upon the strings and redipped it in sea water +again to-day, but the weather was unfavourable for drying it, being cold +and damp. Both yesterday and to-day light showers fell sufficient to +moisten the grass. + +April 18.--The day being much warmer, many large flies were about, and I +was obliged to have a fire kept constantly around the meat, to keep them +away by the smoke. I now put the natives upon an allowance of five pounds +of flesh each per day, myself and the overseer using about half that +quantity. + +On the 19th, I sent out one of the boys to try and get a sting-ray to +vary our diet, but he returned unsuccessful. During the forenoon I was +seized with a violent attack of dysentery, accompanied with diabetes, +from which I suffered extremely. The overseer was affected also, but in a +less violent degree. The origin of this complaint was plainly traceable +to the food we had used for the last day or two; it rendered us both +incapable of the least exertion of any kind, whilst the disorder +continued, and afterwards left us very languid and weak. In the evening +upon examining the meat, a great deal of it was found to be getting +putrid, or fly-blown, and we were obliged to pick it over, and throw what +was tainted away. + +April 20.--To-day I had all the meat boiled, as I thought it would keep +better cooked than raw, we had only a small tin saucepan without a +handle, to effect our cooking operations with, and the preparation of the +meat therefore occupied the whole of the day. The overseer was again +attacked with dysentery. At night the clouds gathered heavily around, and +the weather being mild and soft, I fully expected rain; after dark, +however, the wind rose high and the threatened storm passed away. + +On the 21st, I was seized again with illness. The overseer continued to +be affected also, and we were quite unable to make the necessary +preparations for our journey to the westward, which I fully intended to +have commenced to-morrow. For several hours we were in the greatest +agony, and could neither lie down, sit up, nor stand, except with extreme +pain. Towards the afternoon the violence of the symptoms abated a little, +but we were exceedingly weak. + +April 22.--Upon weighing the meat this morning, which as usual was left +out upon the strings at night, I discovered that four pounds had been +stolen by some of the boys, whilst we were sleeping. I had suspected that +our stock was diminishing rapidly for a day or two past, and had weighed +it overnight that I might ascertain this point, and if it were so, take +some means to prevent it for the future. With so little food to depend +upon, and where it was so completely in the power of any one of the +party, to gratify his own appetite at the expense of the others, during +their absence, or when they slept, it became highly necessary to enforce +strict honesty towards each other; I was much grieved to find that the +meat had been taken by the natives, more particularly as their daily +allowance had been so great. We had, moreover, only two days' supply of +the meat left for the party, and being about to commence the long journey +before us, it was important to economise our provisions to support us +under the fatigue and labours we should then have to undergo. + +Having deducted the four pounds stolen during the night, from the daily +rations of the three boys, I gave them the remainder, (eight pounds) +telling them the reason why their quantity was less to-day than usual, +and asking them to point out the thief, who alone should be punished and +the others would receive their usual rations. The youngest of the three +boys, and the King George's Sound native, resolutely denied being +concerned in the robbery; but the other native doggedly refused to answer +any questions about it, only telling me that he and the native from King +George's Sound would leave me and make their way by themselves. I pointed +out to them the folly, in fact the impossibility almost, of their +succeeding in any attempt of the kind; advised them to remain quietly +where they were, and behave well for the future, but concluded by telling +them that if they were bent upon going they might do so, as I would not +attempt to stop them. + +For some time past the two eldest of the boys, both of whom were now +nearly grown up to manhood, had been far from obedient in their general +conduct. Ever since we had been reduced to a low scale of diet they had +been sulky and discontented, never assisting in the routine of the day, +or doing what they were requested to do with that cheerfulness and +alacrity that they had previously exhibited. Unaccustomed to impose the +least restraint upon their appetites or passions, they considered it a +hardship to be obliged to walk as long as any horses were left alive, +though they saw those horses falling behind and perishing from fatigue; +they considered it a hardship, too, to be curtailed in their allowance of +food, as long as a mouthful was left unconsumed; and in addition to this, +they had imbibed the overseer's idea that we never should succeed in our +attempt to get to the westward, and got daily more dissatisfied at +remaining idle in camp, whilst the horses were recruiting. + +The excess of animal food they had had at their command for some few days +after the horse was killed, made them forget their former scarcity, and +in their folly they imagined that they could supply their own wants, and +get on better and more rapidly than we did, and they determined to +attempt it. Vexed as I had been at finding out they had not scrupled to +plunder the small stock of provisions we had left, I was loth to let them +leave me foolishly without making an effort to prevent it. One of them +had been with me a great length of time, and the other I had brought from +his country and his friends, and to both I felt bound by ties of humanity +to prevent if possible their taking the rash step they meditated; my +remonstrances and expostulations were however in vain, and after getting +their breakfasts, they took up some spears they had been carefully +preparing for the last two days, and walked sulkily from the camp in a +westerly direction. The youngest boy had, it seemed, also been enticed to +join them, for he was getting up with the intention of following, when I +called him back and detained him in the camp, as he was too young to know +what he was doing, and had only been led astray by the others. I had +intended to have moved on myself to-day, but the departure of the natives +made me change my intention, for I deemed it desirable that they should +have at least three or four days start of us. Finding that the single +sheep we had left would now be the cause of a good deal of trouble, I had +it killed this afternoon, that we might have the full advantage of it +whilst we had plenty of water, and might be enabled to hoard our bread a +little. We had still a little of the horse-flesh left, and made a point +of using it all up before the mutton was allowed to be touched. + +The morning of the 23rd broke cool and cloudy, with showers gathering +from seawards; the wind was south-west, and the sky wild and lowering in +that direction. During the forenoon light rain fell, but scarcely more +than sufficient to moisten the grass; it would, however, probably afford +our deserters a drink upon the cliffs. Towards evening the sky cleared, +and the weather became frosty. + +On the following day we still remained in camp, hoping for rain;--a +single heavy shower would so completely have freed us from the danger of +attempting to force a passage through the great extent of arid country +before us, that I was unwilling to move on until the very last moment. +Our rations were however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling in +camp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day we had commenced upon +the mutton, so that soon we should be compelled to go, whether it rained +or not. Month after month however had passed away without any fall of +rain, and the season had now arrived when, under ordinary circumstances, +much wet might be expected; and though each day, as it passed without +gratifying our hopes, but added to our disappointment, yet did every hour +we lingered give us a better chance of being relieved by showers in our +route round the last cliffs of the Bight. The evening set in mild but +close, with the wind at north-east, and I had great hopes that showers +would fall. + +April 25.--During the night dense clouds, accompanied by gusts of wind +and forked lightning, passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morning +the wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms gathered to seawards with +much thunder and lightning, but no rain fell near us; the sea appearing +to attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very large eagle to-day +and made a stew of it, which was excellent. I sent the boy out to try and +shoot a wallabie, but he returned without one. + +In the evening, a little before dark, and just as we had finished our +tea, to my great astonishment our two runaway natives made their +appearance, the King George's Sound native being first. He came frankly +up, and said that they were both sorry for what they had done, and were +anxious to be received again, as they found they could get nothing to eat +for themselves. The other boy sat silently and sullenly at the fire, +apparently more chagrined at being compelled by necessity to come back to +us than sorry for having gone away. Having given them a lecture, for they +both now admitted having stolen meat, not only on the night they were +detected but previously, I gave each some tea and some bread and meat, +and told them if they behaved well they would be treated in every respect +as before, and share with us our little stock of provisions as long as it +lasted. + +I now learnt that they had fared in the bush but little better than I +should have done myself. They had been absent four days, and had come +home nearly starved. For the first two days they got only two small +bandicoots and found no water; they then turned back, and obtaining a +little water in a hollow of the cliffs, left by the shower which had +passed over, they halted under them to fish, and speared a sting-ray; +this they had feasted on yesterday, and to-day came from the cliffs to +look for us without any thing to eat at all. + +During the night some heavy clouds passed over our heads, and once a drop +or two of rain fell. The 26th broke wild and stormy to the east and west, +and I determined to remain one day longer in camp, in the hope of rain +falling, but principally to rest the two natives a little after the long +walk from which they had returned. Breakfast being over, I sent the +overseer and one native to the beach, to try to get a sting-ray, and to +the other I gave my gun to shoot wallabie: no fish was procured, but one +wallabie was got, half of which I gave to the native who killed it, for +his dinner. + +Being determined to break up camp on the 27th, I sent the King George's +Sound native on a-head, as soon as he had breakfasted, that, by preceding +the party, he might have time to spear a sting-ray against we overtook +him. The day was dull, cloudy, and warm, and still looking likely for +rain, with the wind at north-east. At eleven we were ready, and moved +away from a place where we had experienced so much relief in our +extremity, and at which our necessities had compelled us to remain so +long. For twenty-eight days we had been encamped at the sand-drifts, or +at the first water we had found, five miles from them. Daily, almost +hourly, had the sky threatened rain, and yet none fell. We had now +entered upon the last fearful push, which was to decide our fate. This +one stretch of bad country crossed, I felt a conviction we should be +safe. That we had at least 150 miles to go to the next water I was fully +assured of; I was equally satisfied that our horses were by no means in a +condition to encounter the hardships and privations they must meet with +in such a journey; for though they had had a long rest, and in some +degree recovered from their former tired-out condition, they had not +picked up in flesh or regained their spirits; the sapless, withered state +of the grass and the severe cold of the nights had prevented them from +deriving the advantage that they ought to have done from so long a +respite from labour. Still I hoped we might be successful. We had +lingered day by day, until it would have been folly to have waited +longer; the rubicon was, however, now passed, and we had nothing to rely +upon but our own exertions and perseverance, humbly trusting that the +great and merciful God who had hitherto guarded and guidedus in safety +would not desert us now. + +Upon leaving the camp we left behind one carbine, a spade, some horse +hobbles, and a few small articles, to diminish as much as possible the +weight we had to carry. For eight miles we traced round the beach to the +most north-westerly angle of the Bight, and for two miles down its +south-west shore, but were then compelled by the rocks to travel to the +back, through heavy scrubby ridges for four miles; after which we again +got in to the beach, and at one mile along its shore, or fifteen miles +from our camp, we halted for the night, at a patch of old grass. The +afternoon had been hot, but the night set in cold and clear, and all +appearance of rain was gone. The native I had sent on before had not +succeeded in getting a fish, though he had broken one or two spears in +his attempts. + +April 28.--After travelling along the beach for two miles we ascended +behind the cliffs, which now came in bluff to the sea, and then keeping +along their summits, nearly parallel with the coast, and passing through +much scrub, low brushwood, and dwarf tea-tree growing upon the rocky +surface, we made a stage of twenty miles; both ourselves and the horses +greatly tired with walking through the matted scrub of tea-tree every +where covering the ground. The cliffs did not appear so high as those we +had formerly passed along, and probably did not exceed from two to three +hundred feet in elevation. They appeared to be of the same geological +formation; the upper crust an oolitic limestone, with many shells +embedded, below that a coarse, hard, grey limestone, and then alternate +streaks of white and yellow in horizontal strata, but which the steepness +of the cliffs prevented my going down to examine. + +Back from the sea, the country was rugged and stony, and every where +covered with scrub or dwarf tea-tree. There was very little grass for the +horses, and that old and withered. In the morning one of the natives shot +a large wallabie, and this evening the three had it amongst them for +supper; after which they took charge of the horses for the night, this +being the first time they had ever watched them on the journey, myself +and the overseer having exclusively performed this duty heretofore; but, +as I was now expecting a longer and almost more arduous push than any we +had yet made, and in order that we might be able to discharge efficiently +the duties devolving upon us, and make those exertions which our +exigences might require, I deemed it only right that we should sometimes +be assisted by the two elder boys, in a task which we had before always +found to be the most disagreeable and fagging of any, that of watching +the horses at night, after a long and tiring day's journey. + +On the morning of the 29th we moved away very early, passing over a rocky +level country, covered with low brush, and very fatiguing to both +ourselves and our horses. The morning was gloomy and close, and the day +turned out intensely hot. After travelling only fifteen miles we were +compelled to halt until the greatest heat was passed. Our stock of water +and provisions only admitted of our making two meals in the day, +breakfast and supper; but as I intended this evening to travel great part +of the night, we each made our meal now instead of later in the day, that +we might not be delayed when the cool of the evening set in. We had been +travelling along the summit of the cliffs parallel with the coast line, +and had found the country level and uniform in its character; the cliffs +still being from two to three hundred feet in elevation, and of the same +formation as I noticed before. There were patches of grass scattered +among the scrub at intervals, but all were old and withered. + +At four in the afternoon we again proceeded on our journey, but had not +gone far before the sky unexpectedly became overcast with clouds, and the +whole heavens assumed a menacing and threatening appearance. To the east +and to the west, thunderclouds gathered heavily around, every indication +of sudden and violent rain was present to cheer us as we advanced, and +all were rejoicing in the prospects of a speedy termination to our +difficulties. The wind had in the morning been north-east, gradually +veering round to north and north-west, at which point it was stationary +when the clouds began to gather. Towards sunset a heavy storm passed over +our heads, with the rapidity almost of lightning; the wind suddenly +shifted from north-west to south-west, blowing a perfect hurricane, and +rendering it almost impossible for us to advance against it. A few +moments before we had confidently expected a heavy fall of rain; the dark +and lowering sky had gradually gathered and concentrated above and around +us, until the very heavens seemed overweighted and ready every instant to +burst. A briefer interval of time, accompanied by the sudden and violent +change of wind, had dashed our hopes to the ground, and the prospect of +rain was now over, although a few heavy clouds still hung around us. + +Three miles from where we had halted during the heat of the day, we +passed some tolerable grass, though dry, scattered at intervals among the +scrub, which grew here in dense belts, but with occasional openings +between. The character of the ground was very rocky, of an oolitic +limestone, and having many hollows on its surface. Although we had only +travelled eighteen miles during the day, the overseer requested I would +stop here, as he said he thought the clouds would again gather, and that +rain might fall to-night; that here we had large sheets of rock, and many +hollows in which the rain-water could be collected; but that if we +proceeded onwards we might again advance into a sandy country, and be +unable to derive any advantage from the rain, even should it fall. I +intended to have travelled nearly the whole of this night to make up for +the time we had lost in the heat of the day, and I was the more inclined +to do this, now that the violence of the storm had in some measure +abated, and the appearance of rain had almost disappeared. The overseer +was so earnest, however, and so anxious for me to stop for the night, +that greatly against my own wishes, and in opposition to my better +judgment, I gave way to him and yielded. The native boys too had made the +same request, seconding the overseer's application, and stating, that the +violence of the wind made it difficult for them to walk against it. + +The horses having been all hobbled and turned out to feed, the whole +party proceeded to make break-winds of boughs to form a shelter from the +wind, preparatory to laying down for the night. We had taken a meal in +the middle of the day, which ought to have been deferred until night, and +our circumstances did not admit of our having another now, so that there +remained only to arrange the watching of the horses, before going to +sleep. The native boys had watched them last night, and this duty of +course fell to myself and the overseer this evening. The first watch was +from six o'clock P. M. to eleven, the second from eleven until four A. +M., at which hour the whole party usually arose and made preparations for +moving on with the first streak of daylight. + +To-night the overseer asked me which of the watches I would keep, and as +I was not sleepy, though tired, I chose the first. At a quarter before +six, I went to take charge of the horses, having previously seen the +overseer and the natives lay down to sleep, at their respective +break-winds, ten or twelve yards apart from one another. The arms and +provisions, as was our custom, were piled up under an oilskin, between my +break-wind and that of the overseer, with the exception of one gun, which +I always kept at my own sleeping place. I have been thus minute in +detailing the position and arrangement of our encampment this evening, +because of the fearful consequences that followed, and to shew the very +slight circumstances upon which the destinies of life sometimes hinge. +Trifling as the arrangement of the watches might seem, and unimportant as +I thought it at the time, whether I undertook the first or the second, +yet was my choice, in this respect, the means under God's providence of +my life being saved, and the cause of the loss of that of my overseer. + +The night was cold, and the wind blowing hard from the south-west, whilst +scud and nimbus were passing very rapidly by the moon. The horses fed +tolerably well, but rambled a good deal, threading in and out among the +many belts of scrub which intersected the grassy openings, until at last +I hardly knew exactly where our camp was, the fires having apparently +expired some time ago. It was now half past ten, and I headed the horses +back, in the direction in which I thought the camp lay, that I might be +ready to call the overseer to relieve me at eleven. Whilst thus engaged, +and looking steadfastly around among the scrub, to see if I could +anywhere detect the embers of our fires, I was startled by a sudden +flash, followed by the report of a gun, not a quarter of a mile away from +me. Imagining that the overseer had mistaken the hour of the night, and +not being able to find me or the horses, had taken that method to attract +my attention, I immediately called out, but as no answer was returned, I +got alarmed, and leaving the horses, hurried up towards the camp as +rapidly as I could. About a hundred yards from it, I met the King +George's Sound native (Wylie), running towards me, and in great alarm, +crying out, "Oh Massa, oh Massa, come here,"--but could gain no +information from him, as to what had occurred. Upon reaching the +encampment, which I did in about five minutes after the shot was fired, I +was horror-struck to find my poor overseer lying on the ground, weltering +in his blood, and in the last agonies of death. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS. +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S. + + +I. It was formerly believed, that all the Mammalia inhabiting the +Australian continent, but the wild dog, were marsupial; but as the +natural history of the country is better known, we are becoming +acquainted with nearly as many native non-marsupial beasts as there are +marsupial; but they are certainly, generally, of a small size, such as +bats, mice, etc., as compared to the kangaroos and other marsupial genera. + +Some years ago, in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, (iii. 52.) +I described a species of RHINOLOPHUS, from Moreton Bay, which was +peculiar for the large size of its ears, hence named R. MEGAPHYLLUS; the +one now about to be described, which was found flying near the hospital +at Port Essington, by Dr. Sibbald, R.N., is as peculiar for the +brightness and beauty of its colour, the male being nearly as bright an +orange as the Cock of the rock (RUPICOLA) of South America. + +THE ORANGE HORSE-SHOE BAT, (RHINOLOPHUS AURANTIUS.) t. 1. f. 1.--Ears +moderate, naked, rather pointed at the end; nose-leaf large, central +process small, scarcely lobed, blunt at the top; fur elongate, soft, +bright orange, the hairs of the back with short brown tips, of the under +side rather paler, of the face rather darker; female pale yellow, with +brown tips to the hair of the upper parts. + +Inhab. Port Essington, near the Hospital, Dr. Sibbald, R.N. + +The membranes are brown, nakedish; the tail is rather produced beyond the +membrane at the tip; the feet are small, and quite free from the wings. + + + Male. Female. +The length of the body and head 1.10 1.10 +The length of the fore-arm bone 1.11 1.10 +The length of the shin-bone 8 8 +The length of the ankle and foot 4 4 + + +II. In Captain Grey's Travels in Western Australia I gave a list of the +different species of Reptiles and Amphibia found in Australia. Since that +period the British Museum has received from the different travellers +various other species from that country. The lizards have been described +in the catalogue of the Museum collection, recently published, and are +being figured in the zoology of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror. Two of the most +interesting specimens lately received, belong to a new genus of frogs +which appear to be peculiar to Australia, which I shall now proceed to +describe:-- + +GENUS PERIALIA. FAM. RANIDAE.--Tongue nearly circular, entire; palate +concave, with two groups of palatine teeth between the orifices of the +internal nostrils; jaw toothed; head smooth, high on the side; mouth +large; eyes convex, swollen above, tympanum scarcely visible; back rather +convex, high on the sides; skin smooth, not porous; limbs rather short; +toes 4.5, tapering to a point, nearly free, the palms with roundish +tubercles beneath; the fourth hind toe elongate, the rest rather short; +the ankle with an oblong, compressed, horny, sharp-edged tubercle on the +inner side at the base of the inner toe; the male with an internal vocal +sac under the throat. + +This genus agrees with SCIAPHOS, PYXICEPHALUS, and PELOLATES, in having a +large, sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of the ankle, but it +differs from them at first sight, by the head and body being compressed +and high, the mouth very large, and the eyes convex on the side of the +forehead. + +PERIALIA EYREI, t. 2. f. 3.--Olive, sides of the face, and body blackish +brown; face varies with white streak; the sides of body marbled with +unequal white spots; limbs brown and white marbled; under side of the +body whitish. + +Inhab. Australia, on the banks of the river Murray. + +PERIALIA? ORNATA, t. 2. f. 2.--Pale grey, back and sides, marbled with +symmetrical dark-edged spots, those of the middle of the back being +generally confluent, of the face elongate, band-like; the legs +dark-banded, beneath white. + +Inhab. Port Essington. + +Somewhat like DISCOGLOSUS PICTUS in appearance. The internal nostrils are +far apart, with an elongate group of palatine teeth level with their +hinder edges. + +Taking advantage of the space of the plate, figures of the following +species from the same country, which have not hitherto been illustrated +have been added. They were described or noticed in the list before +referred to. + +1. Cystignathus dorsalis, t. 1. f. 2. GRAY, ANN. NAT. HIST. 1841. + +2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. f. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. viii. 725. +Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57. + +III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species of +cray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the natives +UKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci in +the British Museum collection, which have been received at various times +from Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it. + +As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been described +or figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, I +shall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures of +their more characteristic features. + +The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearly +resembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times larger +than any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and the +figure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front of +the head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australian +species described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUS +AUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about two +inches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is said +not to be taken from a large specimen. It differs from Mr. Milne Edwards' +figures, in having only one spine on the wrist, so that probably there +are still two more species of the genus to be found in Australia. + +Mr. Eyre in his notes states--"The Fresh water cray-fish, of the smaller +variety; native names, cu-kod-ko, or koon-go-la, is found in the alluvial +flats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subject +to a periodical flooding by the river; it burrows deep below the +surface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, and +remains dormant, until the next flooding recals it to the surface; +at first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and gets +plump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousands +are procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundreds +of natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for many +weeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not recur +every year, and in this case the eu-kod-ko lie dormant until the next, +and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I have +often seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by the men +engaged in digging ditches for irrigation. The floods usually overflow +the river flats in August or September, and recede again in February or +March. For further particulars respecting the modes of catching the +eu-kod-kos, vide vol. ii. pages 252 and 267." + +"I have spoken of this cray-fish as the SMALLER variety as respects the +Murray. It is LARGER than the one found in the ponds of the river Torrens +at Adelaide; but in the river Murray one is procured of a size ranging to +4 1/2 lbs., and which is QUITE EQUAL in flavour to the FINEST lobster." + +These latter have not yet been received in any of our collections, so +that we are unable to state how it differs from those now described: they +must be the giants of the genus. + +1. The Van Diemen's Land Cray-fish. ASTACUS FRANKLINII, t. 3. f. +1.--Carapace convex on the sides, rather rugose on the sides behind, the +front only slightly produced and edged with a toothed raised margin not +reaching beyond the front edge of the lower orbit, and with a very short +ridge at the middle of each orbit behind; the hands compressed, rather +rugose, edge thick and toothed: wrist with four or five conical spines on +the inner side, the front the largest: the central caudal lobe, broad, +continuous, calcareous to the tip, lateral lobes, with a very slight +central keel; the sides of the second abdominal rings spinose. + +Inhab. Van Diemen's Land. + +Mr. Milne Edwards, (Archives du Museum, ii. 35. t. 3.) has recently +described a species of this genus from Madagascar, under the name of A. +MADAGASCARIENSIS, which is nearly allied to the Van Diemen's Land +species, in the shortness of the frontal process, the spines on the sides +of the second abdominal segment, and in the lobes of the tail; but it +differs from it in the length of the claws, and other particulars. +Madagascar appears to be the tropical confines of the genus. + +2. The Western Australia Cray-fish. ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, t. 3. f. +3.--Carapace smooth, rather convex, and with three keels above; the beak, +longly produced, ending in a spine, simple on the side and produced into +a keel on each side behind; the central caudal lobe rather narrow, +indistinctly divided in half, and like the other lobes flexile at the +end, the lateral lobes with a central keel ending a slight spine; the +hands elongated, compressed, smooth, with a thickened, toothed, inner +margin, which is ciliated above; wrist with two conical spines on the +inner side. + +Inhab. Western Australia, near Swan River. + +3. The Port Essington Cray-fish. ASTACUS BICARINATUS, t. 3.f. +2.--Carapace smooth, rather flattened, with a keel on each side above in +front; the beak longly produced, flattened, three toothed at the top; +hands rather compressed, smooth, thinner and slightly toothed on the +inner edge; the wrist triangular, angularly produced in front; the +central caudal lobes with two slightly diverging keels continued, and +like the others thin and flexible at the end, the inner lateral lobes +with two keels, each ending with a spine. + +Inhab. Port Essington, Mr. Gilbert. + +The A. AUSTRALASIENSIS, Milne Edwards, Crust ii. 332. t. 24. f. 1--5. +agrees with this species in the form of the beak, but the keels on the +thorax are not noticed either in the description or in the figure; and +the caudal lobes in the figure appear most to resemble A. FRANKLINII. + +As the genus ASTACUS is now becoming more numerous in species, it may be +divided, with advantage, into three sections, according to the form of +the caudal lobes; thus:-- + +A. The central caudal lobes divided by a transverse suture into two +parts, both being hard and calcareous, and with a small spine at the +outer angle of the suture (PATAMOBIUS, LEACH) as A. FLUVIATILIS of +Europe, and A. AFFINIS of North America, with an elongated rostrum, and +A. BARTONII of North America, with a short rostrum. + +B. The central caudal lobe continued hard and calcareous to the end, as +ASTACUS FRANKLINII of Van Diemen's Land, and A. MADAGASCARIENSIS of +Madagascar; both have a very short beak, and the second abdominal ring +spinose. + +C. The central caudal lobe continued or only slightly divided on the +middle of each side; but it and all the lateral lobes are thin and +flexible at the hinder parts, as ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, and A. +BICARINATUS of Australia, and A. CHILIENSIS of Chili. + + + +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, +FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, +BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY-GENERAL NEILL, + +IN A LETTER TO J. E. GRAY, ESQ. BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON. + +* * * * * + +"Sir,--Although in the course of my life, I have had little opportunity +to pay attention to the study of Ichthyology, it occurred to me, as now +and then a leisure moment was afforded from official duties, that it +would perhaps be useful, as well as amusing, to collect and make drawings +of the fish about King George's Sound; and I have been in a great degree +stimulated to do so, from an accidental visit of my friend, His +Excellency Captain Grey, Governor of South Australia, who advised me to +forward the drawings to you for the purpose of being placed with others +of a similar kind in the British Museum, where ultimately sufficient +material may be collected to give some account of the New Holland fish. + +"Nothing is assumed as to the execution of the drawings; in fact it often +occurred when I set off in my little skiff, (especially in the outset) +that seven or eight species were procured in the course of the excursion, +which compelled me to make drawings of all when I came home tired in the +evening; forwarding them to ensure, as far as possible, their colours +before they became extinct--a sort of forced effort in respect to the +execution has, therefore, only been effected. The outline of nearly every +specimen was taken from ACTUAL PROFILE, by laying the fish upon the +paper--in this way I defied error in outline--of course, afterwards +carefully drawing and correcting various parts which required it, in a +free or rough manner, time not admitting of much pains. + +"In naming the fish, I have merely attempted to give the aboriginal and +popular names known to the sealers and settlers. In obtaining the former, +no little difficulty has been experienced. The younger natives generally +giving different names to those of the elder; but finding the fish named +by the latter more descriptive, I have, of course, in most instances, +adopted them. + +"For instance, No. 1, KOJETUCK means the fish with the bones; which is +very descriptive, from Koje the bones, [Note 28: This was noticed by +Governor Grey.] having very singular bones placed vertically in the neck, +connecting the dorsal spines to the back, resembling small tobacco pipes. + +"Also the KYNARNOCH, No 13, the bearded, etc. In many other instances the +savages of this province are equally clear in naming their animals; and +it is curious, even this applies to their children, who commonly receive +their name from some extraordinary circumstance at, or about the time of +their birth. I find, also, the old men are more minute in SPECIES; the +younger often call very different fish by the same name, as the MEMON, +Nos. 17, and 43, etc. but as this is curious, merely for the sake of fact, +it is otherwise of little importance to the naturalist,--the native name +being only useful to enable the collector to obtain any particular +species hereafter. As regards the fidelity of the drawings, it may be +worth while to mention a singular mistake made by my friend +TOOLEGETWALEE; one of the oldest and most friendly savages we have of the +King George tribe; who, in looking over my collection to assist me in +naming them, observed that the drawings were a little raised off the +paper; and like a monkey, began to touch them with his long talons; of +course I flew to their rescue, and asked what he meant? + +"'INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!' which literally +means--'Ah! I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!' From want of +paper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand, +cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; which +circumstance gave rise to the poor savage's mistake, and it was not until +I actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he was +in error--a compliment I could hardly help smiling at. I have only to add +in conclusion, that no attempt has been made at ARRANGEMENT, having drawn +and numbered the fish as they were caught. Most have been taken by my own +hook; some by the native's spear, and some by the seine net. + +"The natural SCALE of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and when +remarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considered +a more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, in +objects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be depended +on. + +"A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number to +that on the drawing, is also added. + +"The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still more +agreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge of +the subject. + +"I remain, Sir, +"Your most obedient servant, +"J. NEILL. +"Albany, King George's Sound, +"Western Australia." + + +On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referred +the part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson of +Haslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindly +arranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as he +was able, the modern scientific names. I have done the same to the +Reptiles myself. I have retained the original numbers as they refer to +the drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of the +British Museum.--J. E. GRAY. + +* * * * * + +REPTILES. + +Fam. Lialisidae. +LIALIS BURTONII. Native name KERRY-GURA. Considered by the natives as +harmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken is +sometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided and +rounded. + +LIALIS BICATENATA. Native name WILLIAM LUNGER. Tongue not forked, broad, +and rounded off at the point. Not poisonous or at all dreaded by the +natives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equal +marks; has a lappel on each side of the vent. + +Killed 10th of October, 1841. + + + FAM. COLUBRIDAE. + +NAJA,--? Native name TORN-OCK or TOOKYTE. Colour dirty olive over the +whole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat down +to the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears as +if faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those of +the NOON; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and rather +blunt; scuta, 223. + +Although the natives assert, if a person is bitten by this make, and +"gets down," i.e. lays in bed three days, he will recover, yet I am very +doubtful of this account, more particularly from the women differing from +the men, as well as the whole subject being hidden in superstition. +Another ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in Van +Diemen's Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very similar to +this; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes after the bite, although +the piece was almost instantaneously cut out. + +The women of King George's Sound declare the bite of the Torn-ock mortal; +but the men laugh at that, and maintain the three days' "couple," (sleep) +will restore the patients. + +The specimen was 4 ft. 9 in. long, but they have been seen 6 or 7 feet +long. This is a favourite food of the natives of King George's Sound. + +COLUBER? Native name BARDICK. Dirty olive green over the whole back; +belly dirty white; scuta 130. + +The natives state that the bite produces great swelling of the part for a +day or two, and goes off. + +Never grows above 14 or 15 inches long. Caught October 1841. + +COLUBER. Native name TORKITE or TORKYTE. Back, from the point of the tail +to the point of the nose, dark sepia brown; under the head yellow; and +towards the middle of the belly orange; scales minute; scuta 140; tongue +forked; teeth very minute; no fangs observable. Caught August 30th, 1844. + +Not at all dreaded by the natives; venomous, but not deadly, the bite +merely producing a bad ulcer for a day or two. + +ELAPS MELANOCEPHALUS. Native name WERR. Dirty olive green on the back, +from the neck to the tail; scuta 147, dirty reddish orange; head black +from the nose to neck; sides of the head white; tongue forked. + +Doubtful if poisonous; little dreaded by the natives. Killed October +12th, 1845. + +ELAPS. Native name NORN or NORNE. Whole body covered with spear shaped +scales; head shining black; the ground colours of the back rich umber, +almost black; scuta 161, of a dirty red orange; fangs two on each side of +the upper jaw near the lios, small, and bent inwards; tongue forked + +This is the most fatal of the New Holland snakes; the animal bitten +seldom recovers. The Aborigines have a great dread of this reptile; they +however eat of it if they kill it themselves, but there is a superstition +amongst them about snakes, which prevents their eating them if killed by +a European. + +The specimen I figured was a small one, 3 ft. 9 in. long; they are often +seen by the natives much larger. I have endeavoured to represent it as it +generally sleeps or lies in wait for its prey, small birds, frogs, +lizards, etc. It delights in swamps and marshes. + +Killed October, 1844. + + + FAM. BOIDAE + +PYTHON. Native name WAKEL or WA-A-KEL. This snake is considered by the +natives a great delicacy, and by their account resembles mutton in +flavour, being also remarkably fat. I requested them to let me taste the +specimen from which the drawing was made; but they devoured every atom +themselves, pretending they did not understand me. The WAKEL differs from +the NORN in its habits; although both ascend trees in pursuit of small +birds and the young of the opossums. The WAKEL delights in rocky, dry +places, near salt water; they are very sluggish, and easily caught by the +women, who seize them behind the head and wring their necks. They are +described to have been seen 9 or 10 feet long. My specimen, a young male, +was exactly 5 feet long. The scales of this species are firmly fixed to +the skin, in plates all over the back and belly. The colour is beautiful, +dark greenish brown, finely variegated with yellowish white spots. + +It was killed by Paddy, a native constable, near Albany, October, 1841. + +* * * * * + +FISHES. + + + GOBIIDAE. + +No. 58.--PATOECUS FRONTO. Rich. Ann. Nat. Hist. Oct. 1844, vol. xiv.p. +280, Ichth. Ereb. and Terr. p. 20, pl. 13, f. 1, 2. + +Native name KARRACK. Colour, a rich dragon's blood, or mahogany; found by +a Danish boatman, named Byornsan, 80 miles off the east coast from King +George's Sound, December 11th, 1841. Anal rays imperfectly counted, and +there is a typographical error in the Zool. of Ereb. and Terr. The true +numbers of the rays follow: B. 6; D. 24-16; A. 11-5; C. 10; P. 8. + + + TRIGLIDAE. + +No. 53.--SCORPOENA, or SEBASTES.--Native name, TYLYUCK, or TELUCK +(BIG-HEAD). "Rays, D. 12, 1-8; A. 3-5; P. 21; V. 1-5." + +Uncommon. Inhabits rocky shores. Flesh firm and well-flavoured. Caught by +hook, 16th Aug. 1841. + +No. 34.--SEBASTES?--Native name, CUMBEUK. + +A common inhabitant of rocky shores. Good eating. The specimen was +speared by Munglewert, 17th May, 1841. "Rays, D. 14-17; A. 3-8; P. 14; V. +1-5." + +No. 14.--APISTES. Apparently scaleless, and without free pectoral rays. +Does not correspond well with A. MARMORATUS. "Rays, D. 12," etc. Caught by +Seine, 18th March, 1841. + +The fishermen dread wounds made by the species of this fish, as they +always fester. + +Native name BOORA-POKEY, or POKY. SERGEANT of the settlers. + +No. 36.--PLATYCEPHALUS.--Native name CUMBEL. Common Flat-head of the +settlers. Seems to differ from described species in the two dark bars of +the tail, being directly transverse, and followed by five large dark +purple round spots. + +Inhabits sandy shores very commonly, all round the coast of New Holland. +A variety occurs at Maria Island, Van Diemen's Land. Caught by hook, 15th +May, 1841. Good eating. + + + MULLIDAE. + +No. 13.--UPENEUS.--Native name, MINAME, or KGNARNUCK (the bearded); "Red +mullet" of the settlers. + + + PERCIDAE. + +No. 46.--ENOPLOSUS ARMATUS. Cuv. et Val. 2, p. 133, pl. 20.--Native name, +KARLOCK. Speared by a native, June 1841. Inhabits rocky shores. + + + BERYCIDAE. + +No. 2.--BERYX LINEATUS, C. and V. 3, p. 226.--Native name, CHETONG. Red +Snapper, or Tide-fisher of the sealers. Very common in the bays of rocky +shores. "Rays, D. 5-14; A. 4-13; P. 12; V. 1-7." + + + SPHYRAENIDAE. + +No. 59.--SPHYROENA.--Native name, KORDONG. "Rays, D. 5, 1-9; A. 11; P. +13; V. 1-5." + +The "Common Baracoota" is found off the whole coast of New Holland, but +the KORDONG seems to be peculiar to Western Australia. It comes into the +shallow bays in summer; and being a sluggish fish, is easily speared by +the natives, who esteem it to be excellent food. It will lay for a minute +looking with indifference at its enemy, while he poises the fatal and +unerring spear. Specimen caught in a net, December, 1841. + + + SILLAGINIDAE. + +No. 25.--SILLAGO.--Native name, MURDAR. "Rock whiting" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 10-23; A. 18; P. 13; A. 5." + +Inhabits rocky shores and deep water. Caught by the seine, 3rd April, +1841. Good eating. + +No. 11.--SILLAGO PUNCTATA, C. et V 3, P. 413.--Native name MURDAR. +"Common whiting" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 12, 1-26; A. 22; P. 11; V. +5." + +Inhabits shallow sandy bays abundantly, and is much admired for the +delicacy of its flesh, but it is dryer eating than the whiting of Europe. + + + SCIAENIDAE. + +No. 55.--CORVINA?--Native name T'CHARK or T'CHYARK. King-fish of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 9--1-27; A. 1-7; P. 15; V. 1-5." + +Teeth strong and sharp. Grows to a great size; as I am informed by the +natives, that they often spear individuals weighing sixty or seventy +pounds. This fish enters the fresh-water periodically, like the Salmon of +Europe, to spawn, and it is the only fish in this country which I have +distinctly made out to do so. It is tolerably good eating. The specimen +was caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour by a hook, on the 30th August, +1841. (This may be the adult of the CORVINA KUHLII of the HISTOIRE DES +POISSONS, 5. p. 121.) + + + SERRANIDAE. + +No. 19.--CENTROPRISTES TRUTTA. SCIAENA TRUTTA, G. Foster, Icon. 210. +(vide Ichth. of Ereb. and Terror, p. 30.)--Native name KING-NURRIE, or +IINAGUR. "Salmon" of the sealers. Pectorals yellow or orange coloured, +with dark bases; scales faintly fan-streaked; last rays of dorsal and +anal elongated. Faint oblong, orange-coloured spots on the sides, not in +vertical rows. "Rays, D. 9-16; A. 2-10; P. 16." Eye remarkably brilliant. +Good eating in the summer time, but far inferior to the SALMO SALAR. It +congregates in vast shoals, and pursues the fry of other fishes in +shallow bays, but never enters fresh-water. It is often taken of from +seven to ten pounds weight. It affords excellent sport to the angler. The +specimen was caught by the hook from my own door on the 4th May, 1841. + +No. 3.--CENTROPRISTES (CIRRIPIS) GEORGIANUS. C. et V. 7. p. 451. Jenyn's +Zool. of Beagle, p. 13.--Native name WARRAGUIT. "Herring" of the +settlers. Rays, D. 9-14; A. 3-10; etc. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is taken in the summer, by net on sandy +beaches. Specimen caught by the hook, on the 27th March, 1841. + +No. 23.--SERRANUS? vel CAPRODON (Schlegel.) aut PLECTROPOMA.--Native name +TANG or TAA (It bites.) The "Perch" of the Sealers. "Rays, D. 10-24; A. +2-9; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +Eye fine crimson: pupil deep blue-black. Tail slightly rounded. +Remarkably strong canines, from which peculiarity it has obtained its +native name of TAA, as it bites severely when taken, if the fisher be not +on the alert. It is good to eat, but is not common. Caught by the hook on +9th of April, 1841. + +No. 4.--PLECTROPOMA NIGRO-RUBRUM. C. et V. 2. p. 403.--Native name +BUNDEL. "Crab-eyed soldier" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-17; A. 3-9." + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is not common. Specimen caught by the hook, on +the 4th April, 1841. Good eating. + +No. 21.--HELOTES?--Native names, BOORA, BOWRU, also CHARLUP. The "Pokey," +or "small Trumpeter" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 11--1-11; A. 2-11; etc." + +Inhabits rocky places. Good to eat. Caught by the seine, on the 3rd +March, 1841. + + + CIRRHITIDAE. + +No. 24.--CHEILODACTYLUS GIBBOSUS. Solander. Icon. Ined. Banks. No. +23.--Richardson Zool. Trans. 3, p. 102.--Native name KNELOCK (not +certain). + +Inhabits sandy beaches; is little known to the sealers. Caught in a net, +3rd March, 1841. + +No. 39. CHEILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS.--C. et V. 5. p. 362.--Native name +CHETTANG. "Jew-fish" of the sealers (the name "Jew-fish" is applied +otherwise by the colonists). + +Inhabits rocky shores. Some specimens weigh upwards of sixteen pounds. +Caught by hook, 17th May, 1841. + +No. 42.--CHEILODACTYLUS. Native name TOORJENONG. "Black Jew-fish" of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 16-26; A. 2-10; P. 13; V. 5." + +Inhabits rocky points of sandy bays, where they love to run in and root +up the sand with their fleshy mouths. They are sluggish, and easily +speared by the Aborigines, whose chief food it constitutes at certain +seasons. The specimen was speared in my presence by Wallup, on the 8th of +June, 1841. The TOORJENONG grows to a large size, exceeding twenty pounds +in weight. It is a gross feeder, and its flesh is hard and dry, but the +head and sides are much prized by the natives, and the head of a large +one makes tolerable soup. + +No. 45.--LATRIS? (vix. GERRES?)--Native name QUIKE or QUIK, (horned). +"Rays, 9-16; A. 3-16; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +Caught by the hook, off Rocky Point, on the 17th of August, 1844. Good to +eat. (A spine before each nostril, probably springing from the heads of +the maxillaries). + + + SPARIDAE. + +No. 1.--PAGRUS GUTTULATUS. C. et V. 6, p. 160.--Native name KOJETUCK. +"Common Snapper" of the sealers, "Rays, D. 12-9; A. 3-8; P. 1-5." + +The Snapper grows to a large size, attaining from thirty to forty pounds +weight, and is very voracious. It devours crabs and shell fish, crushing +them with its strong teeth. It is common on all the rocky inlets of the +coast of New Holland, extending down the eastern shores to Sidney. + + +CHAETODONTIDAE. + +No. 41.--CHAETODON SEXFASCIUTUS. Richardson Ann. of Nat. Hist.--Native +name KNELOCK. + +Inhabits rocky places. Not common. + +No. 40.--CHAETODON.--Native name MITCHEBULLER or METYEBULLAR. Teeth very +minute. + +Inhabits rocky places. Speared by Warrawar, on the 27th of May, 1841. + +No. 27.2.--CHAETODON.--Native name WAMEL or WAMLE. "Rays, D. 10-20; A. +3-17." + +No. 6.--PLATAX?--Native names, TEUTUEK or KARLOCK, from the shape of the +fins, also MUDEUR. "Striped sweep" of the sealers, and Pomfret of the +settlers. D. 10; A. 2. Teeth small. Very common on rocky shores. Is a +gross feeder; but good to eat. Caught by a hook on the 12th of March, +1841. + +No. 8--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS?--Native names, KGNMMUL or KARRAWAY. +The striped zebra fish of the settlers. "Rays, D. 14-12; A. 3 11; V. +1-5." Mouth, small; tail rather concave. + +Inhabits rocky shores, is a gross feeder, bad eating, and is not common. +Caught by the hook on the 6th of April 1841. + +No. 10.--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS? Schlegel.--Native names, KOWELANY, +KARRAWAY, or MEMON. Tail a little forked. "Rays, D. 14-13; A.3-11; P. 17; +V. 1-5." Eye, grey. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is not very common. Caught by a hook, on the +6th of April, 1841. + +No. 17.--MELANICHTHYS.--Native name MEMON or MUDDIER. "Rays, D. 14-13; A. +3-11; P. 17; V. 1-5." + +Eye greyish yellow; teeth in a trenchant series on the edge of the upper +and lower jaw, and also on the maxillaries. Is a gross feeder, and its +flesh has a strong disagreeable smell, but is much relished by the +Aborigines. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is rare. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 33. Genus unknown.--Native name, TOOBETOET or TOOBITOO-IT. Rays, D. +17-11; A. 11; P. 11; V. 4. + +Is a rare inhabitant of rocky places. Speared by Mooriane, 14th of May, +1841. This seems to be a new generic form, nearly allied to HOPLEGNATHUS, +Richardson; or SCARODON, Schlegel. + +No. 43.--SCORPIS?--Native name, MEMON or MEEMON. "Sweep" of the sealers. +"Rays, D.; A. 1." Teeth minute. It is a gross feeder and poor eating. +Very common on rocky shores. Being a bold voracious fish, it is easily +speared or taken with a hook. The Aborigines generally select a rock +which jutts out into the sea, and sitting on their hams, beat crabs into +fragments with a little stone, and throw them into the sea to attract +this fish. The instant a fish comes to feed on the bait, the native, +whose spear is ready, suddenly darts it, and rarely fails in bringing up +the fish on its barbed point. Specimen caught by the hook, 15th of June, +1841. + +No. 44.--KURTUS?--Native name, TELYUA, or TELLYA, "Rays, D. 13; A. 2-19; +V.5." + +Thrown up on Albany beach, 14th of August, 1841. + + + PLATESSIDEAE. + +No. 50.--PLATESSA? vel. HIPPOGLOSSUS? CHUNDELA.--Native name, CHONDELAR, +or CHUNDELA. The "Spotted sole" of the settlers. Very common in all the +shallow bays in the summer time, where it may be taken by the seine. The +natives detect it when its body is buried in the sand, by the glistening +of its eyes, and spear it. When fishing with the torch, in the night +time, the natives feel for this fish with their naked feet. Specimen +caught by seine, August, 1841. This fish is delicate eating. + + + SCOMBERIDAE. + +No. 32.--CARANX MICANS, Solander, Icon. Parkinson, Bib. Banks, No. +89.--Native name, MADAWICK, "Skip-jack" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 8-28; +A. 2-23; P. 15." Very common in shallow sandy bays, and forming the +staple food of the natives, who assemble in fine calm days, and drive +shoals of this fish into weirs that they have constructed of shrubs and +branches of trees. Specimen caught by hook on the 12th of May, 1841. + +No. 16.--TRACHURUS LUTESCENS. Solander (SCOMBER) Pisees Austr. p. 38. +Richard. Ann. Nat. Hist. x. p. 14.--Native name, WARAWITE and +MADIWICK. "Yellow tail" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 6; A. 2." Eye very +large. + +Inhabits the edges of sandy banks. Good eating. Caught by hook 5th of +March, 1841. + + + MUGILIDAE. + +No. 29. MUGIL vel. DAJAUS DIEMENSIS. Richardson, Ichth. of the Erebus and +Terror, p. 37, pl. 26, f. 1.--Native name, KNAMLER or KNAMALER. "Common +mullet" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 4-9; A. 1-13." + +Frequents shores with sandy beaches, and forms a principal article of +food to the native youths, who are continually practising throwing their +spears at this fish. It is very common, and is good eating. Caught by the +seine, 12th April, 1841. + +No. 57.--MUGIL.--Native name, MERRONG, or MIRRONG. "The flut-nosed mullet" +of the settlers. + +This is the finest fish of New Holland that I am acquainted with. In +Wilson's Inlet, about forty miles west of King George's Sound, it abounds +in the winter months; and the different tribes, from all parts of the +coast, assemble there, by invitation of the proprietors of the ground, +(the MURRYMIN,) who make great feasts on the occasion. The fish attains a +weight of three and a-half pounds, and a fat one yields about three +quarters of a pound of oil, which the natives use for greasing their +heads and persons. This fish runs up the rivers during the floods, and so +becomes very fat. In summer it retires to the ocean. Caught in September, +1841. + + + LABRIDAE. + +No. 47.--LABRUS LATICLAVIUS. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 139.--Native +name, KANUP, or PARILL, (Green-fish.) + +Is a rare inhabitant of rocky shores. Caught by hook, 17th August, 1841. +Poor eating. + +No. 20.--LABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICK, KIELMICK, or KIELNMICK. +"Rock-cod" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 22; A. 14." + +Tail square. Very common on rocky coasts. Soft, indifferent eating. +Caught by the hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 9.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL. "Common rock-fish of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-11; A. 2-11, etc." + +Mouth furnished with small sharp teeth. Caught by hook, 12th March, 1841. + +No. 37.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL, KUHOUL, or BOMBURN. "Black +rock-fish" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-11; A. 3-10 seconds, etc." + +Inhabits rocky shores, and grows to the size of fifteen or twenty pounds +weight. Poor, soft eating. Speared by Warrawar, 12th May, 1841. + +No. 7.--LABRUS?--Native name, POKONG. "Brown rock-fish" of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-12; A. 3-10," etc. + +Flesh soft and poor. Inhabitants rocky shores; very common. Caught by +hook, 12th March, 1841. + +No. 18.--CRENILABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICH, MINAME, or MINAMEN. Common +"rock-fish" or "Parrot" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 8-11; A. 2-10," etc. + +Poor and soft. Inhabits bold rocky shores, where it is troublesome to the +fisher by carrying off his bait. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 12.--LABRUS?--Native name IANON'T, WOROGUT, or CUMBEAK. "Rays, D. 30; +A. 12." Tail rounded, teeth very small. + +Inhabits weedy places in deep water, and along sandy bays. Sometimes +taken by the natives on the edge of banks. Excellent eating. Caught by +hook, 18th March, 1841. + +No. 30.--COSSYPHUS? CRENILABRUS?--Native name MOOLET or CHETON. +"Red rock-fish" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 11-10; A. 3-11; P. 15." +etc.--Teeth very strong; tail rounded; its rays oblong. + +Inhabits rocky shores. Bites eagerly, and is a gross feeder. Indifferent +eating. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + +No. 35.------? Genus not ascertained.--Native name KOOGENUCK, QUEJUIMUCK, +or KNOWL. Little known to the sealers. "Rays, 11-12; A. 2 or 3; P. 16 or +18." Dorsal spines remarkable; scales large; grows to a large size; the +flank scales of one weighing twenty-eight pounds, measure an inch and a +half in length, and an inch and a quarter in breadth. (They are +cycloid.--J. R.) + +Inhabits rocky shores. The specimen was speared by Warrawar, 12th May, +1841. + + + CYPRINIDAE. + +No. 5.--RYNCHANA GREYI. Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Erebus and Terror, +p. 44 pl. 29. f. 1. 6.--Native name, PINING or WAUNUGUR, not certain. Not +known to the sealers. Pupil like that of the shark elliptical, with the +long axis vertical. + +When the skin was removed the flesh was very fat, resembling that of the +eel, had an unpleasant smell, and could not be eaten. The natives also +were averse to eating it, and only one man acknowledged to have seen it +before. Caught by seine, by Corporal Emms of the 51st regiment, 7th +April, 1841. (This fish is also an inhabitant of Queen Charlotte's Sound, +New Zealand.--J. R.) + + + SALMONIDAE. + +No. 48.--AULOPUS PURPURISSATUS. Richardson, Icones Piscium, p. 6, pl. 2, +f. 3.--Native name, KARDAR. "Rays, D. 19; A. 14; V. 9; P. 10." + +Very rare. Caught by hook, on a rocky shore, by Mr. Sholl of Albany, 14th +July, 1841. (Mr. Niell's figure differs slightly from that of Lieutenant +Emery, published in the ICONES PISCIUM above quoted, and chiefly in the +dorsal occupying rather more space, by commencing before the ventrals, +and extending back to opposite the beginning of the anal. The anus is +under the fourteenth dorsal ray. Mr. Niell's drawing also shews a series +of six large roseate spots on the sides below the lateral line, and a +more depressed head, with a prominent arch at the orbit.--J. R.) + + + ESOCIDAE. + +No. 22.--HEMIRAMPHUS.--Native name, IIMEN. "Guardfish" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 16, delicate black rays; A. 15, do; P. 12; V. 6." Lower jaw +equal to the head in length. Caught by the seine, 3rd March, 1841. + +Inhabits sandy bays, but approaches the shore only in summer. It is very +delicate eating. + + + MURAENIDAE. + +No. 52.--MURAENA? vel SPHAGEBRANCHUS.--Native name KALET. The eel figure, +nat. size. Dorsal fin continuous for about three and a half inches behind +the snout to the point of the tail: its rays very delicate; anal like the +dorsal, but commencing behind the vent. One small lobe in the gills, +about the size of a pin's head; no other perceptible opening. + +Caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour, 16th August, 1841. + + +LOPHOBRANCHI. + +No. 56.--OSTRACIAN FLAVIGASTER, Gray. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 164, +p. 11, f. 1.--Native name, CONDE or KOODE. "Rays, D. 10; A. 9; P. 11, +etc." + +This fish is not eaten by the natives, who abhor it. It is seen only in +the summer, and in shallow sandy bays, Caught in a net in October, 1841. + +No 51.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, TABADUCK. Rays, D. 28; A. 26; P. 12; +C. 12. + +Very rare, scarcely ever seen by the Aborigines. Caught by hook, August, +1841. + +No. 49.--MONACANTHUS.--Not known to the Aborigines. Rays, D. 32; A. 30; +C. 12; P. 11. Eye yellow; dorsal spine short. + +Taken in deep water by Mr. Johnson, off the Commissariat stores, near a +sunken rock, in deep water. + +No. 15.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, CAUDIEY. "Small leather-jacket" of +the sealers. + +Inhabits deep water, with a rocky bottom; is good to eat. Caught by a +net, 18th March, 1841. Dorsal spine toothed behind. + +No. 31.--MONACANTHUS, or (ALEUTERES, no spinous point of the pelvis +visible in figure.--J. R.)--Native name, TABEDUCK. The "yellow +leather-jacket" of the sealers. Dorsal spine toothed. D. 33; A. 32; P. +13. Caudal rounded, its rays very strong. + +Inhabits deep water in rocky places, and is very common. It is esteemed +for food by the Aborigines; is much infested by an Isopode named NETTONG, +or TOORT, by the natives. This insect inserts its whole body into a +pocket by the side of the anus, separated from the gut by a thin +membrane. The fish to which the insect adheres are yellow; those which +are free from it are of a beautiful purple colour. Caught by hook, 12th +May, 1841. + + + CARCHARIDAE. + +No. 54.--CARCHARIAS (PRIONODON) MELANOPTERUS, Muller and Henle.--Native +name, MATCHET. "Common blue shark" of the settlers. Specimen four feet +and a half long; have been seen longer. A female had four young alive +when taken. Spiracles behind the eyes. Caught by hook, 16th August, 1841. + +No. 26--CESTRACION PHILIPPI, Mull. and Henle.--Native names, MATCHET, +KORLUCK, or QUORLUCK. "Bull-dog-shark" of the sealers. Specimen two feet +and a half long. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is very sluggish; it does not grow to a very +large size. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + + + TRYGONES. + +No. 38.--UROLOPHUS.--Native name, KEGETUCK or BEBIL. "Young sting-ray" of +the sealers. Caught by seine, 4th May, 1841. + +No. 28.--Near PLATYRHINA.--Native name, PARETT. "Fiddler" of the sealers; +Green skate of the settlers. Eye dullish yellow; pupil sea-green, glaring +in some lights; teeth transverse, like a file; spiracles two, large, +behind the eye, in the same cavity; belly white, terminating at the +caudal fin. + +Very common in the sheltered bays, close in shore among the weeds. Not +eaten by the Aborigines, who greatly abhor them, as they do also the +sting-ray. Specimen two feet nine inches and a half long. + +* * * * * + + + +(D.) DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. +BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S. + + +The four insects here figured and described are, as far as I am aware, +new. Petasida, and Tettigarcta are interesting in the shape of the +Thorax, differing widely from that in any of the allied genera, while the +new species of Eurybrachys and Chrysopa are striking from their colouring +and marks. + + +PETASIDA EPHIPPIGERA, pl. 4. fig. 1. + +Thorax much dilated behind, depressed and rounded at the end; the side +deeply sinuated behind; head pointed, antennae long; of a yellowish +orange; antennae with a few greenish rings, cheek below the eye with a +greenish line, head above with a longitudinal greenish line. Thorax with +a slight keel down the middle, wrinkled behind of a dusky blueish green, +a large patch of an orange colour on each side in front, and a small spot +of the same colour on each edge of the produced part at base; elytra +orange with numerous black spots, and black at the tip, lower wings pale +orange at the base, clouded with black at the tip; abdomen orange, +slightly ringed with green; legs orange, with three greenish spots on the +outside of the femora of hind legs. + +Length 1 inch 9 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +CHRYSOPA MACULIPENNIS, pl. 4. fig. 2. + +Head red, with a black spot on the crown; antennae short brownish black; +thorax hairy; thorax, abdomen, and legs, brownish black. Wings brown, +with iridescent hues, the upper with transverse yellowish lines and spots +at the base; a long yellowish line parallel to the outer edge at the end, +and emitting a whitish spot which reaches the edge, three spots on the +apical portion, the two on the outer edge large; basal half lower wings +pale, some of the areolets yellowish; a few clouded with brown, tip of +the wing yellowish. + +Expanse of wings 1 inch 4 1/2 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +EURYBRACHYS LAETA, pl. 4, fig. 3. + +Head thorax and upper wings of a rich brown colour, the outer edge of the +last is deep black, with a transverse yellowish spot just before the +middle, the remainder of the edge slightly spotted with black, upper side +covered with short blackish hairs; lower wings deep black; abdomen of a +bright red, with a round white tuft on the upper side near the end; first +two pairs of legs of a deep brown, with some reddish lines; hind legs +ferruginous with blackish spines. + +Expanse of wings 7 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +TETTIGARCTA, n. genus, WHITE. Fam. CICADIDAE. + +Head very small in front, blunt; lateral ocelli close to the eyes, space +between them with long hairs. + +Prothorax very large, extending back in a rounded form beyond the base of +hind wings, the sides sharp pointed, the back very convex and wrinkled. + +Body and under parts densely clothed with hair. + +This very singular genus differs from all the Stridulantes in the size +and shape of the prothorax; in the neuration of the elytra it is allied +to PLATYPLEURA (Amyst and Serville) in the size of head and hairiness of +body it approaches CARINETA of the same authors. The Pupa, (fig. 5.) +differs in the form of fore legs from those of the other Cicada. + + +TETTIGARCTA TOMENTOSA, pl. 4, fig. 4, and 5 its pupa. + +Of a brownish ash colour, the hairs on upper part of body short and deep +brown, on the sides and under parts long and grey; prothorax varied with +black, in front, two large patches covered with grey hairs, mixed with +longer; elytra spotted and varied with brown, wings clear, somewhat +ferruginous at the base. + +Expanse of wings 3 inches 4 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + +* * * * * + + + +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S. + + +Lamarck separated the mother-of-pearls shell (MARGARITA) from the +swallow-tail muscles (AVICULA) on account of its more orbicular shape. +Other Conchologists have been inclined to unite them, as some of the +species of AVICULA approach to the shape of the other genus. The new one +just received from Australia, which I am now about to describe, in this +respect more resembles the Margarita than any before noticed; yet I am +inclined to think that the pearl-shells deserved to be kept separate, as +the cardinal teeth are quite obliterated in the adult shells, which is +not the case with any AVICULAE I am acquainted with; and the young +pearl-shells are furnished with a broad serrated distant leafy fringe, +while the AVICULAE are only covered with very closely applied short +concentric slightly raised minutely denticulated lamina, forming an +epidermal coat on the surface. + + +1. AVICULA LATA, pl. 6. f. 1. + +Shell dark brown; half ovate; broad obliquely truncated, and scarcely +notched behind; covered with close regular very thin denticulated +concentric lamina, forming a paler external coat. The front ear rather +produced, with a distant inferior notch; internally pearly, with a broad +brown margin on the lower-edge. + +Inhab. North and West coasts of Australia. + + +2. SPATANGUS ELONGATUS, pl. 6. f. 2. + +Body elongate, cordate, with a deep anterior grove and notch; covered +above with minute hair-like spines, with scattered very elongated tubular +minutely striated spines on the sides; the anterior groves and +circumference of the vent with larger equal hair-like spines on each +side; the under surface with a triangular disk of similar spines beneath +the vent, and with elongated larger tubular spines. + +Inhab. Western Australia. + +Having only a single specimen completely covered with spines, it is +impossible to describe the form of the ambulacra or the disposition of +the tubercles. The lower figures represent the mouth and vent of the +animal in detail. + +* * * * * + + + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS +BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ., F.L.S., etc. + + +THYRIDOPTERYX NIGRESCENS, pl. 5. f. 1. + +Head densely clothed with long whitish hairs; thorax and abdomen with +black hairs; wings hyaline, the nervures and nervules brown, with a few +black scales: base of the anterior and abdominal fold of the posterior +more or less covered with black hairs; antennae and legs fuscous brown. + +Exp. 10--12 lines. + +The larva of this species forms a dwelling for itself, similar in form +and structure to that of its American congener, the EPHEMERAEFORMIS, +Steph. + + +CALLIMORPHA SELENAEA, pl. 5. f. 2. + +Wings of a brilliant silvery white; the anterior traversed by a fulvous +band commencing at the base on the costa, which it follows for about +one-third of its length, then crossing the wings directly to the anal +angle, where it unites with a vitta of the same colour, extending from +the angle nearly to the base along the inner margin; this vitta is +bordered interiorly with thickly placed black dots; the transverse +portion of the fulvous band is bordered on both sides with black, and has +a sinus about the middle; cilia fulvous; posterior wing with a black spot +near the outer angle: below, the wings are white, except the cilia of the +anterior, and a large blotch, red anteriorly, black posteriorly, near the +outer angle; head rufous; antennae fuscous; thorax and abdomen white, the +former with the shoulders rufous. + +Exp. 2 1/2 inches. + + +CHELONIA PALLIDA, pl. 5. f. 3. + +Anterior wings pale brown, with white nervures and nervules, and marked +with several whitish spots, of which four are on the costa, two +longitudinal before, two transverse beyond the middle of the wing, and on +the inner margin are three irregular patches, sometimes confluent, beyond +which is a band parallel with the outer margin, commencing above the +upper median nervule, and terminating on the inner margin; posterior +wings white, with a discoidal spot, a macular band near the outer margin, +and a less distinct marginal one, all brownish; head white; thorax white, +with three black vittae; abdomen above rufous, with six transverse black +spots, the sides varied with black and white; antennae black; femora red; +tibiae and tarsi black. + +Exp. 2 1/4 inches. + + +CHELONIA FUSCINULA, pl. 5. f. 4. + +Anterior wings fuscous, with a pale vitta commencing near the base on the +subcostal nervure, reaching the costa before the middle, and extending +along it to the apex, where it joins a flexuous submarginal band, +connected with a vitta occupying the whole inner margin; beyond the cell +is an abbreviated flexuous striga; followed by a subquadrate dot; +posterior wings pale dull red, with a broad submarginal fuscous band, and +a discoidal spot of the same colour; head and anterior part of thorax +pale, posterior black; abdomen above red, with a black dorsal line; +antennae fuscous; femora red; tibiae and tarsi fuscous. + +Exp. 1 1/4 inch. + + +ACONTIA? PULCHRA, pl. 5. f. 5. + +Wings of a somewhat chalky white, the anterior with three rufous dots on +the costa before the middle, of which the third is the largest, and near +the apex a large brown spot, fulvous towards the costa, clouded with +bluish white, connected with the inner margin by four indistinct yellow +dots; forehead red; head, thorax, and abdomen, white; palpi red at the +apex; feet white first and second pairs spotted with red. + +Exp. 2 inches. + +* * * * * + + + +LIST OF BIRDS, KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, +BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.R.S. + + + ORDER RAPTORES. + +Aquila fucosa, CUV. +Ichthyiaetus leucogaster, GOULD. +Pandion leucocephalus, GOULD. +Haliastur sphenurus. +Falco melanogenys, GOULD. +----- sub-niger, G. R. GRAY. +----- frontatus, GOULD. +Ieracidea Occidentalis, GOULD. +--------- Berigora. +Tinnunculus Cencroides. +Astur approximans, VIG. and HORSF. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Accipiter torquatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Buteo melanosternon, GOULD. +Milvus isurus, GOULD. +------ affinis, GOULD. +Elanus axillaris. +------ scripta, GOULD. +Circus assimilis, JARD. +------ Jardinii, GOULD. +Strix personata, VIG. +----- delicatulis, GOULD. +Athene connivens. +------ Boobook + + + ORDER INSESSORES. + +Hirundo neoxena, GOULD. +Cotyle pyrrhonota. +Acanthylis caudacuta. +Eurostopodus guttatus. +Podargus humeralis, VIG. and HORSF. +Aegotheles Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Merops ornatus, LATH. +Dacelo gigas, BODD. +Halcyon sanctus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- pyrrhopygia, GOULD. +Alcyone azurea. +Falcunculus frontatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Oreoica gutturalis. +Xerophila leucopsis, GOULD. +Colluricincla cinerea, VIG. and HORSF.? +Pachycephala gutturalis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ inornata, GOULD.? +------------ pectoralis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ rufogularis, GOULD. +Artamus sordidus. +------- personatus, GOULD. +Cracticus destructor, TEMM. +Gymnorhina leuconota, GOULD. +Grallina melanoleuca, VIEILL. +Strepera ----------? +Campephaga humeralis, GOULD.? +Graucalus melanops, VIG. and HORSF. +Cinclosoma punctatum, VIG. and HORSF. +---------- castanotus, GOULD. +Malurus cyaneus, VIEILL. +------- melanotus, GOULD. +------- leucopterus, QUOY AND GAIM. +------- Lamberti, VIG. and HORSF. +Stipiturus malachurus, LESS. +Cysticola exilis? +Hylacola pyrrhopygia. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +Acanthiza pusilla, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- uropygialis, GOULD. +--------- inornata, GOULD. +--------- lineata, GOULD. +--------- chrysorrhoea. +Epthianura aurifrons, GOULD. +---------- tricolor, GOULD. +Sericornis frontalis. +Pyrrholaemus brunneus, GOULD. +Calamanthus campestris. +Anthus pallescens, VIG. and HORSF. +Cincloramphus cantillans, GOULD. +Petroica multicolor, SWAINS. +-------- phoenicea, GOULD. +-------- Goodenovii, JARD. AND SELB. +-------- rosea, GOULD. +-------- bicolor, SWAINS. +Drymodes brunneopygia, GOULD. +Zosterops dorsalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Pardalotus punctatus, TEMM. +---------- striatus, TEMM. +Dicaeum hirundinaceum +Estrelda bella. +-------- temporalis. +Amadina Lathami. +------- castanotus, GOULD. +Rhipidura albiscapa, GOULD. +--------- Motacilloides. +Seisura volitans, VIG. and HORSF. +Microeca macroptera, GOULD. +Smicrornis brevirostris, GOULD. +Corvus Coronoides, VIG. and HORSF. +Chlamydera maculata, GOULD. +Corcorax leucopterus, LESS. +Pomatorhinus trivirgatus, Temm. +------------ temporalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Cacatua galerita, Vieill. +------- Leadbeateri. +Licmetis nasicus, Wagl. +Calyptorhynchus Banksii, VIG. and HORSF. +--------------- Leachii +--------------- xanthonotus, GOULD. +Polytelis melanura. +Platycercus Baueri, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Barnardi, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Adelaidiae, GOULD. +----------- flaveolus, GOULD. +Psephotus multicolor. +--------- haematonotus, GOULD. +Melopsittacus undulatus. +Euphema aurantia, GOULD. +------- elegans, GOULD. +Pezoporus formosus. +Trichoglossus Swainsonii, JARD. and SELB. +Trichoglossus concinnus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- pusillus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- porphyrocephalus. +Climacteris scandens, TEMM. +----------- picumnus, TEMM. +Sittella melanocephala, GOULD. +Cuculus inornatus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- cineraceus, VIG. and HORSF. +Chalcites lucidus, VIG. and HORSF. +Meliphaga Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- Australasiana, VIG. and HORSF. +Glyciphila fulvifrons, SWAINS. +---------- albifrons, GOULD. +---------- ocularis, GOULD. +Ptilotis sonora, GOULD. +-------- cratitia, GOULD. +-------- ornata, GOULD. +-------- penicillata, GOULD. +Zanthomyza Phrygia, SWAINS. +Melicophila picata, GOULD. +Acanthogenys rufogularis, GOULD. +Anthochaera carunculata, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- mellivora, VIG. and HORSF. +Acanthorynchus tenuirostris. +Melithreptus gularis, GOULD. +------------ lunulata, VIEILL. +Myzantha garrula, VIG. and HORSF. + + +ORDER RASORES. + +Phaps chalcoptera. +----- elegans. +Ocyphaps Lophotes. +Geopelia cuneata. +Dromeceius Novae-Hollandiae, VIEILL. +Otis Australasianus, GOULD. +OEdicnemus longipes, VIEILL. +Haematopus fuliginosus, GOULD. +---------- longirostris, VIEILL. +Eudromias Australis, GOULD. +Lobivanellus lobatus. +Sarciophorus pectoralis. +Charadrius Virginianus? +Hiaticula monacha. +--------- nigrifrons. +--------- ruficapilla. +Erythrogonys cinctus, GOULD. +Leipoa ocellata, GOULD. +Pedionomus torquatus, GOULD. +Turnix varius. +------ velox, GOULD. +Coturnix pectoralis, GOULD. +Synoicus Australis. +-------- Sinensis. + + +ORDER GRALLATORES. + +Grus Antigone? +Platalea regia, GOULD. +-------- flavipes, GOULD. +Ardea cinerea? +----- pacifica, LATH. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Nycticorax Caledonicus, LESS. +Botaurus Australis, GOULD. +Ibis Falcinellus, LINN. +Numenius Australasianus. +Numenius uropygialis, GOULD. +Recurvirostra rubricollis, TEMM. +Chladorhynchus pectoralis. +Himantopus leucocephalus, GOULD. +Limosa ----------? +Glottis Glottoides. +Pelidna ----------? like P. MINUTA. +Scolopax Australis, LATH. +Rhynchaea Australis, GOULD. +Porphyrio melanotus, TEMM. +Tribonyx ventralis, GOULD. +Gallinula immaculata. +Rallus Philipensis? LINN. + + +ORDER NATATORES. + +Cygnus atratus. +Anseranas melanoleuca. +Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD. +Cereopsis Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Casarka Tadornoides. +Biziura lobata, SHAW. +Bernicla jubata. +Anas Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +---- naevosa, GOULD. +---- castanea. +Nyroca Australis, Eyton. +Rhynchapsis Rhynchotis, STEPH. +Malacorhynchus membranaceus, SWAINS. +Podiceps Australis, GOULD. +-------- poliocephalus, JARD. and SELB. +-------- gularis, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax pica. +------------- leucogaster, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. +------------- melanoleucus. +Plotus Le Vaillantii? +Pelecanus spectabilis, TEMM. +Sula Australis, GOULD. +Spheniscus minor. +Lestris catarrhactes. +Laras leucomelas. +Xema Jamesonii, WILS. +Sterna poliocerca, GOULD. +------ velox, GOULD. +Sternella nereis, GOULD. +Hydrochelidon fluviatilis. +Diomedea exulans, LINN. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +-------- melanophrys, TEMM. +-------- chlororhyncha, LATH. +-------- fuliginosa. +Procellaria gigantea, GMEL. +----------- perspicillata, GOULD. +----------- hasitata, FORST. +----------- leucocephala. +----------- Solandri, GOULD. +Daption Capensis, STEPH. +Prion vittata, CUV. +----- Banksii. +----- Turtur. +----- Ariel, GOULD. +Puffinus brevicaudus, GOULD. +Puffinuria urinatrix, LESS. +Thalassidroma Wilsoni. +------------- nereis, GOULD. +------------- melanogaster, GOULD. + + +The preceding list comprises the birds inhabiting the settled districts +of South Australia: viz. the Murray, from the great bend to the sea, the +fertile districts sixty miles northward and southward of Adelaide, +Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, etc. When the remote parts of the colony +have been explored, it will doubtless become necessary to add to it many +other species common to New South Wales and Western Australia.--J. G. + + + + + + +VOLUME II + + + + + +JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1840-1. + + + + +Chapter I. + + + +THE CAMP PLUNDERED--NIGHT OF HORRORS--PROCEED ON TO THE WESTWARD--THE +BOYS FOLLOW US--THEY ARE LEFT BEHIND--FORCED MARCHES--DESERT +COUNTRY--BANKSIAS MET WITH--TRACES OF NATIVES--TERMINATION OF THE +CLIFFS--FIND WATER. + + +Glancing hastily around the camp I found it deserted by the two younger +native boys, whilst the scattered fragments of our baggage, which I left +carefully piled under the oilskin, lay thrown about in wild disorder, and +at once revealed the cause of the harrowing scene before me. + +Upon raising the body of my faithful, but illfated follower, I found that +he was beyond all human aid; he had been shot through the left breast +with a ball, the last convulsions of death were upon him, and he expired +almost immediately after our arrival. The frightful, the appalling truth +now burst upon me, that I was alone in the desert. He who had faithfully +served me for many years, who had followed my fortunes in adversity and +in prosperity, who had accompanied me in all my wanderings, and whose +attachment to me had been his sole inducement to remain with me in this +last, and to him alas, fatal journey, was now no more. For an instant, I +was almost tempted to wish that it had been my own fate instead of his. +The horrors of my situation glared upon me in such startling reality, as +for an instant almost to paralyse the mind. At the dead hour of night, in +the wildest and most inhospitable wastes of Australia, with the fierce +wind raging in unison with the scene of violence before me, I was left, +with a single native, whose fidelity I could not rely upon, and who for +aught I knew might be in league with the other two, who perhaps were even +now, lurking about with the view of taking away my life as they had done +that of the overseer. Three days had passed away since we left the last +water, and it was very doubtful when we might find any more. Six hundred +miles of country had to be traversed, before I could hope to obtain the +slightest aid or assistance of any kind, whilst I knew not that a single +drop of water or an ounce of flour had been left by these murderers, from +a stock that had previously been so small. + +With such thoughts rapidly passing through my mind, I turned to search +for my double-barelled gun, which I had left covered with an oilskin at +the head of my own break wind. It was gone, as was also the +double-barelled gun that had belonged to the overseer. These were the +only weapons at the time that were in serviceable condition, for though +there were a brace of pistols they had been packed away, as there were no +cartridges for them, and my rifle was useless, from having a ball +sticking fast in the breech, and which we had in vain endeavoured to +extract. A few days' previous to our leaving the last water, the overseer +had attempted to wash out the rifle not knowing it was loaded, and the +consequence was, that the powder became wetted and partly washed away, so +that we could neither fire it off, nor get out the ball; I was, +therefore, temporarily defenceless, and quite at the mercy of the +natives, had they at this time come upon me. Having hastily ripped open +the bag in which the pistols had been sewn up, I got them out, together +with my powder flask, and a bag containing a little shot and some large +balls. The rifle I found where it had been left, but the ramrod had been +taken out by the boys to load my double-barelled gun with, its own ramrod +being too short for that purpose; I found it, however, together with +several loose cartridges, lying about near the place where the boys had +slept, so that it was evident they had deliberately loaded the fire-arms +before they tried to move away with the things they had stolen; one +barrel only of my gun had been previously loaded, and I believe neither +barrels in that of the overseer. + +After obtaining possession of all the remaining arms, useless as they +were at the moment, with some ammunition, I made no further examination +then, but hurried away from the fearful scene, accompanied by the King +George's Sound native, to search for the horses, knowing that if they got +away now, no chance whatever would remain of saving our lives. Already +the wretched animals had wandered to a considerable distance; and +although the night was moonlight, yet the belts of scrub, intersecting +the plains, were so numerous and dense, that for a long time we could not +find them; having succeeded in doing so at last, Wylie and I remained +with them, watching them during the remainder of the night; but they were +very restless, and gave us a great deal of trouble. With an aching heart, +and in most painful reflections, I passed this dreadful night. Every +moment appeared to be protracted to an hour, and it seemed as if the +daylight would never appear. About midnight the wind ceased, and the +weather became bitterly cold and frosty. I had nothing on but a shirt and +a pair of trowsers, and suffered most acutely from the cold; to mental +anguish was now added intense bodily pain. Suffering and distress had +well nigh overwhelmed me, and life seemed hardly worth the effort +necessary to prolong it. Ages can never efface the horrors of this single +night, nor would the wealth of the world ever tempt me to go through +similar ones again. + +April 30.--At last, by God's blessing, daylight dawned once more, but sad +and heart-rending was the scene it presented to my view, upon driving the +horses to what had been our last night's camp. The corpse of my poor +companion lay extended on the ground, with the eyes open, but cold and +glazed in death. The same stern resolution, and fearless open look, which +had characterized him when living, stamped the expression of his +countenance even now. He had fallen upon his breast four or five yards +from where he had been sleeping, and was dressed only in his shirt. In +all probability, the noise made by the natives, in plundering the camp, +had awoke him; and upon his jumping up, with a view of stopping them, +they had fired upon and killed him. + +Around the camp lay scattered the harness of the horses, and the remains +of the stores that had been the temptation to this fatal deed. + +As soon as the horses were caught, and secured, I left Wylie to make a +fire, whilst I proceeded to examine into the state of our baggage, that I +might decide upon our future proceedings. Among the principal things +carried off by the natives, were, the whole of our baked bread, amounting +to twenty pounds weight, some mutton, tea and sugar, the overseer's +tobacco and pipes, a one gallon keg full of water, some clothes, two +double-barrelled guns, some ammunition, and a few other small articles. + +There were still left forty pounds of flour, a little tea and sugar, and +four gallons of water, besides the arms and ammunition I had secured last +night. + +From the state of our horses, and the dreadful circumstances we were +placed in, I was now obliged to abandon every thing but the bare +necessaries of life. The few books and instruments I had still left, with +many of the specimens I had collected, a saddle, and some other things, +were thrown aside to lighten somewhat more the trifling loads our animals +had to carry. A little bread was then baked, and I endeavoured once more +to put the rifle in serviceable condition, as it was the only weapon we +should have to depend upon in any dangers that might beset us. Unable in +any way to take out the breech, or to extract the ball, I determined to +melt it out, and for that purpose took the barrel off the stock, and put +the breech in the fire, holding the muzzle in my hand. Whilst thus +engaged, the rifle went off, the ball whizzing close past my head; the +fire, it seems, had dried the powder, which had been wetted, not washed +out; and when the barrel was sufficiently heated, the piece had gone off, +to the imminent danger of my life, from the incautious way in which I +held it. The gun, however, was again serviceable; and after carefully +loading it, I felt a degree of confidence and security I had before been +a stranger to. + +At eight o'clock we were ready to proceed; there remained but to perform +the last sad offices of humanity towards him, whose career had been cut +short in so untimely a manner. This duty was rendered even more than +ordinarily painful, by the nature of the country, where we happened to +have been encamped. One vast unbroken surface of sheet rock extended for +miles in every direction, and rendered it impossible to make a grave. We +were some miles away from the sea-shore, and even had we been nearer, +could not have got down the cliffs to bury the corpse in the sand. I +could only, therefore, wrap a blanket around the body of the overseer, +and leaving it enshrouded where he fell, escape from the melancholy +scene, accompanied by Wylie, under the influence of feelings which +neither time nor circumstances will ever obliterate. Though years have +now passed away since the enactment of this tragedy, the dreadful horrors +of that time and scene, are recalled before me with frightful vividness, +and make me shudder even now, when I think of them. A life time was +crowded into those few short hours, and death alone may blot out the +impressions they produced. + +For some time we travelled slowly and silently onwards. Wylie preceding, +leading one of the horses, myself following behind and driving the others +after him, through a country consisting still of the same alternations of +scrub and open intervals as before. The day became very warm, and at +eleven, after travelling ten miles to the west, I determined to halt +until the cool of the evening. After baking some bread and getting our +dinners, I questioned Wylie as to what he knew of the sad occurrence of +yesterday. He positively denied all knowledge of it--said he had been +asleep, and was awoke by the report of the gun, and that upon seeing the +overseer lying on the ground he ran off to meet me. He admitted, however, +that, after the unsuccessful attempt to leave us, and proceed alone to +King George's Sound, the elder of the other two natives had proposed to +him again to quit the party, and try to go back to Fowler's Bay, to the +provisions buried there. But he had heard or knew nothing, he said, of +either robbery or murder being first contemplated. + +My own impression was, that Wylie had agreed with the other two to rob +the camp and leave us;--that he had been cognisant of all their +proceedings and preparations, but that when, upon the eve of their +departure, the overseer had unexpectedly awoke and been murdered, he was +shocked and frightened at the deed, and instead of accompanying them, had +run down to meet me. My opinion upon this point received additional +confirmation from the subsequent events of this day; but I never could +get Wylie to admit even the slightest knowledge of the fatal occurrence, +or that he had even intended to have united with them in plundering the +camp and deserting. He had now become truly alarmed; and independently of +the fear of the consequences which would attach to the crime, should we +ever reach a civilized community again, he had become very apprehensive +that the other natives, who belonged to quite a different part of +Australia to himself, and who spoke a totally different language, would +murder him as unhesitatingly as they had done the white man. + +We remained in camp until four o'clock, and were again preparing to +advance, when my attention was called by Wylie to two white objects among +the scrub, at no great distance from us, and I at once recognized the +native boys, covered with their blankets only, and advancing towards us. +From Wylie's account of their proposal to go back towards Fowler's Bay, I +fully hoped that they had taken that direction, and left us to pursue our +way to the Sound unmolested. I was therefore surprised, and somewhat +alarmed, at finding them so near us. With my rifle and pistols I felt +myself sufficiently a match for them in an open country, or by daylight. +Yet I knew that as long as they followed like bloodhounds on our tracks +our lives would be in their power at any moment that they chose to take +them, whilst we were passing through a scrubby country, or by night. +Whatever their intention might be, I knew, that if we travelled in the +same direction with them, our lives could only be safe by their +destruction. Although they had taken fully one-third of the whole stock +of our provisions, their appetites were so ravenous, and their habits so +improvident, that this would soon be consumed, and then they must either +starve or plunder us; for they had already tried to subsist themselves in +the bush, and had failed. + +As these impressions rapidly passed through my mind, there appeared to me +but one resource left, to save my own life and that of the native with +me: that was, to shoot the elder of the two. Painful as this would be, I +saw no other alternative, if they still persisted in following us. After +packing up our few things, and putting them upon the horses, I gave the +bridles to Wylie to hold, whilst I advanced alone with my rifle towards +the two natives. They were now tolerably near, each carrying a +double-barrelled gun, which was pointed towards me, elevated across the +left arm and held by the right hand. As I attempted to approach nearer +they gradually retreated. + +Finding that I was not likely to gain ground upon them in this way, I +threw down my weapons, and advanced unarmed, hoping that if they let me +near them I might suddenly close with the eldest and wrest his gun from +him. After advancing about sixty or seventy yards towards them, I found +that they again began to retreat, evidently determined not to let me +approach any nearer, either armed or unarmed. Upon this I halted, and +endeavoured to enter into parley with them, with a view to persuading +them to return towards Fowler's Bay, and thus obviate the painful +necessity I should have been under of endeavouring, for my own security, +to take away the life of the eldest whenever I met with him, should they +still persist in going the same road as myself. The distance we were +apart was almost too great for parley, and I know not whether they heard +me or not; though they halted, and appeared to listen, they did not reply +to what I said, and plainly wished to avoid all closer contact. They now +began to call incessantly to Wylie, and in answer to my repeated efforts +to get them to speak to me, only would say, "Oh massa, we don't want you, +we want Wylie." Thus fully confirming me in the opinion I had formed, +that Wylie had agreed to go with them before the deed of violence was +committed. It was now apparent to me that their only present object in +following us had been to look for Wylie, and get him to join them. In +this they were unsuccessful; for he still remained quietly where I left +him holding the horses, and evidently afraid to go near them. There was +no use wasting further time, as I could not get them to listen to me. The +sun, too, was fast sinking in the horizon, we had been four days without +finding water, and the probability was we had very far still to go before +we could hope to procure any; every moment, therefore, was precious. + +Having returned to Wylie, I made him lead one of the horses in advance, +and I followed behind, driving the rest after him, according to the +system of march I had adopted in the morning. As soon as the two natives +saw us moving on, and found Wylie did not join them, they set up a wild +and plaintive cry, still following along the brush parallel to our line +of route, and never ceasing in their importunities to Wylie, until the +denseness of the scrub, and the closing in of night, concealed us from +each other. + +I was now resolved to make the most of the opportunity afforded me, and +by travelling steadily onwards, to gain so much distance in advance of +the two natives as to preclude the possibility of their again overtaking +us until we had reached the water, if indeed we were ever destined to +reach water again. I knew that they would never travel more than a few +miles before lying down, especially if carrying all the bread they had +taken, the keg of water, guns, and other articles. We had, however, seen +none of these things with them, except the fire-arms. + +Our road was over scrubby and stony undulations, with patches of dry +grass here and there; in other parts, we passed over a very sandy soil of +a red colour, and overrun by immense tufts of prickly grass (spinifex), +many of which were three and four yards in diameter. After pushing on for +eighteen miles, I felt satisfied we had left the natives far behind, and +finding a patch of grass for the horses, halted for the remainder of the +night. It was quite impossible, after all we had gone through, to think +of watching the horses, and my only means of preventing from them +straying, was to close the chains of their hobbles so tight, that they +could not go far; having thus secured them, we lay down, and for a few +hours enjoyed uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. + +Moving on again on the 1st of May, as the sun was above the horizon, we +passed through a continuation of the same kind of country, for sixteen +miles, and then halted for a few hours during the heat of the day. We had +passed many recent traces of natives both yesterday and to-day, who +appeared to be travelling to the westward. After dividing a pot of tea +between us, we again pushed on for twelve miles, completing a stage of +twenty-eight miles, and halting, with a little dry grass for the horses. + +It was impossible they could endure this much longer, they had already +been five days without water, and I did not expect to meet with any for +two days more, a period which I did not think they could survive. As yet +no very great change had taken place in the country; it was still scrubby +and rocky, but the surface stone now consisted of a cream-coloured +limestone of a fine compact character, and full of shells. The cliffs, +parallel with which we were travelling, were still of about the same +height, appearance, and formation as before, whilst the inland country +increased in elevation, forming scrubby ridges to the back, with a few +open grassy patches here and there. One circumstance in our route to-day +cheered me greatly, and led me shortly to expect some important and +decisive change in the character and formation of the country. It was the +appearance for the first time of the Banksia, a shrub which I had never +before found to the westward of Spencer's Gulf, but which I knew to +abound in the vicinity of King George's Sound, and that description of +country generally. Those only who have looked out with the eagerness and +anxiety of a person in my situation, to note any change in the vegetation +or physical appearance of a country, can appreciate the degree of +satisfaction with which I recognised and welcomed the first appearance of +the Banksia. Isolated as it was amidst the scrub, and insignificant as +the stunted specimens were that I first met with, they led to an +inference that I could not be mistaken in, and added, in a tenfold +degree, to the interest and expectation with which every mile of our +route had now become invested. During the day the weather had been again +cloudy, with the appearance of rain; but the night turned out cold and +frosty, and both I and the native suffered extremely. We had little to +protect us from the severity of the season, never being able to procure +firewood of a description that would keep burning long at once, so that +between cold and fatigue, we were rarely able to get more than a few +moments rest at a time; and were always glad when daylight dawned to +cheer us, although it only aroused us to the renewal of our unceasing +toil. + +May 2.--We again moved away at dawn, through a country which gradually +become more scrubby, hilly, and sandy. The horses crawled on for +twenty-one miles, when I halted for an hour to rest, and to have a little +tea from our now scanty stock of water. The change which I had noticed +yesterday in the vegetation of the country, was greater and more cheering +every mile we went, although as yet the country itself was as desolate +and inhospitable as ever. The smaller Banksias now abounded, whilst the +Banksia grandis, and many other shrubs common at King George's Sound, +were frequently met with. The natives, whose tracks we had so frequently +met with, taking the same course as ourselves to the westward, seemed now +to be behind us; during the morning we had passed many freshly lit fires, +but the people themselves remained concealed; we had now lost all traces +of them, and the country seemed untrodden and untenanted. In the course +of our journey this morning, we met with many holes in the sheets of +limestone, which occasionally coated the surface of the ground; in these +holes the natives appeared to procure an abundance of water after rains, +but it was so long since any had fallen, that all were dry and empty now. +In one deep hole only, did we find the least trace of moisture; this had +at the bottom of it, perhaps a couple of wine glasses full of mud and +water, and was most carefully blocked up from the birds with huge stones: +it had evidently been visited by natives, not an hour before we arrived +at it, but I suspect they were as much disappointed as we were, upon +rolling away all the stones to find nothing in it. + +After our scanty meal, we again moved onwards, but the road became so +scrubby and rocky, or so sandy and hilly, that we could make no progress +at all by night, and at eight miles from where we dined, we were +compelled to halt, after a day's journey of twenty-nine miles; but +without a blade even of withered grass for our horses, which was the more +grievous, because for the first time since we left the last water, a very +heavy dew fell, and would have enabled them to feed a little, had there +been grass. We had now traversed 138 miles of country from the last +water, and according to my estimate of the distance we had to go, ought +to be within a few miles of the termination of the cliffs of the Great +Bight. + +May 3.--The seventh day's dawn found us early commencing our journey. The +poor horses still crawled on, though slowly. I was surprised that they +were still alive, after the continued sufferings and privations they had +been subject to. As for ourselves, we were both getting very weak and +worn out, as well as lame, and it was with the greatest difficulty I +could get Wylie to move, if he once sat down. I had myself the same kind +of apathetic feeling, and would gladly have laid down and slept for ever. +Nothing but a strong sense of duty prevented me from giving way to this +pleasing but fatal indulgence. + +The road to-day became worse than ever, being one continued succession of +sandy, scrubby and rocky ridges, and hollows formed on the top of the +cliffs along which our course lay. After travelling two and a half miles, +however, we were cheered and encouraged by the sight of sandy hills, and +a low coast stretching beyond the cliffs to the south-west, though they +were still some distance from us. At ten miles from where we had slept, a +native road led us down a very steep part of the cliffs, and we descended +to the beach. The wretched horses could scarcely move, it was with the +greatest difficulty we got them down the hill, and now, although within +sight of our goal, I feared two of them would never reach it. By +perseverance we still got them slowly along, for two miles from the base +of the cliffs, and then turning in among the sand-drifts, to our great +joy and relief, found a place where the natives had dug for water; thus +at twelve o'clock on the seventh day since leaving the last depot, we +were again encamped at water, after having crossed 150 miles of a rocky, +barren, and scrubby table land. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + +REFLECTIONS UPON SITUATION--WATCH FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NATIVE +BOYS--THEIR PROBABLE FATE--PROCEED ON THE JOURNEY--FACILITY OF OBTAINING +WATER--KILL A HORSE FOR FOOD--SILVER-BARK TEA-TREE--INTENSE COLD--FIRST +HILLS SEEN--GOOD GRASS--APPETITE OF A NATIVE--INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF +UNWHOLESOME DIET--CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--GRANITE FORMS +THE LOW WATER LEVEL--TREE WASHED ON SHORE--INDISPOSITION. + + +Having at last got fairly beyond all the cliffs bounding the Great Bight, +I fully trusted that we had now overcome the greatest difficulties of the +undertaking, and confidently hoped that there would be no more of those +fearful long journeys through the desert without water, but that the +character of the country would be changed, and so far improved as to +enable us to procure it, once at least every thirty or forty miles, if +not more frequently. + +Relieved from the pressure of immediate toil, and from the anxiety and +suspense I had been in on the subject of water, my mind wandered to the +gap created in my little party since we had last been at water; more than +ever, almost, did I feel the loss of my overseer, now that the last and +most difficult of our forced marches had been successfully accomplished, +and that there was every hope of our progress for the future, being both +less difficult and more expeditious. How delighted he would have been had +he been with us to participate in the successful termination of a stage, +which he had ever dreaded more than any other during the whole of our +journey, and with what confidence and cheerfulness he would have gone on +for the future. Out of five two only were now present; our little band +had been severed never to be reunited; and I could not but blame myself +for yielding to the overseer's solicitation to halt on the evening of the +29th April, instead of travelling on all night as I had originally +intended: had I adhered to my own judgment all might yet have been well. +Vain and bootless, however, now were all regrets for the irrecoverable +past; but the present was so fraught with circumstances calculated to +recal and to make me feel more bitterly the loss I had sustained, that +painful as the subject was, the mind could not help reverting to and +dwelling upon it. + +Having given each of the horses a bucket of water, Wylie watched them +whilst I cooked our dinner and made some tea, after getting which we +again gave the horses another bucket of water a-piece, hobbled them out +for the night, and then lay down ourselves, feeling perfectly secure from +being overtaken by the native boys. We were obliged to place ourselves +close to the hole of water to keep the horses from getting into it, as +they were thirsty and restless, and kept walking round the well nearly +the whole night, and feeding very little. We ourselves, too, although +dreadfully tired and weak, were so cold and restless, that we slept but +little. I had also a large swelling on two of the joints of the second +finger of the right hand, which gave me very great pain. + +May 4.--After an early breakfast we gave the horses as much water as they +chose to drink, and removing their hobbles gave them full liberty to +range where they liked. I then left Wylie to continue his slumbers, and +taking my rifle, walked about three miles among the sand-drifts to search +for grass, but could find none, except the coarse vegetation that grew +amongst the sand-drifts. I found two other places where the natives got +water by digging, and have no doubt that it may be procured almost +anywhere in these drifts, which extend for some miles, along the coast. +Some black cockatoos made their appearance near the sand-hills, +indicating, in connection with the change I had noticed in the +vegetation, that we were now about entering a different and less +difficult country than any we had yet traversed. These birds I knew never +inhabited that description of country we had been so long travelling +through. We had not seen one before, during our whole journey, and poor +Wylie was quite delighted at the idea of our vicinity to a better region. + +During the day a strict look out was kept for the other two natives, and +at night, after watering the horses and concealing the saddles, we took +our provisions and arms up among the sand-hills, and slept there at some +distance from the water: that if they travelled onwards by moon-light, +they might not come upon us unawares whilst sleeping. If they had +continued their route to the westward, they would, I knew, both have a +severe task to reach the water, and be unable to go to it without our +knowledge; the youngest boy I did not think would prove equal to so +arduous a task, but the elder one I thought might, if his courage and +perseverance did not fail him in travelling so far, without any +indications to lead him to hope for final success, save the fact of our +having gone on before. Upon the whole, however, I thought it more than +probable that on finding they could not get Wylie to join them, and that +they could not keep pace with us, they would turn back, and endeavour to +put in practice their original intention of trying to reach Fowler's Bay. +Still it was necessary to be cautious and vigilant. A few days at most +would decide whether they were advancing this way or not, and until +satisfied upon this point, I determined to take every precaution in my +power to guard against a surprise. My hand was dreadfully painful at +night, and quite deprived me of all rest. + +May 5.--Up before day-break, and moved down to the water to breakfast, +then examined carefully round the wells, and between the sand-drifts and +the sea, to see if any foot-prints had been made during the night, but +none had. There were many pigeons about, and as I had still some +ammunition left, I felt the loss of my gun severely. During the morning a +very large eagle came and settled near us, and I sent Wylie with the +rifle to try to shoot it; he crept within a very few yards of it, and +being a good shot, I felt sure of a hearty meal, but unfortunately the +rifle missed fire, having got damp during the heavy fall of dew a few +evenings before. We lost our dinner, but I received a useful lesson on +the necessity of taking better care of the only gun I had left, and being +always certain that it was in a fit and serviceable state; I immediately +set to work, cleaned and oiled it, and in the afternoon made some +oil-skin covers for the lock and muzzle to keep the damp from it at +nights. For the last day or two I had been far from well, whilst my +inflamed hand, which was daily getting worse, caused me most excruciating +pain, and quite destroyed my rest at nights. In the evening we again +retired among the sand-hills to sleep. + +May 6.--After breakfast we carefully examined the sand-drifts and the +sea-shore, to see if the two boys had passed, but there were no traces of +them to be found, and I now felt that we were secure from all further +interruption from them. Three days we had been in camp at the water, +making altogether a period of six since we last saw them. Had they +continued their course to the westward, they must have arrived long +before this, and I now felt satisfied that they had turned back to +Fowler's Bay for the sake of the provisions buried there, or else they +had fallen in with the natives, whose traces we had so repeatedly seen, +and either joined them, or been killed by them. + +It was now apparent to me beyond all doubt, that in following us on the +30th of April, so far out of the direction they ought to have taken if +they intended to go to the eastward, their only object had been to get +Wylie to accompany them. As he was the eldest of the three, and a strong +full grown man, they would have found him a protection to them from his +superior age, strength and skill. As it was they had but little chance of +making their way safely either to the east or west. At the time I last +saw them they were sixty-three miles from the nearest water in the former +direction, and eighty-seven miles from that in the latter. They were +tired and exhausted from previous walking, and in this state would have +to carry the guns, the provisions, and other things they had taken. This +would necessarily retard their progress, and lengthen out the period +which must elapse before they could obtain water in any direction. On the +night of the 29th April they must have had one gallon of water with them, +but when we saw them on the 30th, I have no doubt, that with their usual +improvidence, they had consumed the whole, and would thus have to undergo +the fatigue of carrying heavy weights, as well as walking for a +protracted period, without any thing to relieve their thirst. Their +difficulties and distress would gradually but certainly increase upon +them, and they would then, in all likelihood, throw away their guns or +their provisions, and be left in the desert unarmed, without food or +water, and without skill or energy to direct them successfully to search +for either. A dreadful and lingering death would in all probability +terminate the scene, aggravated in all its horrors by the consciousness +that they had brought it entirely upon themselves. Painfully as I had +felt the loss of my unfortunate overseer, and shocked as I was at the +ruthless deed having been committed by these two boys, yet I could not +help feeling for their sad condition, the miseries and sufferings they +would have to encounter, and the probable fate that awaited them. + +The youngest of the two had been with me for four years, the eldest for +two years and a half, and both had accompanied me in all my travels +during these respective periods. Now that the first and strong +impressions naturally resulting from a shock so sudden and violent as +that produced by the occurrences of the 29th April, had yielded, in some +measure, to calmer reflections, I was able maturely to weigh the whole of +what had taken place, and to indulge in some considerations in +extenuation of their offence. The two boys knew themselves to be as far +from King George's Sound, as they had already travelled from Fowler's +Bay. They were hungry, thirsty, and tired, and without the prospect of +satisfying fully their appetites, or obtaining rest for a long period of +time, they probably thought, that bad and inhospitable as had been the +country we had already traversed, we were daily advancing into one still +more so, and that we never could succeed in forcing a passage through it; +and they might have been strengthened in this belief by the unlucky and +incautiously-expressed opinions of the overseer. It was natural enough, +under such circumstances, that they should wish to leave the party. +Having come to that determination, and knowing from previous experience, +that they could not subsist upon what they could procure for themselves +in the bush, they had resolved to take with them a portion of the +provisions we had remaining, and which they might look upon, perhaps, as +their share by right. Nor would Europeans, perhaps, have acted better. In +desperate circumstances men are ever apt to become discontented and +impatient of restraint, each throwing off the discipline and control he +had been subject to before, and each conceiving himself to have a right +to act independently when the question becomes one of life and death. + +Having decided upon leaving the party, and stealing a portion of the +provisions, their object would be to accomplish this as effectually and +as safely as they could; and in doing this, they might, without having +had the slightest intention originally, of injuring either myself or the +overseer, have taken such precautions, and made such previous +arrangements as led to the fatal tragedy which occurred. All three of the +natives were well aware, that as long as they were willing to accompany +us, they would share with us whatever we had left; or that, if resolutely +bent upon leaving us, no restriction, save that of friendly advice, would +be imposed to prevent their doing so; but at the same time they were +aware that we would not have consented to divide our little stock of food +for the purpose of enabling any one portion of the party to separate from +the other, but rather that we would forcibly resist any attempts to +effect such a division, either openly or by stealth. They knew that they +never could succeed in their plans openly, and that to do so by stealth +effectually and safely, it would first be necessary to secure all the +fire-arms, that they might incur no risk from our being alarmed before +their purpose was completed. No opportunity had occurred to bring their +intentions into operation until the evening in question, when the scrubby +nature of the country, the wildness of the night, the overseer's sound +sleeping, and my own protracted absence, at a distance with the horses, +had all conspired to favour them. I have no doubt, that they first +extinguished the fires, and then possessing themselves of the fire-arms, +proceeded to plunder the baggage and select such things as they required. +In doing this they must have come across the ammunition, and loaded the +guns preparatory to their departure, but this might have been without any +premeditated intention of making use of them in the way they did. At this +unhappy juncture it would seem that the overseer must have awoke, and +advanced towards them to see what was the matter, or to put a stop to +their proceedings, when they fired on him, to save themselves from being +caught in their act of plunder. That either of the two should have +contemplated the committal of a wilful, barbarous, cold-blooded murder, I +cannot bring myself to believe--no object was to be attained by it; and +the fact of the overseer having been pierced through the breast, and many +yards in advance of where he had been sleeping, in a direction towards +the sleeping-place of the natives, clearly indicated that it was not +until he had arisen from his sleep, and had been closely pressing upon +them, that they had fired the fatal shot. Such appeared to me to be the +most plausible and rational explanation of this melancholy affair--I +would willingly believe it to be the true one. + +Wylie and I moved on in the evening, with the horses for two miles, and +again pitched our camp among the sand-drifts, at a place where the +natives were in the habit of digging wells for water, and where we +procured it at a very moderate depth below the surface. Pigeons were here +in great numbers, and Wylie tried several times with the rifle to shoot +them, but only killed one, the grooved barrel not being adapted for +throwing shot with effect. + +At midnight we arose and moved onwards, following along the beach. I +intended to have made a long stage, as I no longer had any fears about +not finding water; but at nine miles one of the horses knocked up, and +could proceed no farther, I was compelled, therefore, to turn in among +the sand-drifts, and halt at five in the morning of the 7th. We were +again fortunate in procuring water by digging only two feet under the +sand-hills, which were here very high, and were a continuation of those +in which we had first found water on the 3rd. In the afternoon, I again +tried to advance upon our journey, but after proceeding only four miles, +the jaded horse was again unable to move further, and there was no +alternative but to halt and search for water. This was found among the +sand-hills, but we could procure nothing but the coarse grass growing +upon the drifts for the animals to eat. + +May 8.--About two hours before daylight, rain began to fall, and +continued steadily though lightly for three hours, so that enough had +fallen to deposit water in the ledges or holes of the rocks. The day was +wild and stormy, and we did not start until late. Even then we could only +get the tired horse along for three miles, and were again compelled to +halt. Water was still procured, by digging under the sand-hills, but we +had to sink much deeper than we had lately found occasion to do. It was +now plain, that the tired horse would never be able to keep pace with the +others, and that we must either abandon him, or proceed at a rate too +slow for the present state of our commissariat. Taking all things into +consideration, it appeared to me that it would be better to kill him at +once for food, and then remain here in camp for a time, living upon the +flesh, whilst the other horses were recruiting, after which I hoped we +might again be able to advance more expeditiously. Upon making this +proposal to Wylie, he was quite delighted at the idea, and told me +emphatically that he would sit up and eat the whole night. Our decision +arrived at, the sentence was soon executed. The poor animal was shot, and +Wylie and myself were soon busily employed in skinning him. Leaving me to +continue this operation, Wylie made a fire close to the carcase, and as +soon as he could get at a piece of the flesh he commenced roasting some, +and continued alternately, eating, working and cooking. After cutting off +about 100 pounds of the best of the meat, and hanging it in strips upon +the trees until our departure, I handed over to Wylie the residue of the +carcase, feet, entrails, flesh, skeleton, and all, to cook and consume as +he pleased, whilst we were in the neighbourhood. Before dark he had made +an oven, and roasted about twenty pounds, to feast upon during the night. +The evening set in stormy, and threatened heavy rain, but a few drops +only fell. The wind then rose very high, and raged fiercely from the +south-west. At midnight it lulled, and the night became intensely cold +and frosty, and both Wylie and myself suffered severely, we could only +get small sticks for our fire, which burned out in a few minutes, and +required so frequently renewing, that we were obliged to give it up in +despair, and bear the cold in the best way we could. Wylie, during the +night, made a sad and dismal groaning, and complained of being very ill, +from pain in his throat, the effect he said of having to work too hard. I +did not find that his indisposition interfered very greatly with his +appetite, for nearly every time I awoke during the night, I found him up +and gnawing away at his meat, he was literally fulfilling the promise he +had made me in the evening, "By and bye, you see, Massa, me 'pta' (eat) +all night." + +May 9.--The day was cold and cloudy, and we remained in camp to rest the +horses, and diminish the weight of meat, which was greater than our +horses could well carry in their present state. On getting up the horses +to water them at noon, I was grieved to find the foal of my favourite +mare (which died on the 28th March) missing; how we had lost it I could +not make out, but as its tracks were not any where visible near the camp, +it was evident that it had never come there at all. In leaving our last +halting place my time and attention had been so taken up with getting the +weak horse along, that I had left it entirely to Wylie to bring up the +others, and had neglected my usual precaution of counting to see if all +were there before we moved away. The little creature must have been lying +down behind the sand-hills asleep, when we left, or otherwise it would +never have remained behind the others. Being very desirous not to lose +this foal, which had now accompanied me so far and got through all the +worst difficulties, I saddled the strongest of the horses, and mounting +Wylie, I set off myself on foot with him to search for it. We had not +gone far from the camp, when Wylie wished me to go back, offering to go +on by himself; and as I was loth to leave our provisions and ammunition +to the mercy of any native that might chance to go that way, I acceded to +his request, and delivering to him the rifle, returned to the encampment. +Wylie had pledged himself to the due execution of this errand, and I had +some confidence that he would not deceive me. Hour after hour passed away +without his return, and I began to be uneasy at his long delay, and half +repented that I had been so foolish as to trust the rifle in his hands. +At last, a little after dark, I was delighted to see him return, followed +by the foal, which he had found six miles away and still travelling +backwards in search of the horses. Having given him an extra allowance of +bread as a reward for his good conduct, we took our tea and lay down for +the night. + +During the day, whilst Wylie was absent, I had employed my time in +collecting firewood from the back of the sand-hills. In this occupation I +was pleased to meet with the silver-bark tea-tree, another change in the +vegetation, which still further convinced me that we were rapidly +advancing into a more practicable country. + +May 10.--The morning was spent in washing my clothes, cooking meat, and +preparing to move on in the afternoon. Wylie, who knew that this was his +last opportunity, was busy with the skeleton of the horse, and never +ceased eating until we moved on in the afternoon. As we took away with us +nearly a hundred pounds of the flesh, the poor horses were heavily laden +for the condition they were in. The scrubby and swampy nature of the +country behind the shore compelled us too to keep the beach, where the +sands were loose and heavy. Our progress was slow, and at eight miles I +halted. Here we found a little dry grass not far from the sea, and as the +horses did not require water, they fared tolerably well. This was the +first grass we had met with since we descended the cliffs on the 3rd +instant. The horses having entirely subsisted since then on the wiry +vegetation which binds the sand-drifts together. Although we had water in +the canteens for ourselves, and the horses did not require any, I was +curious to know whether fresh water could be procured where we were +encamped--a long, low and narrow tongue of sandy land, lying between the +sea on one side and extensive salt swamps on the other, and in no part +elevated more than a few feet above the level of the sea itself. After +tea I took the spade and commenced digging, and to my great surprise at +six feet I obtained water, which though brackish was very palatable. This +was very extraordinary, considering the nature of the position we were +in, and that there were not any hills from which the fresh water could +drain. + +The night was again bitterly cold and frosty, and we suffered severely. +Now the winter had set in, and we were sadly unprepared to meet its +inclemency, the cold at nights became so intense as to occasion me +agonies of pain; and the poor native was in the same predicament. + +May 11.--Upon moving away this morning, I kept behind the sea shore along +the borders of the salt swamp, steering for some sand-hills which were +seen a-head of us. A hill was now visible in the distance, a little south +of west, rising above the level bank behind the shore,--this was the +first hill, properly so called, that we had met with for many hundreds of +miles, and it tended not a little to cheer us and confirm all previous +impressions relative to the change and improvement in the character of +the country. Our horses were dreadfully fatigued and moved along with +difficulty, and it was as much as we could do to reach the sand-hills we +had seen, though only seven miles away. In our approach to them we passed +through a fine plain full of grass, and of a much better description than +we had met with since leaving Fowler's Bay. Not only was it long and in +the greatest abundance, but there were also mixed with the old grass many +stalks of new and green, the whole forming a rich and luxurious feast for +our horses, such as they had not enjoyed for many a long day. Nearer to +the sand-hills we obtained excellent water by digging, at a depth of five +feet, and only half a mile away from the grass. This place was too +favourable not to be made the most of, and I determined to halt for a day +or two to give our horses the benefit of it, and to enable us to diminish +the weight of meat they had to carry. Whilst here I gave Wylie free +permission to eat as much as he could,--a privilege which he was not long +in turning to account. Between last night's supper and this morning's +breakfast he had got through six-and-a-half pounds of solid cooked flesh, +weighed out and free from bone, and he then complained, that as he had so +little water (the well had fallen in and he did not like the trouble of +cleaning it out again), he could hardly eat at all. On an average he +would consume nine pounds of meat per day. I used myself from two to +three when undergoing very great exertions. After dinner I ascended one +of the sand-hills, and set the hill I had seen in the morning at W. 17 +degrees S. + +May 12.--I intended this morning to have walked down to the beach, but +was suddenly taken ill with similar symptoms to those I had experienced +on the 19th, and 21st of April; and, as formerly, I attributed the +illness entirely to the unwholesome nature of the meat diet. Wylie was +ill too, but not to so great a degree; nor was I surprised at his +complaining; indeed, it would have been wonderful if he had not, +considering the enormous quantity of horse flesh that he daily devoured. +After his feasts, he would lie down, and roll and groan, and say he was +"mendyt" (ill) and nothing would induce him to get up, or to do any +thing. There were now plenty of sting-ray fish along the beach again, and +I was desirous, if possible, to get one for a change of diet; my friend, +however, had so much to eat, that though he said he should like fish too, +I could not get him to go about a mile to the back of the sand-hills, to +cut a stick from the scrub, to make a spear for catching them. + +May 13.--After breakfast, Wylie said he thought he could catch some +bandicoots, by firing the scrub near the sand-hills, and went out for an +hour or two to try, but came back as he went. During his absence, I was +employed in repairing my only two pair of socks now left, which were +sadly dilapidated, but of which I was obliged to be very careful, as they +were the only security I had against getting lame. In the afternoon I +walked down to the beach, to try to spear sting-ray, but the sea was +rough, and I saw none. In my ramble, I found plenty of the beautiful +white clematis, so common both to the north and south of Sydney. + +May 14.--I was again seized with illness, though I had been particularly +careful in the quantity of flesh which I had used. For many hours I +suffered most excruciating pains; and after the violence of the attack +was over, I was left very weak, and incapable of exertion. Wylie was also +affected. It was evident that the food we were now living upon, was not +wholesome or nutritious. Day after day we felt ourselves getting weaker +and more relaxed, whilst the least change of weather, or the slightest +degree of cold, was most painfully felt by both of us. What we were to do +in the wet weather, which might daily be expected, I knew not, suffering +as we did from the frosts and dews only. In the state we now were in, I +do not think that we could have survived many days' exposure to wet. + +May 15.--I intended to have proceeded early on our journey this morning, +but was so ill again, that for some hours I could not stir. The boy was +similarly situated. About ten we got a little better, and packing up our +things, moved away, but had scarcely gone more than a couple of miles +along the beach, when I discovered that the horse-hobbles had been left +behind. It was Wylie's duty always to take these off, and strap them +round the horses necks, whilst I was arranging the saddles, and fixing on +them our arms, provisions, etc.; he had forgotten to do this, and had left +them lying on the ground. As we could not possibly do without the +hobbles, I sent Wylie back for them, telling him I would drive on the +horses slowly for a few miles, and then halt to wait for him. + +After proceeding eleven miles along the coast, I halted, and Wylie came +up a little before dark, bringing the hobbles with him. We were both very +hungry; and as we had suffered so much lately from eating the horse +flesh, we indulged to-night in a piece of bread, and a spoonful of flour +boiled into a paste, an extravagance which I knew we should have to make +up for by and bye. I had dug for water, and procured it at a depth of +five feet; but it was too brackish either to drink, or give to our +horses; we used it, however, in boiling up our flour into paste. The +afternoon was exceedingly dark and stormy looking, but only a few light +showers fell. The night then set in cold, with a heavy dew. + +May 16.--We commenced our journey at daylight, travelling along the +beach, which was very heavy for nine miles, and then halting, at a very +low part of the coast, to rest the horses. Whilst here, I dug for water, +and getting it of very fair quality, though with an effluvia very like +Harrowgate water, I decided upon remaining for the day. We were very much +fatigued, being weak and languid, and like our horses, scarcely able to +put one foot before the other. From our present encampment, some islands +were visible at a bearing of S. 18 degrees E. The tops of the hills, +also, to the back, were visible above the level bank, which formed the +continuation of the singular table land extending round the Bight, but +which was now gradually declining in elevation, and appeared as if it +would very shortly cease altogether, so that we might hope to have an +unobstructed view of the country inland. + +A jagged peak, which I named Mount Ragged, bore W. 10 degrees N., and a +round topped one W. 30 degrees N. We were now actually beyond those +hills; but the level bank, under which we had been travelling, prevented +our seeing more of them than the bare outline of their lofty summits. The +whole of the intervening country, between the level bank and the hills, +consisted of heavy sandy ridges, a good deal covered with scrub; but we +now found more grass than we had seen during the whole journey before. In +the night I was taken ill again, with violent pains, accompanied by cold +clammy sweats; and as the air was cold and raw, and a heavy dew falling, +I suffered a great deal. + +May 17.--This morning I felt rather better, but very weak, and wishing to +give the horses an opportunity of drinking, which they would not do very +early on a cold morning, I did not break up the camp until late. Upon +laying down last night Wylie had left the meat on the ground at some +distance from our fire, instead of putting it up on a bush as I had +directed him, the consequence was that a wild dog had stolen about +fourteen pounds of it whilst we slept, and we were now again reduced to a +very limited allowance. + +After travelling about five miles we found a great and important change +in the basis rock of the country; it was now a coarse imperfect kind of +grey granite, and in many places the low-water line was occupied by +immense sheets of it. Other symptoms of improvement also gradually +developed themselves. Mountain ducks were now, for the first time, seen +upon the shore, and the trunk of a very large tree was found washed up on +the beach: it was the only one we had met with during the whole course of +our journey to the westward, and I hailed it with a pleasure which was +only equalled by finding, not far beyond, a few drops of water trickling +down a huge graniterock abutting on the sea-shore. This was the only +approximation to running water which we had found since leaving Streaky +Bay, and though it hardly deserved that name, yet it imparted to me as +much hope, and almost as much satisfaction, as if I had found a river. +Continuing our course around a small bay for about five miles, we turned +into some sand-drifts behind a rocky point of the coast. from which the +islands we had seen yesterday bore E. 47 degrees S., Cape Pasley, S. W., +Point Malcolm, S. 33 degrees W., and Mount Ragged W. 32 degrees N. +Several reefs and breakers were also seen at no great distance from the +shore. + +Our stage to-day was only twelve miles, yet some of our horses were +nearly knocked up, and we ourselves in but little better condition. The +incessant walking we were subject to, the low and unwholesome diet we had +lived upon, the severe and weakening attacks of illness caused by that +diet, having daily, and sometimes twice a day, to dig for water, to carry +all our fire-wood from a distance upon our backs, to harness, unharness, +water, and attend to the horses, besides other trifling occupations, +making up our daily routine, usually so completely exhausted us, that we +had neither spirit nor energy left. Added to all other evils, the nature +of the country behind the sea-coast was as yet so sandy and scrubby that +we were still compelled to follow the beach, frequently travelling on +loose heavy sands, that rendered our stages doubly fatiguing: whilst at +nights, after the labours of the day were over, and we stood so much in +need of repose, the intense cold, and the little protection we had +against it, more frequently made it a season of most painful suffering +than of rest, and we were glad when the daylight relieved us once more. +On our march we felt generally weak and languid--it was an effort to put +one foot before the other, and there was an indisposition to exertion +that it was often very difficult to overcome. After sitting for a few +moments to rest--and we often had to do this--it was always with the +greatest unwillingness we ever moved on again. I felt, on such occasions, +that I could have sat quietly and contentedly, and let the glass of life +glide away to its last sand. There was a dreamy kind of pleasure, which +made me forgetful or careless of the circumstances and difficulties by +which I was surrounded, and which I was always indisposed to break in +upon. Wylie was even worse than myself, I had often much difficulty in +getting him to move at all, and not unfrequently was compelled almost +forcibly to get him up. Fortunately he was very good tempered, and on the +whole had behaved extremely well under all our troubles since we had been +travelling together alone. + + + + +Chapter III. + + + +HEAVY ROAD--A YOUNG KANGAROO SHOT--GRASSY COUNTRY--POINT MALCOLM--TRACES +OF ITS HAVING BEEN VISITED BY EUROPEANS--GRASS TREES MET WITH--A KANGAROO +KILLED--CATCH FISH--GET ANOTHER KANGAROO--CRAB HUNTING--RENEW THE +JOURNEY--CASUARINAE MET WITH--CROSS THE LEVEL BANK--LOW COUNTRY BEHIND +IT--CAPE ARID--SALT WATER CREEK--XAMIA SEEN--CABBAGE TREE OF THE +SOUND--FRESH WATER LAKE--MORE SALT STREAMS--OPOSSUMS CAUGHT--FLAG REEDS +FOUND--FRESH WATER STREAMS--BOATS SEEN--MEET WITH A WHALER. + + +May 18.--THIS morning we had to travel upon a soft heavy beach, and moved +slowly and with difficulty along, and three of the horses were +continually attempting to lie down on the road. At twelve miles, we found +some nice green grass, and although we could not procure water here, I +determined to halt for the sake of the horses. The weather was cool and +pleasant. From our camp Mount Ragged bore N. 35 degrees W., and the +island we had seen for the last two days, E. 18 degrees S. Having seen +some large kangaroos near our camp, I sent Wylie with the rifle to try +and get one. At dark he returned bringing home a young one, large enough +for two good meals; upon this we feasted at night, and for once Wylie +admitted that his belly was full. He commenced by eating a pound and a +half of horse-flesh, and a little bread, he then ate the entrails, +paunch, liver, lights, tail, and two hind legs of the young kangaroo, +next followed a penguin, that he had found dead upon the beach, upon this +he forced down the whole of the hide of the kangaroo after singeing the +hair off, and wound up this meal by swallowing the tough skin of the +penguin; he then made a little fire, and laid down to sleep, and dream of +the pleasures of eating, nor do I think he was ever happier in his life +than at that moment. + +May 19.--The morning set in very cold and showery, with the wind from the +southward, making us shiver terribly as we went along; luckily the +country behind the sea-shore was at this place tolerably open, and we +were for once enabled to leave the beach, and keep a little inland. The +soil was light and sandy, but tolerably fertile. In places we found low +brush, in others very handsome clumps of tea-tree scattered at intervals +over some grassy tracts of country, giving a pleasing and park-like +appearance we had long been strangers to. The grass was green, and +afforded a most grateful relief to the eye, accustomed heretofore to rest +only upon the naked sands or the gloomy scrubs we had so long been +travelling amongst. Anxious if possible to give our horses a day or two's +rest, at such a grassy place, and especially as the many kangaroos we +saw, gave us hope of obtaining food for ourselves also, I twice dug for +water, but did not find any of such quality as we could use. I was +compelled therefore to turn in among the sand-hills of Point Malcolm, +where I found excellent water at three and a half feet, and halted for +the day, after a stage of five miles. Unfortunately we were now beyond +all grass, and had to send the horses by a long and difficult road to it, +over steep sandy ridges, densely covered by scrub. Upon halting, one of +our horses lay down, appearing to be very ill, for two hours I could not +get him to rise, and was sadly afraid he would die, which would have been +a serious loss to us, for he was the strongest one we had left. A little +inside Point Malcolm, I found traces of Europeans who had slept on shore +near the beach, and upon one of the tea-trees, I found cut "Ship Julian, +1840," "Haws, 1840," "C. W." and some few other letters, which I did not +copy. The forenoon continued very wild and stormy, with occasional +showers of rain, and as we could get neither firewood nor shelter at our +camp, and the sand eddied around us in showers, we were very miserable. +After dinner, I sent Wylie out with the rifle, to try to shoot a +kangaroo, whilst I took a walk round, to look for grass, and to ascertain +whether water could not be procured in some place nearer the horses, and +better provided with firewood and shelter. My efforts were without +success, nor did I meet with better fortune, in examining Point Malcolm, +to see if there was any place where we could fish from the shore, the +point itself was of granite, but on the sheltered side the water was very +shoal, close to the shore, whilst on the outer side the waves were +breaking with frightful violence, and the spray curling and rising from +the rocks in one perpetual and lofty jet. In the evening Wylie returned +without a kangaroo. + +The night turned out showery, wild, and cold, making us keenly alive to +the bleak, shelterless position we were encamped in. + +May 20.--The sick horse was better to-day, and as they had all found +their way back to the best grass, I determined to remain in camp. Wylie +took the rifle, and again went out kangarooing, whilst I took a long walk +to examine the country, and look out for a line of road to proceed by, +when we left our present position. I was anxious, if possible, to give +over travelling along the beach where the sands were so loose and heavy, +not only causing great extra fatigue to the horses, but adding also +considerably to the distance we should otherwise have to travel. For some +distance I passed over steep ridges, densely covered with large tea-trees +or with other scrub, after which I emerged upon open sandy downs, covered +with low shrubs or bushes, and frequently having patches of good grass +interspersed; the grass-tree was here met with for the first time, but +not very abundantly. This description of country continued between the +coast and the low level bank which still shut out all view of the +interior, though it had greatly decreased in elevation as we advanced to +the west, and appeared as if it would soon merge in the level of the +country around. The day was tolerably fine, but windy, and a few slight +showers fell at intervals. At dusk I got up the horses, watered them, and +was preparing to remove the baggage to a more sheltered place, when Wylie +made his appearance, with the gratifying intelligence that he had shot +one kangaroo, and wounded another; the dead one he said was too far away +for us to get it to-night, and we, therefore, (very unwillingly,) left it +until the morning, and at present only removed our baggage nearer to the +grass, and among thick clumps of tea-trees where we had shelter and +firewood in abundance. The only inconvenience being that we were obliged +to be economical of water, having to bring it all from the sand-drifts, +and our kegs only carrying a few quarts at a time. In the prospect of a +supply of kangaroo, we finished the last of our horse-flesh to-night. It +had lasted us tolerably well, and though we had not gained above +sixty-five miles of distance, since we commenced it, yet we had +accomplished this so gradually, that the horses had not suffered so much +as might have been expected, and were improving somewhat in strength and +appearance every day. It was much to have got them to advance at all, +considering the dreadful sufferings they had endured previous to our +arrival at water on the 3rd of May. + +Getting up one of the horses early on the 21st, we took some water with +us and proceeded to where Wylie had left the kangaroo, to breakfast. +Fortunately it had not been molested by the wild dogs during the night. +Though not of a large species, it was a full grown animal, and furnished +us with a grateful supply of wholesome food. Once more Wylie enjoyed as +much as he could eat, and after breakfast, I took the horse back to the +camp, carrying with me about thirty-two pounds weight of the best and +most fleshy parts of the kangaroo. Wylie remained behind with the rifle, +to return leisurely and try to shoot another; but early in the afternoon +he returned, not having seen one. The truth, I suspect was, that he had +eaten too much to breakfast, and laid down to sleep when I was gone, +coming back to the camp as soon as he felt hungry again. The rest of the +day was taken up in attending to the horses and bringing a supply of +water up for ourselves. The weather was mild and pleasant, and a few +slight showers fell at night, but we were now so well protected among the +tea-trees, and had so much firewood, that we were not inconvenienced by +the rain. + +As I still intended to remain in camp to recruit the horses, I wished +Wylie to go out again on the 22nd, to try for another kangaroo; but the +other not being yet all used, he was very unwilling to do so, and it was +only upon my threatening to move on if he did not, that I could get him +out. As soon as he was gone, I went down to Point Malcolm to try to fish, +as the weather was now so much more moderate. Unfortunately, my tackling +was not strong, and after catching three rock-fish, weighing together +three pounds and a half; a large fish got hooked, and took great part of +my line, hook and all, away. + +It was very vexing to lose a line when I had not many, but still more so +to miss a fine fish that would have weighed fifteen or sixteen pounds. +Being obliged to come back, I spent the remainder of the afternoon in +preparing lines for the morrow. + +Towards evening Wylie returned gloomy and sulky, and without having fired +a shot; neither had he brought the horses up with him to water as I had +requested him to do, and now it was too late to go for them, and they +would have to be without water for the night. I was vexed at this, and +gave him a good scolding for his negligence, after which I endeavoured to +ascertain what had so thoroughly put him out of humour, for ordinarily he +was one of the best tempered natives I had met with: a single sentence +revealed the whole--"The----dogs had eaten the skin." + +This observation came from the very bottom of his soul, and at once gave +me an idea of the magnitude of the disappointment he had sustained; the +fact was, upon leaving the camp in the morning he had taken a firestick +in his hand, and gone straight back to where we skinned the kangaroo on +the 21st, with the intention of singeing off the hair and eating the +skin, which had been left hanging over a bush. Upon his arrival he found +it gone: the wild dogs had been beforehand with him and deprived him of +the meal he expected; hence his gloomy, discontented look upon his +return. As yet I had not told him that I had been fishing; but upon +showing him what I had brought home, and giving him the two largest for +supper, his brow again cleared, and he voluntarily offered to go out +again to try to get a kangaroo to-morrow. + +May 23.--Leaving Wylie asleep at the camp, I set off early to fish at +Point Malcolm. After catching four rock-fish, weighing five pounds, and +losing several hooks, I commenced hunting about among the rocks for +crabs, of which I procured about a dozen They were quite different from +the English crab, being very small, not more than three or four inches in +diameter, and without any meat in the inside of the shell; but the chine +and claws afforded very fair pickings. Upon returning to the camp, I +learnt from Wylie with great satisfaction that he had shot another +kangaroo as he went to bring up the horses. The latter were now at the +camp; so sending him to water them, I remained behind to dry my clothes, +which had got thoroughly wetted in catching the crabs. + +Upon Wylie's return I mounted him on one of the horses, and accompanying +him on foot, proceeded to where he had left the kangaroo; as it was only +one mile and a half away we brought it back upon the horse, entire, that +we might skin it more leisurely at the camp. It was a larger one than the +last, and promised an abundant supply of food for some days; added to +this we had five pounds of fish and a dozen crabs, so that our larder was +well and variously stocked. Upon skinning the kangaroo, Wylie carefully +singed, folded up, and put away the skin for another day, fully +determined that this time he would lose no part of the precious prize. +Having taken the paunch and emptied it, he proceeded to make a kind of +haggis (rather a dirty one to be sure), by putting into it the liver, +lights, heart, and small intestines, and then tying it up, thrust it into +the fire to be roasted whole. This seemed to be a favourite dish with +him, and he was now as happy as a king, sleeping and eating alternately +the whole night long; his only complaint now being that the water was so +far off, and that as we had to carry it all up from the sand-hills to our +camp, he could not drink so much as he should like, and in consequence, +could not eat so much either, for it required no small quantity of liquid +to wash down the enormous masses of meat that he consumed whenever he had +an opportunity. + +May 24.--Leaving Wylie to continue his feast and attend to the horses, I +went down to the beach to hunt again for crabs, of which I procured about +three dozen, but still of the same small size as before; a few larger +ones were seen in the deeper clefts of the rocks, but I could not get at +them; indeed, as it was, I was very nearly terminating my crab hunting +and expedition at the same time. The places where these animals were +obtained, were the clefts and holes among large masses and sheets of rock +close to the sea, and which were covered by it at high water; many of +these were like platforms, shelving to the sea, and terminating abruptly +in deep water. Whilst busily engaged upon one of them, in trying to get +some crabs out from its clefts, I did not notice that the surf sometimes +washed over where I stood, until whilst stooping, and in the act of +fishing out a crab, a roller came further than usual and dashing over me, +threw me down and took both me and my crabs to some distance, nearly +carrying us down the steep into the sea, from which nothing could have +rescued me, as I should soon have been dashed to pieces by the breakers +against the rocks. Having gathered up the crabs I had collected, I set +off homewards in a sad cold uncomfortable plight, with the skin scraped +off my hands and one of my heels, and with my shoes in such a state from +scrambling about among the rocks and in the wet, as strongly to indicate +to me the propriety of never attempting to go crab hunting again with my +shoes on, unless I wished to be placed altogether "hors du combat" for +walking. Wylie I found had got up the horses and watered them, and had +brought up a supply of water for the camp, so that we had nothing to do +in the afternoon but boil crabs and eat them, at which occupation I found +him wonderfully more skilful than I was, readily getting through two to +my one. + +On the 25th we still remained in camp to take advantage of the abundant +supply of food we had for ourselves, and by giving the horses a long +rest, enable them also to recruit a little upon the excellent grass which +grew in this neighbourhood. Wylie took the rifle out to try to get +another kangaroo, but did not succeed. I remained at home to mend my +boots, and prepare for advancing again to-morrow. In the afternoon we +filled our kegs, and brought away the bucket and spade from the +sand-hills, that we might be ready to move without going again to the +water. For the first time since we left Fowler's Bay we were troubled +with musquitoes. + +May 26.--Up early, and Wylie, who had been eating the whole night, was so +thirsty, that he actually walked all the way through the dew and cold of +the morning to the water to drink, as I could only afford him one pint +out of the kegs. We had now been in camp six clear days, at this most +favourable position; we had got an abundant and wholesome supply of +provisions for ourselves, and had been enabled to allow our horses to +enjoy a long unbroken interval of rest, amidst the best of pasturage, and +where there was excellent water. Now that we were again going to continue +our route, I found that the horses were so much improved in appearance +and in strength, that I thought we might once again venture, without +oppression to the animals, occasionally to ride; I selected therefore, +the strongest from among them for this purpose, and Wylie and myself +walked and rode alternately; after passing the scrubby sand-ridges, and +descending to the open downs behind them, I steered direct for Cape Arid, +cutting off Cape Pasley, and encamping after a stage of eighteen miles, +where it bore south-east of us. We halted for the night upon a ridge +timbered with casuarinae, and abounding in grass. Once more we were in a +country where trees were found, and again we were able at night to make +our fires of large logs, which did not incessantly require renewing to +prevent their going out. We had now crossed the level bank which had so +long shut out the interior from us; gradually it had declined in +elevation, until at last it had merged in the surrounding country, and we +hardly knew where it commenced, or how it ended. The high bluff and +craggy hills, whose tops we had formerly seen, stood out now in bold +relief, with a low level tract of country stretching to their base, +covered with dwarf brush, heathy plants and grass-tree, with many +intervals of open grassy land, and abounding in kangaroos. I named these +lofty and abrupt mountain masses the "Russell Range," after the Right +Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies--Lord John Russell. +They constitute the first great break in the character and appearance of +the country for many hundreds of miles, and they offer a point of great +interest, from which future researches may hereafter be made towards the +interior. Nearer to the coast, and on either side of Cape Pasley were +sand-drifts, in which I have no doubt that water might have been +procured. We found none where we were encamped, but had sufficient in the +kegs for our own use, and the horses were not thirsty; many and recent +tracks of natives were observed, but the people themselves were not seen. + +The morning of the 27th was exceedingly cold; and as we left our +encampments early, neither I nor Wylie were inclined to ride for the +first few miles; it was as much as we could do to keep ourselves from +shivering whilst walking; the dews were so heavy, that we were soon wet +through by the spangles from the shrubs and grass, whilst the pace at +which we travelled was not sufficiently rapid to promote a quick +circulation, and enable us to keep ourselves warm. + +At six miles we passed some sand hills, where there was every indication +of water, but I did not think it worth while delaying to try the +experiment in digging, and pushed on for four miles further, round a +bight of the coast, encamping on the east side of Cape Arid, where a +small salt water creek entered the bight. The mouth of this was closed by +a bar of sand, quite dry; nor did the salt water continue for any great +distance inland. Following it up, in the hope of finding fresh water near +its source, I found that there was none now, but that after rains +considerable streams must be poured into it from the gorges of Cape Arid. +The rocks here were all of granite; and in some of the ledges we were +fortunate enough to find abundance of water deposited by the rains, at +which we watered our horses. This being the first time we had ever been +able to do so on our whole journey without making use of the spade and +bucket. After putting the horses out upon the best grass we could find, +Wylie and I went to try our luck at fishing; the sea was boisterous, and +we caught none; but in returning, got about eight or nine crabs a-piece, +which, with some of the kangaroo that was still left, enabled us to make +our fare out tolerably. + +May 26.--In the latter part of the night the rain set in moderately, but +steadily, and both Wylie and myself were very wet and miserable. The +morning still continued showery, and I was anxious to have remained in +camp for the sake of the horses; but as we had consumed at breakfast the +last of our kangaroo, it became necessary to find some means of renewing +our resources, or else lose no time in making the best of our way +onwards. Having sent Wylie to try and get crabs, I went out with the +rifle, but could see nothing to shoot; and upon returning to the camp, I +found Wylie had been equally unsuccessful among the rocks, the sea being +too rough; there was no alternative, therefore, but to move on, and +having got up the horses, we proceeded behind Cape Arid for ten miles, at +a course of W. 15 degrees N., and encamped at night amid a clump of +tea-trees, and bastard gums, where we got good grass for our horses, but +no water. The day had been intensely cold, and I could not persuade Wylie +to ride at all. At night we had abundance of firewood, and a few of the +long narrow yams were also found at this encampment, the first vegetable +food we had yet procured. Grass trees had been abundant on our line of +route to-day, and for the first time we met with the Xamia. In the +evening, the kangaroo fly (a small brown fly) became very troublesome, +annoying us in great numbers, and warning us that rain was about to fall. +At night it came in frequent though moderate showers. We got very much +wetted, but our fire was good, and we did not suffer so much from the +cold as the damp, which affected me with cramp in the limbs, and +rheumatism. + +May 29.--After breakfasting upon a spoonful of flour a-piece, mixed with +a little water and boiled into a paste, we again proceeded. At ten miles +we came to a small salt water stream, running seawards; in passing up it +to look for a crossing place, Wylie caught two opossums, in the tops of +some tea-trees, which grew on the banks. As I hoped more might be +procured, and perhaps fresh water, by tracing it higher up, I took the +first opportunity of crossing to the opposite side, and there encamped; +Wylie now went out to search for opossums, and I traced the stream +upwards. In my route I passed several very rich patches of land in the +valleys, and on the slopes of the hills enclosing the watercourse. These +were very grassy and verdant, but I could find no fresh water, nor did I +observe any timber except the tea-tree. After tracing the stream until it +had ceased running, and merely became a chain of ponds of salt water, I +returned to the camp a good deal fatigued; Wylie came in soon after, but +had got nothing but a few yams. The general character of the country on +either side the watercourse, was undulating, of moderate elevation, and +affording a considerable extent of sheep pasturage. The cockatoos of King +George's Sound, (without the yellow crest) were here in great numbers. +Kangaroos also abounded; but the country had not brush enough to enable +us to get sufficiently near to shoot them. + +During the day Wylie had caught two opossums, and as these were entirely +the fruit of his own labour and skill, I did not interfere in their +disposal; I was curious, moreover, to see how far I could rely upon his +kindness and generosity, should circumstances ever compel me to depend +upon him for a share of what he might procure. At night, therefore, I sat +philosophically watching him whilst he proceeded to get supper ready, as +yet ignorant whether I was to partake of it or not. After selecting the +largest of the two animals, he prepared and cooked it, and then put away +the other where he intended to sleep. I now saw that he had not the +remotest intention of giving any to me, and asked him what he intended to +do with the other one. He replied that he should be hungry in the +morning, and meant to keep it until then. Upon hearing this I told him +that his arrangements were very good, and that for the future I would +follow the same system also; and that each should depend upon his own +exertions in procuring food; hinting to him that as he was so much more +skilful than I was, and as we had so very little flour left, I should be +obliged to reserve this entirely for myself, but that I hoped he would +have no difficulty in procuring as much food as he required. I was then +about to open the flour-bag and take a little out for my supper, when he +became alarmed at the idea of getting no more, and stopped me, offering +the other opossum, and volunteering to cook it properly for me. Trifling +as this little occurrence was, it read me a lesson of caution, and taught +me what value was to be placed upon the assistance or kindness of my +companion, should circumstances ever place me in a situation to be +dependent upon him; I felt a little hurt too, at experiencing so little +consideration from one whom I had treated with the greatest kindness, and +who had been clothed and fed upon my bounty, for the last fifteen months. + +May 30.--In commencing our journey this morning, our route took us over +undulating hills, devoid of timber, but having occasionally small patches +of very rich land in the valleys and upon some of the slopes. This +continued to a salt-water river, broad, and apparently deep near the sea. +As I was doubtful whether it would have a bar-mouth to seawards, I +thought it more prudent to trace it upwards, for the purpose of crossing. +At no very great distance it contracted sufficiently to enable me to get +over to the other side. But in doing so the ground proved soft and boggy, +and I nearly lost one of the horses. Four miles beyond this river we came +to another channel of salt water, but not so large as the last. In +valleys sloping down to this watercourse we met, for the first time, +clumps of a tree called by the residents of King George's Sound the +cabbage-tree, and not far from which were native wells of fresh water; +there were also several patches of rich land bordering upon the +watercourse. + +Travelling for two miles further, we came to a very pretty fresh-water +lake, of moderate size, and surrounded by clumps of tea-tree. It was the +first permanent fresh water we had found on the surface since we +commenced our journey from Fowler's Bay--a distance of nearly seven +hundred miles. I would gladly have encamped here for the night, but the +country surrounding the lake was sandy and barren, and destitute of +grass. We had only made good a distance of eleven miles from our last +camp, and I felt anxious to get on to Lucky Bay as quickly as I could, in +order that I might again give our horses a rest for a few days, which +they now began to require. From Captain Flinders' account of Lucky Bay I +knew we should find fresh water and wood in abundance. I hoped there +would also be grass, and in this case I had made up my mind to remain a +week or ten days, during which I intended to have killed the foal we had +with us, now about nine months old, could we procure food in no other +way. After leaving Lucky Bay, as we should only be about three hundred +miles from the Sound, and our horses would be in comparatively fresh +condition, I anticipated we should be able to progress more rapidly. +Indeed I fully expected it would be absolutely necessary for us to do so, +through a region which, from Flinders' description as seen from sea, and +from his having named three different hills in it Mount Barrens, we +should find neither very practicable nor fertile. + +Six miles beyond the fresh-water lake we came to another salt-water +stream, and finding, upon following up a little way, that it was only +brackish, we crossed and halted for the night. Wylie went out to search +for food, but got nothing, whilst I unharnessed and attended to the +horses, which were a good deal fagged, and then prepared the camp and +made the fires for the night: I could get nothing but grass-tree for this +purpose, but it was both abundant and dry. Owing to its very resinous +nature, this tree burns with great heat and brilliancy, emitting a +grateful aromatic odour. It is easily lit up, makes a most cheerful fire, +and notwithstanding the fervency with which it burns, does not often +require renewing, if the tree be large. Our whole journey to-day had been +over undulations of about three hundred feet in elevation; the country +rose a little inland, and a few occasional bluffs of granite were +observed in the distance, but no timber was seen any where. At night the +flies and mosquitoes were very troublesome to us. + +May 31.--The morning showery, and bitterly cold, so that, for the first +two hours after starting, we suffered considerably, After travelling for +seven miles and a half, through an undulating and bare country, we came +to a salt-water river, with some patches of good land about it. Having +crossed the river a little way up where it became narrower, we again +proceeded for five miles farther, through the same character of country, +and were then stopped by another salt stream, which gave us a great deal +of trouble to effect a crossing. We had traced it up to where the channel +was narrow, but the bed was very deep, and the water running strongly +between banks of rich black soil. Our horses would not face this at +first, and in forcing them over we were nearly losing two of them. After +travelling only a quarter of a mile beyond this stream I was chagrined to +find we had crossed it just above the junction of two branches, and that +we had still one of them to get over; the second was even more difficult +to pass than the first, and whilst I was on the far side, holding one of +the horses by a rope, with Wylie behind driving him on, the animal made a +sudden and violent leap, and coming full upon me, knocked me down and +bruised me considerably. One of his fore legs struck me on the thigh, and +I narrowly escaped having it broken, whilst a hind leg caught me on the +shin, and cut me severely. + +As soon as we were fairly over I halted for the night, to rest myself and +give Wylie an opportunity of looking for food. The water in both branches +of this river was only brackish where we crossed, and at that which we +encamped upon but slightly so. + +There were many grass-trees in the vicinity, and as several of these had +been broken down and were dead they were full of the white grubs of which +the natives are so fond. From these Wylie enjoyed a plentiful, and to +him, luxurious supper. I could not bring myself to try them, preferring +the root of the broad flag-reed, which, for the first time, we met with +at this stream, and which is an excellent and nutritious article of food. +This root being dug up, and roasted in hot ashes, yields a great quantity +of a mealy farinaceous powder interspersed among the fibres; it is of an +agreeable flavour, wholesome, and satisfying to the appetite. In all +parts of Australia, even where other food abounds, the root of this reed +is a favourite and staple article of diet among the aborigines. The +proper season of the year for procuring it in full perfection, is after +the floods have receded, and the leaves have died away and been burnt +off. It is that species of reed of which the leaves are used by coopers +for closing up crevices between the staves of their casks. + +June 1.--Upon getting up this morning I found myself very stiff and sore +from the bruises I had received yesterday, yet I felt thankful that I had +escaped so well; had any of my limbs been broken, I should have been in a +dreadful position, and in all probability must have perished. After Wylie +had dug up some of the flag-roots for breakfast, and a few to take with +us, we proceeded on our journey. I was anxious to have made a long stage, +and if possible, to have reached Thistle Cove by night; but the country +we had to pass over was heavy and sandy, and after travelling fifteen +miles, the horses became so jaded, that I was obliged to turn in among +some sand-drifts near the coast, and halt for the night. The course we +had been steering for the last few days towards Lucky Bay, had gradually +brought us close to the coast again, and during a part of our journey +this afternoon we were travelling upon the sea-shore. At ten miles after +starting, we crossed a strong stream of fresh water running through some +sandy flats into the sea; a mile and a half beyond this we crossed a +second stream; and half a mile further a third, all running strongly, +with narrow channels, into the sea, and quite fresh. Fresh water was also +laying about every where on our road in large pools; a proof of the very +heavy rains that had lately fallen. We were, therefore, enjoying the +advantages of a wet season without having been subject to its inclemency, +and which, in our present weak, unprotected state, we could hardly have +endured. The country to the back was sandy and undulating, covered +principally with low shrubs, and rising inland; there were also several +granite bluffs at intervals, from among which, the streams I had crossed, +probably took their rise; but there were no trees to be seen any where, +except a few of the tea of cabbage-trees. I do not think that any of the +three fresh-water streams we had crossed would be permanent, their +present current being owing entirely to the recent rains; but when they +are running, and the weather is moderately fair, they afford an admirable +opportunity of watering a vessel with very little trouble, the water +being clear and pure to its very junction with the sea. + +At night we made our supper of the flag-roots we had brought with us, and +a spoonful of flour a-piece, boiled into a paste. The night was very cold +and windy, and having neither shelter nor fire-wood at the sand-drifts +where we were, we spent it miserably. + +June 2.--As we had made a shorter stage yesterday than I intended to have +done, and the quantity of flour we had now remaining was very small, I +did not dare to make use of any this morning, and we commenced our +journey without breakfast. Being now near Thistle Cove, where I intended +to halt for some time, and kill the little foal for food, whilst the +other horses were recruiting, and as I hoped to get there early this +afternoon, I was anxious to husband our little stock of flour in the +hope, that at the little fresh-water lake described by Flinders, as +existing there, we should find abundance of the flag-reed for our +support. Keeping a little behind the shore for the first hour, we crossed +over the sandy ridge bounding it, and upon looking towards the sea, I +thought I discovered a boat sailing in the bay. Upon pointing this object +out to Wylie, he was of the same opinion with myself, and we at once +descended towards the shore, but on our arrival were greatly disappointed +at not being able again to see the object of our search. In the course of +half an hour, however, whilst resting ourselves and watching the surface +of the ocean, it again became visible, and soon after a second appeared. +It was now evident that both these were boats, and that we had noticed +them only when standing off shore, and the light shone upon their sails, +and had lost them when upon the opposite tack. It was equally apparent +they were standing out from the main land for the islands. I imagined +them to be sealers, who having entered the bay to procure water or +firewood, were again steering towards the islands to fish. Having hastily +made a fire upon one of the sand-hills, we fired shots, shouted, waved +handkerchiefs, and made every signal we could to attract attention, but +in vain. They were too far away to see, or too busy to look towards us. +The hopes we had entertained were as suddenly disappointed as they had +been excited, and we stood silently and sullenly gazing after the boats +as they gradually receded from our view. + +Whilst thus occupied and brooding over our disappointment, we were +surprised to see both boats suddenly lower their sails, and apparently +commence fishing. Watching them steadily we now perceived that they were +whale boats, and once more our hearts beat with hope, for I felt sure +that they must belong to some vessel whaling in the neighbourhood. We now +anxiously scanned the horizon in every direction, and at last were +delighted beyond measure to perceive to the westward the masts of a large +ship, peeping above a rocky island which had heretofore concealed her +from our view. She was apparently about six miles from us, and as far as +we could judge from so great a distance, seemed to be at anchor near the +shore. + +Poor Wylie's joy now knew no bounds, and he leapt and skipped about with +delight as he congratulated me once more upon the prospect of getting +plenty to eat. I was not less pleased than he was, and almost as absurd, +for although the vessel was quietly at anchor so near us, with no sails +loose and her boats away, I could not help fearing that she might +disappear before we could get to her, or attract the notice of those on +board. To prevent such a calamity, I mounted one of the strongest horses +and pushed on by myself as rapidly as the heavy nature of the sands would +allow, leaving Wylie at his own especial request to bring on the other +horses. In a short time I arrived upon the summit of a rocky cliff, +opposite to a fine large barque lying at anchor in a well sheltered bay, +(which I subsequently named Rossiter Bay, after the captain of the +whaler,) immediately east of Lucky Bay, and at less than a quarter of a +mile distant from the shore. The people on board appeared to be busily +engaged in clearing their cables which were foul, and did not observe me +at all. I tied up my horse, therefore, to a bush, and waited for Wylie, +who was not long in coming after me, having driven the poor horses at a +pace they had not been accustomed to for many a long day. I now made a +smoke on the rock where I was, and hailed the vessel, upon which a boat +instantly put off, and in a few moments I had the inexpressible pleasure +of being again among civilized beings, and of shaking hands with a +fellow-countryman in the person of Captain Rossiter, commanding the +French Whaler "Mississippi." + +Our story was soon told, and we were received with the greatest kindness +and hospitality by the captain. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + +GO ON BOARD THE MISSISSIPPI--WET WEATHER--VISIT LUCKY BAY--INTERVIEW WITH +NATIVES--WYLIE UNDERSTANDS THEIR LANGUAGE--GET THE HORSES SHOD--PREPARE +TO LEAVE THE VESSEL--KINDNESS AND LIBERALITY OF CAPTAIN ROSSITER--RENEW +JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--FOSSIL FORMATION STILL CONTINUES--SALT WATER +STREAMS AND LAKES--A LARGE SALT RIVER--CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY. + + +June 2.--AFTER watering the horses at a deposit left by the rains, in the +sheets of granite near us, and turning them loose, we piled up our little +baggage, and in less than an hour we were comfortably domiciled on board +the hospitable Mississippi,--a change in our circumstances so great, so +sudden, and so unexpected, that it seemed more like a dream than a +reality; from the solitary loneliness of the wilderness, and its +attendant privations, we were at once removed to all the comforts of a +civilised community. + +After we had done ample justice to the good cheer set before us, by our +worthy host, he kindly invited us to remain on board as long as we +pleased, to recruit our horses, and told us, that when we felt refreshed +sufficiently to renew the journey, he would supply us with such stores +and other articles as we might require. I learnt that the Mississippi had +but recently arrived from France, and that she had only been three weeks +upon the ground she had taken up for the season's whaling. As yet no +whales had been seen, and the season was said not to commence before the +end of June or beginning of July. The boats I saw in the morning belonged +to her, and had been out chasing what they thought to be a whale, but +which proved to be only a fin-back, a species which was not thought to +repay the trouble of trying out. + +Early in the evening the whalers retired to rest, and I had a comfortable +berth provided for me in the cabin, but could not sleep; my thoughts were +too much occupied in reflecting upon the great change which the last few +hours had wrought in the position of myself and my attendant. Sincerely +grateful to the Almighty for having guided us through so many +difficulties, and for the inexpressible relief afforded us when so much +needed, but so little expected, I felt doubly thankful for the mercy we +experienced, when, as I lay awake, I heard the wind roar, and the rain +drive with unusual wildness, and reflected that by God's blessing, we +were now in safety, and under shelter from the violence of the storm, and +the inclemency of the west season, which appeared to be setting in, but +which, under the circumstances we were in but a few short hours ago, we +should have been so little able to cope with, or to endure. + +June 3.--I arose at day-break, as I found the whalers breakfasted +betimes, to enable them to send their boats away to look out, at an early +hour. In fact, during the season, I was informed, that it was not unusual +to send them to their posts before the break of day, and especially so, +if other vessels were in company, or there was any competition. After +breakfast I landed with the Captain, to get up and inspect the horses; +poor animals they had not gone far and were doubtless glad at not being +required to march away to-day. I was only sorry that the country did not +abound more in grass. Plenty of water left by the rains was procurable, +in the ledges of the granite rocks, but the vegetation was scanty, the +soil being very sandy, and covered principally with small shrubs, heathy +plants, etc. + +Leaving the horses to enjoy their respite from labour, I accompanied the +Captain to see a garden made by the sailors, in which peas and potatoes +had already been planted, and appeared to be growing well. A rich piece +of land had been selected on a slope, bordering upon a salt water creek, +which here wound through the level country towards the sea. The water in +this creek, was brackish in the upper part, but seaward it was quite +salt, it had a bar mouth of sand, which was quite dry. Unfortunately, the +Captain had no garden seeds but the peas and potatoes, so that their +labours were confined to cultivating these; otherwise during the many +months spent by them in bay whaling, they might have abundantly supplied +themselves with a variety of vegetables, at once an agreeable and +wholesome addition to the ordinary diet on board ship. After dinner I +went with the Captain to visit an island near, upon which he kept his +live stock, such as pigs, sheep, and tortoises; the two latter had been +procured from the west side of the island of Madagascar; the sheep were +strange looking animals, more like goats than sheep, of all colours, and +with fat tails, like the Cape sheep. Their cost at Madagascar had been a +tumbler full of powder a piece; a bullock would have cost ten bottles +full, and other things could have been procured at proportionable prices. +The principal articles in request among the Madagases, were said to be +powder, brass headed trunk nails, muskets, gun-flints, clear claret +bottles, looking-glasses, and cutlery. + +The greater part of the day was very cold and showery, and I remained +quietly on board, reading some old English papers. Wylie was as happy as +he could be. It was true he did not understand a word spoken by those +around him (for not a soul on board spoke English but the Captain), but +he had as much to eat as he desired; and to do him justice, I believe he +made the most of the opportunity. On the other hand, his capacity for +eating entertained the Frenchmen, with the exception, perhaps, of his +first meal on board, and then, I believe, that the immense number of +biscuits he devoured, and the amazing rapidity with which they +disappeared, not only astounded, but absolutely alarmed them. Fish were +caught in great numbers from the ship's side, mackarel and baracoota +being obtained every day. Other varieties might have been procured off +the rocks near the shore, from which there were many places well adapted +for fishing. Periwinkles abounded, and crabs were numerous among the +crevices of the rocks. Altogether, this seemed to be a most favourable +place; and had we not met with the vessel, it would have held out to us +the prospect of obtaining as abundant a supply of food for ourselves as +we had got at Point Malcolm, without the necessity of destroying the poor +foal. The night again set in very wild, cold, and wet. + +June 4.--This morning the weather appeared tolerably fine, and I landed +with the French doctor for the purpose of walking across to Thistle Cove. +After travelling four miles over a sandy heathy country, we arrived at +the pretty little fresh water lake, so accurately described by Captain +Flinders, and which I had so anxiously looked forward to attaining, that +we might halt to rest, and recruit the horses. There is no timber around +the lake, beyond a few xamias, grass trees, and some stunted tea-trees; +neither was there much grass. In other respects, I could not have pitched +upon a more favourable place to have halted at: for near the lake +abounded the flag reed, of which the root was so valuable for food. This +one article would have supported us well during our stay here, whilst the +many bluff rocks, with deep calm water close to them, extending all +around the promontory which projected into the sea, and round the bay, +held out great promise that fish could readily have been caught. Ducks +were also numerous in the lake, and kangaroos on shore. The day turned +out very bleak and wet, and we both got thoroughly soaked through before +we got back to the vessel, which was not until about two in the +afternoon; I was then obliged to borrow a dry suit from the Captain, +whilst my own clothes were drying. + +June 5.--From this time until the fourteenth of June I remained on board +the Mississippi, enjoying the hospitality of Captain Rossiter. Wylie went +out once or twice to try to shoot a kangaroo for the ship, but he never +succeeded; he had so much to eat on board that he had no stimulus to +exertion, and did not take the trouble necessary to insure success. +During almost the whole of the time that I remained on board the +Mississippi, the weather was exceedingly boisterous, cold, and wet, and I +could not but feel truly thankful that I had not been exposed to it on +shore; even on board the ship, with shelter and extra clothing, I felt +very sensibly the great change which had taken place in the temperature. + +I regretted greatly that during my stay I had not the opportunity of +seeing a whale caught. There was only once an attempt at a chase. In this +instance three boats were sent out, commanded by the Captain and the two +mates, but after a considerable lapse of time, and a long interval of +suspense and anxiety, the fish chased turned out to be a hump-back, and +as this was not deemed worth catching, the boats returned to the ship. +The life led by the whalers, as far as I was able to judge, from the +short time I was with them, seemed to be one of regularity, but of +considerable hardship. At half-past six or seven in the evening they +invariably went to bed, but were up at the first dawn of day, and +sometimes even before it, the boats were then usually sent to a distance +from the ship to look out for whales, and whether fortunate or otherwise, +they would always have a pretty hard day's work before they returned. +They were, however, well fed, being apparently even better dieted than +the generality of merchant-ships; the bread was of a better quality, and +the allowance of butter, cheese, beans, and other little luxuries much +more liberal. In the Mississippi the crew were generally young men, and +with few exceptions all were complete novices at sea; this I was told was +in consequence of an expected war between England and France, and the +prohibition of able seamen from leaving their country. Captain Rossiter +assured me that he had not been allowed for a considerable length of time +to sail at all from France, as the war was daily expected to break out. +He was still ignorant as to what had been done in this respect, and +naturally felt very anxious at being, as he might imagine, on an enemy's +coast. + +During the time I remained on board the vessel, a party of natives once +or twice came down to the beach, and as I was anxious to enter into +commucation with them, two were induced to get into the boat and come on +board; as I expected, my boy Wylie fully understood the language spoken +in this part of the country, and could converse with them fluently. +Through him I learnt that they had never seen white people before the +Mississippi anchored here, which was somewhat singular, considering the +frankness with which they visited us, and the degree of confidence they +appeared to repose in us. Of the interior I could gain no satisfactory +account, they said that as far inland as they were acquainted with the +country, it was similar to what we saw, that there was an abundance of +water in the valleys in small wells, that there was a lake and fresh +water river, but that there was little or no wood anywhere. In turn they +were curious to know where we had come from, or where we were going; but +Wylie, who in this respect, at least, was prudent and cautious, told them +that we had come from the eastward to join the ship, and were now going +to remain. Finding I could gain no further useful information, presents +of fish and biscuits were made to them, and they were put on shore, +highly pleased with their visit. During the remainder of my stay, I had +no further opportunity of entering into conversation with these people, +as the weather was generally wild, and they could not procure much +shelter or fire-wood on the coast, had they come down to see us. + +A few days before I contemplated commencing the renewal of my journey, I +requested the Captain to allow a blacksmith he had on board to shoe my +horses, and to this he kindly consented, but as a scarcity of iron +prevailed, some old harpoons and lances had to be worked up for this +purpose. The blacksmith who was a Frenchman, made his shoes and nails in +so different, and apparently in so much more clumsy manner than I was +accustomed to, that I was almost afraid of letting him put them on, and +tried hard, but in vain, to get him to imitate the English shoe and nail +in ordinary use. + +Finding that I was likely to derive no advantage from my officious +interference, I determined to let him have his own way, and was surprised +and delighted to find that he performed his work well and skilfully, the +only unusual part of the operation to me, being the necessity he appeared +to be under, of always having a man to hold up the leg of the horse +whilst he put the shoe on, instead of holding the foot up himself, as an +English blacksmith does; such however, he assured me was the practice +always in France, and he appeared to think it the best too. Having had my +horses shod, I got some canvass from the Captain, to make bags for +carrying my provisions, and then giving him a list of stores that I +wished to take with me, I commenced preparations for leaving my +hospitable entertainer. Every thing that I wished for, was given to me +with a kindness and liberality beyond what I could have expected; and it +gives me unfeigned pleasure, to have it now in my power to record thus +publicly the obligations I was under to Captain Rossiter. + +On the 14th, I landed the stores, to arrange and pack them ready for the +journey. They consisted of forty pounds of flour, six pounds of biscuit, +twelve pounds of rice, twenty pounds of beef, twenty pounds of pork, +twelve pounds of sugar, one pound of tea, a Dutch cheese, five pounds of +salt butter, a little salt, two bottles of brandy, and two tin saucepans +for cooking; besides some tobacco and pipes for Wylie, who was a great +smoker, and the canteens filled with treacle for him to eat with rice. +The great difficulty was now, how to arrange for the payment of the +various supplies I had been furnished with, as I had no money with me, +and it was a matter of uncertainty, whether the ship would touch at any +of the Australian colonies. Captain Rossiter however, said that he had +some intention of calling at King George's Sound, when the Bay whaling +was over, and as that was the place to which I was myself going, I gave +him an order upon Mr. Sherratt, who had previously acted as my agent +there in the transaction of some business matters in 1840. To this day, +however, I have never learnt whether Captain Rossiter visited King +George's Sound or not. + +In arranging the payment, I could not induce the Captain to receive any +thing for the twelve days' that we had been resident in the ship, nor +would he allow me to pay for some very comfortable warm clothing, which +he supplied me with, both for myself and Wylie. Independently too of the +things which I had drawn from the ship's stores, Captain Rossiter +generously and earnestly pressed me to take any thing that I thought +would be serviceable to me from his own private stock of clothes. The +attention and hospitality shewn me, during my stay on board the vessel, +and the kindness and liberality which I experienced at my departure, will +long be remembered by me with feelings of gratitude. In the evening I +slept on shore, and got every thing ready for commencing my labours again +in the morning. + +June 15.--Early this morning the boat came on shore for me, and I went on +board to take a farewell breakfast, in the Mississippi, and to wish good +bye to her kind-hearted people. At eight I landed with the Captain, got +up my horses and loaded them, a matter of some little time and trouble, +now my stock of provisions and other things was so greatly augmented; in +addition too to all I had accumulated before, the Captain insisted now +upon my taking six bottles of wine, and a tin of sardines. + +Having received a few letters to be posted at Albany for France, I asked +the Captain if there was anything else I could do for him, but he said +there was not. The only subject upon which he was at all anxious, was to +ascertain whether a war had broken out between France and England or not. +In the event of this being the case, he wished me not to mention having +seen a French vessel upon the coast, and I promised to comply with his +request. + +After wishing my kind host good bye, and directing Wylie to lead one of +the horses in advance, I brought up the rear, driving the others before +me. Once again we had a long and arduous journey before us, and were +wending our lonely way through the unknown and untrodden wilds. We were, +however, in very different circumstances now, to what we had been in +previous to our meeting with the French ship. The respite we had had from +our labours, and the generous living we had enjoyed, had rendered us +comparatively fresh and strong. We had now with us an abundance, not only +of the necessaries, but of the luxuries of life; were better clothed, and +provided against the inclemency of the weather than we had been; and +entered upon the continuation of our undertaking with a spirit, an +energy, and a confidence, that we had long been strangers to. + +From the great additional weight we had now to carry upon the horses, we +were again obliged to give up riding even in turn, and had both to walk. +This was comparatively of little consequence, however, now we were so +well provided with every thing we could require, and the country appeared +to be so well watered, that we could arrange our stages almost according +to our own wishes. + +Steering to the north-west we passed over a sandy country, covered with +low heathy plants, and grasstrees, and having granite elevations +scattered over its surface at intervals. Under these hills fresh water +swamps and native wells were constantly met with, and at one of them we +encamped for the night, after a stage of about four miles. + +During the day, we passed a variety of beautiful shrubs, and among them +were many different kind of Banksias, one was quite new to me, and had a +scarlet flower, which was very handsome. The fossil formation still +constituted the geological character of the country, most of the lower +ridges of rock intervening between the various hills of granite, +exhibiting shells in great abundance. In the more level parts, the +surface was so coated over with sand, that nothing else could be seen. I +have no doubt, however, that the whole of the substrata would have been +found an uninterrupted continuation of the tertiary deposit. + +At night I observed native fires about a mile from us, in a direction +towards the sea; but the natives did not come near us, nor was I myself +anxious to come into communication with them whilst my party was so +small. + +The evening had set in with steady rain, which continuing with little +intermission during the night, wet us considerably. + +June 16.--This morning, I found I had caught cold, and was very unwell. +Upon leaving the encampment, we steered N. 30 degrees W. to clear a rocky +hill, passing which, on our left at six miles, we changed the course to +W. 10 degrees N. Three miles from the hill, we crossed a small stream of +brackish water running very strongly towards the sea, and then halted for +the day upon it, after a short stage. The country we had traversed in our +route, still consisted of the same sandy plains and undulations, covered +with low shrubs, heathy plants, grass and cabbage-trees, with here and +there elevations of granite, and fresh water swamps: in and around which, +the soil was black and very rich; very little wood was to be met with +anywhere, and nothing that deserved the appellation of trees. + +The country, inland, appeared to rise gradually, but did not seem to +differ in character and features from that we were traversing. + +June 17.--A little before daylight it commenced raining, and continued +showery all day, and though we got wet several times, we experienced +great comfort from the warm clothing we had obtained from Captain +Rossiter. Upon ascending the hills, above our camp, which confined the +waters of the little stream we were upon, we could trace its course +south-west by south, to a small lake lying in the same direction, and +which it appeared to empty into. A second small lake was observable to +the north-west of the first. Two and a half miles from our camp, we +passed a granite elevation, near which, were many fresh swamps, +permanently, I think, abounding in water and having much rich and grassy +land around, of which the soil was a deep black, and but little mixed +with sand. For the next three miles and a half, our route lay over a rich +swampy grassy land, and we were literally walking all the way in water +left by the rains; besides crossing in that distance two fresh water +streams, running strongly towards the sea, and both emptying into small +lakes seen under the coast ridges. The largest of these two was one yard +and a half wide and a foot deep, and appeared of a permanent character. +We now ascended an undulating and rather more elevated tract of country +of an oolitic limestone formation, most luxuriantly clothed with the +richest grass, and having several lakes interspersed among the hollows +between the ridges. Near this we halted for the night under some of the +coast sand-hills, after a day's stage of twelve miles. We had splendid +feed for our horses, but were without any water for ourselves, being +unable to carry any with us, as the canteens were full of treacle. From +our camp, a peak, near Cape le Grand, bore E. 33 degrees S. + +June 18.--During the night heavy showers had fallen, and in the oilskins +we caught as much water as sufficed for our tea. After breakfast we +proceeded onwards, and at a little more than three miles came to the +borders of a large salt lake, lying southwest and north-east, and being +one of two noted by Captain Flinders as having been copied into his map +from a French chart. Following the borders of the lake for a mile we +found abundance of fresh water under the banks by which it was inclosed, +and which, judging from the rushes and grasses about it, and the many +traces of native encampments, I imagine to be permanent. The lake itself +was in a hollow sunk in the fossil formation, which was now very clearly +recognisable in the high banks surrounding the lake, and which varied +from sixty to a hundred and fifty feet in elevation, and were generally +pretty steep towards the shore. The day being fine I halted at this place +to re-arrange the loads of the horses and take bearings. + +A year had now elapsed since I first entered upon the Northern +Expedition. This day twelve months ago I had left Adelaide to commence +the undertaking, cheered by the presence and good wishes of many friends, +and proudly commanding a small but gallant party--alas, where were they +now? Painful and bitter were the thoughts that occupied my mind as I +contrasted the circumstances of my departure then with my position now, +and when I reflected that of all whose spirit and enterprise had led them +to engage in the undertaking, two lone wanderers only remained to attempt +its conclusion. + +June 19.--The dew was very heavy this morning, and we did not start until +rather late, travelling through a very grassy country, abounding in fresh +swamps of a soft peaty soil, and often with the broad flag-reed growing +in them. All these places were boggy and impassable for horses. In +attempting to cross one a horse sunk up to his haunches, and we had much +difficulty in extricating him. At five miles from our camp we ascended +some high ridges of an oolitic limestone formation, which were partially +covered by drift-sand, and in the distance looked like the ridge of a sea +shore. From their summit Cape le Grand bore E. 27 degrees S., the peak +called by the French the "Chapeau," E. 23 degrees S., and the head of the +salt-water lake E. 10 degrees S. We had now a succession of barren, sandy +and stony ridges for more than three miles, and as there was but little +prospect of our finding permanent water in such a miserable region, I +took the opportunity of halting at a little rain water deposited in a +hole of the rocks; here we procured enough for ourselves, but could not +obtain any for the horses. Our camp not being far from the coast, I +walked after dinner to the sand-hills to take bearings. Several islands +were visible, of which the centres were set at S. 10 degrees W., S. 26 +degrees W., E. 41 degrees S., E. 44 degrees S. and S. 33 degrees E. +respectively; the west point of a bay bore S. 51 degrees W. the eastern +point E. 36 degrees S. Upon digging for water under the sand-hills it was +found to be salt. + +June 20.--Rain fell lightly but steadily until one P.M., making it very +disagreeable travelling through the rugged and stony ridges we had to +encounter, and which were a good deal covered with scrub and brush. About +four miles from our camp of last night we crossed high stony ridges, and +immediately beyond came to some steep sand-drifts, among the hollows of +which I dug for water, but at five feet was stopped by rock. The scrubby, +hilly, and rugged nature of the back country, generally about three +hundred feet above the level of the sea, now compelled me to keep the +beach for five miles, from which I was then again driven by the hills +terminating abruptly towards the sea, and forcing me to scale a steep +stony range, which for four miles and a half kept us incessantly toiling +up one rugged ascent after another. We then came to an extensive hollow, +being a partial break in the fossil formation, and having two large lakes +and many smaller ones interspersed over its surface. Around the margins +of the lakes we again found timber--the tea-tree and the bastard gum. The +water in the lakes was salt, but some slight elevations of granite +afforded us in their hollows an abundance of water for ourselves and +horses. The traces of natives were numerous and recent, but yet we saw +none. Swans, ducks, and wild fowl of various kinds were in great numbers, +and kept up an unceasing noise at night whilst passing from one lake to +the other. Our stage had been twelve miles and a half, but the hilly and +rugged nature of the road had made it severe upon the horses, whilst the +wet overhead and the wet grass under our feet made it equally harassing +to ourselves. From our encampment some white drifts in the coast line +bore S. 35 degrees E., and probably were the "white streak in the +sand-hills" of Flinders. + +June 21.--We did not get away until late, but the dew had been so heavy +during the night that even then the shrubs and bushes wet us completely +through, and made our journey cold and miserable. After travelling a +short distance we lost all symptoms of grass, and the country was again +sandy and barren, and covered with shrubs and heathy plants. In this +region we passed two native women and a boy, within gun-shot of us; but +as they were so intent upon their occupation of digging roots, and did +not notice us, I was unwilling to alarm them, and we passed silently by. +At six miles we came to a fine deep hole of excellent water about thirty +yards in circumference. It was situated in a narrow, short, but steep and +rocky gorge, and is, I think, permanent. Four miles beyond this we +crossed a chain of salt ponds, trending seawards, towards an apparent gap +in the coast-line; and six miles further another. Upon the latter we +halted for the night, as there was good grass for the horses, and +brackish water was procurable a little way up the stream, where it +divided into branches. The constant travelling in the wet for the last +few days began now to affect our limbs considerably, and upon halting at +nights we found our feet always much swollen, and our legs generally +stiff and cramped. + +June 22.--A very heavy dew fell in the night, and we were again condemned +to wade for three hours up to our middle among the wet brush; after which +the day became fine, and we got our clothes dried. Travelling for two and +a half miles, we crossed another small brackish chain of ponds, and then +ascending rather higher ground, obtained a view of a large lake under the +sand-hills, into which the channel we encamped upon last night emptied +itself. The lake appeared as if it were deep, and its dark blue colour +led me to imagine there might be a junction with the sea towards the +south-west, where the low appearance of the coast ridge indicated a gap +or opening of some kind. At four miles from our last night's encampment +we were stopped by a large salt-water river, fully a hundred yards wide, +and increasing to three or four times that size as it trended to its +junction with the large lake, and which was visible from the hills above +the river. This river was deep where we first struck upon it, but +appeared to be much more so towards the lake, where the water was of a +dark blue colour, as was that also of the lake itself. This confirmed me +in my opinion that there must be a junction with the sea; but +unfortunately I was obliged to trace its course upwards, for the purpose +of crossing, and the circumstances under which I was travelling precluded +me from delaying, or going so far back out of my way to examine its +mouth. I dared not leave Wylie in charge of the camp for the time +necessary for me to have gone alone; and to take the horses such a +distance, and through a rough or heavy country, on the uncertainty of +procuring for them either grass or water, would have been a risk which, +in their condition, I did not think myself justified in incurring. + +After tracing the river northerly for two miles and a half, I found it +divided into two branches, and though these were still of considerable +size, yet a ledge of rocks extending across the channels enabled us to +effect a passage to the other side. At the place where we crossed, the +stream running over the rocks was only slightly brackish, and we watered +our horses there; had we traced it a little further it might possibly +have been quite fresh, but we had no time for this, for Wylie having +taken charge of the horses but for a few moments, whilst I had been +examining the river for a crossing place, contrived to frighten them all +in some way or other, and set them off at a gallop; the result was, that +our baggage was greatly disturbed, and many things knocked off and +damaged, whilst it took us some time again to get our horses and +re-arrange the loads. + +The valley through which the river took its course, was rocky, with +sheets of granite extending in many places to the water's edge. There was +abundance of good grass, however, and in its upper branches, probably, +there might have been some considerable extent of pasturage. The trees +growing upon the margin, were the paper-barked tea-tree, and the bastard +gum. + +Leaving the river, and proceeding over an undulating sandy country, +without timber, but covered with shrubs, we passed at six miles between +two small lakes, and in three more descended to a deep valley among +granite rocks; here we encamped after a stage of sixteen miles, with +plenty of fresh water in pools, and very fair grass for the horses, about +a mile and a half before we halted, we had obtained a view to seawards, +and I set the "Rocky Islets" at a bearing of S. 25 degrees W. + +The character of the country generally, through which we travelled +to-day, was very similar to that we had so long been traversing. Its +general elevation above the level of the sea, was about three hundred +feet, and to a distant observer, it seemed to be a perfect table land, +unbroken to the horizon, and destitute of all timber or trees, except +occasionally a few cabbage-trees, grass-trees, or minor shrubs; it was +also without grass. Upon crossing this region deep gorges or valleys are +met with, through which flow brackish or salt-water streams, and shading +these are found the tea-tree and the bastard gum. The steep banks which +inclose the valleys, through which the streams take their course, and +which until lately we had found of an oolitic limestone, now exhibited +granite, quartz, sandstone or iron-stone. + +June 23.--Our horses having rambled some distance back upon our +yesterday's tracks, it was late when they were recovered, and we did not +get away until eleven. After travelling a mile and a half, we crossed a +stream of most excellent water running over a bed of granite, in which +were some large deep pools with reeds growing around their margins. A +branch of this watercourse was crossed a little further on, but was quite +dry where we passed it. + +Nine miles from our last night's camp a view of the "Rocky Islets" was +obtained from a hill, and set at due south. Immediately on descending +from the hill we crossed a salt chain of ponds in a bed of sandstone and +ironstone, and nine miles beyond this we came to another, also of salt +water; here we halted for the night as there was tolerable grass for the +horses, and we were fortunate enough to discover fresh water in a granite +rock. + +In the course of the afternoon I obtained a view of a very distant hill +bearing from us W.8 degrees S. This I took to be the east Mount Barren of +Flinders; but it was still very far away, and the intervening country +looked barren and unpromising. During the day our route had still been +over the same character of country as before, with this exception, that +it was more stony and barren, with breccia or iron-stone grit covering +the surface. The streams were less frequently met with, and were of a +greatly inferior character, consisting now principally of only chains of +small stagnant ponds of salt water, destitute of grass, and without any +good soil in the hollows through which they took their course. Many of +these, and especially those we crossed in the latter part of the day, +were quite dry, and appeared to be nothing more than deep gutters washed +by heavy rains between the undulations of the country. + +The rock formation, where it was developed, was exclusively sandstone or +ironstone, with inferior granite; and even the higher levels, which had +heretofore been of a sandy nature, were now rugged and stony, and more +sterile than before; the grasstrees, which generally accommodate +themselves to any soil, were stunted and diminutive, and by no means so +abundant as before. The general elevation of the country still appeared +to be the same. I estimated it at about three hundred feet. + +One circumstance, which struck me as rather singular, with regard to the +last forty miles of country we had traversed, was, that it did not appear +to have experienced the same weather as there had been to the eastward. +The little water we found deposited in the rocks, plainly indicated that +the late rains had either not fallen here at all, or in a much less +degree than they had, in the direction we had come from; whilst the dry +and withered state of any little grass that we found, convinced me that +the earlier rains had still been more partial, so great was the contrast +between the rich luxuriance of the long green grass we had met with +before, and the few dry withered bunches of last year's growth, which we +fell in with now. + + + + +Chapter V. + + + +LARGE WATERCOURSE--LAKE OF FRESH WATER--HEAVY RAINS--REACH MOUNT +BARREN--SALT LAKES AND STREAMS--BARREN SCRUBBY COUNTRY--RANGES BEHIND +KING GEORGE'S SOUND ARE SEEN--BRACKISH PONDS--PASS CAPE RICHE--A LARGE +SALT RIVER--CHAINS OF PONDS--GOOD LAND--HEAVILY TIMBERED COUNTRY--COLD +WEATHER--FRESH LAKE--THE CANDIUP RIVER--KING'S RIVER--EXCESSIVE +RAINS--ARRIVAL AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND AND TERMINATION OF THE +EXPEDITION--RECEPTION OF WYLIE BY THE NATIVES. + + +June 24.--UPON moving on early this morning, we crossed the bed of a +considerable watercourse, containing large deep pools of brackish water, +but unconnected at present by any stream. The late hour at which we +halted last night had prevented us from noticing this larger chain of +ponds, and of which, that we were encamped upon formed only a branch. The +country we now passed through, varied but little in character, except +that the shrubs became higher, with a good deal of the Eucalyptus dumosa +intermingled with them, and were entangled together by matted creepers or +vines, which made it extremely difficult and fatiguing to force a way +through. The whole was very sterile, and without grass. + +After travelling nine miles, we passed on our right a small lake of fresh +water; and two miles beyond this another, about a mile in circumference, +but deep, and evidently of a permanent character. Close to this fresh +water lake was another, divided from it by only a narrow neck of land, +and yet the latter was as salt as the sea. We had only made a short stage +as yet; but as there was a little food for the horses near the lake, I +thought it more prudent to halt there than run the risk of being left +without in the wretched looking country before us, + +The Mount Barren ranges were observed again, but the weather was cloudy, +so that I could make nothing out distinctly. In the afternoon, Wylie shot +three teal, of which there were numbers on the lake. At night, our +baggage and clothes had nearly all been destroyed by fire, a spark having +been carried by the wind to the tarpaulin which covered them, and which, +as it had been but newly tarred, was soon in a blaze. I was fortunate +enough, however, to observe the accident in time to save our other +effects. + +June 25.--We commenced our journey early, but had not gone far before the +rain began to fall, and continued until ten o'clock. Occasionally the +showers came down in perfect torrents, rendering us very cold and +miserable, and giving the whole country the appearance of a large puddle. +We were literally walking in water; and by stooping down, almost any +where as we went along, could have dipped a pint pot half full. It was +dreadful work to travel thus in the water, and with the wet from the long +brush soaking our clothes for so many hours; but there was no help for +it, as we could not find a blade of grass for our horses, to enable us to +halt sooner. The surface of the whole country was stony and barren in the +extreme. A mile from our camp, we passed a small salt lake on our left; +and at fifteen miles more, came to a valley with some wiry grass in it. +At this I halted, as there was no prospect of getting better grass, and +the water left by the rains was abundant. The latter, though it had only +fallen an hour or two, was in many places quite salt, and the best of it +brackish, so thoroughly saline was the nature of the soil upon which it +had been deposited. + +As the afternoon proved fine, I traced down the valley we were upon to +its junction with a stream flowing over a granite bed, about a mile from +our camp. In this the pools of water were large, deep, and brackish, but +there was plenty of fresh water left by the rains in holes of the rocks +upon its banks. As, however, there did not appear to be better grass upon +the larger channel, than in the valley where we were, I did not think it +worth while to remove our camp. + +June 26.--I determined to remain in camp today to rest the horses, and to +enable me to arrange their loads, so that Wylie and I might again ride +occasionally. We had both walked for the last eleven days, during which +we had made good a distance of 134 miles from Rossiter Bay, and as I +calculated we ought under ordinary circumstances to reach the Sound in +ten days more, I thought that we might occasionally indulge in riding, +and relieve ourselves from the great fatigue we had hitherto been subject +to, especially as the horses were daily improving in strength and +condition. + +Whilst I was engaged in making the necessary preparations, and throwing +away some things which I thought we could dispense with, such as our +bucket, some harness, ammunition, cooking utensils, and sundry other +things, Wylie took the rifle, and went down to the watercourse to shoot. +On his return in the afternoon he produced four teal and a black swan, as +the produce of his day's sport; he had, however, shot away every charge +of shot from the belt, which had been filled on board the Mississippi, +and held three pounds and a half, besides three ball cartridges; how +often he fired at the swan before he got it I could never discover, but I +heard shot after shot as fast as he could load and fire for some time, +and he himself acknowledged to firing at it seven times, but I suspect it +to have been nearer twice seven. + +To-day we were obliged to fetch up what water we required for our own +use, from the holes in the granite rocks near the river, that lying on +the ground near our camp being too salt for use. + +June 27.--Upon moving on this morning we passed towards the Mount Barren +ranges for ten miles through the same sterile country, and then observing +a watercourse coming from the hills, I became apprehensive I should +experience some difficulty in crossing it near the ranges, from their +rocky and precipitous character, and at once turned more southerly to +keep between the sea and a salt lake, into which the stream emptied +itself. After getting nearly half round the lake, our progress was +impeded by a dense and most difficult scrub of the Eucalyptus dumosa. +Upon entering it we found the scrub large and strong, and growing very +close together, whilst the fallen trees, dead wood, and sticks lying +about in every direction, to the height of a man's breast, rendered our +passage difficult and dangerous to the horses in the extreme. Indeed, +when we were in the midst of it, the poor animals suffered so much, and +progressed so little, that I feared we should hardly get them either +through it or back again. By dint of great labour and perseverance we +passed through a mile of it, and then emerging upon the beach followed it +for a short distance, until steep rocky hills coming nearly bluff into +the sea, obliged us to turn up under them, and encamp for the night not +far from the lake. Here our horses procured tolerable grass, whilst we +obtained a little fresh water for ourselves among the hollows of the +rocks. + +Our stage had been about thirteen miles, and our position was S. 30 +degrees E. from East Mount Barren, the hills under which we were encamped +being connected with that range. Most properly had it been called Mount +Barren, for a more wretched aridlooking country never existed than that +around it. The Mount Barren ranges are of quartz or reddish micaceous +slate, the rocks project in sharp rugged masses, and the strata are all +perpendicular. + +June 28.--Upon getting up this morning we saw the smoke of native fires +along the margin of the lake, at less than a mile from us. They had +already noticed our fire, and called out repeatedly to us, but as I did +not wish to come into communication with them at all, I did not reply. +Soon afterwards we saw them in the midst of the lake carrying boughs, and +apparently fishing. Three miles from the lake we crossed a small salt +stream, and a mile further another. Four miles beyond the latter we came +to a very deep narrow salt lake, swarming with swans, pelicans, and +ducks. As the passage between the lake and the sea appeared to be +scrubby, and very similar to that we had found so much difficulty in +passing yesterday, I turned to the north-west to head it inland; but had +not proceeded far before I found our progress stopped by a large +salt-water stream, which joined the lake, and whose course was through +steep precipitous ravines. By following the river upwards I came to a +place where we could descend into its basin, and as the water there, +though brackish, was still drinkable, I halted for the night after a +stage of fourteen miles. The horses were a good deal tired with the rough +hilly road they had passed over, and having been without water last +night, stood greatly in need of rest. + +In the afternoon Wylie took the rifle to shoot some of the swans and +ducks around us, but was not successful. I remained at the camp, breaking +down and clearing a passage amongst the shrubs and trees which grew in +the rocky bed of the watercourse, to enable us to get our horses readily +across to-morrow. Our position bore S. W. from East Mount Barren, E. from +a bluff range three miles from us, and N. 55 degrees E. from some high +hills in the direction of Middle Mount Barren. The course of the stream +we were encamped upon being nearly north and south. + +June 29.--Having found so much difficulty in keeping between the hills +and the sea, I determined now to keep more inland, and steering W. 20 +degrees N., headed all ranges in four miles. From this point East Mount +Barren bore E. 20 degrees N., and as I was now clear of hills in front, I +changed my course to W. 20 degrees S., passing through a barren worthless +country for eleven miles, and encamping upon a deep ravine, in which we +procured brackish water. Our horses were greatly fagged. From our camp +West Mount Barren bore S. 41 degrees W. + +June 30.--For the first ten miles to-day we had a very bad road, over +steep stony ridges and valleys, covered for the most part with dense gum +scrub. The surface was strewed over with rough pebbles or ironstone grit, +and was broken a good deal into steep-faced ridges and deep hollows, as +if formed so by the action of water. The formation of these precipitous +banks appeared to be an ochre of various colours--red and yellow, and of +a soft friable description. At ten miles we crossed a watercourse with +many pools of brackish water in it, trending to a lake visible under the +coast ridge. There was good grass near this, and many kangaroos were +seen, but as no fresh water could be obtained, we passed on, and at three +miles further came to a hole of rain-water in a rocky gorge, but here +there was not a blade of grass. Hoping to meet with more success further +on, we still advanced for twelve miles, until night compelled us at last +to encamp without either grass or water, both ourselves and our horses +being greatly fatigued. + +In the evening we obtained a view of some high rugged and distant ranges, +which I at once recognised as being the mountains immediately behind King +George's Sound. At last we could almost say we were in sight of the +termination of our long, harassing, and disastrous journey. Early in the +morning I had told Wylie that I thought we should see the King George's +Sound hills before night, but he at the time appeared rather sceptical; +when, however, they did break upon our view, in picturesque though +distant outline, his joy knew no bounds. For the first time on our +journey he believed we should really reach the Sound at last. The +cheering and not-to-be-mistaken view before him had dissipated all his +doubts. Once more he gazed upon objects that were familiar to him; the +home of his childhood was before him, and already almost in fancy he was +there, and amongst his friends; he could think, or talk of nothing else, +and actually complimented me upon the successful way in which I had +conducted him to the end of his journey. From our camp the distant ranges +bore W. 5 degrees S., and West Mount Barren E. 5 degrees S. + +July 1.--After travelling three miles we came to a chain of large ponds +of brackish water, but with excellent grass around them, and as the +horses had nothing to eat or drink last night we halted for three hours. +The water was bad, but they drank it, and we were obliged to do so too, +after an ineffectual search for better. At noon we again moved on, and +after proceeding about five miles, came to a large watercourse where the +water was excellent, and the feed abundant. Here we halted for the night, +to make our horses amends for the bad fare and hard work of yesterday. +From the hill above our camp West Mount Barren bore E. 8 degrees N., +Middle Mount Barren E. 21 degrees N., and Rugged Mountains behind the +Sound, W. 4 degrees S. The watercourse we were upon, like all those we +had lately crossed, had perpendicular cliffs abutting upon it, either on +one side or the other, and the channel through which it wound looked +almost like a cut made through the level country above it. A few +casuarinae were observed in parts of the valley, being the first met with +since those seen near Cape Arid. + +July 2.--Our route to-day lay through a country much covered with +gum-scrub, banksias, and other shrubs, besides occasionally a few patches +of stunted gum-trees growing in clumps in small hollows, where water +appeared to lodge after rains. At two miles we crossed a small +watercourse, and at fifteen further, came to a deep valley with fine +fresh-water pools in it, and tolerable feed around; here we halted for +the night. The valley we were upon (and one or two others near) led to a +much larger one below, through which appeared to take its course the +channel of a considerable watercourse trending towards a bight in the +coast at S. 17 degrees W. + +Some high land, seen to the southward and westward of us, I took to be +Cape Riche, a point I should like greatly to have visited, but did not +think it prudent to go so far out of my direct course, in the +circumstances I was travelling under. + +July 3.--Upon commencing our journey to-day I found our route was much +intersected by deep ravines and gorges, all trending to the larger valley +below, and where I had no doubt a large chain of ponds, and probably much +good land, would have been found. After proceeding four miles and a half, +we were stopped by a large salt-water river, which seemed to be very deep +below where we struck it, and trended towards a bight of the coast where +it appeared to form a junction with the sea. + +Many oyster and cockle shells were on its shore. This was the largest +river we had yet come to, and it gave us much trouble to cross it, for, +wherever it appeared fordable, the bed was so soft and muddy, that we +dared not venture to take our horses into it. By tracing it upwards for +eight miles, we at last found a rocky shelf extending across, by which we +were enabled to get to the other side. At the point where we crossed, it +had become only a narrow rocky channel; but there was a strong stream +running, and I have no doubt, higher up, the water might probably have +been quite fresh. Its waters flowed from a direction nearly of +west-north-west, and appeared to emanate from the high rugged ranges +behind King George's Sound. The country about the lower or broad part of +this river, as far as I traced it, was rocky and bad; but higher up, +there was a good deal of grass, and the land appeared improving. In the +distance, the hills seemed less rocky and more grassy, and might probably +afford fair runs for sheep. Upon the banks of the river were a few +casuarinae and more of the tea-tree, and bastard gum, than we had seen +before upon any other watercourse. + +Upon crossing the river, we found the country getting more wooded, with a +stunted-looking tree, apparently of the same species as the stringy bark, +with bastard gums, and large banksias, the intervals being filled up with +grass-trees and brush, or shrubs, common at King George's Sound. At dark +we could find no water, and I therefore pushed on by moonlight, making +Wylie lead one of the horses whilst I drove the rest after him. At nine +o'clock, we came to a deep valley with plenty of water and grass in it, +and here we halted for the night, after a stage of full thirty miles. The +early part of the morning had been very wet, and it continued to rain +partially for the greatest part of the day, rendering us very cold and +uncomfortable. At night it was a severe frost. + +July 4.--Our horses having been a good deal fagged yesterday, I did not +disturb them early, and it was nearly noon when we moved away from our +encampment, crossing the main watercourse, of which the ponds we were +upon last night were only a branch. In the larger channel, there were +many fine pools of water, connected by a strongly running stream in a +deep narrow bed, and which wound at a course of E. 25 degrees S. through +a valley of soft, spongy, peaty formation, and over which we had much +trouble in getting our horses, one having sunk very deep, and being with +difficulty extricated. After travelling two miles and a half, we obtained +a view of Bald Island, bearing S. 15 degrees W.; and in two miles and a +half more, we crossed a fine chain of ponds, taking its course through +narrow valleys between hills of granite; these valleys and the slopes of +the hills were heavily timbered; the soil was very rich, either a reddish +loam, or a light black mixed with sand, and the grass interspersed among +the trees was abundant and luxuriant. After ascending the range, we +passed principally over stony hills, and valleys heavily timbered, and +with brush or underwood, filling up the interstices of the trees. + +Ten miles from our last night's camp we crossed the tracks of horses, +apparently of no very old date, this being the first symptom we had yet +observed of our approach towards the haunts of civilised man. The day was +cold with heavy squalls of rain, and as the night appeared likely to be +worse, I halted early, after a stage of thirteen miles. After dark the +rain ceased, and the night cleared up, but was very cold. + +July 5.--Another rainy day, and so excessively cold that we were obliged +to walk to keep ourselves at all warm; we spent a miserable time, +splashing through the wet underwood, and at fifteen miles we passed a +fresh water lake, in a valley between some hills. This Wylie recognised +as a place he had once been at before, and told me that he now knew the +road well, and would act as guide, upon which I resigned the post of +honour to him, on his promising always to take us to grass and water at +night. Two miles and a half beyond the lake, we came to a fresh water +swamp, and a mile beyond that to another, at which we halted for the +night, with plenty of water, but very little grass. During the day, we +had been travelling generally through a very heavily timbered country. + +At night the rain set in again, and continued to fall in torrents at +intervals; we got dreadfully drenched, and suffered greatly from cold and +want of rest, being obliged to stand or walk before the fire, nearly the +whole night. + +July 6.--The morning still very wet and miserably cold. With Wylie acting +as guide, we reached in eight miles, the Candiup river, a large chain of +ponds, connected by a running stream, and emptying into a wide and deep +arm of the sea, with much rich and fertile land upon its banks. The whole +district was heavily timbered, and had good grass growing amongst the +trees. From the very heavy rains that had fallen, we had great trouble in +crossing many of the streams, which were swollen by the floods into +perfect torrents. In the Candiup river I had to wade, cold and chill as I +was, seven times through, with the water breast high, and a current that +I with difficulty could keep my feet against, in order to get the horses +over in safety; the only fordable place was at a narrow ledge of rocks, +and with so strong a stream, and such deep water below the ledge, I dared +not trust Wylie to lead any of them, but went back, and took each horse +across myself. The day was bitterly cold and rainy, and I began to suffer +severely from the incessant wettings I had been subject to for many days +past. + +Four miles beyond the Candiup river, we came to King's river, a large +salt arm of Oyster Harbour, here my friend Wylie, who insisted upon it +that he knew the proper crossing place, took me into a large swampy +morass, and in endeavouring to take the horses through, three of them got +bogged and were nearly lost, and both myself and Wylie were detained in +the water and mud for a couple of hours, endeavouring to extricate them. +At last we succeeded, but the poor animals were sadly weakened and +strained, and we were compelled to return back to the same side of the +river, and encamp for the night, instead of going on to King George's +Sound as I had intended! + +Fortunately there was tolerable grass, and fresh water lay every where +about in great abundance, so that the horses would fare well, but for +ourselves there was a cheerless prospect. For three days and nights, we +had never had our clothes dry, and for the greater part of this time, we +had been enduring in full violence the pitiless storm--whilst wading so +constantly through the cold torrents in the depth of the winter season, +and latterly being detained in the water so long a time at the King's +river, had rendered us rheumatic, and painfully sensitive to either cold +or wet. I hoped to have reached Albany this evening, and should have done +so, as it was only six miles distant, if it had not been for the unlucky +attempt to cross King's river. Now we had another night's misery before +us, for we had hardly lain down before the rain began to fall again in +torrents. Wearied and worn-out as we were, with the sufferings and +fatigues of the last few days, we could neither sit nor lie down to rest; +our only consolation under the circumstances being, that however bad or +inclement the weather might be, it was the last night we should be +exposed to its fury. + +July 7.--Getting up the horses early, we proceeded up the King's river, +with a view of attempting to cross, but upon sounding the depths in one +or two places, I found the tide, which was rising, was too high; I had +only the alternative, therefore, of waiting for several hours until the +water ebbed, or else of leaving the horses, and proceeding on without +them. Under all the circumstances, I decided upon the latter; the rain +was still falling very heavily, and the river before us was so wide and +so dangerous for horses, from its very boggy character, that I did not +think it prudent to attempt to force a passage, or worth while to delay +to search for a proper crossing place. There was good feed for the horses +where they were, and plenty of water, so that I knew they would fare +better by remaining than if they were taken on to the Sound; whilst it +appeared to me more than probable that I should have no difficulty, +whenever I wished to get them, to procure a guide to go for and conduct +them safely across, at the proper crossing place. + +Having turned our horses loose, and piled up our baggage, now again +greatly reduced, I took my journals and charts, and with Wylie forded the +river about breast high. We were soon on the other side, and rapidly +advancing towards the termination of our journey; the rain was falling in +torrents, and we had not a dry shred about us, whilst the whole country +through which we passed, had, from the long-continued and excessive +rains, become almost an uninterrupted chain of puddles. For a great part +of the way we walked up to our ankles in water. This made our progress +slow, and rendered our last day's march a very cold and disagreeable one. +Before reaching the Sound, we met a native, who at once recognised Wylie, +and greeted him most cordially. From him we learnt that we had been +expected at the Sound some months ago, but had long been given up for +lost, whilst Wylie had been mourned for and lamented as dead by his +friends and his tribe. The rain still continued falling heavily as we +ascended to the brow of the hill immediately overlooking the town of +Albany--not a soul was to be seen--not an animal of any kind--the place +looked deserted and uninhabited, so completely had the inclemency of the +weather driven both man and beast to seek shelter from the storm. + +For a moment I stood gazing at the town below me--that goal I had so long +looked forward to, had so laboriously toiled to attain, was at last +before me. A thousand confused images and reflections crowded through my +mind, and the events of the past year were recalled in rapid succession. +The contrast between the circumstances under which I had commenced and +terminated my labours stood in strong relief before me. The gay and +gallant cavalcade that accompanied me on my way at starting--the small +but enterprising band that I then commanded, the goodly array of horses +and drays, with all their well-ordered appointments and equipment were +conjured up in all their circumstances of pride and pleasure; and I could +not restrain a tear, as I called to mind the embarrassing difficulties +and sad disasters that had broken up my party, and left myself and Wylie +the two sole wanderers remaining at the close of an undertaking entered +upon under such hopeful auspices. + +Whilst standing thus upon the brow overlooking the town, and buried in +reflection, I was startled by the loud shrill cry of the native we had +met on the road, and who still kept with us: clearly and powerfully that +voice rang through the recesses of the settlement beneath, whilst the +blended name of Wylie told me of the information it conveyed. For an +instant there was a silence still almost as death--then a single +repetition of that wild joyous cry, a confused hum of many voices, a +hurrying to and fro of human feet, and the streets which had appeared so +shortly before gloomy and untenanted, were now alive with natives--men, +women and children, old and young, rushing rapidly up the hill, to +welcome the wanderer on his return, and to receive their lost one almost +from the grave. + +It was an interesting and touching sight to witness the meeting between +Wylie and his friends. Affection's strongest ties could not have produced +a more affecting and melting scene--the wordless weeping pleasure, too +deep for utterance, with which he was embraced by his relatives, the +cordial and hearty reception given him by his friends, and the joyous +greeting bestowed upon him by all, might well have put to the blush those +heartless calumniators, who, branding the savage as the creature only of +unbridled passions, deny to him any of those better feelings and +affections which are implanted in the breast of all mankind, and which +nature has not denied to any colour or to any race. + +Upon entering the town I proceeded direct to Mr. Sherrats', where I had +lodged when in King George's Sound, in 1840. By him and his family I was +most hospitably received, and every attention shewn to me; and in the +course of a short time, after taking a glass of hot brandy and water, +performing my ablutions and putting on a clean suit of borrowed clothes, +I was enabled once more to feel comparatively comfortable, and to receive +the many kind friends who called upon me. + +I feel great pleasure in the opportunity now afforded me of recording the +grateful feelings I entertain towards the residents at Albany for the +kindness I experienced upon this occasion. Wet as the day was, I had +hardly been two hours at Mr. Sherrats before I was honoured by a visit +from Lady Spencer, from the Government-resident, Mr. Phillips, and from +almost all the other residents and visitors at the settlement,--all vying +with each other in their kind attentions and congratulations, and in +every offer of assistance or accommodation which it was in their power to +render. + +Finding that a vessel would shortly sail for Adelaide, I at once engaged +my passage, and proceeded to make arrangements for leaving King George's +Sound. + +To the Governor of the Colony, Mr. Hutt, I wrote a brief report of my +journey, which was forwarded, with a copy both of my own and Wylie's +depositions, relative to the melancholy loss of my overseer on the 29th +April. I then had my horses got up from the King's river, and left them +in the care of Mr. Phillips, who had in the most friendly manner offered +to take charge of them until they recovered their condition and could be +sold. + +Wylie was to remain at the Sound with his friends, and to receive from +the Government a weekly allowance of provisions, [Note 29: This was +confirmed by Governor Hutt.] by order of Mr. Phillips; who promised to +recommend that it should be permanently continued, as a reward for the +fidelity and good conduct he had displayed whilst accompanying me in +the desert. + +On the 13th July I wished my friends good bye, and in the afternoon went +on board the Truelove to sail for Adelaide; whilst working out of harbour +we were accompanied as long as any of the shore boats remained, by some +of the natives of the place, who were most anxious to have gone with me +to Adelaide. Wylie had given them so flattering an account of South +Australia and its pleasures, that he had excited the envy and curiosity +of the whole tribe; dozens applied to me to take them, and I really think +I could have filled the ship had I been disposed; one or two, more +persevering than the rest, would not be denied, and stuck close to the +vessel to the last, in the hope that I might relent and take them with me +before the pilot boat left, but upon this occurring, to their great +discomforture, they were compelled to return disappointed. + +On the afternoon of the 26th of July I arrived in Adelaide, after an +absence of one year and twenty-six days. + + + + +Chapter VI. + + + +CONCLUDING REMARKS. + + +Having now brought to a close the narrative of my explorations in 1840-1, +it may not be out of place to take a brief and cursory review of the +whole, and to state generally what have been the results effected. In +making this summary, I have no important rivers to enumerate, no fertile +regions to point out for the future spread of colonization and +civilization, or no noble ranges to describe from which are washed the +debris that might form a rich and fertile district beneath them; on the +contrary, all has been arid and barren in the extreme. + +Such, indeed, has been the sterile and desolate character of the +wilderness I have traversed, and so great have been the difficulties +thereby entailed upon me, that throughout by far the greater portion of +it, I have never been able to delay a moment in my route, or to deviate +in any way from the line I was pursuing, to reconnoitre or examine what +may haply be beyond. Even in the latter part of my travels, when within +the colony of Western Australia, and when the occasionally meeting with +tracts of a better soil, or with watercourses appearing to have an outlet +to the ocean, rendered the country one of much greater interest, I was +quite unable, from the circumstances under which I was placed, the +reduced and worn-out state of my horses, and the solitary manner in which +I was travelling, ever to deviate from my direct line of route, either to +examine more satisfactorily the character of the country, or to determine +whether the watercourses, some of which occasionally bore the character +of rivers (though of only short course), had embouchures opening to the +sea or not. + +In a geographical point of view, I would hope the result of my labours +has not been either uninteresting, or incommensurate with the nature of +the expedition placed under my command, and the character of the country +I had to explore. By including in the summary I am now making, the +journeys I undertook in 1839, as well as those of 1840-1 (for a +considerable portion of the country then examined was recrossed by the +Northern Expedition), it will be seen that I have discovered and examined +a tract of country to the north of Adelaide, which was previously +unknown, of about 270 miles in length, extending between the parallels of +33 degrees 40 minutes and 29 degrees S. latitude. In longitude, that part +of my route which was before unknown, extends between the parallels of +138 degrees E., and 118 degrees 40 minutes E., or about 1060 miles of +direct distance. These being connected with the previously known portions +of South-western, South-eastern, and part of Southern Australia, complete +the examination of the whole of the south line of the coast of this +continent. Indeed, I have myself (at various times) crossed over the +whole of this distance from east to west, from Sydney to Swan River. In +the early part of the Expedition, 1840, the continuation of Flinders +range, from Mount Arden, was traced and laid down to its termination, +near the parallel of 29 degrees S. It was ascertained to be hemmed in by +an impassable barrier, consisting of the basin of an immense lake, which +I named Lake Torrens, and which, commencing from the head of Spencer's +Gulf, increased in width as it swept to the north-west, but subsequently +bent round again to the north-east, east and south-east, in +correspondence with the trend of Flinders range, the northern extremity +of which it completely surrounded in the form of a horse-shoe. The shores +of this lake I visited to the westward of Flinders range, at three +different points, from eighty to ninety miles apart from each other, and +on all these occasions I found the basin to consist, as far as I could +penetrate, of a mass of mud and sand, coated on the surface with a crust +of salt, but having water mixed with it beneath. At the most +north-westerly point attained by me, water was found in an arm of the +main lake, about two feet deep, clear, and salt as the sea; it did not +extend, however, more than two or three hundred yards, nor did it +continue to the bed of the main lake, which appeared, from a rise that I +ascended near the arm, to be of the same character and consistency as +before. The whole course of the lake, to the farthest point visited by +me, was bounded by a steep, continuous, sandy ridge, exactly like a +sea-shore ridge; those parts of its course to the north, and to the east +of Flinders range, which I did not go down to, were seen and laid down +from various heights in that mountain chain. Altogether, the outline of +this extraordinary feature, as thus observed and traced, could not have +extended over a circuit of less than 400 miles. + +It is singular enough that all the springs found near the termination of +Flinders range should have been salt, and that these were very nearly in +the same latitude in which Captain Sturt had found brine springs in the +bed of the Darling in 1829, although our two positions were so far +separated in longitude. My furthest position to the north-west was also +in about the same latitude, as the most inland point gained by any +previous exploring party, viz. that of Sir Thomas Mitchell's in 1832, +about the parallel of 149 degrees E. longitude; but by my being about 600 +miles more to the westward, I was consequently much nearer to the centre +of New Holland. It is, to say the least, remarkable that from both our +positions, so far apart as they are, the country should present the same +low and sterile aspect to the west and north-west. Since my return from +the expedition, a party has been sent out under Captain Frome, the +Surveyor-General, in South Australia, to examine the south-east extremity +of Lake Torrens; the following is the report made by that officer upon +his return. + + +"The most northern point at which I found water last year, was near the +top of a deep ravine of the Black Rock Hills, in lat. 32 degrees 45 +minutes 25 seconds, where I left the dray and the larger portion of my +party on the 20th July, taking on only a light spring cart, the bottom +filled entirely with kegs containing sufficient water for our horses for +nearly three days, and provisions for one month, which was as much as the +cart would contain. + +"My object being to ascertain the boundaries of the southern termination +of the eastern branch of Lake Torrens, as laid down by Mr. Eyre, and also +the nature of the country between Flinders range, as high as the parallel +of Mount Hopeless, and the meridian of 141 degrees, (the eastern limits +of the province), I kept at first a course as near N.N.E. as the nature +of the ground would admit, to ensure my not passing to the east of this +extremity of the lake; from whence I intended, if possible, to pursue a +line nearly north-east, as far as my time and the means at my disposal +would allow me, hoping to reach the high land laid down by Sir Thomas +Mitchell, on the right banks of the Darling, to the north of Mount Lyell, +and thus ascertain if any reasonable hope existed of penetrating at some +future time towards the interior from thence. The continued heavy rains +which had fallen for more than three weeks before my departure from +Adelaide, on the 8th July, and for nearly a fortnight afterwards, had +left the surface water in pools on the scrubby plains, and in some of the +ravines; but on proceeding north, it was evident that these rains had not +been there so general or so heavy, though by steering from point to point +of the hills, after crossing the Black Rock Range at Rowe's Creek, I was +able to find sufficient water for the horses, and to replenish the kegs +every second or third day. From this spot, the plains, as well as the +higher land, appeared evidently to dip away to the north-east, the barren +hills all diminishing in elevation, and the deep watercourses from +Flinders range all crossing the plains in that direction. In one of these +watercourses, the Siccus (lat. about 31 degrees 55 minutes), whose +section nearly equals that of the Murray, there were indications of not +very remote floods having risen to between twenty and thirty feet above +its bed, plainly marked by large gum-trees lodged in the forks of the +standing trees, and lying high up on its banks, on one of which I +remarked dead leaves still on the branches; and in another creek (Pasmore +River), lat. 31 degrees 29 minutes, a strong current was running at the +spot where we struck it (owing, I suppose, to recent heavy rains among +the hills from whence it has its source), but below this point the bed +was like that of all the other creeks, as dry as if no rain had ever +fallen, and with occasional patches of various shrubs, and salt water +tea-tree growing in it. After crossing the low ridge above Prewitt's +Springs, lat. 31 degrees 45 minutes, forming the left bank of the basin +of the Siccus, the plain extended between the north and east as far as +the eye could reach, and the lurid glare of the horizon, as we advanced +northward, plainly indicated the approach of Lake Torrens, which, from +the direction I had followed, I expected to turn about this point. I was +obliged, however, to continue a northerly course for the sake of water, +which I could only hope to find in the ravines of the hills on our left, +as high as the parallel of 30 degrees 59 minutes, where the lake was +visible within fifteen or sixteen miles, and appeared from the high land +to be covered with water, studded with islands, and backed on the east by +a bold rocky shore. These appearances were, however, all deceptive, being +caused solely by the extraordinary refraction, as on riding to the spot +the following day, not a drop of water was to be seen in any direction. +The islands turned out to be mere low sandy ridges, very scantily clothed +with stunted scrub on their summits, and no distant land appeared any +where between the north and south-east, though from the hills above our +camp of the previous night, I could discern, with the aid of a very +powerful telescope, a ridge of low land, either on the eastern side of +the lake, or rising out of it, distant at least seventy miles, rendered +visible at that distance by the excessive refractive power of the +atmosphere on the horizon. A salt crust was seen at intervals on the +surface of the sand at the margin of the lake, or as it might more +properly be called, the Desert; but this appearance might either be +caused by water brought down by the Siccus, and other large watercourses +spreading over the saline soil in times of flood, or by rain, and +appeared to me no proof of its ever being covered with water for any +period of time. A few pieces of what appeared drift timber were also +lying about its surface. The sand, as we advanced farther east, became +more loose and drifting, and not a blade of grass, or any species of +vegetation, was visible, rendering hopeless any attempt to cross it with +horses. This point of the lake shore, being by Mr. Eyre's chart about +thirty miles to the westward of where I found it, I thought it advisable +to push further north, in the direction of the highest point of the +range, which I imagined was probably his Mount Serle; for though it was +not to be expected that Mr. Eyre, whose principal and almost sole object +was to discover a road to the interior, would, at the same time, have +been able to lay down the position of his route with the same accuracy +that might have been expected from a surveyor; this difference of +longitude prevented my being certain of the identity of the spot, or that +the range on our left, might not after all, be another long promontory +running to the north, similar to that on the western side of which was +Mr. Eyre's course. The appearance of the country, however, from the hills +close under Mount Serle (for the perpendicular cliffs on the east side of +this range of hills prevented my ascending to their summit without +turning them among the ranges, for which I had not time), convinced me at +once, from its perfect accordance with the description given by Mr. Eyre, +that his eastern arm of Lake Torrens was the sandy desert I had left, its +surface being about three hundred feet above the level of the sea; and +our two converging lines having thus met at Mount Serle, I knew it was +useless to advance further in the same direction to a spot which he had +named, from the impossibility of proceeding beyond it, "Mount Hopeless." + +"I was thus forced to return to Pasmore River, as the nearest point from +whence I could cross to the low hills to the eastward, south of Lake +Torrens; and from thence I sent back to the depot two men of the party, +and three horses--the former for the sake of their rations, and the +latter on account of the probable difficulty I should have in procuring +water--taking on with me only Mr. Henderson and Mr. Hawker on foot, with +the light cart and one policeman. The second evening I made the most +northern of these hills, but could not find a drop of water in any of +them; and having unluckily lost the policeman, who had crossed in front +of the dray and got entangled in the dense scrub, I was detained three +days riding upon his tracks, until I had traced them to our dray tracks +from the depot at the Black Rock Hill, which he reached in safety, after +being out five days without food. The cart, in the mean time, had been +obliged to leave the spot where I left it, for want of water--having been +out six days without obtaining any but what we carried in the kegs; and +when I overtook it, we had not sufficient provisions for another attempt, +the period of one month, for which they were intended to last, having +already nearly expired. + +"I very much regret not having been able to reach, at all events, within +sight of Mount Lyell; but where I turned I could plainly see the whole +country within fifty or sixty miles of the boundaries of the province, +and can speak with almost as much confidence of its absolute sterility as +if I had actually ridden over it. It would certainly be possible in the +wet season to take a small party from Prewitt's Springs across to this +hill of Sir Thomas Mitchell (distant about one hundred and sixty miles), +by carrying on water for eight or ten days; but no further supply might +be found short of the Darling (eighty miles beyond Mount Lyell), on which +river it would be madness to attempt anything without a considerable +force, on account of the natives; and the same point might be reached in +nearly as short a time, and with much more certainty, with any number of +men that might be considered necessary, by ascending the Murray as high +as the Laidley Ponds, and proceeding north from thence. + +"On returning to the depot, I moved the party down to Mount Bryan, and +made another attempt on the 25th August, with Mr. Henderson, and one man +leading a pack-horse, to the north-east, hoping, from the heavy rains +which had fallen during the past two months, to find sufficient water in +the ravines to enable me to push on for several days. The second day, I +crossed the high range I had observed from the Black Rock Hills and Mount +Bryan, for the southern termination of which Colonel Gawler steered when +he left the northern bend of the Murray in December, 1839; but though +these hills had an elevation of twelve hundred or fourteen hundred feet +above the plain, there was no indication of rain having fallen there +since the deluge. This want of water prevented my proceeding further to +the north-east; but from the summit of the highest of these hills (Mount +Porcupine,) I had a clear view of the horizon in every direction, and a +more barren, sterile country, cannot be imagined. + +"The direction of the dividing ridge between the basin of the Murray and +the interior desert plain was generally about north-east from the Black +Rock Hills (the highest point north of Mount Bryan,) gradually decreasing +in elevation, and, if possible, increasing in barrenness. The summits of +those hills I found invariably rock--generally sandstone--the lower +slopes covered with dense brush, and the valleys with low scrub, with +occasional small patches of thin wiry grass. I was obliged to return on +the third day, and reached the foot of Mount Bryan on the fourth evening, +at the southern extremity of which hill the horses were nearly bogged in +the soft ground, though only fifty miles distant from land where the dust +was flying as if in the midst of summer. + +"It appears to me certain, from the result of these different attempts, +that there is no country eastward of the high land extending north from +Mount Bryan, as far as Mount Hopeless, a distance of about three hundred +miles, as far as the meridian of 141 degrees (and probably much beyond +it), available for either agricultural or pastoral purposes; and that, +though there may be occasional spots of good land at the base of the main +range on the sources of the numerous creeks flowing from thence towards +the inland desert, these must be too limited in extent to be of any +present value. + +"The nature of the formation of the main range I found generally +iron-stone, conglomerate and quartz, with sandstone and slate at the +lower elevation. At the points of highest elevation from Mount Bryan +northward, igneous rocks of basaltic character protruded from below, +forming rugged and fantastic outlines. + +"At one spot, particularly, about 30 degrees, there were marked +indications of volcanic action, and several hollows resembling small +craters of extinct volcanoes, near one of which we found a small spring +of water, maintaining always a temperature of about 76 degrees Farenheit, +when the thermometer standing in water in the kegs stood at 52 degrees, +and in the atmosphere at 54 degrees. + +"The accompanying sketch of the country from Mount Bryan northwards, will +probably explain its character better than any written description. The +altitudes marked at the different spots where they were observed, were +obtained by the temperature of boiling water, as observed by two +thermometers; but as they were not graduated with sufficient minuteness +for such purposes, the results can only be considered approximate." + +E. C. FROME, +Capt. Royal Engineers, +Surveyor-General. +September 14th, 1843. + + +In the above report it will be observed, that there are some apparent +discrepancies between my account and Captain Frome's. First, with respect +to the position of the south-east extremity of Lake Torrens. Captain +Frome states that he found that point thirty miles more to the east than +I had placed it in my chart. Now the only sketch of my course under +Flinders range, and that a rough one, which I furnished to the Colonial +Government, was sent from Port Lincoln, and is the same which was +subsequently published with other papers, relative to South Australia, +for the House of Commons, in 1843. This sketch was put together hastily +for his Excellency the Governor, that I might not lose the opportunity of +forwarding it when I sent from Port Lincoln to Adelaide for supplies +early in October, 1840. It was constructed entirely, after I found myself +compelled to return from the northern interior, and could only be +attended to, in a hurried and imperfect manner, during the brief +intervals I could snatch from other duties, whilst travelling back from +the north to Port Lincoln (nearly 400 miles,) during which time my +movements were very rapid, and many arrangements, consequent upon +dividing my party at Baxter's range, had to be attended to; added to this +were the difficulties and embarrassments of conducting myself one +division of the party to Port Lincoln, through 200 miles of a desert +country which had never been explored before, and which, from its arid +and sterile character, presented impediments of no ordinary kind. + +Upon my return to Adelaide in 1841, after the Expedition had terminated, +other duties engrossed my time, and it was only after the publication of +Captain Frome's report, that my attention was again called to the +subject. Upon comparing my notes and bearings with the original sketch I +had made, I found that in the hurry and confusion of preparing it, whilst +travelling, I had laid down all the bearings and courses magnetic, +without allowing for the variation; nor can this error, perhaps, be +wondered at, considering the circumstances under which the sketch was +constructed. + +At Mount Hopeless the variation was 4 degrees E., at Mount Arden it was 7 +degrees 24 minutes E. Now if this variation be applied proportionably to +all the courses and bearings as marked down in the original chart, +commencing from Mount Arden, it will be found that Mount Serle will be +brought by my map very nearly in longitude to where Captain Frome places +it. [Note 30 at end of para.] Our latitudes appear to agree exactly. +The second point upon which some difference appears to exist +between Captain Frome's report and mine is the character of Lake Torrens +itself, which Captain Frome thought might more properly be called +a desert. This, it will be observed, is with reference to its south-east +extremity--a point I never visited, and which I only saw once from +Mount Serle; a point, too, which from the view I then had of it, +distant although it was, even at that time seemed to me to be +"apparently dry," and is marked as such in Arrowsmith's chart, +published from the sketch alluded to. + +[Note 30: This has been done by Arrowsmith in the map which accompanies +these volumes;--to which Mr. Arrowsmith has also added Captain Frome's +route from the original tracings.] + +There is, however, a still greater, and more singular difference alluded +to in Captain Frome's report, which it is necessary to remark; I mean +that of the elevation of the country. On the west side of Flinders range, +for 200 miles that I traced the course of Lake Torrens, it was, as I have +observed, girded in its whole course by a steep ridge, like a sea-shore, +from which you descended into a basin, certainly not above the level of +the sea, possibly even below it (I had no instruments with me to enable +me to ascertain this,) the whole bed consisted of mud and water, and I +found it impossible to advance far into it from its boggy nature. On the +east side of Flinders range, Captain Frome found the lake a desert, 300 +feet above the level of the sea, [Note 31: By altitude deduced from the +temperature of boiling water.] and consisting of "loose and drifting +sand," and "low sandy ridges, very scantily clothed with stunted scrub on +their summits." Now, by referring to Captain Frome's chart and report, it +appears that the place thus described was nearly thirty miles south of +Mount Serle, and consequently twenty miles south of that part of the bed +of Lake Torrens which I had seen from that hill. It is further evident, +that Captain Frome had not reached the basin of Lake Torrens, and I +cannot help thinking, that if he had gone further to the north-east, he +would have come to nearly the same level that I had been at on the +western side of the hills. There are several reasons for arriving at this +conclusion. First, the manner in which the drainage is thrown off from +the east side of Flinders range, and the direction which the watercourses +take to the north-east or north; secondly, because an apparent connection +was traceable in the course of the lake, from the heights in Flinders +range, nearly all the way round it; thirdly, because the loose sands and +low sandy ridges crowned with scrub, described by Captain Frome, were +very similar to what I met with near Lake Torrens in the west side, +before I reached its basin. + +After the Northern Expedition had been compelled to return south, (being +unable to cross Lake Torrens,) the peninsula of Port Lincoln was +examined, and traversed completely round, in all the three sides of the +triangle formed by its east and west coasts, and a line from Mount Arden +to Streaky Bay. A road overland from Mount Arden was forced through the +scrub for a dray; but the country travelled through was of so +inhospitable a character as to hold out no prospect of its being +generally available for overland communication. One unfortunate +individual has since made an attempt to take over a few head of cattle by +this route, but was unable to accomplish it, and miserably perished with +his whole party from want of water. [Note 32: Vide note to page 154, +Vol. I. (Note 11)] + +On the northern side of the triangle I have alluded to, or on the line +between Mount Arden and Streaky Bay, a singularly high and barren range, +named the Gawler Range after His Excellency the Governor, was found +consisting of porphoritic granite, extending nearly all the way across, +and then stretching out to the north-west in lofty rugged outline as far +as the eye could reach; the most remarkable fact connected with this +range, was the arid and sterile character of the country in which it was +situated, as well as of the range itself, which consisted entirely of +rugged barren rocks, without timber or vegetation. There was not a stream +or a watercourse of any kind emanating from it; we could find neither +spring nor permanent fresh water, and the only supply we procured for +ourselves was from the deposits left by very recent rains, and which in a +few days more, would have been quite dried up. The soil was in many +places saline, and wherever water had lodged in any quantity (as in lakes +of which there were several) it was quite salt. + +[Note 33: A small exploring party, under a Mr. Darke, was sent from Port +Lincoln in August, 1844, but after getting as far as the Gawler Range were +compelled by the inhospitable nature of the country to return. The +unfortunate leader was murdered by the natives on his route homewards.] + +Continuing the line of coast to the westward, the expedition passed +through the most wretched and desolate country imaginable, consisting +almost entirely of a table-land, or of undulating ridges, covered for the +most part with dense scrubs, and almost wholly without either grass or +water. The general elevation of this country was from three to five +hundred feet, and all of the tertiary deposit, with primary rocks +protruding at intervals. + +The first permanent fresh water met with on the surface was a small +fresh-water lake, beyond the parallel of 123 degrees E.; but from Mount +Arden to that point, a distance of fully 800 miles in a direct line, none +whatever was found on the surface (if I except a solitary small spring +sunk in the rock at Streaky Bay). During the whole of this vast distance, +not a watercourse, not a hollow of any kind was crossed; the only water +to be obtained was by digging close to the sea-shore, or the sand-hills +of the coast, and even by that means it frequently could not be procured +for distances of 150 to 160 miles together. With the exception of the +Gawler Range, which lies between Streaky Bay and Mount Arden, this dreary +waste was one almost uniform table-land of fossil formation, with an +elevation of from three to five hundred feet, covered for the most part +by dense impenetrable scrubs, and varied only on its surface by +occasional sandy or rocky undulations. + +What then can be the nature of that mysterious interior, bounded as it is +by a table-land without river or lakes, without watercourses or drainage +of any kind, for so vast a distance? Can it be that the whole is one +immense interminable desert, or an alternation of deserts and shallow +salt lakes like Lake Torrens? Conjecture is set at defiance by the +impenetrable arrangements of nature; where, the more we pry into her +secrets, the more bewildered and uncertain become all our speculations. + +It has been a common and a popular theory to imagine the existence of an +inland sea, and this theory has been strengthened and confirmed by the +opinion of so talented, so experienced, and so enterprising a traveller +as my friend Captain Sturt, in its favour. That gentleman, with the noble +and disinterested enthusiasm by which he has ever been characterised, has +once more sacrificed the pleasure and quiet of domestic happiness, at the +shrine of enterprise and science. With the ardour of youth, and the +perseverance and judgment of riper years, he is even now traversing the +trackless wilds, and seeking to lift up that veil which has hitherto hung +over their recesses. May he be successful to the utmost of his wishes, +and may he again rejoin in health and safety his many friends, to forget +in their approbation and admiration the toils he has encountered, and to +enjoy the rewards and laurels which will have been so hardly earned, and +so well deserved. + +It was in August, 1844, that Captain Sturt set out upon his arduous +undertaking, with a numerous and well equipped party, and having +provisions calculated to last them for eighteen months. I had the +pleasure of accompanying the expedition as far as the Rufus (about 240 +miles from Adelaide), to render what assistance I could, in passing up, +on friendly terms among the more distant natives of the Murray. Since my +return, Captain Sturt has been twice communicated with, and twice heard +from, up to the time I left the Colony, on the 21st December, 1844. The +last official communication addressed to the Colonial Government will be +found in Chapter IX. of Notes on the Aborigines. The following is a copy +of a private letter to John Morphett, Esq M.C., and published in the +Adelaide Observer of the 9th November, 1844:-- + + +"14th October, 1844. + +"I left Lake Victoria, as I told you in a former letter, on the 18th of +September, and again cut across the country to the Murray. As we +travelled along we saw numerous tracks of wild cattle leading from the +marshes to the river, and we encamped at the junction of the river and a +lagoon (one of the most beautiful spots you ever saw), just where these +tracks were most numerous. In the night therefore we were surrounded by +lowing herds, coming to the green pastures of which we had taken +possession. In the morning I sent Messrs. Poole and Brown, with Flood my +stockman, and Mark to drive in some bullocks, as I was anxious to secure +one or two workers. The brush however was too thick, and in galloping +through it after a bull, Flood's carbine exploded, and blew off three of +the fingers of his right hand. This accident obliged me to remain +stationary for two days, notwithstanding my anxiety to get up to the +lagoon at Williorara, to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the report I +had heard of the massacre of a party of overlanders there. + +"On the 23rd I reached the junction of the Ana branch with the Murray, +discovered by Eyre, and then turned northwards. Running this Ana branch +up, I crossed it where the water ceased, and went to the Darling, +striking it about fifteen miles above its junction with the Murray. The +unlooked-for course of the Darling however kept me longer on its banks +than I had anticipated; but you can form no idea of the luxuriant verdure +of its flats. They far surpass those of the Murray, both in quantity and +quality of soil; and extended for many miles at a stretch along the river +side. We have run up it at a very favourable season, and seen the +commencement of its floods; for, two days after we reached it, and found +it with scarcely any water in its bed, we observed a fresh in it, +indicated by a stronger current. The next morning to our surprise the +waters were half-bank high. They had risen six feet during the night, and +were carrying everything before them; now they are full sixteen feet +above their level, and a most beautiful river it is. Over this said +mysterious river, as Major Mitchell calls it, the trees drooped like +willows, or grew in dark clusters at each turn; the sloping banks were of +a vivid green, the flats lightly timbered, and the aspect of the whole +neighbourhood cheerful. + +"I had hoped that we should have been able to approach the ranges pretty +closely along the line of Laidley's Ponds; but fancy our disappointment +when we arrived on its banks to find that instead of a mountain stream it +was a paltry creek, connecting a lake, now dry, with the river, and that +its banks were quite bare. I was therefore obliged to fall back upon the +Darling, and have been unable to stir for the last four days by reason of +heavy rain. + +"On Tuesday I despatched Mr. Poole to the ranges, which are forty miles +distant from us, to ascertain if there is water or feed under them; but I +have no hope of good tidings, and believe I shall ultimately be obliged +to establish myself on the Darling. + +"You will be glad to hear, and so ought every body, that we have +maintained a most satisfactory intercourse with the natives. The report +we had heard referred to Major Mitchell's affray with them, and you will +not be surprised at their reverting to it, when I tell you that several +old men immediately recognized me as having gone down the Murray in a +boat, although they could have seen me for an hour or two only, and +fifteen years have now elapsed since I went down the river. I suppose we +misunderstood the story; but most assuredly I fully anticipated we +should, sooner or later, come on some dreadful acene or other, and I came +up fully prepared to act; but the natives have been exceedingly quiet, +nor have we seen a weapon in the hands of any of them: in truth I have +been quite astonished at the change in the blacks; for instead of +collecting in a body, they have visited us with their wives and children, +and have behaved in the most quiet manner. We may attribute this in part +to our own treatment of the natives, and in part to Eyre's influence over +them, which is very extensive, and has been productive of great good. The +account the natives give of the distant interior is very discouraging. It +is nothing more however than what I expected. They say that beyond the +hills it is all sand and rocks; that there is neither grass or water, or +wood; and that it is awfully hot. This last feature appears to terrify +them. They say that they are obliged to take wood to the hills for fire, +and that they clamber up the rocks on the hills; that when there is water +there, it is in deep holes from which they are obliged to sponge it up +and squeeze it out to drink. I do not in truth think that any of the +natives have been beyond the hills, and that the country is perfectly +impracticable. + +"We are now not more than two hundred and fifteen feet above the sea, +with a declining country to the north-west, and the general dip of the +continent to the south-west. What is the natural inference where there is +not a single river emptying itself upon the coast, but that there is an +internal basin? Such a country can only be penetrated by cool calculation +and determined perseverance. I have sat down before it as a besieger +before a fortress, to make my approaches with the same systematic +regularity. I must cut hay and send forage and water in advance, as far +as I can. I have the means of taking sixteen days' water and feed for two +horses and three men; and if I can throw my supplies one hundred miles in +advance, I shall be able to go two hundred miles more beyond that point, +at the rate of thirty miles a-day, one of us walking whilst two rode. +Surely at such a distance some new feature will open to reward our +efforts! My own opinion is, that an inland sea will bring us up ere +long--then how shall we get the boat upon it? 'Why,' you will say, +'necessity is the mother of invention.' You will find some means or +other, no doubt; and so we will. However, under any circumstances, depend +upon it I will either lift up or tear down the curtain which hides the +interior from us, so look out for the next accounts from me as of the +most interesting kind, as solving this great problem, or shutting the +door to discovery from this side the continent for ever. + +"P.S. Poole has just returned from the ranges. I have not time to write +over again. He says that there are high ranges to N. and N.W. and +water,--a sea extending along the horizon from S.W. by W., to ten E. of +N. in which there are a number of islands and lofty ranges as far as the +eye can reach. What is all this? Are we to be prosperous? I hope so; and +I am sure you do. To-morrow we start for the ranges, and then for the +waters,--the strange waters on which boat never swam, and over which flag +never floated. But both shall are long. We have the heart of the interior +laid open to us, and shall be off with a flowing sheet in a few days. +Poole says that the sea was a deep blue, and that in the midst of it +there was a conical island of great height. When will you hear from me +again?" + + +From this communication, Captain Sturt appears to be sanguine of having +realized the long hoped for sea, and at last of having found a key to the +centre of the continent. Most sincerely do I hope that this may be the +case, and that the next accounts may more than confirm such satisfactory +intelligence. + +My own impressions were always decidedly opposed to the idea of an inland +sea, nor have I changed them in the least, now that circumstances +amounting almost to proof, seem to favour that opinion. + +Entertaining, as I do, the highest respect for the opinion of one so +every way capable of forming a correct judgment as Captain Sturt, it is +with considerable diffidence that I advance any conjectures in opposition +to his, and especially so, as I may be thought presumptuous in doing so +in the face of the accounts received. Until these accounts, however, are +further confirmed, the question still remains as it was; and it may +perhaps not be out of place to allude to some of the reasons which have +led me to form an opinion somewhat different from that entertained by +Captain Sturt, and which I have been compelled to arrive at after a long +personal experience, a closer approach to the interior, and a more +extensive personal examination of the continent, than any other traveller +has hitherto made. In the course of that experience, I have never met +with the slightest circumstance to lead me to imagine that there should +be an inland sea, still less a deep navigable one, and having an outer +communication with the ocean. I can readily suppose, and, in fact, I do +so believe, that a considerable portion of the interior consists of the +beds or basins of salt lakes or swamps, as Lake Torrens, and some of +which might be of great extent. I think, also, that these alternate, with +sandy deserts, and that probably at intervals, there are many isolated +ranges, like the Gawler range, and which, perhaps, even in some places +may form a connection of links across the continent, could any favourable +point be obtained for commencing the examination. + +It is very possible that among these ranges, intervals of a better or +even of a rich and fertile country might be met with. + +The suggestion thrown out by Captain Sturt a few years ago, that +Australia might formerly have been an Archipelago of islands, appears to +me to have been a happy idea, and to afford the most rational and +satisfactory way of accounting for many of the peculiarities observable +upon its surface or in its structure. That it has only recently (compared +with other countries) obtained its present elevation, is often forcibly +impressed upon the traveller, by the appearance of the country he is +traversing, but no where have I found this to be the case in a greater +degree, than whilst exploring that part of it, north of Spencer's Gulf, +where a great portion of the low lands intervening, between the base of +Flinders range, and the bed of Lake Torrens, presents the appearance of a +succession of rounded undulations of sand or pebbles washed perfectly +smooth and even, looking like waves of the sea, and seeming as if they +had not been very many centuries deserted by the element that had moulded +them into their present form. In this singular district I found scattered +at intervals throughout the whole area inclosed by, but south of, Lake +Torrens, many steep-sided fragments of a table land, [Note 34 at end of +para.] which had evidently been washed to pieces by the violent action of +water, and which appeared to have been originally, of nearly the same +general elevation as the table lands to the westward. It seems to me, +that these table lands have formerly been the bed of the ocean, and this +opinion is fully borne out by the many marine remains, fossil shells, and +banks of oyster shells, [Note 35 at end of para.] which are frequently to +be met with embedded in them. What are now the ranges of the continent +would therefore formerly have been but rocks or islands, and if this +supposition be true, there are still hopes that some other islands are +scattered over the immense space occupied by Australia, and which may be +of as rich and fertile a character, as any that are yet known. Thus if +the intervening extent of desert lying between any of the known portions +of Australia, and what may be considered as having been the next island, +can be ascertained and crossed over, new and valuable regions may yet be +offered for the extension of the pastoral interest of our Colonies, +and for the general spread of civilization and improvement. + +[Note 34: "An hundred miles above this, I passed a curious feature, called +the "Square Hills" (plate 123 ). I landed my canoe and went ashore, and to +their tops to examine them. Though they appeared to be near the river, I +found it half a day's journey to travel to and from them; they being +several miles from the river. On ascending them I found them to be two or +three hundred feet high, and rising on their sides at an angle of 45 deg. +and on their tops, in some places for half a mile in length perfectly +level, with a green turf, and corresponding exactly with the tabular +hills spoken of above the Mandans, in plate 39, vol. 1. I therein said +that I should visit these hills on my way down the river; and I am fully +convinced from close examination, that they are a part of the same +original superstratum, which I therein described, though 7 or 800 miles +separated from them. They agree exactly in character, and also in the +materials of which they are composed; and I believe that some +unaccountable gorge of waters has swept away the intervening earth, +leaving these solitary and isolated, though incontrovertible evidences, +that the summit level of all this great valley, has at one time been +where the level surface of these hills now is, two or three hundred feet +above what is now denominated the summit level."--Catlin's American +Indians, Vol. 2. pp. 11 and 12.] + +[Note 35: Similar banks of fossil shells and oyster beds, are found in the +Arkansas.--Vide Catlin, Vol. 2. p. 85. At page 86, Mr. Catlin describes +banks of gypsum and salt, extending through a considerable extent of +country, and which apparently was of a very similar formation to some of +the localities I was in to the north of Spencer's Gulf.] + +I have already observed that several circumstances connected with my own +personal experience have led me to the conclusion, that there is no +inland sea now occupying the centre of New Holland; it will be sufficient +to name three of the most important of these. + +First. I may mention the hot winds which in South Australia, or opposite +the centre of the continent, always blow from the north, to those, who +have experienced the oppressive and scorching influence of these winds, +which can only be compared to the fiery and withering blasts from a +heated furnace, I need hardly point out that there is little probability +that such winds can have been wafted over a large expanse of water. + +Secondly. I may state that between the Darling river and the head of the +Great Australian Bight, I have at various points come into friendly +communication with the Aborigines inhabiting the outskirts of the +interior, and from them I have invariably learnt that they know of no +large body of water inland, fresh or salt; that there were neither trees +nor ranges, but that all was an arid waste so far as they were accustomed +to travel. + +Thirdly. I infer the non-existence of an inland sea, from the coincidence +observable in the physical appearance, customs, character, and pursuits +of the Aborigines at opposite points of the continent, whilst no such +coincidence exists along the intervening lines of coast connecting those +points. + +With respect to the first consideration, it is unnecessary to add further +remark; as regards the second, I may state, that although I may sometimes +not have met with natives at those precise spots which might have been +best suited for making inquiry, or although I may sometimes have had a +difficulty in explaining myself to, or in understanding a people whose +language I did not comprehend; yet such has not always been the case, and +on many occasions I have had intercourse with natives at favourable +positions, and have been able, quite intelligibly, to carry on any +inquiries. One of these opportunities occurred in the very neighbourhood +of the hill from which Mr. Poole is said to have seen the inland sea, as +described in Captain Sturt's despatch. + +There are several reasons for supposing Mr. Poole to have been deceived +in forming an opinion of the objects which he saw before him from that +elevation: first, I know, from experience, the extraordinary and +deceptive appearances that are produced in such a country as Mr. Poole +was in, by mirage and refration combined. I have often myself been very +similarly deceived by the semblance of hills, islands, and water, where +none such existed in reality. Secondly, in December 1843, I was within +twenty-five miles of the very spot from which Mr. Poole thought he looked +upon a sea, and I was then accompanied by natives, and able, by means of +an interpreter, to communicate with those who were acquainted with the +country to the north-west. My inquiries upon this point were particular; +but they knew of no sea. They asserted that there was mud out in that +direction, and that a party would be unable to travel; from which I +inferred either that some branch of the Darling spread out its waters +there in time of flood, or that Lake Torrens itself was stretching out in +the direction indicated. Thirdly, I hold it physically impossible that a +sea can exist in the place assigned to it, in as much as during an +expedition, undertaken by the Surveyor-general of the Colony, in +September, 1843, that officer had attained a position which would place +himself and Mr. Poole at two opposite points, upon nearly the same +parallel of latitude; but about 130 miles of longitude apart, in a low +level country, and in which, therefore, the ranges of their respective +vision from elevations would cross each other, and if there was a sea, +Captain Frome must have seen it as well as Mr. Poole; again, I myself had +an extensive and distant view to the north-east and east from Mount +Hopeless, a low hill, about ninety miles further north than Captain +Frome's position, but a little more east; yet there was nothing like a +sea to be seen from thence, the dry and glazed-looking bed of Lake +Torrens alone interrupting the monotony of the desert. + +There are still some few points connected with our knowledge of the +outskirts of the interior which leave great room for speculation, and +might lead to the opinion that it is not altogether a low or a desert +region. The facts which have more immediately come under my own +observation, are connected, first with the presence of birds belonging to +a higher and better country in the midst of a desert region, and +secondly, with the line of route taken by the Aborigines in spreading +over the continent, as deduced from a coincidence or dissimilarity of the +manners, customs, or languages of tribes remotely apart from one another. + +With respect to the presence of birds in a region such as they do not +usually frequent, I may state that at Mount Arden, near the head of +Spencer's Gulf, swans were seen taking their flight high in the air, to +the north, as if making for some river or lake they were accustomed to +feed at. At the Frome river, where it spreads into the plains to the +north of Flinders range; four white cockatoos were found flying about +among the trees, although those birds had not been met with for 200 miles +before I attained that point. [Note 36: Vide Vol. I. July 4, Aug 31, +and March 19.] And about longitude 128 degrees 20 minutes E., when +crossing over towards King George's Sound, large parrots were found coming +from the north-east, to feed upon the berries of a shrub growing on the +sea coast, although no parrots were seen for two or three hundred +miles on either side, either to the east or to the west, they +must, therefore, have come from the interior. Now the parrot is a bird +that often frequents a mountainous country, and always inhabits one +having timber of a better description and larger growth than the +miserable shrubs met with along the coast; it is a bird too that always +lives within reach of permanent fresh-water, as rivers, lakes, creeks, +pools, etc. Can there then be such in the interior, with so barren and +arid a region, bounding it? and how are we to commence an examination +with so many difficulties and embarrassments attending the very outset? + +The second series of facts which have attracted my attention, relate to +the Aborigines. It is a well known circumstance that the dialects, +customs, and pursuits in use among them in the various parts of the +continent, differ very much from each other in some particulars, and yet +that there is such a general similarity in the aggregate as to leave no +room to doubt that all the Aborigines of Australia have had one common +origin, and are in reality one and the same race. If this then is really +the case, they must formerly have spread over the continent from one +first point, and this brings me to the + +Third reason I have mentioned as being one, from which I infer, that +there is not an inland sea, viz., the coincidence observable in the +physical appearance, customs, character, and pursuits of the Aborigines, +at opposite points of the continent, whilst no such coincidence exists +along the intervening lines of coast connecting those two points, and +which naturally follows from the circumstances connected with the present +location of the various tribes in which this is observable, and with the +route which they must have taken to arrive at the places they now occupy +on the continent. [Note 37 at end of para.] I believe that the idea of +attempting to deduce the character of the continent, and the most probable +line for crossing it, from the circumstances and habits of the natives +inhabiting the coast line is quite a novel one. It appears to me, however, +to be worth consideration; and if it is true that the natives have all one +common origin, and have spread over the continent from one first point, +I think it may reasonably be inferred that there is a practicable route +across the centre of New Holland, and that this line lies between the +125th and 135th degrees of east longitude. It further appears that there +must still be a second route, other than the coast line, in the direction +between Port Jackson in New South Wales and the south-east corner of the +Gulf of Carpentaria on the north coast. + +[Note 37: Vide Chapter VII. of Notes on the Aborigines, where this subject +will be found fully discussed, and the reasons given for supposing the +conclusions here assumed.] + +If then we have reasonable grounds for believing that such lines of route +actually do exist, it becomes a matter of much interest and importance to +determine the most favourable point from which to explore them. My own +experience has pointed out the dreadful nature of the southern coast, and +the very great and almost insuperable difficulties that beset the +traveller at the very commencement--in his efforts even to establish a +single depot from which to enter upon his researches. The northern coast +may, probably, afford greater facilities, but in a tropical climate, +where the heat and other circumstances render ordinary difficulties and +impediments still more embarrassing and dangerous, it is a matter of deep +moment that the expedition for interior exploration should commence at +the right point, and this can only be ascertained by a previous +examination. + +I have myself always been most anxious to attempt to cross from Moreton +Bay on the N. E. coast to Port Essington on the N. W. I believe that this +journey is quite practicable, and I have no doubt that if judiciously +conducted, and the country to the south of the line of route always +examined, as far as that could be done, it would completely develop, in +connection with what is already known, the character and formation of +Australia, and would at once point out the most proper place from which +subsequent expeditions ought to start in order finally to accomplish the +passage across its interior--from the north to the south. + + + + + +MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + + +PRELIMINARY REMARKS--UNJUST OPINIONS GENERALLY ENTERTAINED OF THE +CHARACTER OF THE NATIVE--DIFFICULTIES AND DISADVANTAGES HE LABOURS UNDER +IN HIS RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS--AGGRESSIONS AND INJURIES ON THE PART OF +THE LATTER IN GREAT DEGREE EXTENUATE HIS CRIMES. + + +Upon bringing to a close the narrative of an Expedition of Discovery in +Australia, during the progress of which an extensive portion of the +previously unknown parts of that continent were explored, I have thought +it might not be uninteresting to introduce a few pages on the subject of +the Aborigines of the country. + +It would afford me much gratification to see an interest excited on their +behalf proportioned to the claims of a people who have hitherto been +misjudged or misrepresented. + +For the last twelve years I have been personally resident in one or other +of the Australian Colonies, and have always been in frequent intercourse +with the aboriginal tribes that were near, rarely being without some of +them constantly with me as domestics. + +To the advantages of private opportunities of acquiring a knowledge of +their character were added, latterly, the facilities afforded by my +holding a public appointment in South Australia, in the midst of a +district more densely populated by natives than any in that Colony, where +no settler had ventured to locate, and where, prior to my arrival in +October 1841, frightful scenes of bloodshed, rapine, and hostility +between the natives and parties coming overland with stock, had been of +frequent and very recent occurrence. + +As Resident Magistrate of the Murray District, I may almost say, that for +the last three years I have lived with the natives. My duties have +frequently taken me to very great distances up the Murray or the Darling +rivers, when I was generally accompanied only by a single European, or at +most two, and where, if attacked, there was no possibility of my +receiving any human aid. I have gone almost alone among hordes of those +fierce and blood-thirsty savages, as they were then considered, and have +stood singly amongst them in the remote and trackless wilds, when +hundreds were congregated around, without ever receiving the least injury +or insult. + +In my first visits to the more distant tribes I found them shy, alarmed, +and suspicious, but soon learning that I had no wish to injure them, they +met me with readiness and confidence. My wishes became their law; they +conceded points to me that they would not have done to their own people, +and on many occasions cheerfully underwent hunger, thirst, and fatigue to +serve me. + +Former habits and prejudices in some respects gave way to the influence I +acquired. Tribes that never met or heard of one another before were +brought to mingle in friendly intercourse. Single individuals traversed +over immense distances and through many intervening tribes, which +formerly they never could have attempted to pass, and in accomplishing +this the white man's name alone was the talisman that proved their +safe-guard and protection. + +During the whole of the three years I was Resident at Moorunde, not a +single case of serious injury or aggression ever took place on the part +of the natives against the Europeans; and a district, once considered the +wildest and most dangerous, was, when I left it in November 1844, looked +upon as one of the most peaceable and orderly in the province. + +Independently of my own personal experience, on the subject of the +Aborigines, I have much pleasure in acknowledging the obligations I am +under to M. Moorhouse, Esq. Protector of Aborigines in Adelaide, for his +valuable assistance, in comparing and discussing the results of our +respective observations, on matters connected with the natives, and for +the obliging manner in which he has furnished me with many of his own +important and well-arranged notes on various points of interest in their +history. + +By this aid, I am enabled, in the following pages, to combine my own +observations and experience with those of Mr. Moorhouse, especially on +points connected with the Adelaide Tribes. In some cases, extracts from +Mr. Moorhouse's notes, will be copied in his own words, but in most I +found an alteration or rearrangement to be indispensable to enable me to +connect and amplify the subjects: I wish it to be particularly +understood, however, that with any deductions, inferences, remarks, or +suggestions, that may incidentally be introduced, Mr. Moorhouse is +totally unconnected, that gentleman's notes refer exclusively to abstract +matters of fact, relating to the habits, customs, or peculiarities of the +people treated of, and are generally confined to the Adelaide Tribes. + +[Note 38: Some few of these notes were printed in the Colony, in a +detached form, as Reports to the Colonial Government, or in the +Vocabularies of the Missionaries, and since my return to England I find +others have been published in papers, ordered to be printed by the House +of Commons, in August 1844. From the necessity, however, of altering in +some measure the phraseology, to combine Mr. Moorhouse's remarks with my +own, and to preserve a uniformity in the descriptions, it has not been +practicable or desirable in all cases, to separate or distinguish by +inverted commas, those observations which I have adopted. I have, +therefore, preferred making a general acknowledgment of the use I have +made of the notes that were supplied to me by Mr. Moorhouse.] + +In the descriptions given in the following pages, although there may +occasionally be introduced, accounts of the habits, manners, or customs +of some of the tribes inhabiting different parts of Australia I have +visited, yet there are others which are exclusively peculiar to the +natives of South Australia. I wish it, therefore, to be understood, that +unless mention is made of other tribes, or other parts of the continent, +the details given are intended to apply to that province generally, and +particularly to the tribes in it, belonging to the districts of Adelaide +and the Murray river. + +As far as has yet been ascertained, the whole of the aboriginal +inhabitants of this continent, scattered as they are over an immense +extent of country, bear so striking a resemblance in physical appearance +and structure to each other; and their general habits, customs, and +pursuits, are also so very similar, though modified in some respects by +local circumstances or climate, that little doubt can be entertained that +all have originally sprung from the same stock. The principal points of +difference, observable between various tribes, appear to consist chiefly +in some of their ceremonial observances, and in the variations of dialect +in the language they speak; the latter are, indeed, frequently so great, +that even to a person thoroughly acquainted with any one dialect, there +is not the slightest clue by which he can understand what is said by a +tribe speaking a different one. + +The only account I have yet met with, which professed to give any +particular description of the Aborigines of New Holland, is that +contained in the able papers upon this subject, by Captain Grey, in the +second volume of his travels. When it is considered, that the material +for that purpose was collected by the author, during a few months +interval between his two expeditions, which he spent at Swan River, and a +short time subsequently passed at King George's Sound, whilst holding the +appointment of Government Resident there; it is perfectly surprising that +the amount of information amassed should be so great, and so generally +correct, on subjects where so many mistakes are liable to be made, in all +first inquiries, when we are ignorant of the character and habits of the +people of whom information is to be sought, and unacquainted with the +language they speak. + +The subject, however, upon a portion of which Captain Grey so +successfully entered, is very extensive, and one which no single +individual, except by the devotion of a life-time, could hope fully to +discuss. The Continent of Australia is so vast, and the dialects, +customs, and ceremonies of its inhabitants so varied in detail, though so +similar in general outline and character, that it will require the lapse +of years, and the labours of many individuals, to detect and exhibit the +links which form the chain of connection in the habits and history of +tribes so remotely separated; and it will be long before any one can +attempt to give to the world a complete and well-drawn outline of the +whole. + +It is not therefore to satisfy curiosity, or to interrupt the course of +inquiry, that I enter upon the present work; I neither profess, nor could +I attempt to give a full or matured account of the Aborigines of New +Holland. Captain Grey's descriptions on this subject are limited to the +races of South-western, as mine are principally directed to those of +Southern Australia, with occasionally some remarks or anecdotes relating +to tribes in other parts of the Continent with whom I have come in +contact. + +The character of the Australian native has been so constantly +misrepresented and traduced, that by the world at large he is looked upon +as the lowest and most degraded of the human species, and is generally +considered as ranking but little above the members of the brute creation. +Savages have always many vices, but I do not think that these are worse +in the New Hollanders, than in many other aboriginal races. It is said, +indeed, that the Australian is an irreclaimable, unteachable being; that +he is cruel, blood-thirsty, revengeful, and treacherous; and in support +of such assertions, references are made to the total failure of all +missionary and scholastic efforts hitherto made on his behalf, and to +many deeds of violence or aggression committed by him upon the settler. + +[Note 39: I cannot adduce a stronger proof in support of the position I +assume, in favour of the natives, than by quoting the clear and just +conclusions at which the Right Honourable Lord Stanley, the present +Secretary of State for the Colonies, arrived, when considering the case of +some collisions with the natives on the Ovens River, and after a full +consideration of the various circumstances connected with the occurrence. +In a despatch to Governor Sir G. Gipps, dated 5th October, 1841, Lord +Stanley says, "Contrasting the accounts of the Aborigines given by Mr. +Docker with those given by Mr. Mackay, and the different terms on which +those gentlemen appear to be with them in the same vicinity, I cannot +divest myself of the apprehension that the fault in this case lies with +the colonists rather than with the natives. It was natural, that conduct +so harsh and intemperate as that of the Messrs. Mackay should be signally +visited on them, and probably also on wholly unoffending persons, by a +race of uninstructed and ignorant savages. At the same time the case of +Mr. Docker affords a most satisfactory instance of natives entering into +permanent service with white men, and working, as they appear to do, +steadily for wages."] + +With respect to the first point, I consider that an intimate knowledge of +the peculiar habits, laws, and traditions, by which this people are +governed, is absolutely necessary, before any just opinion can be formed +as to how far the means hitherto pursued, have been suitable, or adapted +to counteract the influence of custom and the force of prejudice. Until +this knowledge is attained, we have no right to brand them as either +irreclaimable, or unteachable. My own impression, after long experience, +and an attentive consideration of the subject, is, that in the present +anomalous state of our relations with the Aborigines, our measures are +neither comprehensive enough for, nor is our system sufficiently adapted +to, the singular circumstances they are in, to enable us successfully to +contend with the difficulties and impediments in the way of their rising +in the scale of civilization. + +Upon the second point it is also necessary to make many inquiries before +we arrive at our conclusions; and I have no doubt, if this be done with +calmness, and without prejudice, it will be generally found that there +are many extenuating circumstances which may be brought to modify our +judgment. I am anxious, if possible, to place a few of these before the +public, in the hope, that by lessening in some degree the unfavourable +opinion heretofore entertained of the Aborigines, they may be considered +for the future as more deserving our sympathy and benevolence. + +Without assuming for the native a freedom from vice, or in any way +attempting to palliate the many brutalising habits that pollute his +character, I would still contend that, if stained with the excesses of +unrestrained passions, he is still sometimes sensible to the better +emotions of humanity. Many of the worst traits in his character are the +result of necessity, or the force of custom--the better ones are +implanted in him as a part of his nature. With capabilities for +receiving, and an aptness for acquiring instruction, I believe he has +also the capacity for appreciating the rational enjoyments of life. + +Even in his present low and debased condition, and viewed under every +disadvantages, I do not imagine that his vices would usually be found +greater, or his passions more malignant than those of a very large +proportion of men ordinarily denominated civilised. On the contrary, I +believe were Europeans placed under the same circumstances, equally +wronged, and equally shut out from redress, they would not exhibit half +the moderation or forbearance that these poor untutored children of +impulse have invariably shewn. + +It is true that occasionally many crimes have been committed by them, and +robberies and murders have too often occurred; but who can tell what were +the provocations which led to, what the feelings which impelled such +deeds? Neither have they been the only or the first aggressors, nor has +their race escaped unscathed in the contest. Could blood answer blood, +perhaps for every drop of European's shed by natives, a torrent of their, +by European hands, would crimson the earth. + +[Note 40: "The whites were generally the aggressors. He had been informed +that a petition had been presented to the Governor, containing a list of +nineteen murders committed by the blacks. He could, if it were necessary, +make out a list of five hundred blacks who had been slaughtered by the +whites, and that within a short time."--Extract from speech of Mr. +Threlkeld to the Auxiliary Aborigines' Protection Society in New South +Wales. Abstract of a "Return of the number of homicides committed +respectively by blacks and whites, within the limits of the northwestern +district (of Port Phillip), since its first occupation by settlers--" + +"Total number of white people killed by Aborigines 8 +"Total number of Aborigines killed by white people 43." + +This is only in one district, and only embraces such cases as came to the +knowledge of Mr. Protector Parker. For particulars vide Papers on +Aborigines of Australian Colonies, printed for the House of Commons, +August 1844, p. 318.] + +Let us now inquire a little, upon whose side right and justice are +arrayed in palliation (if any such there can be) of deeds of violence or +aggression on the part of either. + +It is an undeniable fact, that wherever European colonies have been +established in Australia, the native races in that neighbourhood are +rapidly decreasing, and already in some of the elder settlements, have +totally disappeared. It is equally indisputable that the presence of the +white man has been the sole agent in producing so lamentable an effect; +that the evil is still going on, increased in a ratio proportioned to the +number of new settlements formed, or the rapidity with which the settlers +overrun new districts. The natural, the inevitable, but the no less +melancholy result must be, that in the course of a few years more, if +nothing be done to check it, the whole of the aboriginal tribes of +Australia will be swept away from the face of the earth. A people who, by +their numbers, have spread around the whole of this immense continent, +and have probably penetrated into and occupied its inmost recesses, will +become quite extinct, their name forgotten, their very existence but a +record of history. + +It is a popular, but an unfair and unwarranted assumption, that these +consequences are the result of the natural course of events; that they +are ordained by Providence, unavoidable, and not to be impeded. Let us at +least ascertain how far they are chargeable upon ourselves. + +Without entering upon the abstract question concerning the right of one +race of people to wrest from another their possessions, simply because +they happen to be more powerful than the original inhabitants, or because +they imagine that they can, by their superior skill or acquirements, +enable the soil to support a denser population, I think it will be +conceded by every candid and right-thinking mind, that no one can justly +take that which is not his own, without giving some equivalent in return, +or deprive a people of their ordinary means of support, and not provide +them with any other instead. Yet such is exactly the position we are in +with regard to the inhabitants of Australia. + +[Note 41: "The invasion of those ancient rights (of the natives) by +survey and land appropriations of any kind, is justifiable only on the +ground, that we should at the same time reserve for the natives an AMPLE +SUFFICIENCY for THEIR PRESENT and future use and comfort, under the new +style of things into which they are thrown; a state in which we hope they +will be led to live in greater comfort, on a small space, than +they enjoyed before it occurred, on their extensive original +possessions."--Reply of His Excellency Colonel Gawler, to the gentlemen +who objected to sections of land being appropriated for the natives, +before the public were allowed to select.] + +Without laying claim to this country by right of conquest, without +pleading even the mockery of cession, or the cheatery of sale, we have +unhesitatingly entered upon, occupied, and disposed of its lands, +spreading forth a new population over its surface, and driving before us +the original inhabitants. + +To sanction this aggression, we have not, in the abstract, the slightest +shadow of either right or justice--we have not even the extenuation of +endeavouring to compensate those we have injured, or the merit of +attempting to mitigate the sufferings our presence inflicts. + +It is often argued, that we merely have taken what the natives did not +require, or were making no use of; that we have no wish to interfere with +them if they do not interfere with us, but rather that we are disposed to +treat them with kindness and conciliation, if they are willing to be +friends with us. What, however, are the actual facts of the case; and +what is the position of a tribe of natives, when their country is first +taken possession of by Europeans. + +It is true that they do not cultivate the ground; but have they, +therefore, no interest in its productions? Does it not supply grass for +the sustenance of the wild animals upon which in a great measure they are +dependent for their subsistence?--does it not afford roots and vegetables +to appease their hunger?--water to satisfy their thirst, and wood to make +their fire?--or are these necessaries left to them by the white man when +he comes to take possession of their soil? Alas, it is not so! all are in +turn taken away from the original possessors. The game of the wilds that +the European does not destroy for his amusement are driven away by his +flocks and herds. [Note 42 at end of para.] The waters are occupied and +enclosed, and access to them in frequently forbidden. The fields are +fenced in, and the natives are no longerat liberty to dig up roots--the +white man claims the timber, and the very firewood itself is occasion +ally denied to them. Do they pass by the habitation of the intruder, they +are probably chased away or bitten by his dogs, and for this they can +get no redress. [Note 43 at end of para.] Have they dogs of their own, +they are unhesitatingly shot or worried because they are an annoyance to +the domestic animals of the Europeans. Daily and hourly do their wrongs +multiply upon them. The more numerous the white population becomes, and +the more advanced the stage of civilization to which the settlement +progresses, the greater are the hardships that fall to their lot and the +more completely are they cut off from the privileges of their birthright. +All that they have is in succession taken away from them--their +amusements, their enjoyments, their possessions, their freedom--and all +that they receive in return is obloquy, and contempt, and degradation, +and oppression. [Note 44 appears after note 43, below] + +[Note 42: "But directly an European settles down in the country, his +constant residence in one spot soon sends the animals away from it, and +although he may in no other way interfere with the natives, the mere +circumstance of his residing there, does the man on whose land he settles +the injury of depriving him of his ordinary means of subsistence."--GREY'S +TRAVELS, vol. ii. p. 298. + +"The great question was, were we to give them no equivalent for that which +we had taken from them? Had we deprived them of nothing? Was it +nothing that they were driven from the lands where their fathers +lived, where they were born and which were endeared to them by +associations equally strong with the associations of more civilsed +people? He believed that their affections were as warm as the Europeans." +"Perhaps he obtained his subsistence by fishing, and occupied a slip of +land on the banks of a river or the margin of a lake. Was he to be turned +off as soon as the land was required, without any consideration +whatever?" "Had any proper attempt been made for their civilization? They +had not yet had fair play--they had been courted by the missionaries with +the Bible on the one hand, and had at the sametime been driven away and +destroyed by the stock-keepers on the other. He thought that they might +be reclaimed if the proper course was adopted."--EXTRACTS FROM THE SPEECH +OF SYDNEY STEPHEN, ESQ., AT A MEETING ON BEHALF OF THE ABORIGINES IN +SYDNEY, OCTOBER 19, 1838. + +I have myself repeatedly seen the natives driven off private lands in the +vicinity of Adelaide, and their huts burned, even in cold wet weather. +The records of the Police Office will shew that they have been driven off +the Park lands, or those belonging to Government, or at least that they +have been brought up and punished for cutting wood from the trees there. +What are they to do, when there is not a stick or a tree within miles of +Adelaide that they can legally take?] + + +[Note 43: I have known repeated instances of natives in Adelaide +being bitten severely by savage dogs rushing out at them from the +yards of their owners, as they were peaceably passing along the street. On +the other hand I have known a native imprisoned for throwing his waddy at, +and injuring a pig, which was eating a melon he had laid down for a moment +in the street, and when the pig ought not to have been in the street at +all. In February 1842, a dog belonging to a native was shot by order of +Mr. Gouger, the then Colonial Secretary, and the owner as soon as he +became aware of the circumstance, speared his wife for not taking better +care of it, although she could not possibly have helped the occurrence. If +natives then revenge so severely such apparently trivial offences among +themselves, can we wonder that they should sometimes retaliate upon us +for more aggravated ones.] + +[Note 44: The following are extracts from an address to a jury, when +trying some aboriginal natives, by Judge Willis. They at least shew some +of the BLESSINGS the Aborigines experience from being made British +subjects, and placed under British laws:--"I have, on a recent occasion, +stated my opinion, which I still entertain, that the proprietor of a run, +or, in other words, one who holds a lease or license from the Crown to +depasture certain Crown lands, may take all lawful means to prevent either +natives or others from entering or remaining upon it." "The aboriginals of +Van Diemen's Land were strictly commanded, by Governor Arthur's +proclamation of the 15th of April 1828 (a proclamation of which His +Majesty King George the Fourth, through the Right honourable the then +Secretary of State, by a dispatch of the 2nd of February, 1829, under the +circumstances, signified his approval,) "to retire and depart from, and +for no reason, and no pretence, save as therein provided, (viz. +travelling annually to the sea coast in quest of shellfish, under certain +regulations,) to re-enter the settled districts of Van Diemen's Land, or +any portions of land cultivated and occupied by any person whomsoever, +under the authority of Her Majesty's Government, on pain of forcible +expulsion therefrom, and such consequences as might be necessarily +attendant on it, and all magistrates and other persons by them authorized +and deputed, were required to conform themselves to the directions and +instructions of this proclamation, in effecting the retirement and +expulsion of the Aborigines from the settled districts of that +territory."] + +What are they to do under such circumstances, or how support a life so +bereft of its wonted supplies? Can we wonder that they should still +remain the same low abject and degraded creatures that they are, +loitering about the white man's house, and cringing, and pandering to the +lowest menial for that food they can no longer procure for themselves? or +that wandering in misery through a country, now no longer their own, +their lives should be curtailed by want, exposure, or disease? If, on the +other hand, upon the first appearance of Europeans, the natives become +alarmed, and retire from their presence, they must give up all the haunts +they had been accustomed to frequent, and must either live in a starving +condition, in the back country, ill supplied with game, and often wanting +water, or they must trespass upon the territory of another tribe, in a +district perhaps little calculated to support an additional population, +even should they be fortunate enough to escape being forced into one +belonging to an enemy. + +Under any circumstances, however, they have but little respite from +inconvenience and want. The white man rapidly spreads himself over the +country, and without the power of retiring any further, they are +overtaken, and beset by all the evils from which they had previously +fled. + +Such are some of the blessings held out to the savage by civilization, +and they are only some of them. The picture is neither fanciful nor +overdrawn; there is no trait in it that I have not personally witnessed, +or that might not have been enlarged upon; and there are often other +circumstances of greater injury and aggression, which, if dwelt upon, +would have cast a still darker shade upon the prospects and condition of +the native. + +Enough has, however, perhaps been said to indicate the degree of injury +our presence unavoidably inflicts. I would hope, also, to point out the +justice, as well as the expediency of appropriating a considerable +portion of the money obtained, by the sales of land, towards alleviating +the miseries our occupation of their country has occasioned to the +original owners. + +[Note 44a: "That it appears to memorialists that the original occupants of +the soil have an irresistible claim on the Government of this country for +support, inasmuch as the presence of the colonists abridges their means +of subsistence, whilst it furnishes to the public treasury a large +revenue in the shape of fees for licences and assessments on stock, +together with the very large sums paid for land seized by the Crown, and +alienated to private individuals. + +"That it appears to memorialists that the interests at once of the +natives and the colonists would be most effectually promoted by the +government reserving suitable portions of land within the territorial +limits of the respective tribes, with the view of weaning them +from their erratic habits, forming thereon depots for supplying +them with provisions and clothing, under the charge of individuals +of exemplary moral character, taking at the same time an interest +in their welfare, and who would endeavour to instruct them in agricultural +and other useful arts."--Extract from Memorial of the Settlers of +the County of Grant, in the district of Port Phillip, to His Excellency +Sir G. Gipps, in 1840.] + +Surely if we acknowledge the first principles of justice, or if we admit +the slightest claims of humanity on behalf of these debased, but harshly +treated people, we are bound, in honour and in equity, to afford them +that subsistence which we have deprived them of the power of providing +for themselves. + +It may, perhaps, be replied, and at first it might seem, with some +appearance of speciousness, that all is done that can be done for them, +that each of the Colonial Governments annually devotes a portion of its +revenue to the improvement, instruction, and maintenance of the natives. +So far this is very praiseworthy, but does it in any degree compensate +for the evil inflicted? + +The money usually voted by the councils of Government, towards defraying +expenses incurred on behalf of the Aborigines of Australia, is but a very +small per centage upon the sums that have been received for the sales of +lands, and is principally expended in defraying the salaries of +protectors, in supporting schools, providing food or clothing for one or +two head stations, and perhaps supplying a few blankets once in the year +to some of the outstations. Little is expended in the daily provisioning +of the natives generally, and especially in the more distant country +districts least populated by Europeans, but most densely occupied by +natives, and where the very thinness of the European inhabitants +precludes the Aborigines from resorting to the same sources to supply +their wants, that are open to them in a town, or more thickly inhabited +district. Such are those afforded by the charity of individuals, by the +rewards received for performing trifling services of work, by the +obtaining vast quantities of offal, or of broken victuals, which are +always abundant in a country where animal food is used in excess, and +where the heat of the climate daily renders much of it unfit for +consumption in the family, and by others of a similar nature. + +Such resources, however humiliating and pernicious they are in their +effects, are not open to the tribes living in a district almost +exclusively occupied by the sheep or cattle of the settler, and where the +very numbers of the stock only more completely drive away the original +game upon which the native had been accustomed to subsist, and hold out a +greater temptation to him to supply his wants from the superabundance +which he sees around him, belonging to those by whom he has been +dispossessed. The following appropriate remarks are an extract from +Report of Aborigines' Protection Society, of March, 1841, (published in +the South Australian Register, 4th December, 1841.) + +"Under that system it is obvious to every coloured man, even the least +intelligent, that the extending settlements of the Europeans involve a +sentence of banishment, and eventual extermination, upon his tribe and +race. Major Mitchell, in his travels, refers to this apprehension on the +part of the Aborigines--"White man come, Kangaroo go away"--from which as +an inevitable consequence follows--"black man famished away." If, then, +this appears a necessary result of the unjust, barbarous, unchristian +mode of colonization pursued in New Holland, over-looking the other +incidental, and more pointedly aggravating provocations, to the coloured +man, associated with that system, how natural, in his case, is an enmity +which occasionally visits some of the usurping race with death! We call +the offence in him MURDER; but let the occasion be only examined, and we +must discover that, in so designating it, we are imposing geographical, +or national restrictions, upon the virtue of patriotism; or that in the +mani-festations of that principle, we make no allowances for the +influence on its features of the relative degradation or elevation of +those among whom it is met. + +"Our present colonization system renders the native and the colonizing +races from necessity belligerents; and there can be no real peace, no +real amity, no mutual security, so long as that system is not substituted +by one reconciling the interest of both races. Colonists will fall before +the spears and the waddies of incensed Aborigines, and they in return +will be made the victims of 'summary justice.' + +"In cases of executive difficulty, the force of popular prejudice will be +apt to be too strong for the best intentioned Governor to withstand it; +Europeans will have sustained injury; the strict forms of legal justice +may be found of difficult application to a race outcast or degraded, +although ORIGINALLY in a condition fitted to appreciate them, to benefit +by them, and reflect their benefits upon others; impatient at this +difficulty, the delay it may occasion, and the shelter from ultimate +punishment, the temptation will ever be strong to revert to summary +methods of proceeding; and thus, as in a circle, injustice will be found +to flow reciprocal injury, and from injury injustice again, in another +form. The source of all these evils, and of all this injustice, is the +unreserved appropriation of native lands, and the denial, in the first +instance of colonization, of equal civil rights. To the removal of those +evils, so far as they can be removed in the older settlements, to their +prevention in new colonies, the friends of the Aborigines are invoked to +direct their energy; to be pacified with the attainment of nothing less; +for nothing less will really suffice." + +Can it be deemed surprising that a rude, uncivilized being, driven from +his home, deprived of all his ordinary means of subsistence [Note 45 at +end of para.], and pressed perhaps by a hostile tribe from behind, should +occasionally be guilty of aggressions or injuries towards his oppressors? +The wonder rather is, not that these things do sometimes occur, but that +they occur so rarely. + +[Note 45: "If you can still be generous to the conquered, relieve the +hunger which drives us in despair to slaughter your flocks and the men who +guard them. Our fields and forests, which once furnished us with abundance +of vegetable and animal food, now yield us no more; they and their produce +are yours; you prosper on our native soil, and we are famishing." +--STRZELECKI'S N. S. WALES, p. 356.] + +In addition to the many other inconsistencies in our conduct towards the +Aborigines, not the least extraordinary is that of placing them, on the +plea of protection, under the influence of our laws, and of making them +British subjects. Strange anomaly, which by the former makes amenable to +penalties they are ignorant of, for crimes which they do not consider as +such, or which they may even have been driven to commit by our own +injustice; and by the latter but mocks them with an empty sound, since +the very laws under which we profess to place them, by their nature and +construction are inoperative in affording redress to the injured. + +[Note 46: "To subject savage tribes to the penalties of laws with which +they are unacquainted, for offences which they, very possibly, regard as +acts of justifiable retaliation for invaded rights, is a proceeding +indefensible, except under circumstances of urgent and extreme +necessity."--Fourth Report of the Colonization Commissioners, presented to +the House of Commons, 29th July, 1840. + +"The late act, declaring them naturalized as British subjects, has only +rendered them legally amenable to the English criminal law, and added one +more anomaly to all the other enactments affecting them. This +naturalization excludes them from sitting on a jury, or appearing as +witnesses, and entails a most confused form of judicial proceedings; all +which, taken together, has made of the Aborigines of Australia a +nondescript caste, who, to use their own phraseology, are 'neither black +nor white.'"--Strzelecki's N. S. Wales.] + +If, in addition to the many evils and disadvantages the natives must +necessarily be subject to from our presence, we take still further into +account the wrongs they are exposed to from the ill feeling towards them +which has sometimes existed among the settlers, or their servants, on the +outskirts of the country; the annoyances they are harassed by, even where +this feeling does not exist, in being driven away from their usual haunts +and pursuits (and this is a practice often adopted by the remote grazier +as a mere matter of policy to avoid trouble or the risk of a collision); +we shall find upon the whole that they have often just causes of offence, +and that there are many circumstances connected with their crimes which, +from the peculiar position they are placed in, may well require from us +some mitigation of the punishment that would be exacted from Europeans +for the same misdeeds. + +Captain Grey has already remarked the strong prejudice and recklessness +of human life which frequently exist on the part of the settlers with +regard to the natives. Nor has this feeling been confined to Western +Australia alone. In all the colonies, that I have been in, I have myself +observed that a harsh and unjust tone has occasionally been adopted in +speaking of the Aborigines; and that where a feeling of prejudice does +not exist against them, there is too often a great indifference +manifested as to their fate. I do not wish it to be understood that such +is always the case; on the contrary, I know that the better, and right +thinking part of the community, in all the colonies, not only disavow +such feelings, but are most anxious, as far as lies in their power, to +promote the interests and welfare of the natives. Still, there are always +some, in every settlement, whose passions, prejudices, interests, or +fears, obliterate their sense of right and wrong, and by whom these poor +wanderers of the woods are looked upon as intruders in their own country, +or as vermin that infest the land, and whose blood may be shed with as +little compunction as that of the wild animals they are compared to. + +By those who have heard the dreadful accounts current in Western +Australia, and New South Wales, of the slaughter formerly committed by +military parties, or by the servants [Note 47 at end of para.] of the +settlers upon the Aborigines, in which it is stated that men, women, and +children have been surprised, surrounded and shot down indiscriminately, +at their camps at night; or who have heard such deeds, or other similar +ones, justified or boasted of, it will readily be believed to what an +extent the feeling I have alluded to has occasionally been carried, and +to what excesses it has led. [Note 48 appears after Note 47, below] + +[Note 47: The following extract from a reply of his Honour the +Superintendent of Port Phillip to the representation made to his Honour +by the settlers and inhabitants of the district of Port Fairy, in +March 1842, shews that these frightful atrocities against the natives +had not even then ceased. + +"That the presence of a protector in your district, and other means of +prevention hitherto employed, have not succeeded better than they have +done in repressing aggression or retaliation, and have failed to establish +a good understanding between the natives and the European settlers, +is greatly to be deplored. + +"As far as the local government has power, every practicable extension +of these arrangements shall be made without delay; but, gentlemen, +however harsh, a plain truth must be told, the destruction of +European property, and even the occasional sacrifice of European +life, by the hands of the savage tribes, among whom you live, if +unprovoked and unrevenged, may justly claim sympathy and pity; but the +feeling of abhorrence which one act of savage retaliation or cruelty on +your part will rouse, must weaken, if not altogether obliterate every +other, in the minds of most men; and I regret to state, that I have +before me a statement presented in a form which I dare not discredit, +shewing that such acts are perpetrated among you. + +"It reveals a nightly attack upon a small number of natives, by a +party of the white inhabitants of your district, and the murder of +no fewer than three defenceless aboriginal women and a child, in +their sleeping place; and this at the very time your memorial was +in the act of signature, and in the immediate vicinity of the station +of two of the parties who have signed it. Will not the commission of +such crimes call down the wrath of God, and do more to check the +prosperity of your district, and to ruin your prospects, than all +the difficulties and losses under which you labour?" Mr. Sievewright's +letter gives an account of this infamous transaction. + + +"WESTERN ABORIGINAL ESTABLISHMENT, +THOLOR, 26TH FEBRUARY, 1842. + +"Sir,--I have the honour to report that on the afternoon +of the 24th instant, two aboriginal natives, named Pwe-bin-gan-nai, +Calangamite, returned to this encampment, which they had left with their +families on the 22nd, and reported 'that late on the previous evening, +while they with their wives, two other females, and two children, were +asleep at a tea-tree scrub, called One-one-derang, a party of eight white +people on horseback surrounded them, dismounted, and fired upon them with +pistols; that three women and a child had been thus killed, and the other +female so severely wounded as to be unable to stand or be removed by +them;' they had saved themselves and the child, named 'Uni bicqui-ang,' +by flight, who was brought to this place upon their shoulders. + +"At daybreak yesterday I proceeded to the spot indicated, and there found +the dead bodies of three women, and a male child about three years of age; +and also found a fourth woman dangerously wounded by gunshot wounds, and +severely scorched on the limbs by the discharge of fire-arms. + +"Having proceeded to the station of the Messrs. Osbrey and Smith, distant +about 700 yards from where the bodies were found, and requested the +presence of those gentlemen as witnesses, I proceeded to view the bodies, +upon which were found the wounds as set forth in the accompanying report. + +"All knowledge of this barbarous transaction is denied by the proprietors, +overseer, and servants at the home station, so near to which the bodies +were found, nor have I as yet obtained any information which may lead to +the discovery of the perpetrators of these murders. + +"I have, etc. +(Signed) "C. W. SIEVEWRIGHT." +James Croke, Esq., +Crown Prosecutor," +etc. etc. etc. + + +Description of Gun-shot Wounds upon the bodies of three Aboriginal Women +and One Male Child found dead, and an Aboriginal Woman found wounded in a +tea-tree scrub, near the Station of Messrs. Osbrey and Smith, Portland +District, upon the 25th of February, 1842, by Assistant-Protector +Sievewright. + + +"No. 1. Recognised by the assistant-protector as +'Wooi-goning,' wife of an Aboriginal native 'Pui-bui-gannei;' one gun-shot +wound through the chest (a ball), and right thigh broken by a gun-shot +wound (a ball). + +"No. 2. Child (male); one gun-shot wound through the chest (a bullet), +left thigh lacerated by some animal. + +"No. 3. Woman big with child; one gun-shot wound through the chest +(a bullet), left side scorched. + +"No. 4. Woman; gun-shot wound through abdomen (a bullet), by right hip; +gun-shot wound, left arm broken, (a bullet.) + +"No. 5. Woman wounded; gun-shot wound in back (a ball), gun-shot through +right hand (a ball). + +"(Signed) +"C. W. SIEVEWRIGHT."] + + +[Note 48: The belief on the part of the Home authorities that such deeds +did occur, and their opinion, so many years ago, regarding them, may be +gathered from the following extract from a despatch from Lord Glenelg to +Governor Sir James Stirling, dated 23rd of July, 1835. "I perceive, with +deep concern, that collisions still exist between the colonists and the +natives. + +"It is impossible, however, to regard such conflicts without +regret and anxiety, when we recollect how fatal, in too many instances, +our colonial settlements have proved to the natives of the places where +they have been formed. + +"It will be your duty to impress upon the settlers that it is the +determination of the Government to visit any act of injustice or +violence on the natives, with the utmost severity, and that in no +case will those convicted of them, remain unpunished. Nor will it +be sufficient simply to punish the guilty, but ample compensation must be +made to the injured party, for the wrong received. You will make it +imperative upon the officers of police never to allow any injustice or +insult in regard to the natives to pass by unnoticed, as being of too +trifling a character; and they should be charged to report to you, with +punctuality, every instance of aggression or misconduct. Every neglect of +this point of duty you will mark with the highest displeasure." + +Such were the benevolent views entertained by the Government in England +towards the Aborigines ten years ago, and it might be readily proved from +many despatches of subsequent Secretaries of State to the different +Governors, that such have been their feelings since, and yet how little +has been done in ten years to give a practical effect to their good +intentions towards the natives.] + +Were other evidence necessary to substantiate this point, it would be +only requisite to refer to the tone in which the natives are so often +spoken of by the Colonial newspapers, to the fact that a large number of +colonists in New South Wales, including many wealthy landed proprietors +and magistrates, petitioned the Local Government on behalf of a party of +convicts, found guilty on the clearest testimony of having committed one +of the most wholesale, cold-blooded, and atrocious butcheries of the +Aborigines ever recorded [Note 49 at end of para.], and to the acts of the +Colonial Governments themselves, who have found it necessary, sometimes, +to prohibit fire-arms at out-stations, and have been compelled to take +away the assigned servants, or withdraw the depasturing licences of +individuals, because they have been guilty of aggression upon the +Aborigines. + +[Note 49: Seven men were hanged for this offence, on the 18th of December, +1838. In the Sydney Monitor, published on the 24th or next issue after the +occurrence, is the following paragraph:-- + +"The following conversation between two gentlemen took place in the +military barrack square, on Tuesday, just after the execution of the seven +murderers of the native blacks, and while General O'Connell was reviewing +the troops of the garrison. + +"COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.--So I find they have hanged these men. +"TOWN GENTLEMAN. --They have." +"COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.--Ah! hem, we are going on a safer game now. +"TOWN GENTLEMAN. --Safer game! how do you mean?" +"COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.--Why, we are poisoning the blacks; which is much + better, and serve them right too!" + +"We vouch for the truth of this conversation, and for the very words; +and will prove our statement, if public justice should, in our +opinion require it." + +The following letter from His Honour the Superintendent of Port Philip +shews, that even in 1843, suspicions were entertained in the colony, +that this most horrible and inhuman cruelty towards the Aborigines had +lately been practised there. + + +"Melbourne, 17th March, 1843. + +"SIR,--I have the honour to report, for his Excellency's information, +that in the month of December last, I received a letter from the Chief +Protector, enclosing a communication received from Dr. Wotton, the +gentleman in charge of the Aboriginal station at Mount Rouse, stating that +a rumour had reached him that a considerable number of Aborigines had +been poisoned at the station of Dr. Kilgour, near Port Fairy. + +"I delayed communicating this circumstance at the time, as I expected +the Chief Protector and his assistants would find it practicable to +bring the crime home to the parties accused of having perpetrated it; +but I regret to state, that every attempt to discover the guilty +parties has hitherto proved ineffectual, and that although there +may be strong grounds of suspicion that such a deed had been perpetrated, +and that certain known parties in this district were the perpetrators, +yet it seems nearly impossible to obtain any legal proof to bear on +either one point or the other. + +"I beg leave to enclose copies of two communications which I have received +from Mr. Robinson on the subject. + +"I have, etc. +"(Signed) +"C. J. LATROBE." +"The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, +etc. etc. etc." + + +Rumours of another similar occurrence existed in the settlements +north of Sydney, about the same time. To the inquiries made on the +subject, by the Government, the following letters refer. + + +"Moreton Bay, Zion's Hill, 14th January 1843. + +"Sir,--In reply to your inquiry respecting the grounds on which I made +mention in my journal, kept during a visit to the Bunga Bunga country, +of a considerable number of blacks having been poisoned in the +northern part of this district, I beg leave to state, that having +returned from Sydney in the month of March 1842, I learnt, first, +by my coadjutor, the Rev. Mr. Epper, that such a rumour was spreading, +of which I have good reason to believe also his Excellency the Governor +was informed during his stay at Moreton Bay. I learnt, secondly, +by the lay missionaries, Messrs. Nique and Rode, who returned +from an excursion to "Umpie-boang" in the first week of April, that +natives of different tribes, who were collecting from the north for a +fight, had related the same thing to them as a fact. Messrs. Nique and +Rode have made this statement also in their diary, which is laid before +our committee in Sydney. I learnt, thirdly, by the runaway Davis, when +collecting words and phrases of the northern dialect from him, previous +to my expedition to the Bunga Bunga country, that there was not the least +doubt but such a deed had been done, and moreover that the relatives of +the poisoned blacks, being in great fury, were going to revenge +themselves. Davis considered it, therefore, exceedingly dangerous for us +to proceed to the north, mentioning at the same time, that two white men +had already been killed by blacks in consequence of poisoning. I +ascertained likewise from him the number, 50 or 60. + +"When inquiring of him whether he had not reported this fact to +yourself, he replied, that both he, himself, and Bracewell, the +other runaway, whom Mr. Petrie had brought back from the Wide Bay, +had done so, and that you had stated it fully in your report to his +Excellency the Governor, respecting himself and Bracewell. + +"4. The natives who had carried our provisions up to Mr. Archer's station, +made the same statement to us, as a reason why they would not accompany +us any farther to the Bunga Bunga country. + +"When writing down, therefore, my journal, I considered it unnecessary to +make a full statement of all that had come to my knowledge since the month +of March, concerning that most horrid event, or even to relate it as +something new, as it was not only known several months since to the +respective authorities, but also as almost every one at Moreton Bay +supposed that an investigation would take place without delay. + +"I have, etc. +"(signed) "WILLIAM SCHMIDT, +"Missionary.""S. Simpson, Esq., +"Commissioner of Crown Lands, +"Eagle Farm." + + +"WOOGAROO, MORETON BAY, 6TH MAY, 1843. + +"Sir,--I have the honour to report, for the information of his Excellency, +that during my excursion to the Bunga country, I have taken every +opportunity of instituting an inquiry as to the truth of the alleged +poisoning of some Aborigines at a sheep station in the north of this +district. A report of the kind certainly exists among the two tribes I +fell in with, namely, the Dallambarah and Coccombraral tribes, but as +neither of them were present at the time, they could give me no +circumstantial information whatever on the subject. The Giggabarah +tribe, the one said to have suffered, I was unable to meet with. +Upon inquiry at the stations to the north, I could learn nothing +further than that they had been using arsenic very extensively for +the cure of the scab, in which operation sheep are occasionally +destroyed by some of the fluid getting down their throats; and as the +men employed frequently neglect to bury the carcases, it is very possible +that the Aborigines may have devoured them, particularly the entrails, +which they are very fond of, and that hence some accident of the kind +alluded to may have occurred without their knowledge. + +"I have, etc. +"(signed) S. SIMPSON, +"Commissioner of Crown Lands." + +"The Honourable E. D. Thomson, +"Colonial Secretary." + + +For the sake of humanity I would hope that such unheard of atrocities +cannot really have existed. That the bare suspicion even of such crimes +should have originated and gained currency in more than one district +of Australia, is of itself a fearful indication of the feeling +among the lowest classes in the colonies, and of the harrowing +deeds to which that might lead. + +Extract from South Australian Registe, 10th of July, 1841, after the +return of Major O'Halloran and a party of sixty-eight individuals, sent +up the Murray to try and rescue property stolen by blacks. "In the mean +time we cannot but think that the DISAPPOINTMENT SO GENERALLY +EXPRESSED, because Major O'Halloran has returned 'WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT,' +is somewhat unreasonable, seeing that in his presence the natives DID +NOTHING TO WARRANT AN EXTREME MEASURE, and that there were no means of +identifying either the robbers of Mr. Inman, or the murderers of Mr. +Langhorne's servants. It is quite clear that a legally authorised English +force could not be permitted to fire indiscriminately upon the natives AS +SOME PERSONS THINK they ought to have done, or to fire at all, save when +attacked, or under circumstances in which any white subject of the Queen +might be shot at. We KNOW that many overland parties HAVE NOT HESITATED +TO FIRE AT THE NATIVES WHEREVER THEY APPEARED; and it is possible that +the tribes now hostilely disposed may have received some provocation."] + +The following extract from a letter addressed by the Chief Protector of +the Port Phillip district, Mr. Robinson, to his Honour the Superintendent +at Melbourne, shews that officer's opinion of the feeling of the lower +class of the settlers' servants, with regard to the Aborigines in +Australia Felix. + + +"Anterior to my last expedition I had seen a large portion of this +province; I have now seen nearly the entire, and, in addition, have made +myself thoroughly acquainted with the character of its inhabitants. + +"The settlers are, for the most part, a highly respectable body of men, +many, to my knowledge, deeply commiserating the condition of the natives; +a few have been engaged in the work of their amelioration; these, +however, are but isolated instances; the majority are averse to having +the natives, and drive them from their runs. + +"Nothing could afford me greater pleasure than to see a reciprocity of +interest established between the settler and aborigine, and it would +delight me to see the settlers engaged in the great work of their +amelioration; and though on the part of the settlers, a large majority +would readily engage, I nevertheless feel persuaded that, until a better +class of peasantry be introduced, and a code of judicature suited to the +condition of the natives, its practicability, as a general principle, is +unattainable. + +"In the course of my wanderings through the distant interior, I found it +necessary, in order to arrive at a correct judgment, to observe the +relative character of both classes, i. e. the European and the Aborigine. +The difficulty on the part of the Aborigine by proper management can be +overcome; but the difficulty on the part of the depraved white man is of +far different character, and such as to require that either their place +should be supplied by a more honest and industrious peasantry, or that a +more suitable code of judicature be established, to restrain their +nefarious proceedings with reference to the aboriginal natives. + +"I found, on my last expedition, that a large majority of the white +servants employed at the stock stations in the distant interior were, for +the most part, men of depraved character; and it was with deep regret +that I observed that they were all armed; and in the estimation of some +of these characters, with whom I conversed, I found that the life of a +native was considered to be of no more value than that of a wild dog. The +settlers complained generally of the bad character of their men. The +saying is common among them, 'That the men and not we are the masters.' +The kind of treatment evinced towards the aboriginal natives in remote +parts of the interior by this class of persons, may be easily imagined; +but as I shall have occasion more fully to advert to this topic in the +report I am about to transmit to the Government, I shall defer for the +present offering further observations. + +"The bad character of the white servants is a reason assigned by many +settlers for keeping the natives from their stations. At a few +establishments, viz. Norman M'Leod's, Baillie's, Campbell's, Lenton's, +and Urquhart's, an amicable and friendly relation has been maintained for +several years; the Aborigines are employed and found useful. I visited +these stations; and the proprietors assured me the natives had never done +them any injury; the natives also spoke in high terms of these parties. +There are other settlers also who have rendered assistance in improving +the condition of the natives, and to whom I shall advert in my next +report. + +"Whether the proprietors of these establishments devote more attention, +or whether their white servants are of less nefarious character than +others, I am not prepared to say; but the facts I have stated are +incontrovertible, and are sufficient to shew the reclaimability of the +natives, when proper persons are engaged, and suitable means had recourse +to. I cannot but accede to the proposition, namely, that of holding out +inducements to all who engage in the amelioration of the aboriginal +natives. Those who have had experience, who have been tried and found +useful, ought to have such inducements held out to them as would ensure a +continuance of their appointments, the more especially as it has always +been found difficult to obtain suitable persons for this hazardous and +peculiar service." + + +The following extract from another letter, also addressed to his Honour +the Superintendent, shews the opinions and feelings of the writer, a +Magistrate of the Colony, and a Commissioner of Crown Lands, in the +Geelong district. + + +"In offering my candid opinion, I submissively beg leave to state, that +for the last three years, on all occasions, I have been a friend to the +natives; but from my general knowledge of their habits of idleness, +extreme cunning, vice, and villany, that it is out of the power of all +exertion that can be bestowed on them to do good by them; and I further +beg leave to state, that I can plainly see the general conduct of the +native growing worse, and, if possible, more useless, and daily more +daring. One and all appear to consider that no punishment awaits them. +This idea has latterly been instilled into their minds with, I should +think, considerable pains, and also that the white men should be punished +for the least offence. + +"In reply to the latter part of your letter, I beg leave to bring to your +notice that, at considerable risk, two years ago, I apprehended a native +for the murder of one of Mr. Learmonth's men, near Bunengang. He was +committed to Sydney gaol, and at the expiration of a year he was returned +to Melbourne to be liberated, and is now at large. In the case of Mr. +Thomson's, that I apprehended two, and both identified by the men who so +fortunately escaped. It is a difficult thing to apprehend natives, and +with great risk of life on both sides. On the Grange, and many parts of +the country, it would be impossible to take them; AND IN MY OPINION, the +only plan to bring them to a fit and proper state is to insist on the +gentlemen in the country to protect their property, AND TO DEAL WITH SUCH +USELESS SAVAGES ON THE SPOT." + + +Captain Grey bears testimony to similar feelings and occurrences in +Western Australia. In speaking of capturing some natives, he says, vol. +2. p. 351. "It was necessary that I should proceed with great caution, in +order not to alarm the guilty parties when they saw us approaching, in +which case, I should have had no chance of apprehending them, and I did +not intend to adopt the popular system of shooting them when they ran +away." And again, at page 356, he says, "It was better that I, an +impartial person, should see that they were properly punished for theft, +than that the Europeans should fire indiscriminately upon them, as had +lately been done, in another quarter." + +Even in South Australia, where the Colonists have generally been more +concentrated, and where it might naturally be supposed there would be +less likelihood of offenders of this kind escaping detection and +punishment, there are not wanting instances of unnecessary and +unprovoked, and sometimes of wanton injury upon the natives. In almost +all cases of this description, it is quite impracticable from the +inadmissibility of native evidence, or from some other circumstances, to +bring home conviction to the guilty. [Note 50 at end of para.] On the +other hand, where natives commit offences against Europeans, if they can +be caught, the punishment is certain and severe. Already since the +establishment of South Australia as a colony, six natives have been tried +and hung, for crimes against Europeans, and many others have been shot or +wounded, by the police and military in their attempts to capture or +prevent their escape. No European has, however, yet paid the penalties of +the law, for aggressions upon the Aborigines, though many have deserved +to do so. The difficulty consists in legally bringing home the offence, +or in refuting the absurd stories that are generally made up in +justification of it. + +[Note 50: Vide Chapter 9, of Notes on the Aborigines.] + +A single instance or two will be sufficient, in illustration of the +impunity which generally attends these acts of violence. On the 25th +January, 1843, the sheep at a station of Mr. Hughes, upon the Hutt river, +had been scattered during the night, and some of them were missing. It +was concluded the natives had been there, and taken them, as the tracks +of naked feet were said to have been found near the folds. Upon these +grounds two of Mr. Hughes' men, and one belonging to Mr. Jacobs, another +settler in the neighbourhood, took arms, and went out to search for the +natives. About a mile from the station they met with one native and his +wife, whom they asked to accompany them back to the station, promising +bread and flour for so doing. They consented to go, but were then +escorted AS PRISONERS, the two men of Mr. Hughes' guarding the male +native, and Mr. Jacobs' servant (a person named Gregory) the female. +Naturally alarmed at the predicament they were in, the man ran off, +pursued by his two guards, but escaped. The woman took another direction, +pursued by Gregory, who recaptured her, and she was said to have then +seized Gregory's gun, and to have struck at him several blows with a +heavy stick, upon which, being afraid that he would be overcome, HE SHOT +HER. Mr. Hughes, the owner of the lost sheep, came up a few moments after +the woman was shot, and heard Gregory's story concerning it, but no marks +of his receiving any blows were shewn. On the 23rd of March, he was tried +for the offence of manslaughter; there did not appear the slightest +extenuating circumstances beyond his own story, and his master giving him +a good character, and yet the jury, without retiring, returned a verdict +of Not Guilty! + +At the very next sittings of the Supreme Court Criminal Sessions, another +and somewhat analogous case appeared. The following remarks were made by +His Honour Judge Cooper, to the Grand Jury respecting it: "There was also +a case of manslaughter to be tried, and he called their attention to +this, because it did not appear in the Calendar. The person charged was +named Skelton, and as appeared from the depositions, was in custody of +some sheep, when an alarm of the rushing of the sheep being given, he +looked and saw something climbing over the fence, and subsequently +something crawling along the ground, upon which he fired off his piece, +and hit the object, which upon examination turned out to be a native. The +night was dark, and the native was brought into the hut, where he died +the next day. He could not help observing, that cases of this kind were +much more frequent than was creditable to the reputation of the Colony. +Last Sessions a man was tried and acquitted of the charge of killing a +native woman. That verdict was a very merciful one, but not so merciful, +he trusted, as to countenance the idea that the lives of the natives are +held too cheaply. The only observation that he would make upon this case +was, that it was ONE OF GREAT SUSPICION." + +[Note 51: I believe this case was not brought to trial.] + +Other cases have occurred in which some of the circumstances have come +under my own notice, and when Europeans have committed wanton aggressions +on the Aborigines, and have then made up a plausible story to account for +what had taken place, but where, from obvious circumstances, it was quite +impossible to disprove or rebut their tale, however improbable it might +be. In the Port Phillip District in 1841, Mr. Chief Protector thus writes +to the local Government. + + +"Already appalling collisions have happened between the white and +aboriginal inhabitants, and, although instances, it is possible, have +transpired when natives have been the aggressors, yet it will be found +that the largest majority originated with the Europeans. The lives of +aboriginal natives known to have been destroyed are many, and if the +testimony of natives be admissible, the amount would be great indeed; but +even in cases where the Aborigines are said to be the aggressors, who can +tell what latent provocation existed for perpetrating it? Of the numerous +cases that could be cited, the following from a recent journal of an +assistant protector, Mr. Parker, of the Lodden, will suffice to shew the +insurmountable difficulty, I may add the impossibility, of bringing the +guilty parties to justice, for in nine cases, I may say, out of ten, +where natives are concerned, the only evidence that can be adduced is +that of the Aborigines. + +"This evidence is not admissible. Indeed the want of a code, suited to +the Aborigines, is now so strongly felt, and of such vital importance to +the welfare and existence of the natives, that I earnestly trust that +this important subject may be brought under the early consideration and +notice of Her Majesty's Government. + +"The following is the extract from Mr. Parker's journal referred to: 'On +the 8th of March 1841, I proceeded to the Pyrenees to investigate the +circumstances connected with the slaughter of several Aborigines, by a +Mr. Frances. On the 9th and 10th I fell in with different parties of +natives. From the last of these I obtained some distressing statements, +as to the slaughter of the blacks; they gave me the names of seven +individuals shot by Mr. Frances within the last six months. I found, +however, no legal evidence attainable. The only persons present in the +last and most serious affair with the Aborigines, which took place in +December of last year, were Frances, a person named Downes, and a +stock-keeper in Melbourne. No other admissible evidence of the death of +these poor people can be obtained than what Frances's written statement +conveys. In that he reports that he and the person before named WENT OUT +IN CONSEQUENCE OF SEEING THE BUSH ON FIRE, AND FELL IN SUDDENLY WITH SOME +NATIVES, ON WHOM THEY FIRED AND KILLED FOUR. The natives say six were +slain, and their information on that point is more to be depended on. +Owing to the legal disabilities of the Aborigines, this case must be +added with many others which have passed without judicial notice. I +cannot, however, but wish that squatting licenses were withheld from +persons who manifest such an utter disregard of human life as Mr. +Frances, even on his own shewing, has done.' + +"And in this latter sentiment, under existing circumstances, I most +cordially agree. In Frances' case, the PERPETRATOR ADMITS his having SHOT +FOUR ABORIGINES, and for aught that is shewn to the contrary, it was AN +UNPROVOKED AGGRESSION. The natives, whose testimony Mr. Parker states, +can be relied upon, affirm that six were slain, and these within the +brief period of six months. + +"In my last expedition I visited the country of the 'Barconedeets,' the +tribe attacked by Frances; of these I found a few sojourning with the +"Portbullucs,' a people inhabiting the country near Mount Zero, the +northernmost point of the Grampians. These persons complained greatly of +the treatment they had received, and confirmed the statement made to the +sub-protector by the other natives. The following are a few of the +collisions, from authentic documents brought under the notice of this +department, that have happened between settlers and Aborigines, and are +respectfully submitted for the information of the Government. + +"CASES.--CHARLES WEDGE AND OTHERS.--Five natives killed and others +wounded at the Grampians. + +"AYLWARD AND OTHERS.--Several natives killed and others wounded at the +Grampians. In this case Aylward deposed, 'that there must have been a +great many wounded and several killed, as he saw blood upon the grass, +and in the tea-tree two or three dead bodies.' + +"MESSRS. WHYTE'S FIRST COLLISION.--William Whyte deposed that 30 natives +were present, and they were all killed but two, and one of these it is +reported died an hour after of his wounds. + +"DARLOT.--One native shot. Two natives shot near Portland Bay by the +servants of the Messrs. Henty. + +"HUTTON AND MOUNTED POLICE.--The written report of this case states, +'that the party overtook the aborigines at the junction of the +'Campaspee;' they fired, and it is stated, that to the best of the belief +of the party, five or six were killed.' In the opinion of the +sub-protector a greater number were slain. + +"MESSRS. WINTER AND OTHERS.--On this occasion five natives were killed. + +"One black shot by Frances. + +"MUNROE AND POLICE.--Two blacks shot and others wounded. + +"The following from Lloyd's deposition:--'We fired on them; I have no +doubt some were killed; there were between forty and fifty natives.' + +"BY PERSONS UNKNOWN.--A native of the Coligan tribe killed by white +persons. + +"MESSRS. WEDGE AND OTHERS.--Three natives killed and others wounded. + +"Names of Taylor and Lloyd are mentioned as having shot a black at Lake +Colac. + +"WHYTE'S SECOND COLLISION.--ALLAN'S CASE.--Two natives shot. + +"Taylor was overseer of a sheep station in the Western district, and was +notorious for killing natives. No legal evidence could be obtained +against this nefarious individual. The last transaction in which he was +concerned, was of so atrocious a nature, that he thought fit to abscond, +and he has not been heard of since. No legal evidence was attainable in +this latter case. There is no doubt the charges preferred were true, for +in the course of my inquiries on my late expedition, I found a tribe, a +section of the Jarcoorts, totally extinct, and it was affirmed by the +natives that Taylor had destroyed them. The tribes are rapidly +diminishing. The 'Coligans,' once a numerous and powerful people, +inhabiting the fertile region of Lake 'Colac,' are now reduced, all ages +and sexes, under forty, and these are still on the decay. The Jarcoorts, +inhabiting the country to the west of the great lake 'Carangermite,' once +a very numerous and powerful people, are now reduced to under sixty. But +time would fail, and I fear it would be deemed too prolix, were I to +attempt to particularise in ever so small a degree, the previous state, +condition, and declension of the original inhabitants of so extensive a +province." + + +Upon the same subject, His Honour the Superintendent of Port Phillip thus +writes:-- + + +"On this subject, I beg leave to remark that great impediments evidently +do interpose themselves in the way of instituting proper judicial inquiry +into the causes and consequences of the frequent acts of collision +between the settlers and the aboriginal natives, and into the conduct of +the settlers on such occasions. I am quite ready to lament with the +Protectors, that numerous as the cases have unfortunately been in which +the lives of the Aborigines have been taken in this district, IN NO +SINGLE INSTANCE HAS THE SETTLER BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE THE PROPER TRIBUNAL." + + +Many similar instances might be adduced to shew the little chance there +is of evidence enough being procurable, even to cause the aggressor to be +put upon his trial, still less to produce his conviction. + +Independently of the instances of wanton outrage, which sometimes are +perpetrated on the outskirts of the settled districts by the lowest and +most abandoned of our countrymen, there are occasions also, when equal +injuries are inflicted unintentionally, from inexperience or +indiscretion, on the part of those whose duty it is to protect rather +than destroy, when the innocent have been punished instead of the +guilty [Note 52 at end of para.], and thus the very efforts made to +preserve peace and good order, have inadvertently become the means of +subverting them. + +[Note 52: Upon collisions of this character, Lord John Russell remarks in +his despatch, 21st December, 1839, to Sir G. Gipps: "In the case now +before me the object of capturing offenders was entirely lost sight of, +and shots were fired at men who were apparently only guilty of jumping +into the water to escape from an armed pursuit. I am, however, happy to +acknowledge that you appear to have made every practicable exertion for +the prevention of similar calamities in future, and I approve the +measures adopted by you for that purpose. You cannot overrate the +solicitude of Her Majesty's Government on the subject of the Aborigines +of New Holland. It is impossible to contemplate the condition and the +prospects of that unfortunate race without the deepest commiseration. I +am well aware of the many difficulties which oppose themselves to the +effectual protection of these people, and especially of those which must +originate from the exasperation of the settlers, on account of +aggressions on their property, which are not the less irritating, because +they are nothing else than the natural results of the pernicious examples +held out to the Aborigines, and of the many wrongs of which they have +been the victims. Still it is impossible that the Government should +forget that the original aggression was our own; and that we have never +yet performed the sacred duty of making any systematic or considerable +attempt to impart to the former occupiers of New South Wales, the +blessings of Christianity, or the knowledge of the arts and advantages of +civilized life."] + +Several very lamentable instances of this kind, have occurred in Port +Lincoln. The following is one among others. Soon after the murder of +Messrs. Biddle and Brown, a party of soldiers was sent over to try and +capture the aggressors. In one of their attempts a native guide was +procured from the Eastern tribe, who promised to conduct them to where +the murderers were. The party consisting of the military and their +officer, the police, a settler, and the missionary, in all twelve or +fourteen persons, set off towards Coffin's Bay, following as they +supposed upon the track of the murders. Upon reaching the coast some +natives were seen fishing in the water, and the party was at once spread +out in a kind of semicircle, among the scrub, to close upon and capture +them; the officer, missionary, and guide, being stationed near the +centre. As the party advanced nearer, the guide saw that he was mistaken +in the group before him, and that they were not the guilty parties, but +friends. The officer called out not to fire, but unfortunately from the +distance the men were at, and the scrubby nature of the country, he was +not heard or attended to. A shot was fired, one of the natives sprung up +convulsively in the water, walked on shore and fell down, exclaiming +whilst dying, "me Kopler, me good man," and such indeed it proved. He was +one of a friendly tribe, and a particular protege of the missionary's, +having taken the name of Kopler from his German servant who was so +called. + +The other natives at once came forward to their dying friend, scornfully +motioning away his murderers, fearless alike of the foes around them, and +regardless of their ill-timed attempts to explain the fatal mistake. Will +it be credited, that at such a scene as this the soldiers were indulging +in coarse remarks, or brutal jests, upon the melancholy catastrophe; and +comparing the last convulsive spring of the dying man to a salmon leaping +in the water. Yet this I was assured was the case by the Government +Resident at Port Lincoln, from when I received this account. + +Another melancholy and unfortunate case of the same nature occurred at +Port Lincoln, on the 11th of April, 1844, where a native was shot by a +policeman, for attempting to escape from custody, when taken in charge on +suspicion of being implicated in robbing a stranded vessel. An +investigation was made into this case by the Commissioner of Police, when +it was stated in the depositions, that attempts at rescue were made by +the other natives. Upon these grounds, I believe, it was considered that +the policeman was justified in what he did. + +The following extract relating to this subject, is from a letter +addressed to a gentleman in Adelaide, by the Rev. C. Schurmann, one of +the German Missionaries, who has for some years past been stationed among +the Port Lincoln natives, and is intimately acquainted with their +language. + +[Note 53: Without adopting the tone of this letter, and which in some +respects I cannot approve of, I believe the writer to be deeply interested +in the welfare of the Aborigines, and strongly impressed with a conviction +of the evils and injuries to which they are subject from our anomalous +position with regard to them. I have quoted it, therefore, not for the +purpose of casting imputations on the Government, but to shew how +powerless they are, and how frequently, under the existing system in +force with respect to the Aborigines, those very measures which were +conceived and entered upon with the best intentions, produce in their +result the most unmitigated evils.] + + +"You will probably recollect, that some time ago (I think it was in the +month of May) the Adelaide newspapers contained a short notice of a Port +Lincoln native having been shot by the police in self-defence, and a +letter in the 'Observer,' mentioned another as being shot by Mr.----, but +as the charitable correspondent added, 'Unfortunately only in the arm, +instead of through the body.' From these statements one would infer that +the parties concerned in these transactions were without blame, being +perfectly justified--the one to protect his life, and the other his +property. However, since my return to Port Lincoln, I have learned that +both tales run very differently when told according to truth. I address +myself, therefore, to you, with the true facts of the transactions, as I +have learned them. partly from the settlers themselves, partly from the +natives. My motive for so doing is to case my own mind, and to gratify +the interest which I know you take in the Aborigines of this country. + +"The man shot by the police was named Padlalta, and was of so mild and +inoffensive a disposition, that he was generally noticed by the settlers +on that very account, several of whom I have heard say since, it was a +pity that some other native had not been hit in his stead. The same man +was captured last year by Major O'llalloran's party, but was set at +liberty as soon as I came up and testified his innocence, for which the +poor fellow kissed my hand near a dozen times. + +"The day before he met his death he was as usual in the town, doing +little jobs for the inhabitants, to get bread or other food. On the +evening when he was killed, he had encamped with about half a dozen other +natives on the northern side of Happy Valley, a short mile from the town. +The police who were sent by the Government Resident to see what number of +natives were at the camp state, that while searching the man's wallet, he +seized hold of one gun, and when the other policeman came up to wrest it +from him, he the native grasped the other gun too. In the scuffle that +ensued, one of the guns went off, when the other natives who had fled +returned and presented their spears. They then shot the native who held +the gun. + +"Now this statement is a very strange one, when it is considered that the +native was a very spare and weak man, so that either of the police ought +to have been able to keep him at arm's length; but to say that he seized +both their guns is beyond all credibility. The natives were sitting down +when the police arrived. How they could therefore find a wallet upon the +murdered man, I cannot conceive; since the natives never have their +wallets slung, except when moving; and it certainly is not probable, that +the man, in spite of the fright he is admitted to have been in, should +have thought of taking up his wallet. + +"The wallet is said to have contained some sovereigns, taken from the +cutter Kate, which was wrecked some time previous to this affair, about +forty miles up the coast, and to have been one of those marked by the +police, at a native camp near the wreck from which the natives had been +scared away, leaving all their things behind. But if the murdered native +had taken the sovereigns, why were they not then in his wallet, or why +was the wallet not examined the day before when he was in town? +[Note 54 at end of para.] I think that there is little doubt that the +police found no wallet at all upon the native, and that they coined away +one of those found at the camp upon him, with a view to incriminate him." + +[Note 54: There cannot be a greater act of injustice towards the natives +than that of applying the English law to them with respect to stolen +property. Any one who knows any thing of their habits, and the custom +prevalent amongst them, of giving any European clothing, or other articles +they may acquire, from one to another, must be fully aware how little the +fact of their being found in possession of stolen property is just +evidence against them. Articles such as I have mentioned, often pass, in a +very short time, through the hands of three or four individuals, and +perhaps even through as many tribes.] + +"Another native, Charley, who was present when the said affair took +place, tells me, that the police sneaked upon, and fired at them, while +sitting round the fire; [Note 55 at end of para.] that he jumped up, and +endeavoured to make himself known, as a friendly native, by saying, +"Yarri (that is the name the natives have given to one of the police), +Yarri, I Charley, I Charley,"--but that the effect produced had been the +pointing of a gun at him, when of course he ran away. That any of the +natives returned, and poised their spears, he firmly denies; but accounts +for the murder, by supposing that the dead man made resistance, and +offered to spear his assailants. He moreover says, that Padlalta would not +have died in consequence of the first shot, but that the police fired +repeatedly, which agrees with the settlers, who say they heard three +shots. When the bloody deed had been committed (a ball had passed right +through his body), the cruel perpetrators ran home, leaving the murdered +man helpless." + +[Note 55: There must, I think, be some mistake here in the phrascology. +I cannot think any of the police would fire upon a small party of friendly +natives whilst unresisting. The probability is, that they surrounded the +natives to make prisoners, and fired upon being resisted. This must +generally occur if the police have positive orders to make captures. +Natives, not very much in contact with Europeans, will almost always +resist an attempt to make prisoners of them, or will try to escape. Very +many have, at various times, met their death under such circumstances; +and too often it has occurred, that the innocent have been the suffering +parties. This shews the absurdity of applying European customs and laws +to a people situated as the Australian natives are. It shews, too, the +necessity of altering our present system and policy towards them, to one +that will exercise sufficient influence over them to induce them to give +up offenders themselves. I believe such a system may be devised.--Vide +Chapter IX.] + +"Some time after, a party of three settlers went to the spot, one of whom +he recognized, and claimed his acquaintance, and perhaps assistance, by +mentioning the party's Christian name; but, alas! no good Samaritan was +found amongst these three; they all passed by on the other side, without +alleviating his pain, moistening his parched lips, warming his shivering +limbs, or aiding him in any way whatever. There he lay a whole cold and +long winter night, without a fire to warm him, or a soul to talk to him. +Next morning he was found still alive, but died on the way into town, +where he was buried in the jail yard, like a condemned felon. + +"What awful and melancholy reflections crowd upon one's mind in thinking +on this transaction. But what conclusians must a poor people, whom a +Christian and civilized nation calls savages, arrive at, with such facts +before them. + +"The other native, wounded by Mr.--in the arm, was doubtless of the party +who attacked the flock; but it must have been some hours after that he +was shot, for the shepherd had to come home with the flock to inform him +of the occurrence, and then search and pursuit had to be made, during +which he was overtaken. He is a stupid idiotic sort of man, so that the +natives have not deemed him worthy of receiving the honours of their +ceremonies, and still call him a boy, or youth, although he is an oldish +man. + +"On another occasion, when an uninhabited hut, with some wheat in it, had +been broken into by some unknown natives, a party went in search of the +offenders. It was night when they came on a camp, on the opposite side of +the lake to where the hut stands; the natives, acting upon the first +impulse, and warned by frequent examples, ran away, when two of the party +snapped their pieces, but providentially both guns missed fire. The +natives, however, soon took confidence, and returned, when it was found +that two of the most orderly and useful men would have been shot if the +guns had gone off. The party took upon themselves to make one of them +prisoner, but of course did not venture to bring him before the +magistrate. + +"These facts incontestably prove, that, notwithstanding the Aborigines +are called British subjects, and in spite of the so-called protection +system, there is no shadow of protection for them, while they are +debarred from the first and most important of all liberties, namely, that +of being heard in a Court of civil Justice. + +"Several instances have occurred during my residence in this district, in +which natives have been arraigned before the administrators of the law, +although I was morally convinced of their innocence; in other cases, they +have sought redress through me, for wanton attacks on their person and +lives, without being listened to. + +"Only a few weeks ago a native was very nearly being taken up, on the +charge of having thrown a spear at Mr. Smith's shepherd, without, +however, any felonious intent, the distance being too great. This +circumstance saved the man, or else he would, no doubt, have been tried +and found guilty on the shepherd's evidence, who would not allow that he +could be mistaken in the individual, although the accused native came +boldly into town and court (a circumstance that has never before occurred +since I have known these natives), although he was an intimate friend of +the shepherd and his wife; and although all the other natives could prove +where he had been at the time of the attack on the flock, and state who +were the guilty parties. + +"For those who have had an opportunity of observing the Aborigines in +their original state, it is not very difficult to distinguish the guilty +from the innocent, for they are a simple-minded race, little skilled in +the arts of dissimulation. + +"It is bad enough that a great part of the colonists are inimical to the +natives; it is worse that the law, as it stands at present, does not +extend its protection to them; but it is too bad when the press lends its +influence to their destruction. Such, however, is undoubtedly the case. +When Messrs. Biddle and Brown were murdered, the newspapers entertained +their readers week after week with the details of the bloody massacre, +heaping a profusion of vile epithets upon the perpetrators. But of the +slaughter by the soldiers, (who killed no less than four innocent +natives, while they captured not one guilty party), among the tribes who +had had nothing to do with the murders--of the treachery of attacking in +the darkness of the night, a tribe who had the day before been hunting +kangaroo with their informers, when one of the former guides to the +magistrates' pursuing party was killed amongst others; of the wanton +outrage on the mutilated body of one of the victims;--of these things the +press was as silent as the grave." + + +Without attempting to enlarge more fully upon the subjects entered upon +in the preceding pages, I trust that I have sufficiently shewn that the +character of the Australian natives has been greatly misrepresented and +maligned, that they are not naturally more irreclaimably vicious, +revengeful, or treacherous than other nations, but on the contrary, that +their position with regard to Europeans, places them under so many +disadvantages, subjects them to so many injuries, irritates them with so +many annoyances, and tempts them with so many provocations, that it is a +matter of surprise, not that they sometimes are guilty of crime, but that +they commit it so rarely. + +If I have in the least degree succeeded in establishing that such is the +case, it must be evident that it is incumbent upon us not only to make +allowances when pronouncing an opinion on the character or the crimes of +the Aborigines; but what is of far greater and more vital importance, as +far as they are concerned, to endeavour to revise and improve such parts +of our system and policy towards them as are defective, and by better +adapting these to the peculiar circumstances of this people, at once +place them upon juster and more equal terms, and thus excite a reasonable +hope that some eventual amelioration may be produced, both in their moral +and physical condition. + +[Note 56: "We say distinctly and deliberately that nothing comparatively +has yet been done--that the natives have hitherto acquired nothing of +European civilization, but European vices and diseases, and that the +speedy extinction of the whole race is inevitable, save by the +introduction of means for their civilization on a scale much more +comprehensive and effectual than any yet adopted."--Leading Article in +South Australian Register, 1st August, 1840.] + +I shall now proceed to give an account of the appearance, habits, mode of +life, means of subsistance, social relations, government, ceremonies, +superstitions, numbers, languages, etc. etc. of the natives of Australia, +so as to afford some insight into the character and circumstances of this +peculiar race, to exhibit the means hitherto adopted for, and the +progress made in attempting, their civilization, and to shew the effects +produced upon them by a contact with Europeans. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + +PHYSICAL APPEARANCE--DRESS--CHARACTER--HABITS OF LIFE--MEETINGS OF +TRIBES--WARS--DANCES--SONGS. + + +The Aborigines of Australia, with whom Europeans have come in contact, +present a striking similarity to each other in physical appearance and +structure; and also in their general character, habits, and pursuits. Any +difference that is found to exist is only the consequence of local +circumstances or influences, and such as might naturally be expected to +be met with among a people spread over such an immense extent of country. +Compared with other aboriginal races, scattered over the face of the +globe, the New Hollander appears to stand alone. + +The male is well built and muscular, averaging from five to six feet in +height, with proportionate upper and lower extremities. The anterior +lobes of the brain are fairly developed, so as to give a facial angle, +far from being one of the most acute to be found amongst the black races. +The eyes are sunk, the nose is flattened, and the mouth wide. The lips +are rather thick, and the teeth generally very perfect and beautiful, +though the dental arrangement is sometimes singular, as no difference +exists in many between the incisor and canine teeth. The neck is short, +and sometimes thick, and the heel resembles that of Europeans. The ankles +and wrists are frequently small, as are also the hands and feet. The +latter are well formed and expanded, but the calves of the legs are +generally deficient. Some of the natives in the upper districts of the +Murray, are, however, well formed in this respect. In a few instances, +natives attain to a considerable corpulency. The men have fine broad and +deep chests, indicating great bodily strength, and are remarkably erect +and upright in their carriage, with much natural grace and dignity of +demeanour. The eye is generally large, black, and expressive, with the +eye-lashes long. + +When met with for the first time in his native wilds there is frequently +a fearless intrepidity of manner, an ingenuous openness of look, and a +propriety of behaviour about the aboriginal inhabitant of Australia, +which makes his appearance peculiarly prepossessing. + +In the female the average height is about five feet, or perhaps a little +under. The anterior part of the brain is more limited than in the male; +the apex of the head is carried further back; the facial angle is more +acute; and the extremities are more attenuated. The latter circumstance +may probably be accounted for from the fact, that the females have to +endure, from a very early age, a great degree of hardship, privation, and +ill-treatment. Like most other savages the Australian looks upon his wife +as a slave. To her belongs the duty of collecting and preparing the daily +food, of making the camp or hut for the night, of gathering and bringing +in firewood, and of procuring water. She must also attend to the +children; and in travelling carry all the moveable property and +frequently the weapons of her husband. In wet weather she attends to all +the outside work, whilst her lord and master is snugly seated at the +fire. If there is a scarcity of food she has to endure the pangs of +hunger, often, perhaps, in addition to ill-treatment or abuse. No wonder, +then, that the females, and especially the younger ones, (for it is then +they are exposed to the greatest hardships,) are not so fully or so +roundly developed in person as the men. Yet under all these disadvantages +this deficiency does not always exist. Occasionally, though rarely, I +have met with females in the bloom of youth, whose well-proportioned +limbs and symmetry of figure might have formed a model for the sculptor's +chisel. In personal appearance the females are, except in early youth, +very far inferior to the men. When young, however, they are not +uninteresting. The jet-black eyes, shaded by their long, dark lashes, and +the delicate and scarcely-formed features of incipient womanhood give a +soft and pleasing expression to a countenance that might often be called +good-looking--occasionally even pretty. + +The colour of the skin, both in the male and female, is generally black, +or very darkly tinged. The hair is either straight or curly, but never +approaching to the woolliness of the negro. It is usually worn short by +both sexes, and is variously ornamented at different periods of life. +Sometimes it is smeared with red ochre and grease; at other times adorned +with tufts of feathers, the tail of the native dog, kangaroo teeth, and +bandages or nets of different kinds. + +[Note 57: The same fondness for red paint, ornaments of skins, tufts of +feathers, etc., is noticed by Catlin as prevalent among the American +Indians, and by Dieffenbach as existing among the New Zealanders.] + +When the head of the native is washed clean, and purified from the odour +of the filthy pigment with which it is bedaubed, the crop of hair is very +abundant, and the appearance of it beautiful, being a silken, glossy, and +curly black. Great pains are, however, used to destroy or mar this +striking ornament of nature. + +Without the slightest pride of appearance, so far as neatness or +cleanliness is concerned, the natives are yet very vain of their own rude +decorations, which are all worn for EFFECT. A few feathers or teeth, a +belt or band, a necklace made of the hollow stem of some plant, with a +few coarse daubs of red or white paint, and a smearing of grease, +complete the toilette of the boudoir or the ball-room. Like the scenery +of a panorama, they are then seen to most advantage at a distance; for if +approached too closely, they forcibly remind us of the truth of the +expression of the poet, that "nature unadorned is adorned the most." + +The body dress is simple; consisting of the skins of the opossum, the +kangaroo, or the wallabie, when they can be procured. A single garment +only is used, made in the form of an oblong cloak, or coverlet; by the +skins being stretched out and dried in the sun, and then sewn together +with the sinews of the emu, etc. The size of the cloak varies according to +the industry of the maker, or the season of the year. The largest sized +ones are about six feet square, but the natives frequently content +themselves with one not half this size, and in many cases are without it +altogether. The cloak is worn with the fur side outwards, and is thrown +over the back and left shoulder, and pinned on in front with a little +wooden peg; the open part is opposite the right side, so as to leave the +right arm and shoulder quite unconfined, in the male; the female throws +it over the back and left shoulder, and brings it round under the right +arm-pit, and when tied in front by a string passing round the cloak and +the back, a pouch is formed behind, in which the child is always +carried. [Note 58 at end of para.] In either if the skin be a handsome +one, the dress is very pretty and becoming. + +[Note 58: A similar custom prevails among the women of the American +Indians.--CATLIN. vol. ii. p. 132.] + +On the sea coast, where the country is barren, and the skins of animals +cannot readily be procured, sea-weed or rushes are manufactured into +garments, with considerable ingenuity. In all cases the garments worn by +day constitute the only covering at night, as the luxury of variety in +dress is not known to, or appreciated by, the Aborigines. + +No covering is worn upon the head, although they are continually exposed +to the rays of an almost tropical sun. In extreme seasons of heat, and +'when they are travelling, they sometimes gather a few green bunches or +wet weeds and place upon their heads; but this does not frequently occur. + +The character of the Australian natives is frank, open, and confiding. In +a short intercourse they are easily made friends, and when such terms are +once established, they associate with strangers with a freedom and +fearlessness, that would give little countenance to the impression so +generally entertained of their treachery. On many occasions where I have +met these wanderers in the wild, far removed from the abodes of +civilization, and when I have been accompanied only by a single native +boy, I have been received by them in the kindest and most friendly +manner, had presents made to me of fish, kangaroo, or fruit, had them +accompany me for miles to point out where water was to be procured, and +been assisted by them in getting at it, if from the nature of the soil +and my own inexperience. I had any difficulty in doing so myself. + +I have ever found them of a lively, cheerful disposition [Note 59 at end +of para.], patiently putting up with inconveniences and privations, and +never losing that natural good temper which so strongly characterizes +them. On the occasion of my second visit from Moorunde, to the Rufus +natives in 1841, when I had so far overcome the ill-feelings and dread, +engendered by the transactions in that quarter, in 1840, as to induce +a large body of them to accompany me back to the station, they had to +walk a distance of 150 miles, making daily the same stages that the +horses did, and unprovided with any food but what they could procure +along the road as they passed, and this from the rapidity with which +they had to travel, and the distance they had to go in a day, was +necessarily limited in quantity, and very far from sufficient to +appease even the cravings of hunger, yet tired, foot-sore, and hungry +as they were, and in company with strangers, whose countrymen had slain +them in scores, but a few months before, they were always merry at +their camps at nights, and kept singing, laughing, and joking, to a +late hour. + +[Note 59: Such appears usually to be the characteristic of Nature's +children, than whom no race appears more thoroughly to enjoy life.--Vide +character of the American Indians, by Catlin, vol. 1. p. 84.] + +On falling in with them in larger numbers, when I have been travelling in +the interior with my party, I have still found the same disposition to +meet me on terms of amity and kindness. Nor can a more interesting sight +well be imagined, than that of a hundred or two hundred natives advancing +in line to meet you, unarmed, shouting and waving green boughs in both +hands, men, women, and children, the old and the young, all joining in +expressing their good feelings and pacific intentions. On such occasions +I have been often astonished at the facility with which large bodies, +have by a little kindness and forbearance been managed, and kept from +being troublesome or annoying, by a party of only six or seven Europeans. +I have occasionally had upwards of 150 natives sitting in a long line, +where I placed them, and as orderly and obedient almost as a file of +soldiers. + +At other times, when riding with only a native boy over the plains of the +interior, I have seen the blue smoke of the native fires, curling up +through the distant line of trees, which marked some yet unvisited +watercourse, and upon making towards it, have come suddenly upon a party +encamped in the hollow, beneath the banks upon which I stood. Here I have +remained, observing them for a few moments, unseen and unthought of. A +single call would arouse their attention, and as they looked up, would +draw from them a wild exclamation of dismay, accompanied by a look of +indescribable horror and affright, at beholding the strange, and to them +incomprehensible beings who stood before them. Weapons would hastily be +seized, baggage gathered up, and the party so lately buried in repose and +security, would at once be ready either to fight or to evacuate their +camps, as circumstances might seem to render most expedient. A few +friendly gestures and a peaceable demeanour would however soon dissipate +their terror, and in a few moments their weapons would be thrown aside, +and both invaders and invaded be upon intimate and confiding terms. + +I have always found the natives ready to barter their nets, weapons, or +other implements, for European articles, and sometimes they will give +them unsolicited, and without any equivalent; amongst themselves they +constantly do this. + +In their intercourse with each other, natives of different tribes are +exceedingly punctilious and polite, the most endearing epithets are +passed between those who never met before; almost every thing that is +said is prefaced by the appellation of father, son, brother, mother, +sister, or some other similar term, corresponding to that degree of +relationship which would have been most in accordance with their relative +ages and circumstances. In many instances, too, these titles are even +accompanied by the still more insinuating addition of "dear," to say +nothing of the hugs and embraces which they mutually give and receive. + +The natives are very fond of the children they rear, and often play with, +and fondle them; but husbands rarely shew much affection for their wives. +After a long absence, I have seen natives, upon their return, go to their +camp, exhibiting the most stoical indifference, never take the least +notice of their wives, but sit down, and act, and look, as if they had +never been out of the encampment; in fact, if any thing, they are more +taciturn and reserved than usual, and some little time elapses before +they enter into conversation with freedom, or in their ordinary manner. + +[Note 60: For the existence of similar customs amongst the American +Indians, vide Catlin, vol. i. p. 56.] + +Upon meeting children after a long absence, I have seen parents "fall +upon their necks, and weep" bitterly. It is a mistaken idea, as well as +an unjust one, that supposes the natives to be without sensibility of +feeling. It may often be repressed from pride or policy, but it will +sometimes break forth uncontrolled, and reveal, that the best and genuine +feelings of the heart are participated in by savage in common with +civilized man. The following is an instance in point:--A fine intelligent +young boy, was, by his father's consent, living with me at the Murray for +many weeks; but upon the old man's going into Adelaide, he took his son +away to accompany him. Whilst there, the boy died, and for nearly a year +I never saw any thing more of the father, although he occasionally had +been within a few miles of my neighbourhood. One day, however, I was out +shooting about three miles from home, and accidentally fell in with him. +Upon seeing me he immediately burst into tears, and was unable to speak. +It was the first time he had met me since his son's death, and my +presence forcibly reminded him of his loss. The same circumstance +occurred when he accompanied me to the house, where every thing he saw +recalled the memory of his child. + +Innate propriety of behaviour is also frequently exhibited by the +Aborigines in their natural state, in the modest unassuming manner in +which they take their positions to observe what is going on, and in a +total absence of any thing that is rude or offensive. It is true that the +reverse of this is also often to be met with; but I think it will usually +be found that it is among natives who have before been in contact with +Europeans, or where familiarities have been used with them first, or an +injudicious system of treatment has been adopted towards them. + +DELICACY of feeling is not often laid to the charge of the Aborigines, +and yet I was witness to a singular instance of it at King George's +Sound. I was looking one evening at the natives dancing, and who were, as +they always are on these occasions, in a state of complete nudity. In the +midst of the performance, one of the natives standing by a spectator, +mentioned that a white woman was passing up the road; and although this +was some little distance away, and the night was tolerably dark, they all +with one accord crossed over to the bushes where their cloaks were, put +them on, and resumed their amusement. + +It has been said, and is generally believed, that the natives are not +courageous. There could not be a greater mistake, at least as far as they +are themselves concerned, nor do I hold it to be any proof that they are +cowards, because they dread or give way before Europeans and their +fire-arms. So unequal a match is no criterion of bravery, and yet even +thus, among natives, who were labouring under the feelings, naturally +produced by seeing a race they were unacquainted with, and weapons that +dealt death as if by magic, I have seen many instances of an open manly +intrepidity of manner and bearing, and a proud unquailing glance of eye, +which instinctively stamped upon my mind the conviction that the +individuals before me were very brave men. + +In travelling about from one place to another, I have always made it a +point, if possible, to be accompanied by one or more natives, and I have +often found great advantage from it. Attached to an exploring party they +are frequently invaluable, as their perceptive powers are very great, and +enable them both to see and hear anything at a much greater distance than +a European. In tracking stray animals, and keeping on indistinct paths, +they display a degree of perseverance and skill that is really wonderful. +They are useful also in cutting bark canoes to cross a river, should such +impede the progress of the party, and in diving for anything that may be +lost in the water, etc. etc. The Aborigines generally, and almost always +those living near large bodies of water, are admirable swimmers and +divers, and are almost as much at home in the water as on dry land. I +have known them even saw a small log or root at the bottom of a deep +river. In a locality, however, which is badly watered, it sometimes +happens that they cannot swim. At Meerkap, in Western Australia, while +crossing with some friends, from the Sound to Swan River, we met with +some who were in this predicament, and who seemed a good deal astonished +at our venturing into the small ponds at that place. I have been told +that the natives at the Sound could not swim before that settlement was +occupied by Europeans--this seems hardly probable, however, upon the +sea-coast; at all events, be this as it may, they all swim now. + +In habit they are truly nomadic, seldom remaining many weeks in one +locality, and frequently not many days. The number travelling together +depends, in a great measure, upon the period of the year, and the +description of food that may be in season. If there is any particular +variety more abundant than another, or procurable only in certain +localities, the whole tribe generally congregate to partake of it. Should +this not be the case, then they are probably scattered over their +district in detached groups, or separate families. + +At certain seasons of the year, usually in the spring or summer, when +food is most abundant, several tribes meet together in each other's +territory for the purpose of festivity or war, or to barter and exchange +such food, clothing, implements, weapons, or other commodities as they +respectively possess; or to assist in the initiatory ceremonies by which +young persons enter into the different grades of distinction amongst +them. The manner and formalities of meeting depend upon the cause for +which they assemble. If the tribes have been long apart, many deaths may +have occurred in the interim; and as the natives do not often admit that +the young or the strong can die from natural causes, they ascribe the +event to the agency of sorcery, employed by individuals of neighbouring +tribes. This must of course be expiated in some way when they meet, but +the satisfaction required is regulated by the desire of the injured tribe +to preserve amicable relations with the other, or the reverse. + +The following is an account of a meeting which I witnessed, between the +natives of Moorunde (comprising portions of several of the neighbouring +tribes) and the Nar-wij-jerook, or Lake Bonney tribe, accompanied also by +many of their friends. This meeting had been pre-arranged, as meetings of +large bodies of natives never take place accidentally, for even when a +distant tribe approaches the territory of another unexpectedly, +messengers are always sent on in advance, to give the necessary warning. +The object of the meeting in question was to perform the initiatory +ceremonies upon a number of young men belonging to both of the tribes. In +the Murray district, when one tribe desires another to come from a +distance to perform these ceremonies, young men are sent off with +messages of invitation, carrying with them as their credentials, long +narrow news, made of string manufactured from the rush. These nets are +left with the tribe they are sent to, and brought back again when the +invitation is responded to. + +Notice having been given on the previous evening to the Moorunde natives +of the approach of the Nar-wij-jerook tribe, they assembled at an early +hour after sunrise, in as clear and open a place as they could find. Here +they sat down in a long row to await the coming of their friends. The men +were painted, and carried their weapons, as if for war. The women and +children were in detached groups, a little behind them, or on one side, +whilst the young men, on whom the ceremonies were to be performed, sat +shivering with cold and apprehension in a row to the rear of the men, +perfectly naked, smeared over from head to foot with grease and +red-ochre, and without weapons. The Nar-wij-jerook tribe was now seen +approaching. The men were in a body, armed and painted, and the women and +children accompanying them a little on one side. They occasionally +halted, and entered into consultation, and then, slackening their pace, +gradually advanced until within a hundred yards of the Moorunde tribe. +Here the men came to a full stop, whilst several of the women singled out +from the rest, and marched into the space between the two parties, having +their heads coated over with lime, and raising a loud and melancholy +wail, until they came to a spot about equi-distant from both, when they +threw down their cloaks with violence, and the bags which they carried on +their backs, and which contained all their worldly effects. The bags were +then opened, and pieces of glass and shells taken out, with which they +lacerated their thighs, backs, and breasts, in a most frightful manner, +whilst the blood kept pouring out of the wounds in streams; and in this +plight, continuing their wild and piercing lamentations, they moved up +towards the Moorunde tribe, who sat silently and immoveably in the place +at first occupied. One of the women then went up to a strange native, who +was on a visit to the Moorunde tribe and who stood neutral in the affair +of the meeting, and by violent language and frantic gesticulations +endeavoured to incite him to revenge the death of some relation or +friend. But he could not be induced to lift his spear against the people +amongst whom he was sojourning. After some time had been spent in +mourning, the women took up their bundles again, and retiring, placed +themselves in the rear of their own party. An elderly man then advanced, +and after a short colloquy with the seated tribe, went back, and beckoned +his own people to come forward, which they did slowly and in good order, +exhibiting in front three uplifted spears, to which were attached the +little nets left with them by the envoys of the opposite tribe, and which +were the emblems of the duty they had come to perform, after the ordinary +expiations had been accomplished. + +In advancing, the Nar-wij-jerooks again commenced the death wail, and one +of the men, who had probably sustained the greatest loss since the tribes +had last met, occasionally in alternations of anger and sorrow addressed +his own people. When near the Moorunde tribe a few words were addressed +to them, and they at once rose simultaneously, with a suppressed shout. +The opposite party then raised their spears, and closing upon the line of +the other tribe, speared about fifteen or sixteen of them in the left +arm, a little below the shoulder. This is the generally understood order +of revenge; for the persons who were to receive the wounds, as soon as +they saw the weapons of their assailants poised, at once put out the left +foot, to steady themselves, and presented the left shoulder for the blow, +frequently uttering the word "Leipa" (spear), as the others appeared to +hesitate. + +Whilst this was going on, the influential men of each tribe were +violently talking to each other, and apparently accusing one another of +being accessory to the death of some of their people. Disclaimers passed +on each side, and the blame was imputed to other and more distant tribes. +The manes of the dead having been appeased, the honour of each party was +left unsullied, and the Nar-wij-jerooks retired about a hundred yards, +and sat down, ready to enter upon the ceremonies of the day, which will +be described in another place. [Note 61: Chapter V.] + +If the meeting of the tribes be for the purpose of war, a favourable +situation is selected by one of the parties, and notice is sent to the +other, who then proceed to the place of meeting, where both draw out +their forces in opposing parallel lines. Day-break, or nearly about +sunset in the evening, are the times preferred for these engagements, as +the softened light at those hours does not so much affect the eyesight, +and the spears are more easily seen and avoided. Both parties are fully +armed with spears, shields, and other weapons, and the fight sometimes +lasts for three or four hours, during which scarcely a word is spoken, +and but little noise of any kind is heard, excepting a shrill cry now and +then, when some one is wounded or has a narrow escape. Many are injured +generally on both sides, and some severely so; but it rarely happens that +more than one or two are killed, though hundreds may have been engaged. + +The fights are sometimes witnessed by men who are not concerned in them, +by the women and the children. The presence of the females may be +supposed probably to inspire the belligerents with courage and incite +them to deeds of daring. + +The most dangerous and fatal affrays in which the natives engage are +those which occur suddenly amongst tribes who have been encamped near one +another on amicable terms, and between whom some cause of difference has +arisen, probably in relation to their females, or some recent death, +which it is imagined the sorcerers have been instrumental in producing. +In the former case a kind of melee sometimes takes place at night, when +fire-brands are thrown about, spears launched, and bwirris [Note 62 at end +of para.] bran-dished in indescribable confusion. In the latter case the +affray usually occurs immediately after the body is buried, and is more of +a hand-to-hand fight, in which bwirris are used rather than spears, and +in which tremendous blows are struck and frightful wounds inflicted. + +[Note 62: A short, heavy, wooden stick, with a knob at one end.] + +In wars males are always obliged to join their relatives by blood and +their own tribe. Women frequently excite the men to engage in these +affrays to revenge injuries or deaths, and sometimes they assist +themselves by carrying spears or other weapons for their husbands. I am +not aware that women or children are ever butchered after a battle is +over, and I believe such is never the case. Single camps are sometimes +treacherously surprised when the parties are asleep, and the males +barbarously killed in cold blood. This generally takes place just before +the morning dawns, when the native is most drowsy, and least likely to +give his attention to any thing he might hear. In these cases the attack +is generally made under the belief that the individual is a desperate +sorcerer, and has worked innumerable mischiefs to their tribe. In their +attacks upon European parties I believe the natives generally advance in +a line or crescent, beating their weapons together, throwing dust in the +air, spitting, biting their beards, or using some other similar act of +defiance and hostility. I have never witnessed any such collision myself, +but am told that the attack is always accompanied by that peculiar savage +sound produced by the suppressed guttural shout of many voices in unison, +which they use in conflicts amongst themselves, and which is continued to +the moment of collision, and renewed in triumph whenever a weapon strikes +an opponent. + +When hostilely disposed from either fear or from having been previously +ill-treated, I have seen the natives, without actually proceeding to +extremities, resort to all the symptoms of defiance I have mentioned, or +at other times, run about with fire-brands in their hands, lighting the +bushes and the grass, either as a charm, or in the hope of burning out +the intruders. When much alarmed and rather closely pressed, they have +run up the trees like monkeys, and concealed themselves among the boughs, +evidently thinking they were secure from pursuit there. + +If tribes meet simply for the purpose of festivity, and have no deaths to +avenge on either side, although they appear in warlike attitude, painted +and bearing spear and shield, yet when they approach each other, they all +become seated upon the ground. After which, the strangers, should there +be any, undergo a formal introduction, and have their country and lineage +described by the older men. At these meetings all occurrences of interest +are narrated, information is given as to the localities in which food is +most abundant, and invitations are issued by the proprietors of these +districts, to their relations and friends to accompany them thither. + +The position of one tribe towards another, whether on friendly terms or +otherwise, is talked about, and consultations are held on the existing +state of affairs, whether hostilities shall be continued or withdrawn, +and future plans of operation are marked out. + +Whilst the men are occupied in discussing these matters, the females +engage in a narration of family occurrences, such as births of children, +marriages, deaths, etc., not omitting a sprinkling of gossip and scandal, +from which, even these ebon sisters of a fairer race, are not altogether +exempt. + +In the evening, the huts of the different tribes are built as near to +each other as practicable, each tribe locating itself in the direction +from whence it came. The size and character of the huts, with the number +of their occupants, vary according to the state of the weather, and the +local circumstances of their position. In fine weather, one hut will +contain from two to five families, in wet weather more, each family +however having a separate fire. + +The amusements of the natives are various, but they generally have a +reference to their future occupations or pursuits. Boys who are very +young, have small reed spears made for them by their parents, the ends of +which are padded with grass, to prevent them from hurting each other. +They then stand at a little distance, and engage in a mimic fight; and by +this means acquire early that skill in the use of this weapon, for which, +in after life, they are so much celebrated. At other times round pieces +of bark are rolled along the ground, to represent an animal in the act of +running, at which the spears are thrown for the sake of practice. + +Another favourite amusement among the children, is to practise the dances +and songs of the adults, and a boy is very proud if he attains sufficient +skill in these, to be allowed to take part in the exhibitions that are +made before other tribes. + +String puzzles are another species of amusement with them. In these a +European would be surprised to see the ingenuity they display, and the +varied and singular figures which they produce. Our juvenile attempts in +this way, are very meagre and uninteresting compared to them. [Note 63: An +amusement of the New Zealand children.--Dieffenbach, vol. 2. p. 32.] + +Other gratifications enjoyed by children, consist in learning the +occupations and pursuits of after life, as to make twine, and weapons; to +ascend trees; to procure food; to guide the canoe, and many other things, +which enter into the pursuits of a savage. + +The elder boys engage more extensively in similar occupations, as they +are more particularly interested in them, and by their exertions have to +provide chiefly for their own support. Mock combats frequently take place +amongst them, in which they are encouraged by the adults, that they may +acquire the dexterities of warfare, in which they are soon to be more +seriously engaged. [Note 64: For an account of a similar practise among +the American Indians, vide Catlin, vol. 1. p. 131.] + +An amusement of the adults, is a large bunch of emu feathers tied +together, (fig. 1. Pl. 1.) which is held out and shaken as if in +defiance, by some individual, whilst the others advance to try to take it +out of his hands. This occasions an amusing struggle before the prize is +gained, in which it is not uncommon to see from ten to twenty strong and +lusty men rolling in a heap together. This is a sort of athletic exercise +amongst them, for the purpose of testing each other's strength. On such +an occasion they are all unarmed and naked. + +At nights, dances or plays are performed by the different tribes in turn, +the figures and scenes of which are extensively varied, but all are +accompanied by songs, and a rude kind of music produced by beating two +sticks together, or by the action of the hand upon a cloak of skins +rolled tightly together, so as to imitate the sound of a drum. In some of +the dances only are the women allowed to take a part; but they have +dances of their own, in which the men do not join. At all times they are +the chief musicians, vocal and instrumental. Sometimes, however, they +have an old man to lead the band and pitch the tunes; and at others they +are assisted by the old and young men indiscriminately. + +The natives have not any war-dance, properly so called, though sometimes +they are decorated in all the pomp and circumstance of war. Being +excellent mimies, they imitate in many of their dances the habits and +movements of animals. They also represent the mode of hunting, fighting, +love-making, etc. New figures and new songs are constantly introduced, and +are as much applauded and encored, as more refined productions of a +similar kind in civilized communities; being sometimes passed from tribe +to tribe for a considerable distance. I have often seen dances performed +to songs with which I was acquainted, and which I knew to belong to +distant parts of the country where a different dialect was spoken, and +which consequently could not be understood where I heard them. Many of +the natives cannot even give an interpretation of the songs of their own +districts [Note 65 at end of para.], and most of the explanations they do +give are, I am inclined to think, generally very imperfect, as the +measures or quantities of the syllables appear to be more attended to +than the sense. + +[Note 65: "Not one in ten of the young men who are dancing and singing it, +know the meaning of the song they are chaunting over."--Catlin, vol. 1. p. +126. Also the case in New Zealand, with respect to some of the +songs.--Vide Dieffenbach, vol. 2. p. 57.] + +Of these amusements the natives are passionately fond; and when once they +have so far overcome their naturally indolent disposition as to be +induced to engage in them there is no knowing when they will give over. +Dances are sometimes held during the day, but these are of rare +occurrence, and seem to be in some way connected with their ceremonial +observances or superstitions, since rude figures, and lofty branches of +trees, decorated with tufts of feathers, emu plumes, swan's down and red +ochre, occupy a prominent part in the exhibition, although never met with +in the dances by night. + +The dances vary a great deal among the different tribes, both as to +figures and music; the painting or decoration of their persons, their use +of weapons, and the participation of the females in them. Throughout the +entire continent, as far as it is known. there are many points of +resemblance in the dances of all the Aborigines, such as the practice of +painting the body with white and red ochre, carrying boughs in their +hands, or tying them round their limbs; adorning the head with feathers +or down, bearing bunches of feathers, tied in tufts in their hands, the +women singing and beating time upon folded skins, the men beating time +upon sticks or some of their smaller weapons, an old man acting as leader +of the band, and giving the time and tune to the others; the dances +representing the actions of animals, the circumstances of the chase, of +war, or of love; and the singular and extraordinary quivering motion of +the thighs when the legs are distended, a peculiarity probably confined +to the natives of the continent of Australia. + +The most interesting dances are those which take place at the meeting of +different tribes. Each tribe performs in turn, and as there is much +rivalry, there is a corresponding stimulus to exertion. The dances +usually commence an hour or two after dark, and are frequently kept up +the greater part of the night, the performers becoming so much excited +that, notwithstanding the violent exercise required to sustain all their +evolutions, they are unwilling to leave off. It is sometimes difficult to +induce them to commence a dance; but if they once begin, and enter into +the spirit of it, it is still more difficult to induce them to break up. + +The females of the tribe exhibiting, generally sit down in front of the +performers, either irregularly, in a line, or a semicircle, folding up +their skin cloaks into a hard ball, and then beating them upon their laps +with the palm of their hand, and accompanying the noise thus produced +with their voices. It is surprising to see the perfect time that is kept +in this way, and the admirable manner in which the motions of the dancers +accord with the music. There is no confusion, irregularity, or mistake. +Each person is conversant with his part; and all exhibit a degree of +elasticity and gracefulness in their movements which, in some of the +dances, is very striking and beautiful. + +In many of the figures, weapons are carried, such as the waddy, the +shield, the spear, etc. and in these it is amazing to behold the facility +and skill with which they form in close array, spread into open rank, +change places, and thread through the mazes of the dance, without ever +deranging their plans, or coming in contact with each other. + +The tribes who are not engaged in dancing, are seated in a large +semicircle as spectators, occasionally giving a rapturous exclamation of +delight, as any part of the performance is well gone through or any +remarkable feat of activity exhibited. Where natives have not much +acquaintance with Europeans, so as to give up, in some measure, their +original habits, if there is any degree of jealousy between the +respective tribes, they are sometimes partitioned off from each other by +boughs of trees, whilst they look at the dance. On one occasion I saw +five tribes met together, and the evening was of course spent in dancing. +Each tribe danced in turn, about forty being engaged at once, besides +sixteen females, eight of whom were at each corner of the male +performers. The men were naked, painted in various devices with red and +white, and had their heads adorned with feathers. The women wore their +opossum cloaks, and had bands of white down round their foreheads, with +the long feathers of the cockatoo sticking up in front like horns. In the +dance the men and women did not intermingle; but the two sets of women +who were dancing at the corners of the line, occasionally changed places +with each other, passing in this transit, at the back of the men. All +sung, and the men beat time upon their smaller weapons whilst dancing, +the whole making up a wild and piercing noise, most deafening and +ungrateful to the ears. + +The natives of the Rufus and Lake Victoria (Tar-ru) have a great variety +of dances and figures. One of these, which I witnessed, representing the +character, habits, and chase of the kangaroo was admirably performed, and +would have drawn down thunders of applause at any theatre in Europe. One +part of this figure, where the whole of the dancers successively drop +down from a standing to a crouching posture, and then hop off in this +position with outstretched arms and legs, was excellently executed. The +contrast of their sable skins with the broad white stripes painted down +their legs; their peculiar attitudes, and the order and regularity with +which these were kept, as they moved in a large semicircle, in the +softening light of the fire, produced a striking effect; and in +connection with the wild and inspiriting song, which gave an impulse to +their gesticulation, led me almost to believe that the scene was +unearthly. + +In some of the dances the music varies rapidly from slow to quick, and +the movements alter accordingly. In some they are altogether measured and +monotonous, in others very lively and quick, keeping the performers +almost constantly at a double quick march, moving in advance and retreat, +crossing past or threading through the ranks, and using a kind of motion +with the feet in unison with the music, that bears a strong resemblance +to the European mode of dancing. At particular points the figures +terminate by some simultaneous motion of the whole performers, +accompanied by a deep, gutteral "Waugh," [Note 66 at end of para.] uttered +by all together; at others by the actors closing in a dense circle, and +raising and pointing their weapons upwards with the same exclamation. + +[Note 66: This very peculiar sound appears to be common among the American +Indians, and to be used in a similar manner.--Vide Catlin, vol. 2. p.136.] + +The "Paritke," or natives inhabiting the scrub north-west of Moorunde, +have quite a different form of dancing from the river natives. They are +painted or decorated with feathers in a similar way; but each dancer ties +bunches of green boughs round the leg, above the knees, whilst the mode +of dancing consists in stamping with the foot and uttering at each motion +a deep ventral intonation, the boughs round the knees making a loud +rustling noise in keeping with the time of the music. One person, who +directs the others in the movements of this dance, holds in his hands an +instrument in the form of a diamond, made of two slight sticks, from two +and a half to three feet long, crossed and tied in the middle, round this +a string, made of the hair of the opposum, is pressed from corner to +corner, and continued successively towards the centre until there is only +room left for the hand to hold the instrument. At each corner is appended +a bunch of cockatoo feathers. With this the chief performer keeps a +little in advance of the dancers, and whisking it up and down to the time +of the music, regulates their movements. + +In another dance, in which women are the chief performers, their bodies +are painted with white streaks, and their hair adorned with cockatoo +feathers. They carry large sticks in their hands, and place themselves in +a row in front, whilst the men with their spears stand in a line behind +them. They then all commence their movements, but without intermingling, +the males and females dancing by themselves. There is little variety or +life in this dance, yet it seems to be a favourite one with the natives. + +The women have occasionally another mode of dancing, by joining the hands +together over the head, closing the feet, and bringing the knees into +contact. The legs are then thrown outwards from the knee, whilst the feet +and hands are kept in their original position, and being drawn quickly in +again a sharp sound is produced by the collision. This is either +practised alone by young girls, or by several together for their own +amusement. It is adopted also when a single woman is placed in front of a +row of male dancers to excite their passions; for many of the native +dances are of a grossly licentious character. In another figure they keep +the feet close together, without lifting them from the ground, and by a +peculiar motion of the limbs advance onwards, describing a short +semicircle. This amusement is almost exclusively confined to young +females among themselves. + +It has already been remarked, that the natives, on particular occasions, +have dances which they perform in the day-time, which are different from +others, and seem to have some connection with their ceremonial +observances or superstitions. I have only witnessed one of these. It took +place at Moorunde, in March 1844, on the occasion of a large number of +distant natives coming to visit the place; and the visitors were the +performers. The Moorunde natives were seated upon the brow of a +sand-bank; the strangers, consisting of two tribes, down in a hollow a +little way off, among a few bushes. When ready, they advanced in a line +towards the others, dancing and singing, being painted and decorated as +usual, some having tufts of feathers placed upon their heads like +cockades and others carrying them in their hands tied to short sticks. +Nearly all the males carried bunches of green boughs, which they waved +and shook to the time of the song. The women were also painted, and +danced in a line with the men, those of each tribe stationing themselves +at opposite ends of the line. Dancing for a while, they retired again +towards the hollow, and after a short interval advanced as before, but +with a person in the centre carrying a curious, rude-looking figure, +raised up in the air. This singular object consisted of a large bundle of +grass and reeds bound together, enveloped in a kangaroo skin, with the +flesh side outwards, and painted all over in small white circles. From +the top of this projected a thin stick, with a large tuft of feathers at +the end to represent the head, and sticks were stuck out laterally from +the sides for the arms, terminating in tufts of feathers stained red to +represent the hands. From the front, a small stick about six inches long +was projected, ending with a thick knob, formed of grass, around which a +piece of old cloth was tied. This was painted white and represented the +navel. The figure was about eight feet long, and was evidently intended +to symbolise a man. It was kept in its elevated position by the person +who carried it, and who advanced and retired with the movements of the +dancers. The position of the latter was alternately erect and crouching, +whilst they sang and beat time with the green boughs. Sometimes they +stretched out their right arms simultaneously, and at other times their +left, apparently for the purpose of marking the time at particular parts +of the song. After dancing for a while in this way, they again retired to +the hollow, and for a few moments there was another pause; after which +they again advanced as before, but without the image. In the place of +this two standards were exhibited, made of poles, about twelve feet long, +and borne by two persons. These were perfectly straight, and for the +first eight feet free from boughs; above this nine branches were left +upon each pole, having at their ends each a bunch of feathers of the hawk +or owl. On the top of one of the standards was a bunch of emu feathers. +The branches were stripped of all their smaller twigs and leaves, and of +their bark. They were painted white, and wound round with the white down +of the black swan, twisted into a rope. This also extended for a +considerable distance down the pole, below the undermost branch. + +Having again retired towards the hollow, they remained there for a few +minutes, and then advanced for the third time. On this occasion, however, +instead of the image or standards, they all carried their spears. After +dancing with these for some time, they went forward towards the Moorunde +natives, who sprang upon their feet, and seizing their weapons, speared +two or three of the strangers in the shoulder, and all was over. I was +anxious to have got hold of the rude figure to have a drawing made of it, +but it had been instantly destroyed. The standards I procured. + +This dance took place between nine and ten in the morning, and was quite +unlike any thing I had seen before. A stranger might have supposed it to +be a religious ceremony, and the image the object of worship. Such, +however, I am convinced was not the case, although I believe it to have +had some connection with their superstitions, and that it was regarded in +the light of a charm. + +Before the country was occupied by Europeans, the natives say that this +dance was frequently celebrated, but that latterly it has not been much +in use. No other instance of it ever came under my own observation in any +part of New Holland. + +The songs of the natives are of a very rude and unmeaning character, +rarely consisting of more than one or two ideas, which are continually +repeated over and over again. They are chiefly made on the spur of the +moment, and refer to something that has struck the attention at the time. +The measure of the song varies according to circumstances. It is gay and +lively, for the dance; slow and solemn for the enchanter; and wild and +pathetic for the mourner. The music is sometimes not unharmonious; and +when heard in the stillness of the night and mellowed by distance, is +often soothing and pleasing. I have frequently laid awake, after retiring +to rest, to listen to it. Europeans, their property, presence, and +habits, are frequently the subject of these songs; and as the natives +possess great powers of mimicry, and are acute in the observation of +anything that appears to them absurd or ludicrous, the white man often +becomes the object of their jests or quizzing. I have heard songs of this +kind sung at the dances in a kind of comic medley, where different +speakers take up parts during the breaks in the song, and where a +sentence or two of English is aptly introduced, or a quotation made from +some native dialect, other than that of the performers. It is usually +conducted in the form of question and answer, and the respective speakers +use the language of the persons they are supposed to represent. The +chorus is, however, still the same repetition of one or two words. + +The following specimens, taken from a vocabulary published by Messrs. +Teichelmann, and Schurmann, German Missionaries to the Aborigines, will +give an idea of the nature of the songs of the Adelaide tribe. + + +KADLITPIKO PALTI. +Pindi mai birkibirki parrato, parrato. (DE CAPO BIS.) + +CAPTAIN JACK'S SONG. +The European food, the pease, I wished to eat, I wished to eat. + + +MULLAWIRRABURKARNA PALTI. +Natta ngai padlo ngaityarniappi; watteyernaurlo tappandi ngaityo parni +tatti. (DA CAPO.) + +KING JOHN'S SONG. +Now it (viz. the road or track) has tired me; +throughout Yerna there is here unto me a continuous road. + + +WILTONGARROLO kundando +Strike (him, viz. the dog) with the tuft of eagle feathers. + +Kadlottikurrelo paltando +Strike (him) with the girdle + +Mangakurrelo paltando +Strike (him) with the string round the head + +Worrikarrolo paltando +Strike (him) with the blood of circumcision + +Turtikarrolo paltando +Strike (him) with the blood of the arm. etc. etc. + +Kartipaltapaltarlo padlara kundando + +Wodliparrele kadlondo + +Kanyamirarlo kadlondo + +Karkopurrelo kadlondo + + +"This curse or imprecation is used in hunting a wild dog, which, by the +mysterious effects of those words, is induced to lie down securely to +sleep, when the natives steal upon and easily kill him. The first word in +each line denotes things sacred or secret, which the females and children +are never allowed to see. + +* * * + +KAWEMUKKA minnurappindo Durtikarro minnurappindo +Tarralye minnurappindo Wimmari minnurappindi +Kirki minurappindo Wattetarpirri minnurappindo +Worrikarro minurappindo + + +"These sentences are used in hunting opossums, to prevent their escape, +when the natives set fire to hollow trees in which the opossums are +living. + +* * * + +KARRO karro wimmari Karra yernka makkitia +Karro karro kauwemukka Makkitia mulyeria +Karro karro makkitia + + +"These words are rapidly repeated to the NGULTAS, while undergoing the +painful operation of tattooing; they are believed to be so powerful as to +soothe the pain, and prevent fatal consequences of that barbarous +operation." + +Another specimen may be given from the Vocabulary published by Mr. Meyer, +another of the German Missionaries at Encounter Bay. + + +"Miny-el-ity yarluke an-ambe what is it road me for Aly-..el-..arr' +yerk-in yangaiak-ar! here are they standing up hill . . . . . . s + +What a fine road is this for me winding between the hills! + + +"The above words compose one of the native songs. It refers to the road +between Encounter Bay and Willunga. All their songs appear to be of the +same description, consisting of a few words which are continually +repeated. This specimen, it will be observed, consists of two regular +verses: + +-u|--|u-|u-u +-u|--|u-|u-u + +"This may, however, be accidental." + +I have not thought it worth while to give any specimens of the songs I +have collected myself, because I could not be quite certain that I should +give the original words with strict accuracy, neither could I be +satisfied about the translations. + +The assemblage of several tribes at one place for any of the objects I +have described, rarely continues uninterrupted for any great length of +time, for even where it has taken place for the most pacific purposes, it +seldom terminates as it began; and the greater the number of natives +present, the less likelihood is there that they will remain very long in +a state of quiescence. + +If not soon compelled to separate by the scarcity of food, or a desire to +follow some favourite pursuit, for which the season of the year is +favourable, they are generally driven to it by discord and disagreements +amongst themselves, which their habits and superstitions are calculated +to foment. + + + + +Chapter III. + + + +FOOD--HOW PROCURED--HOW PREPARED--LIMITATION AS TO AGE, ETC., ETC. + + +The food of the Aborigines of Australia embraces an endless variety of +articles, derived both from the animal and vegetable kingdom. The +different kinds in use depend in a great measure upon the season of the +year and local circumstances. Every district has in it something peculiar +to itself. The soil and climate of the continent vary greatly in their +character and afford a corresponding variety of productions to the +Aborigines. As far as it is yet known there are no localities on its +coast, no recesses in its interior, however sterile and inhospitable they +may appear to the traveller, that do not hold out some inducements to the +bordering savage to visit them, or at proper seasons of the year provide +him with the means of sustenance. Captain Grey remarks, in volume 2, of +his travels, page 261-- + + +"Generally speaking, the natives live well; in some districts there may +at particular seasons of the year be a deficiency of food, but if such is +the case, these tracts are, at those times, deserted. It is, however, +utterly impossible for a traveller or even for a strange native to judge +whether a district affords an abundance of food, or the contrary; for in +traversing extensive parts of Australia, I have found the sorts of food +vary from latitude to latitude, so that the vegetable productions used by +the Aborigines in one are totally different to those in another; if, +therefore, a stranger has no one to point out to him the vegetable +productions, the soil beneath his feet may teem with food, whilst he +starves. The same rule holds good with regard to animal productions; for +example, in the southern parts of the continent the Xanthorrea affords an +inexhaustible supply of fragrant grubs, which an epicure would delight +in, when once he has so far conquered his prejudices as to taste them; +whilst in proceeding to the northward, these trees decline in health and +growth, until about the parallel of Gantheaume Bay they totally +disappear, and even a native finds himself cut off from his ordinary +supplies of insects; the same circumstances taking place with regard to +the roots and other kinds of food at the same time, the traveller +necessarily finds himself reduced to cruel extremities. A native from the +plains, taken into an elevated mountainous district near his own country, +for the first time, is equally at fault. + +"But in his own district a native is very differently situated; he knows +exactly what it produces, the proper time at which the several articles +are in season, and the readiest means of procuring them. According to +these circumstances he regulates his visits to the different portions of +his hunting ground; and I can only state that I have always found the +greatest abundance in their huts." + + +It is evident therefore that a European or even a stranger native would +perish in a district capable of supplying the necessaries of life, simply +because he had not the experience necessary to direct him where to search +for food, or judgment to inform him what article might be in season at +the particular time of his visit. It is equally the same with respect to +procuring water. The native inhabiting a scrubby and an arid district +has, from his knowledge of the country and from a long residence and +practical experience in the desert, many resources at command to supply +his wants, where the white man would faint or perish from thirst. + +The very densest brushes, which to the latter are so formidable and +forbidding, hold out to the former advantages and inducements to resort +to them of more than ordinary temptation. Abounding in wild animals of +various kinds, they offer to the natives who frequent them an unlimited +supply of food: a facility for obtaining firewood, a grateful shade from +the heat, an effectual screen from the cold, and it has already been +shewn that they afford the means of satisfying their thirst by a process +but little known, and which from a difference in habits and temperament +would be but little available to the European.[Note 67 at end of para.] +In judging, therefore, of the character of any country, from the mere +fact of natives being seen there, or even of their being numerous, we must +take all these circumstances into consideration; and, in estimating the +facility with which a native can remain for a long time in a country, +apparently arid and inhospitable, we must not omit to take into account +his education and experience, and the general nature of his habits. The +two former have accustomed him from infancy to feel at home and at ease, +where a European sees only dread and danger: he has thus the advantage +over the European in the desert, that a swimmer has in the water over the +man who cannot swim; conscious of his own powers and resources, he feels +not the least apprehension, whilst the very terrors of the other but +augment his danger. On the other hand, the general habits, mode of life, +and almost temperament of the savage, give him an equally great advantage. +Indolent by disposition and indulgence, he makes very short stages in his +ordinary travels, rarely moving more than from eight to twelve miles in +the day, and this he does so leisurely and quietly, that he neither +becomes excited nor heated, and consequently does not experience that +excessive thirst, which is produced by the active exertions or violent +exercise of the European, and which in the latter is at the same time so +greatly augmented, by his want of confidence and anxiety. + +[Note 67: Vide vol. I. p.349 (March 26.)] + +Another very great advantage on the part of the natives is, the intimate +knowledge they have of every nook and corner of the country they inhabit; +does a shower of rain fall, they know the very rock where a little water +is most likely to be collected, the very hole where it is the longest +retained, and by repairing straight to the place they fill their skins, +and thus obtain a supply that lasts them many days. Are there heavy dews +at night, they know where the longest grass grows, from which they may +collect the spangles, and water is sometimes procured thus in very great +abundance. [Note 68 at end of para.] Should there be neither rains nor +dews, their experience at once points out to them the lowest levels where +the gumscrub grows, and where they are sure of getting water from its +roots, with the least possible amount of labour that the method +admits of, and with the surest prospect of success. + +[Note 69: Vide vol. I. p.349 (March 27.)] + +[Note 68: Vide vol. I. p.361 (March 30.)] + +Another very important circumstance in favour of the native, and one +which results in a measure from some of the above-mentioned +considerations, is the fact, that the native sets to work to procure his +supply calmly and collectedly, and before he requires it; whilst the +European, even if acquainted with the method of obtaining it, would not +resort to it until the last extremity, when the body was fatigued and +heated by previous exertion, the mouth dry and parched by thirst, and the +mind excited and anxious from apprehension. The natural consequence of +such a very different combination of circumstances would be, that the +native would obtain an abundant and satisfying supply, whilst the +European would never be able to procure a sufficiency to appease his +thirst, but would rather fatigue and exhaust his strength the more, from +his want of skill and experience, and from his body and mind being both +in an unfit state for this particular kind of exertion. Such at least, on +many various occasions, I have found to be the case both with myself, and +with natives with me who have not been accustomed to the scrub, or to +this method of procuring water. The difficulty and labour of finding and +digging out the roots, our want of skill in selecting proper ones, the +great dust arising from the loose, powdery soil in which they were, and +our own previously excited and exhausted state, have invariably prevented +us from deriving the full advantage we expected from our efforts. + +In cases of extreme thirst, where the throat is dry and parched, or life +at all in danger, the toil of digging for the roots would be well repaid +by the relief afforded. I have myself, in such cases, found that though I +could by no means satiate my thirst, I could always succeed in keeping my +mouth cool and moist, and so far in rendering myself equal to exertions I +could not otherwise have made. Indeed, I hold it impossible that a +person, acquainted with this means of procuring water, and in a district +where the gum-scrub grew, could ever perish from thirst in any moderate +lapse of time, if he had with him food to eat, and was not physically +incapable of exertion. Under such circumstances, the moisture he would be +able to procure from the roots, would, I think, be quite sufficient to +enable him to eat his food, and to sustain his strength for a +considerable time, under such short stages as would gradually conduct him +free from his embarrassments. + +In addition to the value of the gum-scrub to the native, as a source from +whence to obtain his supply of water, it is equally important to him as +affording an article of food, when his other resources have failed. To +procure this, the lateral roots are still made use of, but the smaller +ones generally are selected, such as vary in diameter from an inch +downwards. The roots being dug up, the bark is peeled off and roasted +crisp in hot ashes; it is then pounded between two stones, and has a +pleasant farinaceous taste, strongly resembling that of malt. I have +often seen the natives eating this, and have frequently eaten it myself +in small quantities. How far it alone would support life, or sustain a +man in strength, I have of course no means of forming an opinion; but it +is, probably, only resorted to when other food is scarce. Several of the +roots of other shrubs are also used for food, and some of them are +mucilaginous and very palatable. + +Throughout the greater portion of New Holland, where there do not happen +to be European settlers, and invariably where fresh water can be +permanently procured upon the surface, the native experiences no +difficulty whatever in procuring food in abundance all the year round. It +is true that the character of his diet varies with the changing seasons, +and the formation of the country he inhabits; but it rarely happens that +any season of the year, or any description of country does not yield him +both animal and vegetable food. Amongst the almost unlimited catalogue of +edible articles used by the natives of Australia, the following may be +classed as the chief:--all salt and fresh-water fish and shell-fish, of +which, in the larger rivers, there are vast numbers and many species; +freshwater turtle; frogs of different kinds; rats and mice; lizards, and +most kinds of snakes and reptiles; grubs of all kinds; moths of several +varieties; fungi, and many sorts of roots; the leaves and tops of a +variety of plants; the leaf and fruit of the mesembryanthemum; various +kinds of fruits and berries; the bark from the roots of many trees and +shrubs; the seeds of leguminous plants; gum from several species of +acacia; different sorts of manna; honey from the native bee, and also +from the flowers of the Banksia, by soaking them in water; the tender +leaves of the grass-tree; the larvae of insects; white ants; eggs of +birds; turtles or lizards; many kinds of kangaroo; opossums; squirrels, +sloths, and wallabies; ducks; geese; teal; cockatoos; parrots; wild dogs +and wombats; the native companion; the wild turkey; the swan; the +pelican; the leipoa, and an endless variety of water-fowl, and other +descriptions of birds. + +Of these articles, many are not only procurable in abundance, but in such +vast quantities at the proper seasons, as to afford for a considerable +length of time an ample means of subsistence to many hundreds of natives +congregated in one place; and these are generally the kinds of food of +which the natives are particularly fond. On many parts of the coast, and +in the larger inland rivers, fish are obtained of a very fine +description, and in great abundance. At Lake Victoria, which is filled +with the back waters of the Murray, I have seen six hundred natives +encamped together, all of whom were living at the time upon fish procured +from the lake, with the addition, perhaps, of the leaves of the +mesembryanthemum. When I went amongst them I never perceived any scarcity +in their camps. The fish were caught in nets. + +At Moorunde, when the Murray annually inundates the flats, fresh-water +cray-fish make their way to the surface of the ground from holes where +they have been buried during the year, in such vast numbers that I have +seen four hundred natives live upon them for weeks together, whilst the +numbers spoiled or thrown away would have sustained four hundred more. +This fish is an excellent and nutritious article of food, and would be +highly prized by the epicure. It is caught by the women who wade into the +water in a long close line, stooping down and walking backwards, whilst +they grope with their hands and feet, presenting a singular, and to the +uninitiated, an incomprehensible spectacle, as they thus move slowly +backwards, but keep the line regular and well preserved, as all generally +occupy the same position at one time. When a cray-fish is caught the +large claws are torn off to prevent the animal from biting, and both +claws and body are put into a small net suspended from the neck for that +purpose. In two or three hours a woman will procure as many fish as will +last her family for a day. The men are too lazy to do anything when food +is so abundant, and lie basking under the trees in luxurious indolence, +whilst their wives, mothers, or sisters are engaged in cooking for them. + +An unlimited supply of fish is also procurable at the Murray about the +beginning of December, when the floods, having attained their greatest +height, begin again to recede; and when the waters, which had been thrown +by the back water channels of the river into the flats behind its banks, +begin again to reflow through them into the river as it falls in height. +At this time the natives repair to these channels, and making a weir +across them with stakes and grass interwoven, leave only one or two small +openings for the stream to pass through. To these they attach bag nets, +which receive all the fish that attempt to re-enter the river. The number +procured in this way in a few hours is incredible. Large bodies of +natives depend upon these weirs for their sole subsistence, for some time +after the waters have commenced to recede. + +Another very favourite article of food, and equally abundant at a +particular season of the year, in the eastern portion of the continent, +is a species of moth which the natives procure from the cavities and +hollows of the mountains in certain localities. This, when roasted, has +something of the appearance and flavour of an almond badly peeled. It is +called in the dialect of the district, where I met with it, Booguon. The +natives are never so well conditioned in that part of the country, as at +the season of the year when they return from feasting upon this moth; and +their dogs partake equally of the general improvement. + +The tops, leaves, and stalks of a kind of cress, gathered at the proper +season of the year, tied up in bunches, and afterwards steamed in an +oven, furnish a favourite, and inexhaustible supply of food for an +unlimited number of natives. When prepared, this food has a savoury and +an agreeable smell, and in taste is not unlike a boiled cabbage. In some +of its varieties it is in season for a great length of time, and is +procured in the flats of rivers, on the borders of lagoons, at the +Murray, and in many other parts of New Holland. + +There are many other articles of food among the natives, equally abundant +and valuable as those I have enumerated: such as various kinds of +berries, or fruits, the bulbous roots of a reed called the belillah, +certain kinds of fungi dug out of the ground, fresh-water muscles, and +roots of several kinds, etc. Indeed, were I to go through the list of +articles seriatim, and enter upon the varieties and subdivisions of each +class, with the seasons of the year at which they were procurable, it +would at once be apparent that the natives of Australia, in their natural +state, are not subject to much inconvenience for want of the necessaries +of life. In almost every part of the continent which I have visited, +where the presence of Europeans, or their stock, has not limited, or +destroyed their original means of subsistence, I have found that the +natives could usually, in three or four hours, procure as much food as +would last for the day, and that without fatigue or labour. They are not +provident in their provision for the future, but a sufficiency of food is +commonly laid by at the camp for the morning meal. In travelling, they +sometimes husband, with great care and abstinence, the stock they have +prepared for the journey; and though both fatigued and hungry, they will +eat sparingly, and share their morsel with their friends, without +encroaching too much upon their store, until some reasonable prospect +appears of getting it replenished. + +In wet weather the natives suffer the most, as they are then indisposed +to leave their camps to look for food, and experience the inconveniences +both of cold and hunger. If food, at all tainted, is offered to a native +by Europeans, it is generally rejected with disgust. In their natural +state, however, they frequently eat either fish or animals almost in a +state of putridity. + +Cannibalism is not common, though there is reason to believe, that it is +occasionally practised by some tribes, but under what circumstances it is +difficult to say. Native sorcerers are said to acquire their magic +influence by eating human flesh, but this is only done once in a +life-time. + +[Note 70: The only authentic and detailed account of any instance of +cannibalism, that I am acquainted with, is found in Parliamentary Papers +on Australian Aborigines, published August, 1844, in a report of +Mr. Protector Sievewright, from Lake Tarong, in one of the Port Phillip +districts. + +"On going out I found the whole of the men of the different tribes +(amounting to upwards of 100) engaged hand to hand in one general melee. + +"On being directed by some of the women, who had likewise sought shelter +near my tent, to the huts of the Bolaghers, I there found a young woman, +supported in the arms of some of her tribe, quite insensible, and +bleeding from two severe wounds upon the right side of the face; she +continued in the same state of insensibility till about 11 o'clock, when +she expired. + +"After fighting for nearly an hour, the men of the Bolagher tribe +returned to their huts, when finding that every means I had used to +restore the young woman was in vain, they gave vent to the most frantic +expressions of grief and rage, and were employed till daylight in +preparing themselves and weapons to renew the combat. + +"Shortly before sunrise they again rushed towards the Targurt and +Elengermite tribes, who, with about a dozen of Wamambool natives, were +encamped together, when a most severe struggle took place between them, +and very few escaped on either side without serious fractures or dangerous +spear wounds. Although the Targurt tribe were supported by the Elengermite +and Wamambool natives, and were consequently much superior in number, +they were, after two hours hard fighting, driven off the ground and +pursued for about four miles, to where their women and children had +retired; when one of the former, named Mootinewhannong, was selected, +and fell, pierced by about 20 spears of the pursuers. + +"The body of this female was shortly afterwards burned to ashes by her +own people, and the Bolagher natives returned to their encampment, +apparently satisfied with the revenge they had taken, and remained +silently and sullenly watching the almost inanimate body of the wounded +female. + +"When death took place, they again expressed the most violent and +extravagant grief; they threw themselves upon the ground, weeping and +screaming at the height of their voices, lacerating their bodies and +inflicting upon themselves wounds upon their heads, from blows which they +gave themselves with the leangville. About an hour after the death of the +young woman, the body was removed a few hundred yards into the bush +by the father and brother of the deceased; the remainder of the tribe +following by one at a time, until they had all joined what I imagined +to be the usual funeral party. Having accompanied the body when it +was removed, I was then requested to return to my tent, which request +I took no notice of. In a few minutes I was again desired, rather +sternly, and by impatient signs to go. I endeavoured to make them +understand that I wished to remain, and I sat down upon a tree close to +where the body lay. The father of the deceased then came close up to me, +and pointed with his finger to his mouth, and then to the dead body. I +was at this moment closely and intensely scrutinized by the whole party. +I at once guessed their meaning, and signified my intention to remain, +and, with as much indifference as I could assume, stretched myself upon +the tree, and narrowly watched their proceedings. + +"With a flint they made an incision upon the breast, when a simultaneous +shriek was given by the party, and the same violent signs of grief were +again evinced. After a short time the operation was again commenced, +and in a few minutes the body disembowelled. + +"The scene which now took place was of the most revolting description; +horror-stricken and utterly disgusted, while obliged to preserve that +equanimity of demeanour upon which I imagined the development of this +tragedy to depend, I witnessed the most fearful scene of ferocious +cannibalism. + +"The bowels and entire viscera having been disengaged from the body, +were at first portioned out; but from the impatience of some of the women +to get at the liver, a general scramble took place for it, and it was +snatched in pieces, and, without the slightest process of cooking, +was devoured with an eagerness and avidity, a keen, fiendish expression +of impatience for more, from which scene, a memory too tenacious upon +this subject will not allow me to escape; the kidneys and heart were +in like manner immediately consumed, and as a climax to these revolting +orgies, when the whole viscera were removed, a quantity of blood and +serum which had collected in the cavity of the chest, was eagerly +collected in handsful, and drunk by the old man who had dissected +the body; the flesh was entirely cut off the ribs and back, the +arms and legs were wrenched and twisted from the shoulder and hip +joints, and their teeth employed to dissever the reeking tendons, when +they would not immediately yield to their impatience. The limbs were now +doubled up and put aside in their baskets; and on putting a portion of +the flesh upon a fire which had previously been lit, they seemed to +remember that I was of the party; something was said to one of the women, +who cut off a foot from the leg she had in her possession, and offered it +to me; I thought it prudent to accept of it, and wrapping it in my +handkerchief, and pointing to my tent, they nodded assent, and I joyfully +availed myself of their permission to retire. They shortly afterwards +returned to their huts with the debris of the feast, and during the day, +to the horror and annoyance of my two boys, and those belonging to the +establishment, they brought another part, and some half-picked bones, and +offered them to us. The head was struck off with a tomahawk and placed +between hot stones in the hollow of a tree, where it has undergone a +process of baking, and it is still left there otherwise untouched."] + +Many methods of obtaining the various articles of food, are resorted to +by the natives, some of these are very simple; some exceedingly +ingenious; whilst others require great tact and skill; and not a few +exercise to their fullest extent those qualities, which they possess so +greatly, and prize so highly, such as quickness of sight, readiness of +hand, caution in arranging plans, judgment in directing them, patience in +waiting for the result, endurance in pursuing, and strength in holding +fast. + +Fish are procured in different ways. They are caught with weirs or dams, +as already described; and also with large seines made of string +manufactured from the rush, and buoyed up with dry reeds, bound into +bundles, and weighted by stones tied to the bottom. This is used just in +the same way as the European seine, being either shot from a canoe, or +set by swimming or wading, according to the depth of the water. Great +numbers of fish of various kinds, and often of a large size, are caught +in this way. Fresh water turtles, varying in weight from three to twelve +pounds, are also taken in the same way, and are excellent eating. + +Another kind of net (ngail-le) used in fishing is made of slender twine, +and has a large mesh. It is long, but not more than from two to three +feet deep. A string is passed through the loops of the upper part, and is +then stretched across a lagoon, or any other sheet of still water, the +upper part being nearly level with the surface of the water, and the +lower part dangling loose below, without weight. In setting it each +extremity is fastened to a pole or spear, stuck firmly in the mud to keep +it in its place, whilst a third pole is occasionally put in the middle. A +few dry reeds are sometimes fastened at intervals to the line, running +through the upper part to prevent the net from sinking too low. When set, +the native either remains by it to take the fish out as they are caught, +or leaves it there all night. The fish swimming about the lagoon, or +sporting near the surface, strike against the net, and get their heads +fast in the meshes. The net swinging loose, yields to their pressure, and +entangles them the more as they struggle to extricate themselves from it. +This is a most destructive mode of catching fish, and generally secures +the finest and largest. + +Fish are sometimes taken in another way. A party of natives proceed to a +lagoon, or lake of still water, each carrying in his hand a small net +(ken-de-ran-ko) of a semi-oval shape, about twenty inches long, from +seven to nine inches across, and from five to seven inches deep. This net +is kept in shape by a thin hoop of wood running round it in the upper +part. With this the native dives to the bottom, and searches among the +weeds until he sees a fish; he then cautiously places the net under it, +and, rising suddenly to the surface, holds his victim at arm's length +above his head; and then biting it to kill it, he throws it on the shore +and dives down again for another. + +The natives are very skilful in this mode of fishing, and it is an +interesting sight to see several of them in the water diving together, +and exerting themselves against each other in their efforts to catch the +best fish, whilst the affrighted inhabitants of the water swim wildly and +confusedly about, seeking shelter in the mud and weeds, only to become an +easier prey. I have even seen natives dive down in the river, without net +or implement of any kind, and bring up good-sized fish, which they had +caught with their hands at the bottom. + +Another method of diving with the net is conducted on a larger scale. The +net itself is made of strong twine, from six to eight feet long, oval at +the top, about two feet across, and two deep. It is looped to a wooden +hoop or bow, with a strong string drawn tightly across the two ends of +the bow, and passed through the loops of the straight side of the net. +With this two natives dive together under the cliffs which confine the +waters of the Murray, each holding one end of the bow. They then place it +before any hole or cavity there may be in the rocks beneath the surface, +with the size, shape, and position of which they have by previous +experience become well acquainted; the terrified fish is then driven into +the net and secured. Fishes varying from twenty to seventy pounds are +caught in this way. It is only, however, at particular seasons of the +year, when the female fish are seeking for a place to deposit their spawn +that this mode of fishing can be adopted. + +Other kinds of hoop-nets are used for catching fish in shallow waters, or +for taking the shrimp, and a small fish like the white-bait, but they +need not be particularly described. + +The next principal mode of procuring fish is by spearing them, and even +this is performed in a variety of ways, according to the season of the +year, the description of fish to be taken, and the peculiarities of the +place where they are found. In the shallow waters upon the sea-coast the +native wades with his spear and throwing-stick, and follows the windings +of the fish with singular rapidity and skill, rarely missing his aim +where he has an opportunity of striking. + +In the larger rivers, when the waters are low and clear, a party of +natives varying in numbers from five to forty plunge in with their +spears, which for the purpose are made of hard wood, with smooth, sharp +points, and about six feet long. Forming themselves into a large +semicircle in the water, they all dive down, simultaneously, with their +weapons, accompanied sometimes by a young man, a few yards in advance of +the middle of the party, and without a spear. For a considerable time +they remain under water, and then, if successful, gradually emerge, and +deliver the fish that have been speared, to their friends on the shore. +If unsuccessful they swim a few yards further down, and dive again with +their weapons. And thus they frequently go on for a mile or two, until +they are either tired or satisfied with their success. I have known a +party of thirty natives kill seven or eight fish in the course of an +hour, none of which were under fifteen pounds, whilst some of them were +much larger. + +The regularity with which they keep their relative positions, +notwithstanding the current of the river, and the dexterity and order +with which they dive under the water, are truly surprising to a person +who witnesses them for the first time. + +At the period of floods, and when they have nearly attained their height, +and the young reeds and rushes begin to shew themselves above the surface +of the water, near the bank of rivers or of lagoons formed by the floods +in the alluvial flats behind, another method of spearing fish is +practised from a canoe (mun) made out of a solid sheet of the bark of the +gum-tree (eucalyptus). + +To these reeds the fish are very fond of resorting, probably to feed upon +the insects that are found upon the tender leaves; in moving about from +one place to another they strike against the reeds, and produce a +vibration in the tops above the water; this indicates to the native, who +is sailing stealthily along in his canoe, the exact place where they are +passing, and suddenly raising his arm with great energy he strikes +forcibly among the reeds with his spear, without letting it go out of his +hand. If the first blow does not succeed, it is rapidly repeated, and +seldom fails in securing a prize. When a large fish is speared, it is +pressed downwards to the ground, and the native leaps out of his canoe +and dives to the bottom to secure it. The spear (moo-ar-roo) used in this +method of fishing varies from ten to sixteen feet in length, and is made +of pine, pliant, and of nearly a uniform thickness; it is about an inch +and a half in diameter, and has two short pointed pieces of hard wood +lashed to one end, projecting about five or six inches, and set a little +apart, so as to form a kind of prongs or grains. This instrument is also +used for propelling the canoe. + +It is used too for spearing fish by night, which is by far the most +interesting method of any. + +Having previously prepared his canoe, straightened his spear, and +hardened and sharpened the points of the prongs, the native breaks up his +fire-wood in small pieces, and loads his canoe with a stock calculated to +last the time he intends to be absent. An oval piece of bark, about three +feet long and two broad, is then coated over with wet mud and placed in +the stern of the canoe, on a framework of sticks. One or two sticks are +stuck upright in the mud, and others placed around them in the form of a +cone. A fire is then put underneath, and the native, stepping into the +bow of his canoe, pushes steadily into the stream, and commences his +nocturnal employment. The wood of which the fire is made is of a +particular kind, and, as only one description of tree will answer, it has +frequently to be brought from a considerable distance. It is obtained +among the brush of the table-land stretching behind the valley of the +Murray, on either side, and its peculiarities are that it is light, +brittle, and resinous, emitting when burning a most agreeable fragrance +and a powerful and brilliant light, almost wholly free from smoke. + +Two men usually accompany each canoe, one to attend to the fire, and keep +it always burning brightly, and the other to guide the canoe and spear +the fish. As soon as the fire begins to blaze up the scene becomes most +beautiful. The low black looking piece of bark floats noiselessly down +the middle of the stream, or stealthily glides under the frowning cliffs, +now lit up by a brilliant light. In the bow is seen the dark, naked, but +graceful form of the savage, standing firm and erect, and scarcely +seeming to move, as with the slightest motion of his arms he guides the +frail canoe. His spear is grasped in his hand, whilst his whole attitude +and appearance denote the most intense vigilance and attention. Suddenly +you see his arm uplifted, and the weapon descending with the rapidity of +thought, a splash is seen, a struggle heard, and a fish is slowly and +cautiously drawn towards the canoe pierced through with the spear. If it +is a large one, the native at once plunges into the water, still +retaining his hold of the spear, and soon reappears with the trophy in +his arms. + +Among the rocks under the cliffs, or among logs or roots of trees, or on +a clayey bottom, large fresh-water lobsters (poo-ta-ron-ko) are procured +in the same way, weighing from two to four pounds each, and of a most +delicate and excellent flavour. I have frequently been out with a single +native, and seen him spear from ten to sixteen of these in an hour or +two. + +It has a singular and powerful effect upon the imagination, to witness at +midnight a fleet of these canoes, gliding about in the distance like so +many balls of fire, imparting a still deeper shade to the gloom of +darkness which surrounds the spectator, and throwing an air of romance on +the whole scene. Occasionally in travelling at night, and coming suddenly +upon the river from the scrub behind, I have been dazzled and enchanted +with the fairy sight that has burst upon me. The waters have been alive +with brilliant fires, moving to and fro in every direction, like meteors +from a marsh, and like those too, rapidly and inexplicably disappearing +when the footsteps of strangers are heard approaching. + +A few other methods of catching fish are sometimes resorted to, such as +stirring up the mud in stagnant ponds, and taking the fish when they come +up almost choked to the surface. Groping with their hands or with boughs, +etc. etc. + +There is also a particular season of the year (about September), when in +the larger rivers the fish become ill or diseased, and lie floating on +the surface unable to descend, or drift down dead with the current. +Fishes weighing nearly eighty pounds are sometimes taken in this way. The +natives are always looking out for opportunities of procuring food so +easily, and never hesitate to eat any fish, although they may have been +dead for some time. + +I have never seen the natives use hooks in fishing of their own +manufacture, nor do I believe that they ever make any, though they are +glad enough to get them from Europeans. + +The large fresh-water lobster is sometimes procured by diving, in which +case the females are generally employed, as the weather is cold, and +night is the best time to procure them. It is extraordinary to see a +party of women plunge into the water on a cold dark night, and swim and +dive about amongst logs, stumps, roots, and weeds without ever hurting +themselves, and seldom failing to obtai the object of their search. + +Turtle are procured in the same way, but generally by the men, and in the +day time. + +Muscles of a very large kind are also got by diving. The women whose duty +it is to collect these, go into the water with small nets (len-ko) hung +round their necks, and diving to the bottom pick up as many as they can, +put them into their bags, and rise to the surface for fresh air, +repeating the operation until their bags have been filled. They have the +power of remaining for a long time under the water, and when they rise to +the surface for air, the head and sometimes the mouth only is exposed. A +stranger suddenly coming to the river when they were all below, would be +puzzled to make out what the black objects were, so frequently appearing +and disappearing in the water. + +Cray-fish of the small kind (u-kod-ko) weighing from four to six ounces +are obtained by the women wading into the water as already described, or +by men wading and using a large bow-net, called a "wharro," which is +dragged along by two or three of them close to the bottom where the water +is not too deep. + +Frogs are dug out of the ground by the women, or caught in the marshes, +and used in every stage from the tadpole upwards. + +Rats are also dug out of the ground, but they are procured in the +greatest numbers and with the utmost facility when the approach of the +floods in the river flats compels them to evacuate their domiciles. A +variety is procured among the scrubs under a singular pile or nest which +they make of sticks, in the shape of a hay-cock, three or four feet high +and many feet in circumference. A great many occupy the same pile and are +killed with sticks as they run out. + +Snakes, lizards and other reptiles are procured among the rocks or in the +scrubs. Grubs are got out of the gum-tree into which they eat their way, +as also out of the roots of the mimosa, the leaves of the zamia, the +trunk of the xanthorra, and a variety of other plants and shrubs. + +One particularly large white grub, and a great bon-bouche to the natives, +is procured out of the ground. It is about four inches long and half an +inch in thickness, and is obtained by attaching a thin narrow hook of +hard wood to the long, wiry shoots of the polygonum, and then pushing +this gently down the hole through which the grub has burrowed into the +earth until it is hooked. Grubs are procured at a depth of seven feet in +this way without the delay or trouble of digging. + +Moths are procured as before described; or the larger varieties are +caught at nights whilst flying about. + +Fungi are abundant, and of great variety. Some are obtained from the +surface of the ground, others below it, and others again from the trunks +and boughs of trees. + +Roots of all kinds are procured by digging, one of the most important +being that of the flag or cooper's reed, which grows in marshes or +alluvial soils that are subject to periodical inundations. This is used +more or less at all seasons of the year, but is best after the floods +have retired and the tops have become decayed and been burnt off. The +root is roasted in hot ashes, and chewed, when it affords a nutritious +and pleasant farinaceous food. + +The belillah is another important bulbous root, which also grows on lands +subject to floods. It is about the size of a walnut, of a hard and oily +nature, and is prepared by being roasted and pounded into a thin cake +between two stones. Immense tracts of country are covered with this plant +on the flats of the Murray, which in the distance look like the most +beautiful and luxuriant meadows. After the floods have retired I have +seen several hundreds of acres, with the stems of the plant six or seven +feet high, and growing so closely together as to render it very difficult +to penetrate far amongst them. + +The thick pulpy leaf of the mesembryanthemum is in general use in all +parts of Australia which I have visited, and is eaten as a sort of relish +with almost every other kind of food. That which grows upon the elevated +table lands is preferred to that which is found in the valleys. It is +selected when the full vigour of the plant begins to decline and the tips +of the leaves become red, but before the leaf is at all withered. The +fruit is used both when first ripe and also after it has become dried up +and apparently withered. In each case it has an agreeable flavour and is +much prized by the natives. + +Many other descriptions of fruits and berries are made use of in +different parts of the continent, the chief of which, so far as their use +has come under my own observation, are-- + +1. A kind of fruit called in the Moorunde dialect "ketango," about the +size and shape of a Siberian crab, but rounder. When this is ripe, it is +of a deep red colour, and consists of a solid mealy substance, about the +eighth of an inch in thickness, enclosing a large round stone, which, +upon being broken, yields a well-flavoured kernel. The edible part of the +fruit has an agreeable acid taste, and makes excellent puddings or +preserves, for which purpose it is now extensively used by Europeans. The +shrub on which this grows, is very elegant and graceful, and varies from +four to twelve feet in height. [Note 71: A species of fusanus.] When in +full bearing, nothing can exceed its beauty, drooping beneath its +crimson load. + +Another shrub found in the scrubs, may sometimes be mistaken for this, as +it bears in appearance a similar fruit; but on being tasted, it is bitter +and nauseous. This in the Murray dialect is called "netting." The natives +prepare it by baking it in an oven, which takes the bitter taste away. +The "netting" is earlier in season than the "ketango." + +2. A berry about the size and shape of a large sloe, but with a smaller +stone; conical in shape, and rounded at the large end. This fruit is +juicy and saline, though not disagreeable in taste. There are several +varieties of it, which when ripe are of a black, red, or yellow colour. +The black is the best. The bush upon which it grows is a salsolaceous +bramble [Note 72: Nitraria Australis], and is found in large quantities +on the saline flats, bordering some parts of the Murrumbidgee and Murray +rivers; and along the low parts of the southern coast, immediately behind +the ridges bounding the sea shore. It is a staple article of food in its +season, among the natives of those districts where it abounds, and is +eaten by them raw, stone and all. + +3. A small berry or currant, called by the natives of Moorunde +"eertapko," about the size of No. 2. shot. When ripe it is red, and of an +agreeable acid flavour. It grows upon a low creeping tap-rooted plant, of +a salsolaceous character, found in the alluvial flats of the Murray, +among the polygonum brushes, and in many other places. A single plant +will spread over an area of many yards in diameter, covering the dry and +arid ground with a close, soft, and velvety carpet in the heat of summer, +at which time the fruit is in perfection. To collect so small a berry +with facility, and in abundance, the natives cut a rounded tray of thin +bark, two or three feet long, and six or eight inches wide, over this +they lift up the plant, upon which the fruit grows, and shake the berries +into it. When a sufficiency has been collected, the berries are skilfully +tossed into the air, and separated from the leaves and dirt. The natives +are very fond of this fruit, which affords them an inexhaustible resource +for many weeks. In an hour a native could collect more than he could use +in a day. + +The other sorts of fruits and berries are numerous and varied, but do not +merit particular description. + +[Note 73: Mr. Simpson gives the following account of the Bunya Bunya, a +fruit-bearing tree lately discovered on the N.E. coast of New +Holland. + +"Ascending a steep hill, some four miles further on, we passed +through a bunya scrub, and for the first time had an opportunity of +examining this noble tree more closely. It raises its majestic head above +every other tree in the forest, and must, therefore, frequently reach the +height of 250 feet; the trunk is beautifully formed, being as straight as +an arrow, and perfectly branchless for above two-thirds of its height; +branches then strike off, nearly at right angles from the trunk, forming +circles which gradually diminish in diameter till they reach the summit, +which terminates in a single shoot; the foliage shining, dark green, the +leaves acutely pointed and lanceolate, with large green cones, the size +of a child's head, hanging from the terminal branches in the fruiting +season (January). It is, too, very remarkable that the bunya tree, +according to the natives, is nowhere to be met with but in these parts; +it is, however, there is no doubt, a species of the araucaria genus, well +known in South America; the timber, when green, is white, fine grained +and very tough, but whether it retains these qualities when dry, has not +yet been determined. The Aborigines are particularly fond of the bunya +nuts, which are as large as a full sized almond, including the shell, +and, in good seasons, come from a distance of 100 or 200 miles to feast +upon them."] + +Bark from the roots of trees and shrubs is roasted, and then pounded +between two stones for use. + +Gums exude from the trees on which they are procured. These are generally +varieties of the Mimosa. + +Manna exudes in great abundance from the tree already mentioned, as +constituting the firewood which the natives use in fishing by night. It +is of a mottled red or brown colour, of a firm consistency and sweet +taste, resembling exactly in appearance, flavour, and colour, the manna +used medicinally in Europe. + +Another variety is yielded by the Eucalyptus mannifera and is found early +in the morning under the tree, scattered on the ground. This is +beautifully white and delicate, resembling flakes of snow. + +Honey is procured by steeping the cones of the Banksia or other +melliferous flowers in water. It is procured pure from the hives of the +native bees, found in cavities of rocks, and the hollow branches of +trees. The method of discovering the hive is ingenious. Having caught one +of the honey bees, which in size exceeds very little the common house +fly, the native sticks a piece of feather or white down to it with gum, +and then letting it go, sets off after it as fast as he can: keeping his +eye steadily fixed upon the insect, he rushes along like a madman, +tumbling over trees and bushes that lie in his way, but rarely losing +sight of his object, until conducted to its well-filled store, he is +amply paid for all his trouble. The honey is not so firm as that of the +English bee, but is of very fine flavour and quality. + +White ants are dug in great numbers out of their nests in the ground, +which are generally found in the scrubs. They are a favourite food of the +natives in the spring of the year. The females only are used, and at a +time just before depositing their eggs. They are separated from the dirt +that is taken up with them, by being thrown into the air, and caught +again upon a trough of bark. + +The eggs of birds are extensively eaten by the natives, being chiefly +confined to those kinds that leave the nest at birth, as the leipoa, the +emu, the swan, the goose, the duck, etc. But of others, where the young +remain some time in the nest after being hatched, the eggs are usually +left, and the young taken before they can fly. The eggs of the leipoa, or +native pheasant, are found in singular-looking mounds of sand, thrown up +by the bird in the midst of the scrubs, and often measuring several yards +in circumference. The egg is about the size of the goose egg, but the +shell is extremely thin and fragile. The young are hatched by the heat of +the sand and leaves, with which the eggs are covered. Each egg is +deposited separately, and the number found in one nest varies from one to +ten. + +One nest that I examined, and that only a small one, was twelve yards in +circumference, eighteen inches high, and shaped like a dome. It was +formed entirely of sand scraped up by the bird with its feet. Under the +centre of the dome, and below the level of the surrounding ground was an +irregular oval hole, about eighteen inches deep, and twelve in diameter. +In this, the eggs were deposited in different layers among sand and +leaves; on the lower tier was only one egg, on the next two, at a depth +of four or five inches from the ground. All the eggs were placed upon +their smaller ends, and standing upright. The colour of the egg is a dark +reddish pink; its length, three inches six-tenths; breadth, two inches +two-tenths; circumference, lengthwise, ten inches, and across, seven +inches two-tenths. The eggs appear to be deposited at considerable +intervals. In the nest alluded to, two eggs had only been laid sixteen +days after it was discovered, at which time there had been one previously +deposited. The bird is shaped like a hen pheasant, of a brownish colour, +barred with black, and its weight is about four pounds and a half. + +The eggs of the emu are rather smaller than those of the ostrich. They +are of a dark green colour and the shell is very thick. They are +deposited by the bird almost upon the ground, in the vicinity of a few +bushes, or tufts of grass, and usually in a country that is tolerably +open; a great many eggs are found in one nest, so that it is generally +looked upon by the natives as a great prize. + +Eggs are eaten in all stages. I have even seen rotten ones roasted, and +devoured with great relish. + +Kangaroos are speared, netted, or caught in pit falls. Four methods of +spearing them are practised. 1st. A native travelling with his family +through the woods, when he sees a kangaroo feeding or sleeping, will +steal silently and cautiously upon it, keeping, as he advances, a tree or +shrub between himself and the animal, or holding up before him, if he be +in an open place, a large branch of a tree, until sufficiently near to +throw the fatal weapon. 2ndly. Two natives get upon the track of a +kangaroo, which they follow up perseveringly even for two or three days, +sleeping upon it at night, and renewing their pursuit in the morning, +until, at last, the wearied animal, fairly tired out by its relentless +pursuers, is no longer able to fly before them, and at last becomes a +prize to the perseverance of the hunters. 3rdly. A small hut of reeds is +made near the springs, or water holes, in those districts, where water is +scarce; and in this, or in the top of a tree, if there be one near, the +native carefully conceals himself, and patiently waits until his game +comes to drink, when he is almost sure to strike it with his spear, +seldom quitting his lurking place without an ample remuneration for his +confinement. 4thly. A large party of men go out early in the morning, +generally armed with barbed spears, and take their stations upon ground +that has been previously fixed upon in a large semicircle. The women and +children, with a few men, then beat up, and fire the country for a +considerable extent, driving the game before them in the direction of the +persons who are lying in wait, and who gradually contract the space they +had been spread over, until they meet the other party, and then closing +their ranks in a ring upon the devoted animals, with wild cries and +shouts they drive them back to the centre as they attempt to escape, +until, at last, in the conflict, many of them are slaughtered. At other +times, the ground is so selected as to enable them to drive the game over +a precipice, or into a river, where it is easily taken. Netting the +kangaroo does not require so large a party; it is done by simply setting +a strong net (mugn-ko) across the path, which the animal is +accustomed to frequent, and keeping it in its place by long sticks, with +a fork upon the top. A few natives then shew themselves in a direction +opposite to that of the net, and the kangaroo being alarmed, takes to his +usual path, gets entangled in the meshes, and is soon despatched by +persons who have been lying in wait to pounce upon him. + +Pitfalls are also dug to catch the kangaroo around the springs, or pools +of water they are accustomed to frequent. These are covered lightly over +with small sticks, boughs, etc. and the animal going to drink, hops upon +them, and falls into the pit without being able to get out again. I have +only known this method of taking the kangaroo practised in Western +Australia, between Swan River and King George's Sound, + +The emu is taken similarly to the kangaroo. It is speared in the first, +third, and fourth methods I have described. It is also netted like the +kangaroo, indeed with the same net, only that the places selected for +setting it are near the entrance to creeks, ravines, flats bounded by +steep banks, and any other place where the ground is such as to hold out +the hope, that by driving up the game it may be compelled, by surrounding +scouts, to pass the place where the net is set. When caught the old men +hasten up, and clasping the bird firmly round the neck with their arms, +hold it or throw it on the ground, whilst others come to their assistance +and despatch it. This is, however, a dangerous feat, and I have known a +native severely wounded in attempting it; a kick from an emu would break +a person's leg, though the natives generally keep so close to the bird as +to prevent it from doing them much harm. + +The emu is frequently netted by night through a peculiarity in the habits +of the bird, that is well-known to the natives, and which is, that it +generally comes back every night to sleep on one spot for a long time +together. Having ascertained where the sleeping place is, the natives set +the net at some little distance away, and then supplying themselves with +fire-sticks, form a line from each end of the net, diverging in the +distance. The party may now be considered as forming two sides of a +triangle, with the net at the apex and the game about the middle of the +base; as soon as the sides are formed, other natives arrange themselves +in a line at the base, and put the bird up. The emu finding only one +course free from fire-sticks, viz. that towards the net or apex of the +triangle, takes that direction, and becomes ensnared. + +Opossums are of various kinds and sizes. They inhabit the hollows of +trees, or sometimes the tops, where they make a house for themselves with +boughs. They are also found in the holes of rocks. They are hunted both +in the day-time and by moon-light. During the day the native, as he +passes along, examines minutely the bark of the trees, to see whether any +marks have been left by the claws of the animal in climbing on the +previous night. If he finds any he is sure that an opossum is concealed, +either in that tree or one adjoining. The way he distinguishes whether +the marks are recently made or otherwise is, by examining the appearance +of the bark where the wound is, if fresh it is white, has rough edges, or +has grains of sand adhering to it; if otherwise it is dry and brown, and +free from loose particles. Having ascertained that an opossum has +recently been there, he then ascends the tree to look for it; this, if +the tree be in a leaning position, or has a rough bark, is not difficult +to him, and he rarely requires any other aid than his hands and feet; but +if the bark be smooth, and the tree straight, or of very large +dimensions, he requires the assistance of his stone hatchet, or of a +strong sharp-pointed stick, flattened on one side near the point (called +in the Adelaide dialect, "Wadna," in that of Moorunde "Ngakko,"); with +this instrument a notch is made in the bark about two feet above the +ground. In this the small toes of the left foot are placed, the left arm +is employed in clasping the trunk of the tree, and the right in cutting +another notch for the right foot, about two feet above the first; but a +little to one side of it, the wadna or ngakko is now stuck firmly in the +bark above, and serves to enable him to raise the body whilst gaining the +second notch, into which the ball of the great toe of the right foot is +placed, and the implement liberated to make a third step on the left +side, and so on successively until the tree is ascended. The descent is +made in the same manner, by clasping the tree, and supporting the feet in +the notches. The principle of climbing in the way described, appears to +consist in always having three points of contact with the tree, either +two arms and one leg, or two legs and one arm. + +Having got up the tree, the native proceeds to search for any holes there +may be in its trunk, or among the boughs; these vary from one foot to +nine, or more, in depth, for the whole trunk itself is sometimes hollow. +To ascertain in which hole the opossum is, the native drops in a pebble +or a piece of bark, or a broken bit of stick, and then applying his ear +to the outside, listens for the rustling motion made by the animal in +shifting its position, when disturbed by what has been dropped upon it. A +stick is sometimes made use of, if the hole be not very deep, for the +same purpose, after inserting it in the hole, and twisting the rough end +round and withdrawing it, he looks to see if any fur is left on the +point, if so, the animal is there, but if the point of the stick shews no +fur, he goes to the next hole or tree, and so on until he finds it. + +If not very far in the hole the native puts in his arm, and draws it out +by the tail, striking its head violently against the tree to prevent its +biting him, as soon as it is clear of the orifice; if the hole be deep, +the furthest point to which the animal can recede is ascertained, and an +opening made near it with whatever implement he may be using. If the +whole trunk of the tree, or a large portion of it be hollow, a fire is +made in the lower opening, which soon drives out the game. + +When opossums are hunted by moonlight, the native dog is useful in +scenting them along the ground where they sometimes feed, and in guiding +the native to the tree they have ascended, when alarmed at his approach. +They are then either knocked down with sticks or the tree is ascended as +in the day time. + +Flying squirrels are procured in the same way as opossums. The sloth, +which is an animal as large as a good sized monkey, is also caught among +the branches of the larger scrub-trees, among which it hides itself; but +it is never found in holes. + +Wallabies are of many kinds, and are killed in various ways. By hunting +with bwirris, by nets, by digging out of the ground; the larger sorts, as +rock wallabies, by spearing, and several kinds by making runs, into which +they are driven. In hunting with bwirris (a short heavy stick with a knob +at one end) a party of natives go out into the scrub and beat the bushes +in line, if any game gets up, the native who sees it, gives a peculiar +"whir-rr" as a signal for the others to look out, and the animal is at +once chased and bwirris thrown at him in all directions, the peculiar +sound of the "whir-rr" always guiding them to the direction he has taken. +It rarely happens that an animal escapes if the party of natives be at +all numerous. + +In netting the wallabies, a party of seven or eight men go in advance, +with each a net of from twenty to forty feet long, and when they arrive +near the runs, usually made use of by these animals, a favourable spot is +selected, and the nets set generally in a line and nearly together, each +native concealing himself near his own net. The women and children who, +in the mean time had been making a considerable circuit, now begin to +beat amongst the bushes with the wind, shouting and driving the wallabies +before them towards the nets, where they are caught and killed. + +Other species of the wallabie burrow in the ground like rabbits, and are +dug out. The large rock-wallabies are speared by the natives creeping +upon them stealthily among the rugged rocks which they frequent, on the +summits of precipitous heights which have craggy or overhanging cliffs. + +In making runs for taking the wallabie, the natives break the branches +from the bushes, and laying them one upon another, form, through the +scrubs, two lines of bush fence, diverging from an apex sometimes to the +extent of several miles, and having at intervals large angles formed by +the fence diverging. At the principal apex and at all the angles or +corners the bushes are tied up, and a hole in the fence left like the run +of a hare. At each of these a native is stationed with his bwirris, and +the women then beating up the country, from the base of the triangle +drive up the game, which finding themselves stopped by the bush fence on +either side, run along in search of an opening until the first angle +presents itself, when they try to escape by the run, and are knocked on +the head by the native guarding it. + +Native companions and swans are sometimes speared or killed with bwirris; +the latter are also caught easily in the water holes or lakes when +moulting, as they are then unable to fly. Pelicans are caught in nets or +whilst asleep in the water, by natives wading in and seizing them by the +legs. + +Wild dogs are speared, but young ones are often kept and tamed, to assist +in hunting, in which they are very useful. The wombat is driven to his +hole with dogs at night, and a fire being lighted inside, the mouth is +closed with stones and earth. The animal being by this means suffocated, +is dug out at convenience. + +Birds are killed on the wing, with bwirris, or whilst resting on the +ground, or in the water, or upon branches of trees. They are also taken +by spearing, by snaring, by noosing, and by netting. In spearing them the +natives make use of a very light reed spear (kiko), which is pointed with +hard wood, and projected when used, with the nga-waonk or throwing +stick. They resort to the lagoons or river flats, when flooded, and +either wading or in canoes, chase and spear the wild fowl. The +kiko is thrown to a very great distance, with amazing rapidity and +precision, so that a native is frequently very successful by this method, +particularly so when the young broods of duck and other wild fowl are +nearly full grown, but still unable to fly far. Getting into his canoe, +the native paddles along with extraordinary celerity after his game, +chasing them from one side of the lagoon to the other, until he loads +himself with spoil. + +Ducks and teal are caught by snaring, which is practised in the following +manner. After ascertaining where there is a shelving bank to any of the +lagoons, which is frequented by these birds, and upon which there is +grass, or other food that they like near the edges, the natives get a +number of strong reeds, bend them in the middle, and force the two ends +of each into the ground, about seven inches apart, forming a number of +triangles, with their uppermost extremities about five or six inches from +the ground. From these, strings are suspended with slip nooses, and when +a sufficient number are set, the natives go away, to let the ducks come +up to feed. This they soon do; and whilst poking their heads about in +every direction a great many push them through the snares and get hung. + +Noosing waterfowl is another general and very successful mode of taking +them. It is performed by a native, with a tat-tat-ko, or long rod, +tapering like a fishing rod, but longer, and having a piece of string at +the end, with a slip noose working over the pliant twig which forms the +last joint of the rod. [Note 74: Plate 4, fig. 1. (not reproduced in this +etext)] This being prepared, and it having been ascertained where +the birds are, the native binds a quantity of grass or weeds around +his head, and then taking his long instrument, plunges into the water +and swims slowly and cautiously towards them, whilst they see nothing +but a tuft of grass or weeds coming floating towards them, of which +they take no notice, until coming close upon them he gently raises +the tapering end of the instrument, and carefully putting the noose over +the head of the bird, draws it under water towards him. After taking it +out of the noose, he tucks its head in his belt, or lets it float on the +water, whilst he proceeds to catch another, or as many more as he can +before the birds take the alarm at the struggles of their companions, and +fly away. A windy day is generally selected for this employment, when the +water is ruffled by waves. On such occasions a skilful native will secure +a great many birds. + +Netting birds remains to be described, and is the most destructive mode +of taking them of any that is practised. Geese, ducks, teal, widgeons, +shags, pelicans, pigeons, and others are procured in this way. The method +adopted is as follows:--a large square or oblong net, (kue-rad-ko) from +thirty to sixty feet broad, and from twenty to forty deep, is formed by +lacing together pieces of old fishing nets, or any others, made of light +twine, that they may have. A strong cord is then passed through the +meshes of one end, and tied at both extremes of the net. The natives then +go down to a lagoon of moderate width, where two tall trees may be +standing opposite to each other on different sides, or they select an +opening of a similar kind among the trees on the bank of the river, +through which the ducks, or other birds, are in the habit of passing when +flying between the river and the lagoons. An old man ascends each of the +trees, and over the topmost branch of both lowers the end of a strong +cord passing through the net. The other end is tied near the root of each +tree, and serves for the native, who is stationed there, to raise or +lower the net as it may be required. When set, the ropes are hauled +tight, and the net dangles in the air between the two trees, hanging over +the lagoon, or dry passage, as the case may be. All being ready, a native +is left holding each end of the rope, and others are stationed at +convenient places near, with little round pieces of bark in their hands +to throw at the birds, and drive them onwards as they approach the net. +The women are then sent to put the birds up, and they come flying through +the open space towards the net, not dreaming of the evil that awaits +them; as they approach nearer, the two natives at the trees utter a +shrill whistle, resembling the note of the hawk, upon which the flock, +which usually consists of ducks, lower their flight at once, and +proceeding onwards, strike full against the net, which is instantly +lowered by the men attending to it, and the birds are left struggling in +the water, or on the ground, entangled in its meshes, whilst the natives +are busy paddling in their canoes, or scampering towards the net on the +ground, to wring their necks off, and get the instrument of destruction +raised again, to be ready for the next flight that may come. Should the +birds fly too high, or be inclined to take any other direction, little +pieces of bark are thrown above them, or across their path, by the +natives stationed for that purpose. These circling through the air, make +a whirring noise like the swoop of the eagle when darting on his prey, +and the birds fancying their enemy upon them, recede from the pieces of +bark, and lowering their flight, become entangled in the net. Early in +the morning, late in the evening, and occasionally in the night, this +work is conducted, with the greatest success, though many are caught +sometimes in the day. + +As many as fifty birds are taken in a single haul. I have myself, with +the aid of a native, caught thirty-three, and many more would have been +got, but that the net was old, and the birds broke through it before they +could be all killed. On other occasions, I have been out with the +natives, where a party of five or six have procured from twenty to thirty +ducks, on an average, daily, for many days successively. In these +occupations the natives make use of a peculiar shrill whistle to frighten +down the birds; it is produced by pulling out the under lip with the +fore-finger and thumb, and pressing it together, whilst the tongue is +placed against the groove, or hollow thus formed, and the breath strongly +forced through. Whistling is also practised in a variety of other ways, +and has peculiar sounds well known to the natives, which indicate the +object of the call. It is used to call attention, to point out that game +is near, to make each other aware of their respective positions in a +wooded country, or to put another on his guard that an enemy is near, +etc., etc. + +Such is an outline of some of the kinds of food used by the natives, and +the modes of procuring it as practised in various parts of Australia +where I have been. There is an endless variety of other articles, and an +infinite number of minute differences in the ways of procuring them, +which it is unnecessary to enter upon in a work which professes to give +only a general account of the Aborigines, their manners, habits, and +customs, and not a full or complete history, which could only be compiled +after the observation of many years devoted exclusively to so +comprehensive a subject. + +In the preparation and cooking of their food, and in the extent to which +this is carried, there are almost as many differences as there are +varieties of food. Having no vessels capable of resisting the action of +fire, the natives are unacquainted with the simple process of boiling. +Their culinary operations are therefore confined to broiling on the hot +coals, baking in hot ashes, and roasting, or steaming in ovens. The +native oven is made by digging a circular hole in the ground, of a size +corresponding to the quantity of food to be cooked. It is then lined with +stones in the bottom, and a strong fire made over them, so as to heat +them thoroughly, and dry the hole. As soon as the stones are judged to be +sufficiently hot, the fire is removed, and a few of the stones taken, and +put inside the animal to be roasted if it be a large one. A few leaves, +or a handful of grass, are then sprinkled over the stones in the bottom +of the oven, on which the animal is deposited, generally whole, with hot +stones, which had been kept for that purpose, laid upon the top of it. It +is covered with grass, or leaves, and then thickly coated over with +earth, which effectually prevents the heat from escaping. Bark is +sometimes used to cover the meat, instead of grass or leaves, and is in +some respects better adapted for that purpose, being less liable to let +dirt into the oven. I have seen meat cooked by the natives in this +manner, which, when taken out, looked as clean and nicely roasted as any +I ever saw from the best managed kitchen. + +If the oven is required for steaming food, a process principally applied +to vegetables and some kinds of fruits, the fire is in the same way +removed from the heated stones, but instead of putting on dry grass or +leaves, wet grass or water weeds are spread over them. The vegetables +tied up in small bundles are piled over this in the central part of the +oven, wet grass being placed above them again, dry grass or weeds upon +the wet, and earth over all. In putting the earth over the heap, the +natives commence around the base, gradually filling it upwards. When +about two-thirds covered up all round, they force a strong sharp-pointed +stick in three or four different places through the whole mass of grass +weeds and vegetables, to the bottom of the oven. Upon withdrawing the +stick, water is poured through the holes thus made upon the hissing +stones below, the top grass is hastily closed over the apertures and the +whole pile as rapidly covered up as possible to keep in the steam. The +gathering vegetable food, and in fact the cooking and preparing of food +generally, devolves upon the women, except in the case of an emu or a +kangaroo, or some of the larger and more valuable animals, when the men +take this duty upon themselves. + +In cooking vegetables, a single oven will suffice for three or four +families, each woman receiving the same bundles of food when cooked, +which she had put in. The smaller kinds of fish and shell-fish, birds and +animals, frogs, turtle, eggs, reptiles, gums, etc., are usually broiled +upon the embers. Roots, bark of trees, etc., are cooked in the hot ashes. +Fungi are either eaten raw or are roasted. The white ant is always eaten +raw. The larvae of insects and the leaves of plants are either eaten raw +or in a cooked state. The larger animals, as the kangaroo, emu, native +dog, etc. and the larger fishes, are usually roasted in the oven. + +In preparing the food for the cooking process a variety of forms are +observed. In most animals, as the opossum, wallabie, dog, kangaroo, etc. +the the bones of the legs are invariably broken, and the fur is singed +off; a small aperture is made in the belly, the entrails withdrawn, and +the hole closed with a wooden skewer, to keep in the gravy whilst +roasting. The entrails of all animals, birds, and fishes, are made use +of, and are frequently eaten whilst the animal itself is being prepared. +Most birds have the feathers pulled or singed off, they are then thrown +on the fire for a moment or two and when warm are withdrawn, skinned and +the skin eaten. The meat is now separated on each side of the breast +bone, the limbs are disjointed and thrown back, and the bird is placed +upon the fire, and soon cooked, from the previous dissection it had +undergone, and from hot coals being put above it. + +The smaller fish and reptiles are simply thrown upon the fire, sometimes +gutted, at other times not. The larger fish are divided into three +pieces, in the following manner. The fish is laid on its side, and a +longitudinal cut made from the head to within three or four inches of the +tail, just above where the ribs are joined to the back bone, these are +separated by a sharp pointed stick, and the same done on the other side; +a transverse incision is then made near the root of the tail, the gills +are separated from the head, the fleshy part covering the back dissected +from one to two inches thick, over the whole surface left between the +longitudinal cuts that had been made in the sides, and extending from the +head to the transverse incision near the tail. The divisions then consist +of three pieces, one comprising the head, backbone, and tail, another the +fleshy part that covered the back, and the third the belly and sides. The +last is the most prized of the three. This method of dividing the fish is +well adapted for ensuring rapid preparation in the process of cooking; it +is also well suited for satisfying the respective owners and claimants; +the three pieces being, if not quite equal in size, sufficiently so for +the purpose of partition. + +There are many usages in force among the natives respecting the +particular kinds of food allowed to be eaten at different ages; +restrictions and limitations of many kinds are placed upon both sexes at +different stages of life. What is proper to be eaten at one period, is +disallowed at another, and vice versa. And although laws of this nature +appear to be in force throughout the whole continent, there appear to be +occasional differences of custom as to restriction in regard to both food +and age. It also appears that there are more restrictions placed upon the +females, until past the age of child-bearing, than upon the males. + +Infants are not often weaned until between two and three years old; but +during this time any food is given to them which they can eat, except +those kind of vegetables which are likely to disagree with them. No +restrictions are placed upon very young children of either sex, a portion +being given to them of whatever food their parents may have. About nine +or ten years appears to be the age at which limitations commence. Boys +are now forbidden to eat the red kangaroo, or the female or the young +ones of the other kinds; the musk duck, the white crane, the bandicoot, +the native pheasant, (leipoa, meracco), the native companion, some kinds +of fungi, the old male and female opossum, a kind of wallabie (linkara), +three kinds of fish (toor-rue, toitchock, and boolye-a), the black duck, +widgeon, whistling duck, shag (yarrilla), eagle, female water-mole +(nee-witke), two kinds of turtles (rinka and tung-kanka), and some other +varieties of food. + +When young men they are disallowed the black duck, the widgeon, the +whistling duck, the emu, the eggs of the emu, a fish called kalapko, the +red kangaroo, the young of other kinds of kangaroo, if taken from the +pouch; a kind of shag called yarrilla, the snake (yarl-dakko), the white +crane, the eagle, a kind of water-mole (nee-witke), two kinds of turtle +(rinka and tung-kanka), the musk-duck, the native dog, the large grub dug +out of the ground (ronk), a vegetable food called war-itch (being that +the emu feeds upon), the native companion, bandicoot, old male opossum, +wallabie (linkara), coote, two fishes (toor-rue and toit-chock), etc. etc. + +Married men, until from thirty-five to forty years of age, are still +forbidden the red kangaroo, the young of any kangaroo from the pouch, the +fish kelapko, the shag yarrilla, the coote, the white crane, the turtle +rinka, the native companion, the eagle, etc. + +Young females, before the breasts are fully developed, are disallowed the +young of any of the kangaroo species if taken from the pouch, the red +kangaroo, the white crane, the bandicoot, the native companion, the old +male opossum, the wallabie (linkara), the shag (yarrilla), the eagle, etc. + +Full grown young females are not allowed to eat the male opossum, the +wallabie (linkara), the red kangaroo, the fish kelapko, the black duck, +the widgeon, the whistling duck, the coote, the native companion, two +turtles (rinka and tung-kanka), the emu, the emu's egg, the snake +(yarl-dakko), cray-fish which may have deformed claws, the female or the +young from the pouch of any kangaroo, the musk duck, the white crane, the +bandicoot, the wild dog, two kinds of fish (toor-rue and toitchock), the +shag (yarrilla), the water mole (neewitke), the ground grub (ronk), the +vegetable food eaten by the emu (war-itch), etc. When menstruating, they +are not allowed to eat fish of any kind, or to go near the water at all; +it being one of their superstitions, that if a female, in that state, +goes near the water, no success can be expected by the men in fishing. +Fish that are taken by the men diving under the cliffs, and which are +always females about to deposit their spawn, are also forbidden to the +native women. + +Old men and women are allowed to eat anything, and there are very few +things that they do not eat. Among the few exceptions are a species of +toad, and the young of the wombat, when very small, and before the hair +is well developed. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + +PROPERTY IN LAND--DWELLINGS--WEAPONS--IMPLEMENTS--GOVERNMENT--CUSTOMS-- +SOCIAL RELATIONS--MARRIAGE--NOMENCLATURE. + + +It has generally been imagined, but with great injustice, as well as +incorrectness, that the natives have no idea of property in land, or +proprietary rights connected with it. Nothing can be further from the +truth than this assumption, although men of high character and standing, +and who are otherwise benevolently disposed towards the natives, have +distinctly denied this right, and maintained that the natives were not +entitled to have any choice of land reserved for them out of their own +possessions, and in their respective districts. + +In the public journals of the colonies the question has often been +discussed, and the same unjust assertion put forth. A single quotation +will be sufficient to illustrate the spirit prevailing upon this point. +It is from a letter on the subject published in South Australian Register +of the 1st August, 1840:--"It would be difficult to define what +conceivable proprietary rights were ever enjoyed by the miserable savages +of South Australia, who never cultivated an inch of the soil, and whose +ideas of the value of its direct produce never extended beyond obtaining +a sufficiency of pieces of white chalk and red ochre wherewith to bedaub +their bodies for their filthy corrobberies." Many similar proofs might be +given of the general feeling entertained respecting the rights of the +Aborigines, arising out of their original possession of the soil. It is a +feeling, however, that can only have originated in an entire ignorance of +the habits, customs, and ideas of this people. As far as my own +observation has extended, I have found that particular districts, having +a radius perhaps of from ten to twenty miles, or in other cases varying +according to local circumstances, are considered generally as being the +property and hunting-grounds of the tribes who frequent them. These +districts are again parcelled out among the individual members of the +tribe. Every male has some portion of land, of which he can always point +out the exact boundaries. These properties are subdivided by a father +among his sons during his own lifetime, and descend in almost hereditary +succession. A man can dispose of or barter his land to others; but a +female never inherits, nor has primogeniture among the sons any peculiar +rights or advantages. Tribes can only come into each other's districts by +permission, or invitation, in which case, strangers or visitors are +always well treated. The following extract from Captain Grey's work gives +the result of that gentlemen's observations in Western Australia, +corroborated by Dr. Lang's experience of the practice among the natives +of New South Wales, (vol. ii. p. 232 to 236.) + + +"TRADITIONAL LAWS RELATIVE TO LANDED PROPERTY.--Landed property does not +belong to a tribe, or to several families, but to a single male; and the +limits of his property are so accurately defined that every native knows +those of his own land, and can point out the various objects which mark +his boundary. I cannot establish the fact and the universality of this +institution better than by the following letter addressed by Dr. Lang, +the Principal of Sydney College, New South Wales, to Dr. Hodgkin, the +zealous advocate of the Aboriginal Races: + +"LIVERPOOL, 15th Nov. 1840. + +"My Dear Friend,--In reply to the question which you proposed to me some +time ago, in the course of conversation in London, and of which you have +reminded me in the letter I had the pleasure of receiving from you +yesterday, with the pamphlets and letters for America, viz.--'Whether the +Aborigines of the Australian continent have any idea of property in +land,' I beg to answer most decidedly in the affirmative. It is well +known that these Aborigines in no instance cultivate the soil, but +subsist entirely by hunting and fishing, and on the wild roots they find +in certain localities (especially the common fern), with occasionally a +little wild honey; indigenous fruits being exceedingly rare. The whole +race is divided into tribes, more or less numerous, according to +circumstances, and designated from the localities they inhabit; for +although universally a wandering race with respect to places of +habitation, their wanderings are circumscribed by certain well-defined +limits, beyond which they seldom pass, except for purposes of war or +festivity. In short, every tribe has its own district, the boundaries of +which are well known to the natives generally; and within that district +all the wild animals are considered as much the property of the tribe +inhabiting, or rather ranging on, its whole extent, as the flocks of +sheep and herds of cattle, that have been introduced into the country by +adventurous Europeans, are held by European law and usage the property of +their respective owners. In fact, as the country is occupied chiefly for +pastoral purposes, the difference between the Aboriginal and the European +ideas of property in the soil is more imaginary than real, the native +grass affording subsistence to the kangaroos of the natives, as well as +to the wild cattle of the Europeans, and the only difference indeed +being, that the former are not branded with a particular mark like the +latter, and are somewhat wilder and more difficult to catch. Nay, as the +European regards the intrusion of any other white man upon the +CATTLE-RUN, of which European law and usage have made him the possessor, +and gets it punished as a trespass, the Aborigines of the particular +tribe inhabiting a particular district, regard the intrusion of any other +tribe of Aborigines upon that district, for the purposes of kangaroo +hunting, etc. as an intrusion, to be resisted and punished by force of +arms. In short, this is the frequent cause of Aboriginal, as it is of +European wars; man, in his natural state, being very much alike in all +conditions--jealous of his rights, and exceedingly pugnacious. It is +true, the European intruders pay no respect to these Aboriginal divisions +of the territory, the black native being often hunted off his own ground, +or destroyed by European violence, dissipation, or disease, just as his +kangaroos are driven off that ground by the European's black cattle; but +this surely does not alter the case as to the right of the Aborigines. + +"But particular districts are not merely the property of particular +tribes; particular sections or portions of these districts are +universally recognised by the natives as the property of individual +members of these tribes; and when the owner of such a section or portion +of territory (as I ascertained was the case at King George's Island) has +determined on burning off the grass on his land, which is done for the +double purpose of enabling the natives to take the older animals more +easily, and to provide a new crop of sweeter grass for the rising +generation of the forest, not only all the other individuals of his own +tribe, but whole tribes from other districts are invited to the hunting +party, and the feast and dance, or corrobory that ensue; the wild animals +on the ground being all considered the property of the owner of the land. +I have often heard natives myself tell me, in answer to my questions on +the subject, who were the Aboriginal owners of particular tracts of land +now held by Europeans; and indeed this idea of property in the soil, FOR +HUNTING PURPOSES, is universal among the Aborigines. They seldom complain +of the intrusion of Europeans; on the contrary, they are pleased at their +SITTING DOWN, as they call it, on their land: they do not perceive that +their own circumstances are thereby sadly altered for the worse in most +cases; that their means of subsistence are gradually more and more +limited, and their numbers rapidly diminished: in short, in the +simplicity of their hearts, they take the frozen adder in their bosom, +and it stings them to death. They look for a benefit or blessing from +European intercourse, and it becomes their ruin. + +"If I had a little more leisure I would have written more at length, and +in a style more worthy of your perusal; but you may take it as certain, +at all events, that the Aborigines of Australia HAVE an idea of property +in the soil in their native and original state, and that that idea is, in +reality, not very different from that of the European proprietors of +sheep and cattle, by whom they have, in so many instances, been +dispossessed, without the slightest consideration of their rights or +feelings. + +"Indeed, the infinity of the native names of places, all of which are +descriptive and appropriate, is of itself a PRIMA FACIE evidence of their +having strong ideas of property in the soil; for it is only where such +ideas are entertained and acted on, that we find, as is certainly the +case in Australia, NULLUM SINE NOMINE SAXUM. + +"I am, my dear Friend, +"Your's very sincerely, +"JOHN DUNMORE LANG. + +"To Dr. Hodgkin." + + +The dwellings of the Aborigines are simple, of a very temporary +character, and requiring but little skill or labour to construct them. In +the summer season, or when the weather is fine, they consist of little +more than a few bushes laid one upon the other, in the form of a +semicircle, as a protection from the wind, for the head, which is laid +usually close up to this slight fence. In the winter, or in cold or wet +weather, the semicircular form is still preserved, but the back and sides +are sheltered by branches raised upon one end, meeting at the top in an +arch, and supported by props in front, the convex part being always +exposed to the wind. The sizes of these huts depends upon the facilities +that may be afforded for making them, the number of natives, and the +state of the weather. + +[Note 75: "Travelled northerly for 20 miles; at evening encamped at +Tarcone, adjacent to the station (then being formed) of Drs. Bernard +and Kilgour. The greater part of the servants at this establishment +had been convicts, they were in a state of great insubordination. +My native attendants pointed out an extensive weir, 200 feet long +and five feet high; they said it was the property of a family, +and emphatically remarked, "that white men had stolen it and their +country;" the Yow-ew-nil-lurns were the original inhabitants. "Tapoe," +the Mount Napier of Mitchell, is an isolated hill of volcanic +formation; the crater is broken down on the west side to its base. +The great swamp is skirted by low hills and well grassed open forest +land; the natives are still the undisputed occupants, no white men +having been there to dispossess them. The people who occupy the +country have fixed residences; at one village were 13 large huts, +they are warm and well constructed, in shape of a cupola or "kraal;" a +strong frame of wood is first made, and the whole covered with thick +turf, with the grass inwards; there are several varieties; those like a +kraal are sometimes double, having two entrances, others are +demicircular; some are made with boughs and grass, and last are the +temporary screens; one hut measured 10 feet diameter by five feet high, +and sufficiently strong for a man on horseback to ride over. + +"Left early, attended by Pevay, to reconnoitre the country. In the +marshes numerous trenches were again met with; these resembled more the +works of civilized than of savage men; they were of considerable extent; +one continuous treble line measured 500 yards in length, two feet in +width, and from 18 inches to two feet in depth; these treble dikes led to +extensive ramified watercourses; the whole covered an area of at least +ten acres, and must have been done at great cost of labour to the +Aborigines, a convincing proof of their persevering industry. These are +the most interesting specimens of native art I had seen; thousands of +yards had been accomplished; the mountain streams were made to pass +through them. In fishing, the natives use the arabine or eel-pot of +platted grass, from nine to twelve feet in length. On the elevated ground +were some of the largest ash-hills I had seen, and must have been the +work of generations; one measured 31 yards in length, 29 in width, and +two in height, with hollow cavities for the natives' bivouacs and camping +places."--"Extract from Mr. Robinson's Letter, copied from papers +relative to Australian Aborigines, printed for the House of Commons, +August 1844, p. 240."] + +Sometimes each married man will have a hut for himself, his wives, and +family, including perhaps occasionally his mother, or some other near +relative. At other times, large long huts are constructed, in which, from +five to ten families reside, each having their own separate fire. Young +unmarried men frequently unite in parties of six or eight, and make a hut +for themselves. The materials of which the huts are composed, are +generally small branches or boughs of trees, covered in wet weather with +grass, or other similar material. At other times, and especially if +large, or made in wet weather, they are formed of thick solid logs of +wood, piled and arranged much in the same way as the lighter material, +but presenting an appearance of durability that the others do not +possess. In this case they are generally well covered over with grass, +creeping plants, or whatever else may appear likely to render them +waterproof. In travelling through the country, I have found that where +bushes or shrubs abounded, I could at any time in an hour or two, by +working hard, make myself a hut in which I could lie down, perfectly +secure from any rain. The natives, of course, have much less difficulty +in doing this, from their great skill and constant practice. In many +parts of New Holland that I have been in, bark is almost exclusively used +by the natives, for their huts; where it can be procured good it is +better than any thing else. I have frequently seen sheets of bark twelve +feet long, and eight or ten feet wide, without a single crack or flaw, in +such cases one sheet would form a large and good hut; but even where it +is of a far inferior description, it answers, by a little system in the +arrangement, better than almost any thing else. Projecting, or +overhanging rocks, caverns, hollows of trees, etc. etc., are also +frequently made use of by the natives for lodging houses in cold or wet +weather. When hostile parties are supposed to be in the neighbourhood, +the natives are very cautious in selecting secret and retired places to +sleep. They go up on the high grounds, back among scrubs, or encamp in +the hollows of watercourses, or where there are dense bushes of +polygonum, or close belts of reeds; the fires are very small on these +occasions, and sometimes none are made; you may thus have a large body of +natives encamped very near you without being conscious of it. I have been +taken by a native to a camp of about twenty people in a dense belt of +reeds, which I had gone close by without being aware of their presence, +although I could not have been more than three or four yards from some of +them when I passed. + +It has already been remarked, that where many natives meet together, the +arrangements of their respective huts depends upon the direction they +have come from. In their natural state many customs and restrictions +exist, which are often broken through, when they congregate in the +neighbourhood of European settlements. + +Such is the custom requiring all boys and uninitiated young men to sleep +at some distance from the huts of the adults, and to remove altogether +away in the morning as soon as daylight dawns, and the natives begin to +move about. This is to prevent their seeing the women, some of whom may +be menstruating; and if looked upon by the young males, it is supposed +that dire results will follow. Strangers are by another similar rule +always required to get to their own proper place at the camp, by going +behind and not in front of the huts. In the same way, if young males meet +a party of women going out to look for food, they are obliged to take a +circuit to avoid going near them. It is often amusing to witness the +dilemma in which a young native finds himself when living with Europeans, +and brought by them into a position at variance with his prejudices on +this point. All the buildings of the natives are necessarily from their +habits of a very temporary character, seldom being intended for more than +a few weeks' occupation, and frequently only for a few days. By this time +food is likely to become scarce, or the immediate neighbourhood unclean, +and a change of locality is absolutely unavoidable. When the huts are +constructed, the ground is made level within, any little stumps of +bushes, or plants, stones, or other things being removed, and grass, +reeds, or leaves of trees frequently gathered and spread over the bottom, +to form a dry and soft bed; this and their opossum cloak constitute the +greatest degree of luxury to which they aspire. Occasionally native men, +in very cold weather, are both without huts and clothing of any kind. In +this case, many small fires are made (for the natives never make a large +one), by which they keep themselves warm. I have often seen single +natives sleep with a fire at their head, another at their feet, and one +on either side, and as close as ever they could make them without burning +themselves; indeed, sometimes within a very few inches of their bodies. + +The weapons of the natives are simple and rudimental in character, but +varied in their kind and make, according to the purposes for which they +may be required, or the local circumstances of the district in which they +are used. The spear, which is the chief weapon of offence over all the +known parts of the continent, is of two kinds, one kind is used with the +throwing stick, and the other is thrown out of the hand; of each there +are four varieties that I am acquainted with. Of those launched with the +throwing stick there are--1, the kiko, or reed spear, pointed with hard +wood; 2, the kiero, or hard wood spear, with about two feet of the +flower-stem of the grass-tree jointed to the upper end; 3, a similar +weapon, with five or six jags cut in the solid wood of the point upon one +side; and 4, the light hard wood spear of Port Lincoln, and the coast to +the eastward, where a single barb is spliced on at the extreme point with +the sinew of the emu or the kangaroo: each spear averages from six to +eight feet in length, and is thrown with facility and precision to +distances, varying from thirty to one hundred yards, according to the +kind made use of, and the skill of the native in using it. + +Of the large spear there is--1, the karkuroo, or smooth heavy spear, made +of the gum-scrub; 2, the same description of weapon, barbed with +fragments of flint or quartz; 3, another variety, having five or six jags +cut at the point, upon one side; and 4, a similar weapon, with the same +number of barbs cut upon both sides of the point: each of them is from +twelve to fourteen feet long, and is thrown with most deadly force and +accuracy to distances of from thirty to forty feet. The fishing spear has +already been described. The Nga-wa-onk, or throwing stick is from +twenty to twenty-six inches in length, and is of a very similar character +throughout the continent, varying a little in width or shape according to +the fashion of particular districts. It consists of a piece of hard wood, +broad about the middle, flattened and sometimes hollowed on the inside, +and tapering to either extremity; at the point the tooth of a kangaroo is +tied and gummed on, turning downwards like a hook; the opposite end has a +lump of pitch with a flint set in it, moulded round so as to form a knob, +which prevents the hand from slipping whilst it is being used, or it is +wound round with string made of the fur of the opossum for the same +purpose. In either case it is held by the lower part in the palm of the +hand, clasped firmly by the three lower fingers, with its upper part +resting between the fore-finger and the next; the head of the spear, in +which is a small hole, is fitted to the kangaroo tooth, and then coming +down between the fore-finger and thumb, is firmly grasped for throwing; +the arm is then drawn back, the weapon levelled to the eye, a quivering +motion given to it to steady it, and it is hurled with a rapidity, force, +and precision quite incredible. + +The Wangn or wangno (the boomerang of Eastern and kiley of Western +Australia) is another simple but destructive weapon, in the hands of the +native. It consists of a thin, flat, curved piece of hard wood, about two +feet long, made out of the acacia pendula or gum-scrub, the raspberry-jam +wood, or any other of a similar character, a branch or limb is selected +which has naturally the requisite curve (an angle from one hundred to one +hundred and thirty degrees) and is dressed down to a proper shape and +thickness, and rounded somewhat at the bend, those whose angles are +slightly obtuse, are usually thrown with the sharp edge against the wind, +and go circling through the air with amazing velocity, and to a great +height and distance, describing nearly a parabola and descending again at +the foot of the person who throws them; those which have the largest +obtuse angle are thrown generally against the ground from which they +bound up to a great height, and with much force. With both, the natives +are able to hit distant objects with accuracy, either in hunting or in +war; in the latter case this weapon is particularly dangerous, as it is +almost impossible, even when it is seen in the air, to tell which way it +will go, or where descend. I once nearly had my arm broken by a wangno, +whilst standing within a yard of the native who threw it, and looking out +purposely for it. + +The (katta twirris) or two-edged sword is a formidable weapon, used among +the tribes to the north of Adelaide, exclusively for war; another weapon, +common among the same tribes, is the katta, a round chisel-pointed stick, +about three feet long, and used principally in pitched battles between +two individuals. + +Another weapon is an angular piece of hard wood, pointed and shaped very +much like a miner's pick, the longer or handle-end being rounded and +carved, to give a firmer grasp; another dreadful weapon, intended for +close combat, is made out of hard wood, from two to three feet long, +straight and with the handle rounded and carved for the grasp, which has +an immense pointed knob at the end; the bwirri, is also a weapon of hard +wood about two feet long, rather slight and merely smoothed in the +handle, with a round knob at the extremity, it is principally thrown, and +with very great precision; but is more generally used after game than in +warfare. + +The shield (tar-ram) is made out of the bark or wood of the gum-tree, and +varies in shape and device, the ordinary shield is about two or two and a +half feet long, from eight to eighteen inches across, and tapering from +the middle towards the extremities, two holes are made near the centre, +through which a piece of wood is bent for a handle; shields are always +carved and painted in time of war. + +The implements made use of by the natives are not very numerous, and +their general characteristics are nearly the same all over the continent. +The native hatchet is made of a very hard greenish-looking stone, rubbed +to an edge on either side; it is fixed in the cleft of a stick, or a +branch is doubled round it, and either tied or gummed to prevent its +slipping. The throwing sticks have generally a sharp piece of quartz or +flint gummed on at the lower end, which is used as a knife or chisel; +flints or muscle shells are used for skinning animals, dissecting food, +cutting hair, etc. + +The ngak-ko, a strong chisel-pointed stick, from three to four feet long, +is used for dissecting the larger animals and fish, for digging grubs out +of the trees, for making holes to get out opossums, etc., for stripping +bark, ascending trees, for cutting bark canoes, and a variety of other +useful purposes. The rod for noosing ducks, (tat-tat-ko) and other wild +fowl, is about sixteen feet long, and consists, in its lower part, for +the first ten feet, of hard wood, tapering like an ordinary spear, to +this is cemented with resin, a joint of tolerably strong reed about +sixteen inches long, at the upper end of this is inserted and cemented +with wax, a tapering rod of hard wood, three feet long and very similar +to the top joint of a fly-fishing rod, to this is spliced a fine springy +and strong top, of about eighteen inches in length, at the end of which +is bound a piece of fine strong cord, which works with a running noose +upon the tapering end of the instrument. Needles are made from the fibula +of the emu or kangaroo, and are pointed at one end by being rubbed on a +stone, they are used in sewing as we use a shoemaker's awl, the hole is +bored and the thread put through with the hand; the thread is made of the +sinews of the emu and kangaroo. The netting needle is a little round bit +of stick or reed, about the size of a lead pencil, round which the string +is wound, no mesh is used, the eye and hand enabling the native to net +with the utmost regularity, speed, and neatness. + +The nets for hunting, for carrying their effects or food, for making +belts for the waist, or bandages for the head, are all made from the +tendons or fur of animals, or from the fibres of plants. In the former, +the sinews of the kangaroo or emu, and the fur of opossums and other +similar animals, are used; in the latter, a species of rush, the fibres +of the root of the mallow, the fibres of the root of the broad flag-reed, +etc. and in some parts of the continent, the fibrous bark of trees. The +materials are prepared for use by being soaked in water and carded with +the teeth and hands, or by being chewed or rubbed. + +String is made by the fibres being twisted, and rubbed with the palm of +the hand over the naked thighs, and is often as neatly executed as +English whip-cord, though never consisting of more than two strands,--the +strands being increased in thickness according to the size of the cord +that may be required. Nets vary in size and strength according to the +purposes for which they are required; the duck net (kew-rad-ko) has +already been described, as also the kenderanko, or small net for diving +for fish, and the taendilly net, for diving with under the rocks for the +larger fish; the kenyinki is a net with very small meshes, and set out +with a wooden bow, for catching shrimps and other very small fish. There +are also, a wharro, a large hoop-net for catching small cray-fish; a +lenko, or small net for hanging round the neck, to put muscles, +cray-fish, frogs, etc. in; a rocko, or large net bag, used by the women +for carrying their worldly effects about with them; the kaar-ge-rum, or +net for the waistband; the rad-ko, or fishing net, which is a regular +seine for catching fish, about fifty or sixty feet in length, and varying +in depth according to the place where it is to be used; the emu or +kangaroo net (nunko) is very strong, with meshes from five to six inches +square; it is made of cord as thick as a large quill, and its length is +from a hundred to a hundred and thirty feet, and depth about five feet +when set. The wallabie net is about thirty feet long, of strong cord, and +when set about eighteen inches high. The size of the meshes of all the +nets depends upon the game to be taken; generally they are small. Neat, +and variously striped baskets and mats are made by the women of certain +tribes, from rushes, or a broad-leaved description of grass. The kallater +is a round basket, wide at the base, and tapering upwards; its size +varies. The poola-danooko is a very pretty looking, flat, oval basket, +adapted for laying against the back. The poneed-ke is a large, flat, +circular mat, worn over the back and shoulders, and when tied by a band +round the waist affords a lodging for an infant. Large bags or wallets +are also made of kangaroo skins, with the fur outside, and small ones of +the skins of lesser animals with the fur inside. Skins are prepared for +making cloaks by pegging them tight out upon the ground soon after they +are taken off the animal, when dry, cold ashes or dust are thrown in, to +absorb any grease that may have exuded. If the weather is damp, or the +native is in a hurry, they are pegged out near the fire; after drying, +the smaller skins are rubbed with stones to make them flexible, or are +scored or ornamented with various devices, cut with a flint or shell on +the skin side; the larger skins have their inner layers shaved off by +flints, shells, or implements of wood. Opossums, wallabies, young +kangaroos, etc. are skinned sometimes by simply making a slit about the +head, through which the rest of the body is made to pass; the skins are +turned inside out, and the ends of the legs tied up, and are then ready +for holding water, and always form part of the baggage of natives who +travel much about, or go into badly watered districts. I have seen these +skins (lukomb) capable of holding from two to three gallons of water: the +fur is always inside. The karko is a small spade of wood, used by the +natives north of Adelaide for digging up grubs from the ground. The canoe +or "mun" is a large sheet of bark cut from the gum-tree, carefully +lowered to the ground, and then heated with fire until it becomes soft +and pliable, and can be moulded into form, it is then supported by wooden +props, to keep it in shape, until it becomes hard and set, which is in +about twenty-four hours, though it is frequently used sooner. On its +being launched, sticks or stretchers are placed across each end and in +the middle, to prevent the bark from contracting or curling up with +exposure to the air. A large canoe will hold seven or eight people +easily; it is often twenty feet long. The following is a description of +an ordinary one for fishing:--length fifteen feet, width three feet, +depth eight inches, formed out of a single sheet of bark, with one end a +little narrower than the other and pointing upwards. This end is paddled +first; the bottom is nearly flat, and the canoe is so firm, that a person +can take hold of one side, and climb into it from the water without +upsetting it. It is paddled along with the long pine-spear moo-aroo, +described as being used in fishing at night by firelight. In propelling +it the native stands near the centre, pushing his moo-aroo against the +water, first on one side and then on the other; in shallow water one end +of the moo-aroo is placed on the bottom, and the canoe so pushed along. +The natives are well acquainted with the use of fire, for hardening the +points of their weapons or softening the wood to enable them to bend +them. In the former case, the point is charred in the fire, and scraped +with a shell or flint to the precise shape required; in the latter, their +spears, and other similar weapons, are placed upon hot ashes, and bent +into form by pressure. It is a common practice among many of the tribes +to grease their weapons and implements with human fat, taken from the +omentum, either of enemies who have been killed, or of relations who have +died. Spears, and other offensive arms, are supposed to possess +additional powers if thus treated; and nets and other implements for +procuring game are imagined to become much more effectual in ensnaring +prey. In setting nets, too, the natives have a practice of taking up a +handful of water to the mouth, and then squirting it out over the net, in +a shower of spray, this they think is a powerful charm to ensure the fish +being caught. + +There can hardly be said to be any form of government existing among a +people who recognize no authority, and where every member of the +community is at liberty to act as he likes, except, in so far as he may +be influenced by the general opinions or wishes of the tribe, or by that +feeling which prompts men, whether in civilised or savage communities to +bend to the will of some one or two persons who may have taken a more +prominent and leading part than the rest in the duties and avocations of +life. Among none of the tribes yet known have chiefs ever been found to +be acknowledged, though in all there are always some men who take the +lead, and whose opinions and wishes have great weight with the others. + +Other things being equal, a man's authority and influence increase among +his tribe in proportion to his years. To each stage of life through which +he passes is given some additional knowledge or power, and he is +privileged to carry an additional number of implements and weapons, as he +advances in life. An old grey-headed man generally carries the principal +implements and weapons, either for war or sorcery; many of the latter the +women and children are never allowed to see, such as pieces of +rock-crystal, by which the sorcerer can produce rain, cause blindness, or +impart to the waters the power of destroying life, etc.; sacred daggers +for causing the death of their enemies by enchantment; the +moor-y-um-karr or flat oval piece of wood which is whirled round +the camp at nights, and many others of a similar nature. + +I have not, however, found that age is invariably productive of +influence, unless the individual has previously signalized himself among +his people, and taken up a commanding position when youth and strength +enabled him to support his pretensions, and unless he be still in full +possession of vigour of mind and energy of character, though no longer +endowed with personal strength. The grey-head appears to be usually +treated with respect as long as the owner is no incumbrance to those +around him, but the moment he becomes a drag, every tie is broken, and he +is at once cast off to perish. Among many tribes with which I have been +acquainted, I have often noticed that though the leading men were +generally elderly men from forty-five to sixty years old, they were not +always the oldest; they were still in full vigour of body and mind, and +men who could take a prominent part in acting as well as counselling. I +am inclined, therefore, to think that the degree of estimation in which +any native is held by his fellows, or the amount of deference that may be +paid to his opinions, will in a great measure depend upon his personal +strength, courage, energy, prudence, skill, and other similar +qualifications, influenced, perhaps, collaterally by his family +connections and the power which they possess. + +Each father of a family rules absolutely over his own circle. In his +movements and arrangements he is uncontrolled, yet, as a matter of +policy, he always informs his fellows where he is going, what he is going +to do, how long he will be absent, when he will meet them again, etc. It +thus happens that, although a tribe may be dispersed all over their own +district in single groups, or some even visiting neighbouring tribes, yet +if you meet with any one family they can at once tell you where you will +find any other, though the parties themselves may not have met for weeks. +Some one or other is always moving about, and thus the news of each +other's locality gets rapidly spread among the rest. The principal +occupation, indeed, of parties when they meet, is to give and receive +information relative to neighbouring families or tribes. In cases of +sudden danger or emergency, the scattered groups are rapidly warned or +collected by sending young men as messengers, or by raising signal smokes +in prominent positions. + +In an assembly of the tribe, matters of importance are generally +discussed and decided upon, by the elder men, apart from the others. It +not unfrequently happens, however, that some discontented individual will +loudly and violently harangue the whole tribe; this usually occurs in the +evening, and frequently continues for hours together; his object being +generally either to reverse some decision that has been come to, to +excite them to something they are unwilling to do, or to abuse some one +who is absent. Occasionally he is replied to by others, but more +frequently allowed uninterruptedly to wear himself out, when from sheer +exhaustion he is compelled to sit down. + +Occasionally the tribe is addressed by its most influential members in +the language of admonition or advice, and though at such times a loud +tone and strong expressions are made use of, there is rarely any thing +amounting to an order or command; the subject is explained, reasons are +given for what is advanced, and the result of an opposite course to that +suggested, fully pointed out; after this the various members are left to +form their own judgments, and to act as they think proper. + +In their domestic relations with one another polygamy is practised in its +fullest extent. An old man having usually from one to four wives, or as +many as he can procure. + +The females, and especially the young ones are kept principally among the +old men, who barter away their daughters, sisters, or nieces, in exchange +for wives for themselves or their sons. Wives are considered the absolute +property of the husband, and can be given away, or exchanged, or lent, +according to his caprice. A husband is denominated in the Adelaide +dialect, Yongarra, Martanya (the owner or proprietor of a wife). Female +children are betrothed usually from early infancy, and such arrangements +are usually adhered to; still in many cases circumstances occur +frequently to cause an alteration; but if not, the girls generally go to +live with their husbands about the age of twelve, and sometimes even +before that. Relatives nearer than cousins are not allowed to marry, and +this alliance does not generally take place. Female orphans belong to the +nearest male relative, as also does a widow, instead of to the nearest +male relative of the husband, as was found to be the case in Western +Australia by Captain Grey. Two or three months generally elapse before +the widow goes to another husband; but if the wife dies, the man takes +another as soon as he can get one. If a woman, having young children, +join another tribe, the children go with her; but I am not aware whether +they would remain permanently attached to that tribe or not. Brothers +often barter their sisters for wives for themselves, but it can only be +done with the parents' consent, or after their death. If a wife be +stolen, war is always continued until she is given up, or another female +in her place. + +There is no ceremony connected with the undertaking of marriage. In those +cases where I have witnessed the giving away of a wife, the woman was +simply ordered by the nearest male relative in whose disposal she was, to +take up her "rocko," the bag in which a female carries the effects of her +husband, and go to the man's camp to whom she had been given. Marriage is +not looked upon as any pledge of chastity, indeed no such virtue is +recognised. + +[Note 76: Foeminae sese per totam pene vitam prostituunt. Apud plurimas +tribus juventutem utriusque sexus sine discrimine concumbere in usus est. +Si juvenis forte indigenorum coetum quendam in castris manentem adveniat +ubi quaevis sit puella innupta, mos est; nocte veniente et cubantibus +omnibus, illam ex loco exsurgere et juvenem accedentem cum illo per +noctem manere unde in sedem propriam ante diem redit. Cui foemina sit, +eam amicis libenter praebet; si in itinere sit, uxori in castris manenti +aliquis ejus supplet ille vires. Advenis ex longinquo accedentibus +foeminas ad tempus dare hospitis esse boni judicatur. Viduis et foeminis +jam senescentibus saepe in id traditis, quandoque etiam invitis et +insciis cognatis, adolescentes utuntur. Puellae tenerae a decimo primum +anno, et pueri a decimo tertio vel quarto, inter se miscentur. Senioribus +mos est, si forte gentium plurium castra appropinquant, viros noctu huic +inde transeuntes, uxoribus alienis uti et in sua castra ex utraque parte +mane redire. Temporis quinetiam certis, machina quaedam ex ligno ad formam +ovi facta, sacra et mystica, uam foeminas aspicere haud licitam, decem +plus minus uncias longa et circa quatuor lata insculpta ac figuris +diversis ornata, et ultimam perforata partem ad longam (plerumque e +crinibus humanis textam) inscrendam chordam cui nomen "Mooyumkarr," extra +castra in gyrum versata, stridore magno e percusso aere facto, libertatem +coeundi juventuti esse tum concessam omnibus indicat. Parentes saepe +infantum, viri uxorum quaestum corporum faciunt. In urbe Adelaide panis +praemio parvi aut paucorum denariorum meretrices fieri eas libenter +cogunt. Facile potest intelligi, amorem inter nuptos vix posse esse +grandem, quum omnia quae ad foeminas attinent, hominum arbitrio +ordinentur et tanta sexuum societati laxitas, et adolescentes quibus ita +multae ardoris explendi dantur occasiones, haud magnopere uxores, nisi ut +servas desideraturos. + +But little real affection consequently exists between husbands and wives, +and young men value a wife principally for her services as a slave; in +fact when asked why they are anxious to obtain wives, their usual reply +is, that they may get wood, water, and food for them, and carry whatever +property they possess. In 1842 the wife of a native in Adelaide, a girl +about eighteen, was confined, and recovered slowly; before she was well +the tribe removed from the locality, and the husband preferred +accompanying them, and left his wife to die, instead of remaining to +attend upon her and administer to her wants. When the natives were gone, +the girl was removed to the mission station, to receive medical +attendance, but eventually died. In the same year an old woman who broke +her thigh was left to die, as the tribe did not like the trouble of +carrying her about. Parents are treated in the same manner when helpless +and infirm. [Note 77 at end of para.] In 1839 I found an aged man +left to die, without fire or food, upon a high bare hill beyond the +Broughton. In 1843 I found two old women, who had been abandoned in +the same way, at the Murray, and although they were taken every care +of when discovered, they both died in about a week afterwards. No age +is prescribed for matrimony, but young men under twenty-five years +of age do not often obtain wives, there are exceptions, however, +to this: I have seen occasionally young men of seventeen or eighteen +possessing them. When wives are from thirty-five to forty years of age, +they are frequently cast off by the husbands, or are given to the +younger men in exchange for their sisters or near relatives, if such are +at their disposal. + +[Note 77: "Practised by the American Indians."--Catlin, vol. i. p. 216. + +"The early life of a young woman at all celebrated for beauty is generally +one continued series of captivity to different masters, of ghastly wounds, +of wanderings in strange families, of rapid flights, of bad treatment from +other females amongst whom she is brought a stranger by her captor; and +rarely do you see a form of unusual grace and elegance, but it is marked +and scarred by the furrows of old wounds; and many a female thus wanders +several hundred miles from the home of her infancy, being carried off +successively to distant and more distant points."] + +Women are often sadly ill-treated by their husbands or friends, in +addition to the dreadful life of drudgery, and privation, and hardship +they always have to undergo; they are frequently beaten about the head, +with waddies, in the most dreadful manner, or speared in the limbs for +the most trivial offences. No one takes the part of the weak or the +injured, or ever attempts to interfere with the infliction of such severe +punishments. + +Few women will be found, upon examination, to be free from frightful +scars upon the head, or the marks of spear-wounds about the body. I have +seen a young woman, who, from the number of these marks, appeared to have +been almost riddled with spear wounds. Upon this point Captain Grey +remarks, vol. ii. p. 249. + +The menses commence to flow among the native females at an earlier age +than among Europeans, frequently beginning at about twelve; they are also +subject to many irregularities in their periodical return, arising +probably from the kind of life they lead and the nature of the diet upon +which they live. I have known cases where this irregularity has extended +to three months. Child-bearing does not commence often before the age of +sixteen, nor have I ever noticed pregnant women under that age. In +inquiries conducted by Mr. Moorhouse among the natives of Adelaide, that +gentleman ascertained, that as many as nine children have occasionally +been born to one woman; that the average number is about five; but that +each mother only reared an average of two. At childbirth, the placenta, +which is considered as sacred, is carefully put away from the reach of +the dogs as soon as thrown off from the uterus, and the female is up and +following her usual avocations a very few hours after the accouchement. +Instances have occurred of women sitting up, and asking for food an hour +after confinement, though wet with rain, and having very little fire. Two +days after it, I have seen a woman walking two or three miles, and going +out to look for food in her usual manner. Infanticide is very common, and +appears to be practised solely to get rid of the trouble of rearing +children, and to enable the woman to follow her husband about in his +wanderings, which she frequently could not do if encumbered with a child. +The first three or four are often killed; no distinction appears to be +made in this case between male or female children. Half-castes appear to +be always destroyed. + +The nomenclature of the natives is a subject of considerable difficulty, +and is at present involved in much obscurity and uncertainty, so many +different practices obtaining, and so many changes of name occurring to +some individuals during the course of their life. In the Adelaide +district, and among the tribes to the north, Mr. Moorhouse has found that +numerical names are given to children when first born, in the order of +birth, a variation in the termination constituting the distinction of +name for male or female, thus:-- + + + IF MALE. IF FEMALE. +The 1st child would be called Kertameru Kertanya +2nd child would be called Warritya Warriarto +3rd child would be called Kudnutya Kudnarto +4th child would be called Monaitya Monarto +5th child would be called Milaitya Milarto +6th child would be called Marrutya Marruarto +7th child would be called Wangutya Wangwarto +8th child would be called Ngarlaitya Ngarlarto +9th child would be called Pouarna Ngarlarto + + +These are given at birth; but a short time after another name is added, +which is derived from some object in nature, as a plant, animal, or +insect. This name continues until after marriage and the birth of the +first child, upon which the father takes the name of this child, and has +the word binna or spinna, (an adult,) affixed, as Kadli; name of a child, +Kadlitpinna, the father of Kadli; the mother is called Kadli ngangki, or +mother of Kadli, from ngangki, a female or woman. The names of the father +and mother are changed at the birth of every child in the same manner. + +At Moorunde, and among many other tribes, I have not found any numerical +names to be given at birth, the first name usually being that derived +from some object in nature. This is occasionally changed after marriage +and the birth of a child; as among the Adelaide or northern natives, the +father taking the name of the child with the affix of imbe or nimbe +(implying father), as Kartul, a child's name, Kartulnimbe the father of +Kartul, Memparne, a child's name, Memparnimbe the father of Memparne. +This paidronymic is not, however, always adhered to in preference to the +original name; thus Memparnimbe is as often called by his former name of +Tenberry as his paidronymic; he is also called occasionally Worrammo, +from his being left-handed. Neither have I found the name of the parent +change at the birth of every child; thus Memparnimbe has other children, +younger than Memparne, as Warrulan, Timarro, etc. yet he is never called +Warrulanimbe, Timarronimbe, etc. The mother's name, similarly to that of +the father, is also occasionally altered to that of the child, with the +affix of arwer, or emarwer, as Kartulemarwer, the mother of Kartul, +Memparnemarwer, the mother of Memparne, yet is the original name of the +mother as often used as the paidronymic. Old men are frequently called by +the name of the place which belongs to them, with the affix of bookola +thus Mooroondooyo Bookola is the old man who owns Mooroonde, etc. + +At other times nicknames are given to natives, and so generally made use +of by the others that the proper or original name becomes almost lost. +Thus a native named Marloo, from a habit he had of looking about him and +saying, "I see, I see," is called Nairkinimbe, or the father of seeing. +Another named Ngalle-ngalle is called Eukonimbe, the father of eukodko, +from his being very fond of the crayfish of that name, and so on. Other +local appellations are given referring to some peculiarity of personal +appearance, Parn-gang-gapko, the baldheaded, Towang Makkeroo, the +broken-thighed, etc. Others again refer to family bereavements, as Roo +ptootarap, a father without children, Parntomakker, a childless mother, +Parnko, an orphan, Wirrang, one who has lost a brother, Rockootarap, one +whose wife is dead, Thaltarlpipke, an unmarried man, Rartchilock, one who +owns a wife, Rang, a widow, Waukerow, an unmarried woman, etc. These are +all distinctions, which though readily discoverable by a person tolerably +well versed in the dialect, or long resident among the same natives, +present many difficulties, and lead to many mistakes, amongst casual +inquirers, or those whose pursuits do not keep them long at the place of +their inquiries. There are others which are still more difficult to be +understood, from the almost utter impossibility of learning (with any +reasonable sacrifice of time) the language with sufficient accuracy to +enable the inquirer thoroughly to comprehend the meanings of the proper +names, and deduce the roots from which they are derived. + +Even among the Adelaide tribes, where there appears to be a greater +uniformity in the system of nomenclature than I have met with any where +else, and where Mr. Moorhouse has devoted more time and attention to the +subject than perhaps any other person, there are still difficulties and +uncertainties. Thus an Adelaide boy about the age of ten, is called by +the name of Koar (the crow), from early infancy, but between ten and +twelve, after undergoing one of their ceremonies, the name was changed to +Mannara, (which I believe means the crow's nest). According, however, to +the usual system adopted, this boy's name ought to have remained Koar, +until, by becoming a married man and a father, it gave way to a +paidronymic. + +There is another subject somewhat analogous to that of nomenclature, and +about which still less is known;--that of every native adopting some +object in creation as his crest, or tiende. The same thing is noticed by +Captain Grey in his narrative (vol. ii. p. 228). + + +"But as each family adopts some animal or vegetable, as their crest or +sign, or KOBONG as they call it, I imagine it more likely, that these +have been named after the families, than that the families have been +named after them. + +"A certain mysterious connection exists between a family and its KOBONG, +so that a member of a family will never kill an animal of the species, to +which his KOBONG belongs, should he find it asleep; indeed, he always +kills it reluctantly, and never without affording it a chance to escape. +This arises from the family belief, that some one individual of the +species is their nearest friend, to kill whom would be a great crime, and +to be carefully avoided. Similarly, a native who has a vegetable for his +KOBONG, may not gather it under certain circumstances, and at a +particular period of the year." + +From the foregoing quotation, it is apparent that very little difference +exists in the custom as practised in Western and Southern Australia. In +the former, however, there appears to be an unwillingness to destroy the +object represented by the kobong or tiende that I have never observed in +the latter. But very little appears to be known on this subject at +present, as far as regards the reason for assuming the tiende, or its +connection with the individual or family it may represent. The same +tiende seems to descend from a father to his children; but I have been +told occasionally of instances where such has not been the case. There +are several striking differences between the customs and habits of the +Aborigines of Western Australia, narrated by Captain Grey, and those in +force among the tribes I have myself been best acquainted with in +Southern or South-eastern Australia. One singular peculiarity is +described by Captain Grey. + + +"One of the most remarkable facts connected with the natives, is that +they are divided into certain great families, all the members of which +bear the same names, as a family or second name: the principal branches +of these families, so far as I have been able to ascertain, are the + + Ballaroke + Tdondarup + Ngotak + Nagarnook + Nogonyuk + Mongalung + Narrangur. + +"But in different districts the members of these families give a local +name to the one to which they belong, which is understood in that +district, to indicate some particular branch of the principal family. The +most common local names are, + + Didaroke + Gwerrinjoke + Maleoke + Waddaroke + Djekoke + Kotejumeno + Namyungo + Yungaree. + +"These family names are common over a great portion of the continent; for +instance, on the Western coast, in a tract of country extending between +four and five hundred miles in latitude, members of all these families +are found. In South Australia, I met a man who said that he belonged to +one of them, and Captain Flinders mentions Yungaree, as the name of a +native in the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +"These family names are perpetuated, and spread through the country, by +the operation of two remarkable laws:-- + +"1st. That children of either sex, always take the family name of their +mother. + +"2nd. That a man cannot marry a woman of his own family name." + + +From this it appears that the natives of that part of the country have in +addition to their other ordinary names a family or surname, which is +perpetuated through successive generations on the mother's side. This is +not the case as far as my observations and inquiries have enabled me to +ascertain among the numerous tribes frequenting the Murray river, and Mr. +Moorhouse assures me that he has been equally unable to detect any +coincidence of the kind among the tribes frequenting the district of +Adelaide. + +The division, numbers, and names of the various tribes are also subjects +of difficulty and uncertainty. As far as my researches have yet extended +upon this point, it appears to me, first, that groups of natives have a +distinctive or a local appellation, derived from the particular place +they belong to, as Barmerara maru, the natives frequenting the lake +called Barmera: Moolyoolpero maru, the natives frequenting the lagoon +called Moolyoolko, and so on. Secondly, a general or tribal name, as +Narwijjerook, a native of the tribe so called, which includes the natives +of Barmera and various others in that neighbourhood. Karn-brickolenbola, +a native of the tribe so called, and which includes various groups around +Mooroonde. Thirdly, it appears that wherever a change occurs in the name +of the tribes to which contiguous groups of natives may belong, there is +a corresponding change in the dialect or language spoken; thus the +Narwij-jerook speak a dialect called Narwijjong, the Karn-brickolenbola +tribe the Aiawong dialect, and so on. + +In many of these dialects there appears to be little more difference than +exists among the counties in England. Such is the case up the course of +the Murray from Lake Alexandrina to the Darling; and such Captain Grey +found to be the case throughout a great part of Western Australia. In +others the dialects are so totally unlike one another, that natives, +meeting upon opposite sides of a river, cannot speak to or understand a +word of what each other say, except through the medium of a third +language, namely that spoken by the natives of the river itself, and +which is totally unlike either of the other two. + +This is the case at Moorunde, where three different dialects meet, the +Yakkumban, or dialect spoken by the Paritke tribe, or natives inhabiting +the scrub to the west and north-west of the Murray. The +Boraipar or language of the Arkatko tribe, who +inhabit the scrub to the east of the Murray, and the Aiawong or river +dialect, extending, with slight variations, from the junction of the +Murray and Lake Alexandrina to the Darling. + + + + +Chapter V. + + + +CEREMONIES AND SUPERSTITIONS--FORMS OF BURIAL--MOURNING CUSTOMS--RELIGIOUS +IDEAS--EMPIRICS, ETC. + + +The ceremonies and superstitions of the natives are both numerous and +involved in much obscurity; indeed it is very questionable if any of them +are understood even by themselves. Almost all the tribes impose +initiatory rites upon the young, through which they must pass from one +stage of life to another, until admitted to the privileges and rights of +manhood. These observances differ greatly in different parts of the +continent, independently of local or distinctive variations indicative of +the tribe to which a native may belong. + +Thus at the Gulf of Carpentaria, the rite of circumcision is performed; +at Swan River, King George's Sound, and nearly three hundred miles to the +eastward of the latter place, no such rite exists. Round the head of the +Great Australian Bight, and throughout the Port Lincoln Peninsula, not +only is this rite performed, but a still more extraordinary one conjoined +with it. [Note 78: "Finditur usque ad urethram a parte inferaa penis."] +Descending the east side of Spencer's and St. Vincent's Gulf, and +around the district of Adelaide, the simple rite of circumcision is +retained. Proceeding but a little farther to the banks of the Murray, and +its neighbourhood, no such ceremony exists, nor have I ever heard of its +having been observed any where on the southeastern, or eastern parts of +the continent. + +So also with respect to tattooing; in one part of the continent it is +adopted, in another it is rejected; when it is practised, there are many +varieties in the form, number, or arrangement of the scars, +distinguishing the different tribes, so that one stranger meeting with +another any where in the woods, can at once tell, from the manner in +which he is tattooed, the country and tribe to which he belongs, if not +very remote. In the Adelaide district, Mr. Moorhouse has observed, that +there are five stages to be passed through, before the native attains the +rank of a bourka, or full grown man. The first is, that from birth to the +tenth year, when he is initiated into the second, or Wilya kundarti, by +being covered with blood, drawn from the arm of an adult; he is then +allowed to carry a wirri for killing birds, and a small wooden spade +(karko) for digging grubs out of the ground. At from twelve to fourteen, +the third stage is entered, by having the ceremony of circumcision +performed, which takes place in the following manner. Early in the +morning, the boys to be circumcised are seized from behind, and a bandage +is fastened over the eyes of each; they are then led away from the +presence of the women and children to a distance of half a mile, when +they are laid on the ground, and covered with a cloak, or skin, so as not +to see what is passing amongst the adults, who proceed with the ceremony. +Three of them now commence limping, and making a peculiar groaning noise, +until they arrive opposite one of the boys, upon whom they seize. The +individual laid hold of, jumps up, and runs off at full speed, as if he +intended to escape; the three, before occupied in limping and groaning, +run with him to prevent this, and after three or four races, all four run +over the place where the boys are covered up, and the boy, who had been +trying to escape, is caught, and laid down near the other boys, and +covered with dust. He is now supposed to be in a state of enchantment, +from which he is aroused by being lifted up by the ears, at the same time +that loud noises are made into them. All the men now, except the sick, +form themselves into a circle, and keep walking round in single file, the +first individual having a katto, or long stick held down his back. After +a few circles this is given to another; a short rest is taken, and then +the whole party rise, except the sick, the inspired men, or sorcerers, +and those upon whom the operation is to be performed, and proceed to a +short distance, the man with the katto down his back leading. When +assembled, they form into a line, and at word of command commence the +peculiar stamping and groaning, beginning at the far end of the line, and +gradually advancing towards the other. During several rounds of this +noise, they advance at each, a little nearer to the boys, who when they +are very near, have their eyes uncovered that they may see the men +approaching. The first man who held the katto, fastens it in the ground, +and all the others coming up, take hold of it, and fall down into a heap. +The boys are then thrown upon the heap of men, and the operation is +performed by men who are supposed to be inspired, or sorcerers. +Immediately after the operation, the boys are taken away from the +presence of all females, and kept upon a vegetable diet until recovered +from its effects. The head is covered with grease, and red ochre, with a +bandage passed round it, and is ornamented with tufts of feathers. The +Yudna, or pubic covering, is worn by the circumcised for some months +after the operation. + +The fourth stage (Wilyaru) is entered about the age of twenty, when the +back, shoulders, arms and chest, are tattooed. He is called ngulte, at +the time of the operation; yellambambettu, when the incisions have begun +to discharge pus; tarkange, when the sores are just healed; mangkauitya, +at the time the cuts begin to rise; and bartamu, when the scars are at +their highest elevation. Each tribe has a distinctive mode of making +their incisions. Some have scars running completely across the chest, +from one axillar to the other, whilst others have merely dotted lines; +some have circles and semicircles formed on the apex of the shoulder, +others small dots only. + +The fifth stage is bourka or full man, and is only attained when the +individual is getting grey-headed. + +Among the Murray natives and contiguous tribes, instead of the rite of +circumcision, a ceremony called wharepin, is performed upon youths from +fourteen to sixteen. Early in the morning some of the male friends of the +boy about to be operated upon, go behind him to seize him, upon which he +sets off running as hard as he can, as if to escape; but being followed +by his pursuers is soon captured and thrown down; he is then raised up +and surrounded by several natives, who hold him and smear him from head +to foot, with red ochre and grease; during this part of the ceremony, a +band of elderly women, generally the mother and other near relatives, +surround the group, crying or lamenting, and lacerating their thighs and +backs with shells or flints, until the blood streams down. When well +ochred all over, the novice is led away by another native, apart from the +rest of the tribe, or if there are more than one, they stand together +linked hand in hand, and when tired sit down upon bunches of green boughs +brought for that purpose, for they are neither allowed to sit on the +ground, nor to have any clothing on; and when they move about they always +carry a bunch of green boughs in each hand. + +They are now ready for the ceremony, which is usually performed by +influential natives of distant tribes, and which generally takes place at +the meetings of these tribes, as in the case of the meeting of the +Moorunde natives, and the Nar-wij-jerook tribe described in Chapter +II.P.220. On that occasion, there were three Moorunde natives to be +operated upon. As soon as the ceremonial of the meeting of the tribes had +been gone through, as already described, the Nar-wij-jerook natives +retired about a hundred yards, and sat down on the ground, the Moorunde +people remaining standing. The three spears which had little nets +attached to them, and which had been brought down by the Nar-wij-jerooks, +were now advanced in front of that tribe, still seated and stuck in a row +in the ground. Three men then got up and seated themselves at the foot of +the three spears, with their legs crossed. Two other natives then went +over to the Moorunde people, to where the three novices stood shaking and +trembling, like criminals waiting for their punishment, seizing them by +the legs and shoulders, and carefully lifting them from the ground, they +carried each in turn, and laid them on their backs at full length upon +green boughs, spread upon the ground in front of the three men sitting by +the spears, so that the head of each rested on the lap of one of the +three. From the moment of their being seized, they resolutely closed +their eyes, and pretended to be in a deep trance until the whole was +over. When all three novices had been laid in their proper position, +cloaks were thrown over them, but leaving the face exposed, and a +Nar-wij-jerook coming to the side of each, carefully lifted up a portion +of the covering and commenced plucking the hair from the pubes. At +intervals, the operators were relieved by others of both sexes, and of +various ages; little children under ten, were sometimes but not +frequently officiating. When all the hair had been pulled out, that +belonging to each native was carefully rolled up in green boughs, the +three lots being put together, and given to one of the wise or inspired +men to be put properly away; bunches of green boughs were now placed +under each arm of the boys as also in their hands, after which several +natives took hold of them, and raised them suddenly and simultaneously to +their feet, whilst a loud gutteral Whaugh was uttered by the other +natives around. They were then disenchanted and the ceremony was over, +but for some time afterwards, the initiated are obliged to sleep away +from the camp, and are not allowed to see the women; their heads and +bodies are kept smeared with red ochre and grease, and tufts of feathers +and kangaroo teeth are worn tied to the hair in front. One of the most +singular circumstances connected with this ceremony, is that the natives +who have officiated never afterwards mention the name of the young men, +nor do the latter ever mention the names of the individuals who have +operated upon them; should the name of either be accidentally mentioned +in the presence of the other, they are greatly annoyed, and at once put +the hand up to the mouth to signify that it must not be spoken. It is +thus often very difficult to find out the names of particular natives, +and strangers would make many mistakes, imagining that they were putting +down the name, when in reality they were marking some phrase, signifying +that his name could not be mentioned by the one applied to. They have no +objection to meet each other after the ceremony, nor do they decline +speaking, but there is this peculiarity in their conduct that if one +gives food, or any thing else to the other, it is either laid on the +ground for him to take, or is given through the intervention of a third +person, in the gentlest and mildest manner possible, whereas to another +native it would be jerked, perhaps much in the same way that a bone is +thrown to a dog. There are other instances in which the names of natives +are never allowed to be spoken, as those of a father or mother-in-law, of +a son-in-law and some cases arising from a connection with each other's +wives. In speaking, therefore, of one another, or introducing persons to +distant natives, a very round about way of describing them has often to +be adopted, yet so intimately are neighbouring tribes acquainted with the +peculiar relations subsisting between the members of each, that there is +rarely any difficulty in comprehending who the individual is that is +alluded to. Among the Adelaide tribes, there is no circumstance but death +that makes them unwilling to mention the name of any of their +acquaintances, and this cause of unwillingness I believe extends equally +all over the continent. + +The ceremony of tattooing is practised among the tribes of the Murray and +its neighbourhood with great circumstantial variety. Some are tattooed +all over the back or breast in rows, some only one half of each or of +one, some are only dotted, others have rings or semicircles round the +upper part of the arms and some are tattooed on the belly, etc. + +Many tribes I have met with in different parts of Australia, have no +tattooing at all, others are marked on the breast by singular looking +scars, occupying a space of six or eight inches each way upon the chest, +these are called "renditch" in the Murray dialect, and are made by fire; +but I have never been able to obtain any satisfactory information +respecting them. These scars are confined to particular tribes whom I +have only met with occasionally, and for a period which did not allow me +the opportunity of making much inquiry into their origin. + +At Encounter Bay, instead of plucking out the hair of the pubes, the +incipient beard is pulled out by the roots, and the youth, as at the +Murray, is smeared from head to foot with red ochre and grease. + +Among the females the only ceremony of importance that I am aware of is +that of tattooing the back, a long and very painful operation. [Note 79 at +end of para.] The method of performing the operation is as follows: +the person whose back is to be tattooed is taken out early in the +morning and squatted on the ground with her back towards the operator +(always a male), and her head bent down between the knees of a strong +old woman who is sitting on the ground for that purpose; the back is +thus presented in the best position to the operator, and the girl, +as long as her head is kept firmly in its position, cannot possibly +arise until all is over. The man who performs the ceremony then +commences by taking hold of a fold of the flesh on the girl's right side, +just above the breech, with his left hand, whilst with his right he +holds a piece of flint or shell, and cuts perpendicular gashes an inch +long, three-sixteenths of an inch deep, and about half an inch apart, +in horizontal lines from right to left quite across the back, the rows +being half an inch or three-quarters distant from each other. + +[Note 79: Hoc plerumque menstruis jam primum venientibus factum est: +saepe autem puellis propter timorem statum suam celantibus, aut aliqua +alia ex causa, opus quod tempore menstruali fieri prorsus necessarium est, +in proxima differtur.] + +This is carried up the whole way from where he commences to the +shoulders, and when freshly done, presents one of the most dreadful +spectacles imaginable, the blood gushes out in torrents, and though +frequently wiped away with grass by some of the women present, is +scarcely removed before the crimson stream flows as profusely as ever. +During the time of the ceremony the mother and other female relations +lament and mourn, whilst they lacerate their bodies with shells. When the +incisions are all made, grass or boughs are warmed at the fire, to wipe +off the blood. The whole scene is most revolting and disgusting; the +ground near where the poor creature sits is saturated with blood, and the +whole back is one mass of coagulated gore. In one case, where I saw this +operation performed upon a girl belonging to the Paritke tribe, she +seemed to suffer much pain. At first, until nearly a row of scars had +been made across the lower part of the back, she bore the operation well, +but as it proceeded, her cries were piteous and unceasing, and before it +was concluded, they became the most heart-rending screams of agony. From +the position in which she was held, however, by the old woman on the +ground (and who, by the way, was her mother,) it was impossible for her +to stir or escape; indeed, had she attempted it, she would probably have +been most cruelly beaten in addition. + +The ceremony occupied three-quarters of an hour, but it was two hours +before the wounds had ceased to bleed, and even then, the dried blood was +not washed off. Two kangaroo teeth, and a tuft of emu feathers were tied +to the girl's hair, and she was smeared over with grease and red ochre, +but was still forbidden to touch food until the morning. + +Many weeks elapse before the wounds heal, and the inconveniences +attending them are removed. + +In another case that I saw, the girl bore the operation most stoically, +until about two-thirds over, when she could stand it no longer, but +screaming out in agony, applied her teeth and nails with such good effect +to the thighs of the old lady who held her down, that the latter was +compelled to release her grasp, and the poor girl got up, vowing she +would not have another incision made. Of course all resistance would have +been futile, or probably have only brought down a fearful chastisement +upon her if she had been alone with her tribe in the bush; but she took +advantage of my presence, and escaped with nearly one-third of the +incisions deficient. At this ceremony many other natives of both sexes, +and of all ages were standing looking on; but so little did they +commiserate the poor creature's sufferings, that the degree of her pain +only seemed to be the measure of their laughter and merriment. + +The girls, however, are always anxious to have this ceremony performed, +as a well tattooed back is considered a great addition to their other +charms, and whenever I have offered to protect them from the cruelty of +their tribe for refusing to submit to it, they have invariably preferred +submitting to the operation. + +The only other ceremonies undergone by the females, are those of having +the belly or arms tattooed, and of having the hair plucked from the pubes +after the death of a child, and sometimes from other causes. + +In the mode of disposing of the dead, and the ceremonials attending it, +there is a difference in almost every tribe. Among the Adelaide natives +as soon as a person dies, a loud wailing cry is raised by the relations +and friends. The body is immediately wrapped up in the skin or clothing +worn during life, and in the course of a day or two, it is placed upon +the wirkatti or bier, which is made of branches crossed so as to form the +radii of a circle, an examination is then entered upon as to the cause of +death, in the following manner. The bier is carried upon the shoulders of +five or six persons, over places where the deceased had been living; +whilst this is going on, a person is placed under the bier, professedly +in conversation with the deceased. He asks, what person killed you? If +the corpse say no one, the inquest ceases; but if it states that some +person has, the bier moves round, the corpse is said to produce the +motion, influenced by kuingo (a fabulous personification of death). If +the alleged murderer be present, the bier is carried round by this +influence, and one of the branches made to touch him. Upon this a battle +is sure to ensue either immediately, or in the course of a day or two. + +At the time of burial the body is removed from the bier, and deposited, +with the head to the west, in a grave from four to six feet deep. +Children under four years are not buried for some months after death. +They are carefully wrapped up, carried upon the back of the mother by +day, and used as a pillow by night, until they become quite dry and +mummy-like, after which they are buried, but the ceremony is not known to +Mr. Moorhouse. + +In the Encounter Bay neighbourhood, four modes of disposing of the dead +obtain, according to Mr. Meyer:--old persons are buried; middle-aged +persons are placed in a tree, the hands and knees being brought nearly to +the chin, all the openings of the body, as mouth, nose, ears, etc. being +previously sewn up, and the corpse covered with mats, pieces of old +cloth, nets, etc. The corpse being placed in the tree, a fire is made +underneath, around which the friends and relatives of the deceased sit, +and make lamentations. In this situation the body remains, unless removed +by some hostile tribe, until the flesh is completely wasted away, after +which the skull is taken by the nearest relative for a drinking cup. + +The third mode is to place the corpse in a sitting posture, without any +covering, the face being turned to the eastward, until dried by the sun, +after which it is placed in a tree. This mode is adopted with those to +whose memory it is intended to shew some respect. The fourth method is to +burn the body; but this is only practised in the case of still-born +children, or such as die shortly after birth. + +Another method practised upon Lake Alexandrina, is to construct a +platform [Note 80 at end of para.], or bier upon high poles of pine, +put upright in the ground upon which the body is placed, bandages being +first put round the forehead, and over the eyes, and tied behind. A bone +is stuck through the nose, the fingers are folded in the palm of the hand, +and the fist is tied with nets, the ends of which are fastened about a +yard from the hands; the legs are put crossing each other. + +[Note 80: "They often deposit their dead on trees and on scaffolds." +--Catlin's AMERICAN INDIANS, vol. ii. p. 10--vide also vol. i. p. 89] + +The lamentations are raised by the natives around, fires are made below, +so that the smoke may ascend over the corpse, and the mourners usually +remain encamped about the place for a great length of time, or until the +body is thoroughly dry, after which they leave it. Mr. Schurman says, "At +Port Lincoln, after the body is put in a grave, and a little earth is +thrown on it; the natives place a number of sticks across its mouth, over +which they spread grass or bushes to prevent the remaining earth from +falling down, so that an empty space of about three feet in depth is left +between the body and the top earth." + +At the Flinders river (Gulf of Carpentaria), Captain Stokes observes, "At +the upper part of Flinders river, a corpse was found lodged in the +branches of a tree, some twenty feet high from the ground; it had three +coverings, first, one of bark, then a net, and outside of all a layer of +sticks." + +On the Murray river, and among the contiguous tribes, many differences +occur in the forms of burial adopted by the various tribes. Still-born +children are buried immediately. Infants not weaned are carried about by +the mother for some months, well wrapped up, and when thoroughly dry, are +put into nets or bags, and deposited in the hollows of trees, or buried. +Children and young people are buried as soon as practicable after death, +and a spearing match generally ensues. + +Old people are also buried without unnecessary delay. I have even seen a +man in the prime of life all ready placed upon the bier before he was +dead, and the mourners and others waiting to convey him to his long home, +as soon as the breath departed. + +In the case of a middle-aged, or an old man, the spearing and fighting +contingent upon a death is always greater than for younger natives. The +burial rites in some tribes assimilate to those practised near Adelaide; +in others I have witnessed the following ceremony:--The grave being dug, +the body was laid out near it, on a triangular bier (birri), stretched +straight on the back, enveloped in cloths and skins, rolled round and +corded close, and with the head to the eastward; around the bier were +many women, relations of the deceased, wailing and lamenting bitterly, +and lacerating their thighs, backs, and breasts, with shells or flint, +until the blood flowed copiously from the gashes. The males of the tribe +were standing around in a circle, with their weapons in their hands, and +the stranger tribes near them, in a similar position, imparting to the +whole a solemn and military kind of appearance. After this had continued +for some time, the male relatives closed in around the bier, the mourning +women renewed their lamentations in a louder tone, and two male relatives +stepped up to the bier, and stood across the body, one at the head, and +one at the foot, facing each other. + +Having cut above the abdomen the strings binding the cloths which were +wound round the body, they proceeded to cut a slit of about ten inches +long, through the swathing cloths above the belly; through this opening, +they removed the arms, which appeared to have been crossed there, laying +them down by the sides, inside the wrappings (for no part was unwound); +having warmed a handful of green boughs over a fire, they thrust them in +through the opening in the cloths, upon the naked belly of the corpse; +after a little while these were removed, and one of their sorcerers made +an incision of about eight inches long in the abdomen. Having pulled out +the entrails and peritoneum, they were turned over, and carefully +examined, whilst the women kept wailing and cutting [Note 81 at end +of para.] themselves more violently than before, and even the men +themselves lamented aloud. When this had been continued for some time, +a portion of the omentum was cut off, wrapped in green leaves, and then +put carefully away in a bag. The entrails were now replaced, a handful +or two of green leaves thrust in above them, the cloths replaced, and the +body again bound up ready for interment. + +[Note 81: Also an American custom.--Catlin, vol. i. p. 90. Lacerating the +flesh at death was expressly forbidden in the Jewish dispensation. It is +practised also in New Zealand.--Vide Dieffenbach.] + +A relative of the deceased now jumped up, with his weapons, violently +excited, and apparently with the intention of spearing some one; but he +was at once restrained by his friends, who informed me that the +investigation had satisfied them that the man had not died through the +agency of sorcery; if he had, it is imagined that a cicatrice would have +been found upon the omentum. Two men now got into the grave, spread a +cloth in the bottom, and over that green boughs. Other natives turned the +bier round, and lifting up the body, gave it to the two in the grave to +lay in its proper position, which was quite horizontal, and with the head +to the west [Note 82 at end of para.], the grave being dug east and west: +green boughs were now thrown thickly into it, and earth was pushed in by +the bystanders with their feet, until a mound had been raised some height +above the ground. All was now over, and the natives began to disperse, +upon which the wild and piercing wail of the mourners became redoubled. + +[Note 82: This appears to be a very general custom, and to be of Eastern +origin. Catlin describes it as always being attended to at the disposal +of the dead by the American Indians. In South Africa, however, Moffat +states (p. 307), "that the corpse is put exactly facing the north."] + +Upon the mounds, or tumuli, over the graves, huts of bark, or boughs, are +generally erected to shelter the dead from the rain; they are also +frequently wound round with netting. Many graves being usually in one +vicinity, and an elevated dry place being selected, the cemeteries often +present a picturesque appearance. Graves are frequently visited by the +women at intervals, for some months, and at such times the wail is +renewed, and their bodies lacerated as at the interment. At Boga Lake, I +saw a grave with a very neat hut of reeds made over it, surmounted by +netting, and having a long curious serpentine double trench, of a few +inches deep, surrounding it; possibly it might have been the burial place +of the native mentioned by Major Mitchell, as having been shot by his +black, Piper, at that lake. + +Nets, but not implements, are sometimes buried with the natives; nor do +the survivors ever like to use a net that has belonged to a man who is +dead. + +There are not any ceremonies attending the burial of young children; and +the male relatives often neglect to attend at all, leaving it altogether +to the women. + +The natives have not much dread of going near to graves, and care little +for keeping them in order, or preventing the bones of their friends from +being scattered on the surface of the earth. + +I have frequently seen them handling them, or kicking them with the foot +with great indifference. On one occasion when out with an old native +looking for horses before it was daylight, I came to a grave of no very +old date, and where the boughs and bushes built over in the form of a hut +were still remaining undisturbed; the weather was extremely cold, and the +old man did not hesitate to ask me to pull down the boughs to make a +fire, but would not do it himself. + +On another occasion when a poor old woman had been deserted by the +natives of Moorunde, and died a few days after being brought up to the +station, I had great difficulty in getting the other natives to bury her, +they would on no account touch the body; but after digging a hole, they +got a long wiry branch of a tree, and one man taking hold of each end +they bent the middle round the old woman's neck, and thus dragged her +along the ground and threw her into the pit like a dog, all the time +violently and continually spitting out in every direction to ward off, as +they said, the infection. + +[Note 83: "He tied a thong to her leg, avoiding the touch of that form +which gave him birth, dragged the corpse to some bushes, and left the +thong because it had been in contact with the body of his mother." +--Moffat's South Africa, p. 306.] + +Sometimes it happens that when a death occurs, the nearest grown up male +relative, whose duty it would be to take the principal part in the +ceremonies, or inflict punishment if evil agency is suspected to have +caused the death, may be absent. In this case he would have to discharge +these duties upon the first occasion of his meeting with the supposed +aggressors. The following is an instance which I witnessed. + +A relative of Tenberry, one of the principal natives of the Murray, had +died when he was absent, and the son of the deceased was too young to +revenge the sorcery which it was imagined had caused his father's death, +it therefore became Tenberry's duty to do this upon the first occasion +that offered. I was with him when the parties first came into the +neighbourhood, and I witnessed the proceedings. Notice having been sent +by Tenberry the evening before, to warn them to be ready, I accompanied +him early in the morning towards the encampment of the natives, situated +in a hollow near the water; when within about a hundred yards we saw from +the rise all the natives seated below us in the valley. Tenberry now +halted, and having taken a hasty survey of the group hung down his head +upon his breast and raised a low mournful lamentation; after a time it +ceased, and the wail was at once replied to and continued by women's +voices in the camp: he now hastily went down to the camp still uttering +his lamentations, and the whole body rose at his approach, and formed a +large open circle around him. The natives who were supposed to have +caused the death of his friend, formed a part of the circle and were +armed with spears; behind them stood the orphan son of the deceased, +probably in the light of an accuser; and behind the son were the widows, +wailing and lamenting bitterly. + +After taking the centre of the circle, Tenberry called for a spear, but +no one offered one, he therefore took a long one from a native in the +ring, who had evidently brought it for that purpose and yielded it +unresistingly. Pacing with this weapon furiously up and down the circle, +he advanced and retreated before the accused, brandishing the spear at +them, and alternately threatening and wailing. No one replied, but the +melancholy dirge was still kept up by the widows in the rear. + +After sufficiently exciting himself in this manner for some time, he +advanced with uplifted spear, and successively repeating his blows +speared four or five persons among the accused natives in the left arm, +each of them pushing forward his arm unflinchingly for the blow as he +advanced upon them. Tenberry now again hung down his head and took up his +lamentation for a short time, after which he paced about rapidly, +vehemently haranguing, and violently gesticulating, and concluded by +ordering all the natives present to separate their camps, and each tribe +to make their own apart. + +Mourning is performed by the men by cutting their beards [Note 84 at end +of para.] and hair, and daubing the head and breast with a white pigment; +among the women, by cutting and burning the hair close off [Note 85 at +end of para.] to the head and plastering themselves with pipe-clay. +In some cases, hot ashes are put upon the head to singe the hair to +its very roots, and they then literally weep "in dust and ashes." Among +some of the Murray tribes, a mourning cap is worn by the women, made two +or three inches thick of carbonate of lime. It is moulded to the head +when moist around a piece of net work; the weight is eight pounds and +a half. (Pl. 1, fig. 17.) + +[Note 84: The custom among the Australians of putting dust or ashes on the +head, of shaving the head, of clipping the beard, and of lacerating the +body at death or in sign of mourning, appears very similar to +the practices among the Israelites in the time of Moses. Vide +Leviticus xix. 27, 28; Leviticus xxi. 5; Jeremiah xiviii. 30, 31, 32; +Revelations xviii. 19, etc.] + +[Note 85: The women among the American Indians also cut off the hair +close to the head as a sign of mourning.--Vide Catlin, vol. i.] + +The lamentations for the dead do not terminate with the burial; +frequently they are renewed at intervals by the women, during late hours +of the night, or some hours before day-break in the morning. Piercingly +as those cries strike upon the traveller in the lonely woods, if raised +suddenly, or very near him, yet mellowed by distance they are soothing +and pleasing, awakening a train of thoughts and feelings, which, though +sad and solemn, are yet such as the mind sometimes delights to indulge +in. The names of the dead are never repeated by the natives among +themselves, and it is a very difficult matter for a European to get them +to break through this custom, nor will they do it in the presence of +other natives. In cases where the name of a native has been that of some +bird or animal of almost daily recurrence, a new name is given to the +object, and adopted in the language of the tribe. Thus at Moorunde, a +favourite son of the native Tenberry was called Torpool, or the Teal; +upon the child's death the appellation of tilquaitch was given to the +teal, and that of torpool altogether dropped among the Moorunde tribe. + +The natives of New Holland, as far as yet can be ascertained, have no +religious belief or ceremonies. A Deity, or great First Cause, can hardly +be said to be acknowledged, and certainly is not worshipped by this +people, who ascribe the creation to very inefficient causes. They state +that some things called themselves into existence, and had the property +of creating others. But upon all subjects of this nature their ideas are +indistinct and indefinite, as they are not naturally a reasoning people, +and by no means given to the investigation of causes or their effects; +hence, if you inquire why they use such and such ceremonies, they reply, +our fathers did so, and we do it; or why they believe so and so, our +fathers told us it was so. [Note 86 at end of para.] They are not fond of +entering upon abstruse subjects, and when they are induced to do it, it is +more than possible, from our imperfect acquaintance with their language, +and total ignorance of the character and bent of their thoughts upon such +points, that we are very likely to misunderstand and misrepresent their +real opinions. It appears to me that different tribes give a different +account of their belief, but all generally so absurd, so vague, +unsatisfactory, and contradictory, that it is impossible at present +to say with any certainty what they really believe, or whether they +have any independent belief at all. Mr. Moorhouse, who has taken +great pains in his inquiries among the natives around Adelaide upon +questions of this nature, states that they believe in a Soul or Spirit +(itpitukutya), separate and distinct altogether from the body, which +at death goes to the west, to a large pit, where the souls of all men go. +When all are dead, the souls will return to their former place of +residence, go to the graves of their forsaken bodies, and inquire, +are these the bodies that we formerly inhabited? The bodies will reply, +"we are not dead, but still living." The souls and bodies will not be +re-united; the former will live in trees during the day, and at night +alight on the ground, and eat grubs, lizards, frogs, and kangaroo rats, +but not vegetable food of any description. The souls are never again +to die, but will remain about the size of a boy eight years old. + +[Note 86: "For that practice, they are, as far as I could learn, unable to +give any other reason than that of its being the custom of their +forefathers which they are therefore bound to follow."--Burchell's +Bichuana tribes, vol. ii. p. 531.] + +The account given me by some of the natives of the Murray of the origin +of the creation, is, that there are four individuals living up among the +clouds, called Nooreele, a father and his three male children, but there +is no mother. The father is all-powerful, and of benevolent character. He +made the earth, trees, waters, etc., gave names to every thing and place, +placed the natives in their different districts, telling each tribe that +they were to inhabit such and such localities, and were to speak such and +such a language. It is said that he brought the natives originally from +some place over the waters to the eastward. The Nooreele never die, and +the souls (ludko, literally a shadow) of dead natives will go up and join +them in the skies, and will never die again. Other tribes of natives give +an account of a serpent of immense size, and inhabiting high rocky +mountains, which, they say, produced creation by a blow of his tail. But +their ideas and descriptions are too incongruous and unintelligible to +deduce any definite or connected story from them. + +All tribes of natives appear to dread evil spirits, having the appearance +of Blacks (called in the Murray dialect Tou, in that of Adelaide Kuinyo). +They fly about at nights through the air, break down branches of trees, +pass simultaneously from one place to another, and attack all natives +that come in their way, dragging such as they can catch after them. Fire +[Note 87 at end of para.] appears to have considerable effect in keeping +these monsters away, and a native will rarely stir a yard by night, +except in moonlight, without carrying a fire-stick. Under any +circumstances they do not like moving about in the dark, and it is with +the greatest difficulty that they are ever induced to go singly from +one station to another, a mile or two distant, after night-fall. +Notwithstanding this dread of they don't know exactly what, the natives +do not let their fears prevent them moving about after dark, if any +object is to be gained, or if several of them are together. By moonlight +they are in the habit of travelling from one place to another, as well as +of going out to hunt opossums. + +[Note 87: Fire is produced by the friction of two pieces of wood or +stick--generally the dry flower-stem of the Xanthorrea. The natives, +however, usually carry a lighted piece of wood about with them, and do +not often let it go out.] + +Anything that is extraordinary or unusual, is a subject of great dread to +the natives: of this I had a singular instance at Moorunde. In March, +1843, I had a little boy living with me by his father's permission, +whilst the old man went up the river with the other natives to hunt and +fish. On the evening of the 2nd of March a large comet was visible to the +westward, and became brighter and more distinct every succeeding night. +On the 5th I had a visit from the father of the little boy who was living +with me, to demand his son; he had come down the river post haste for +that purpose, as soon as he saw the comet, which he assured me was the +harbinger of all kinds of calamities, and more especially to the white +people. It was to overthrow Adelaide, destroy all Europeans and their +houses, and then taking a course up the Murray, and past the Rufus, do +irreparable damage to whatever or whoever came in its way. It was sent, +he said, by the northern natives, who were powerful sorcerers, and to +revenge the confinement of one of the principal men of their tribe, who +was then in Adelaide gaol, charged with assaulting a shepherd; and he +urged me by all means to hurry off to town as quickly as I could, to +procure the man's release, so that if possible the evil might be averted. +No explanation gave him the least satisfaction, he was in such a state of +apprehension and excitement, and he finally marched off with the little +boy, saying, that although by no means safe even with him, yet he would +be in less danger than if left with me. + +All natives of Australia believe in sorcery and witchcraft on the part of +certain of their own tribe, or of others. To enable them to become +sorcerers, certain rites must be undergone, which vary among the +different tribes. Around Adelaide they have at one period to eat the +flesh of young children, and at another that of an old man, but it does +not appear that they partake more than once in their life of each kind. +When initiated, these men possess extensive powers, they can cure or +cause diseases, can produce or dissipate rain [Note 88 at end of para.], +wind, hail, thunder, etc. They have many sacred implements or relics, +which are for the most part carefully kept concealed from the eyes of all, +but especially from the women, such as, pieces of rock crystal, said to +have been extracted by them from individuals who were suffering under +the withering influence of some hostile sorcerers; the pringurru, a sacred +piece of bone (used sometimes for bleeding), etc. The latter, if burned +to ashes in the fire, possesses mortiferous influence over enemies. +If two tribes are at war, and one of either happens to fall sick, it is +believed that the sickness has been produced by a sorcerer of the opposite +tribe, and should the pringurru have been burnt, death must necessarily +follow. + +[Note 88: Also an American superstition.--Vide Catlin, vol.i.p. 134. +"Sorcerers or rain makers, for both offices are generally assumed by one +individual."--Moffat's South Africa, p. 305.] + +As all internal pains are attributed to witchcraft, sorcerers possess the +power of relieving or curing them. Sometimes the mouth is applied to the +surface where the pain is seated, the blood is sucked out, and a bunch of +green leaves applied to the part; besides the blood, which is derived +from the gums of the sorcerer, a bone is sometimes put out of the mouth, +and declared to have been procured from the diseased part; on other +occasions the disease is drawn out in an invisible form, and burnt in the +fire, or thrown into the water; at others the patient is stretched upon +the ground, whilst another person presses with his feet or hands upon the +diseased part, or cold water is sprinkled over, and green leaves used as +before. There are few complaints that the natives do not attempt to cure, +either by charms or by specific applications: of the latter a very +singular one is the appliance personally of the urine from a female--a +very general remedy, and considered a sovereign one for most disorders. +Bandages are often applied round the ankles, legs, arms, wrists, etc. +sufficiently tight to impede circulation; suction is applied to the bites +of snakes, and is also made use of by their doctors in drawing out blood +from the diseased part, a string being tied to the hair, if it be the +head that ails, or to any other part, and the opposite end is put into +the sorcerer's mouth, who then commences sucking and spitting out blood, +which he declares comes from the patient. Blood letting is practised +occasionally to relieve pains in the head, or oppression of the system. +The operation is performed by opening a vein in the arm, with a piece of +rock crystal in the same way as Europeans bleed. + +Fractures of the extremities are treated with splints and bandages, as in +Europe. Venereal ulcers are sprinkled with alkaline wood ashes, the +astringent liquid of the nettle bark, or a macerated preparation from a +particular kind of broad-leaved grass. Superficial wounds are left to +themselves, and usually heal without much trouble. Malformations of the +body are attributed to the influence of the stars, caused by the mother +eating forbidden food during pregnancy, or if occurring after birth it is +still caused by the stars, in consequence of forbidden food being eaten. +The teeth of the native are generally regular and very beautiful, indeed, +in their natural state, I have never seen a single instance of decayed +teeth, among them. Among those, however, who have been living near +Europeans for some years past, and whose habits and diet have been +changed from simple to more artificial ones, a great alteration is taking +place in this respect, and symptoms of decaying teeth are beginning to +make their appearance among many. + +Among other superstitions of the natives, they believe in the existence +of an individual called in the Murrumbidgee Biam, or the Murray +Biam-baitch-y, who has the form and figure of a black, but is deformed in +the lower extremities, and is always either sitting cross-legged on the +ground, or ferrying about in a canoe. + +From him the natives say they derive many of the songs sung at their +dances; he also causes diseases sometimes, and especially one which +indents the face like the effects of small pox. Another evil agency, +dreaded by the natives, is a spirit of the waters, called ngook-wonga, it +causes many diseases to those who go into the waters in unauthorised +places, or at improper times, hence a native is very loth to go into +water he is not accustomed to for the first time. + +To counteract the evil effects produced by this spirit, there are persons +particularly devoted to this branch of sorcery, the following is a case +where I saw them exercise their powers. A boy of about fourteen had at +the Murray river been seized with a severe attack of erysipelas in the +lower part of one of his legs, from bathing and remaining in the water +when heated. As this did not get better, it was ascribed to the evil +agency of the Spirit of the Waters; and the Pachwonga or Pachwin were +called in to cure him. They arrived late at night, three in number, and +at once proceeded to the exercise of their duties. As soon as it was seen +that the magicians were coming, the friends of the boy lifted him up, and +carrying him some distance away from the camp, placed him on the ground +by himself, and then ranged themselves in two rows upon either side, in a +sitting posture, but at some distance behind the patient. The three magi +now advanced in the form of a triangle, one leading and the other two +behind, equidistantly apart. They were all painted, carried bunches of +green reeds in their hands, which they kept shaking, and danced [Note 89 +at end of para.] with a measured tread, keeping the right foot always in +advance of the other as in a galopade, and singing a low solemn dirge, +which was vehemently beat time to, by the natives behind thumping +on the ground. Upon arriving at the boy, the leading native fell down +on his knees close to him, and took hold of the diseased leg, the +other two still dancing and singing around the patient. In a little +time, one of the two fell down also on his knees on another side +of the boy, leaving the third still dancing and singing around them. +At last he fell down also on his knees in a triangular position +with the others, the boy being in the centre. All three now commenced +blowing, spitting, making curious gurgling kinds of noises, waving +their green bunches of reeds, and pressing forcibly upon the diseased +leg to make the patient give audible indications of the evil spirit +leaving him. After some time, two of the three doctors got up +again, danced and sung around the boy, and then once more assuming their +kneeling positions, recommenced spitting and blowing, waving their +bunches of reeds, and making the same curious noises, but louder than +ever. Their exorcism at last was effectual, the evil spirit, in the shape +of a sharp stone, was extracted from the limb, and driven into the +ground; but it was too dark they said to see it. As soon as this +agreeable news was announced, the friends of the boy came up and hastily +removed him back to the camp, whilst the three doctors assuming the +triangular position, sung and danced round the place where the boy had +been laid, and then advancing in the same form towards the river, keeping +the right foot always in advance, they at last fairly drove the spirit +into the water and relieved the neighbourhood from so troublesome a +visitor. + +[Note 89: "Dancing over him, shaking his frightful rattles, and singing +songs of incantation, in the hopes to cure him by a charm."--Catlin's +North American Indians, vol. i.p. 39.] + +It was a long time before I lost a vivid impression of this ceremony; the +still hour of the night, the naked savages, with their fancifully painted +forms, their wild but solemn dirge, their uncouth gestures, and unnatural +noises, all tended to keep up an illusion of an unearthly character, and +contributed to produce a thrilling and imposing effect upon the mind. + +At the Murray River, singular looking places are found sometimes, made by +the natives by piling small stones close together, upon their ends in the +ground, in a shape resembling the accompanying diagram, and projecting +four or five inches above the ground. The whole length of the place thus +inclosed, by one which I examined, was eleven yards; at the broad end it +was two yards wide, at the narrow end one. The position of this singular +looking place, was a clear space on the slope of a hill, the narrow end +being the lowest, on in the direction of the river. Inside the line of +stones, the ground was smoothed, and somewhat hollowed. The natives +called it Mooyumbuck, and said it was a place for disenchanting an +individual afflicted with boils. In other places, large heaps of small +loose stones are piled up like small haycocks, but for what purpose I +could never understand. This is done by the young men, and has some +connection probably with their ceremonies or amusements. + +In others, singular shaped spaces are inclosed, by serpentine trenches, a +few inches deep, but for what purpose I know not, unless graves have +formerly existed there. + +Another practice of the natives, when travelling from one place to +another, is to put stones up in the trees they pass, at different heights +from the ground, to indicate the height of the sun when they passed. +Other natives following, are thus made aware of the hour of the day when +their friends passed particular points. Captain Grey found the same +custom in Western Australia; vol. i. p. 113, he says:-- + + +"I this day again remarked a circumstance, which had before this period +elicited my attention, which was, that we occasionally found fixed on the +boughs of trees, at a considerable height from the ground, pieces of +sandstone, nearly circular in form, about an inch and a half in +thickness, and from four to five in diameter, so that they resembled +small mill-stones. What was the object of thus fashioning, and placing +these stones, I never could conceive, for they are generally in the least +remarkable spots. They cannot point out burial places, for I have made +such minute searches, that in such case I must have found some of the +bones; neither can they indicate any peculiar route through the country, +for two never occur near one another." + + +The power of sorcery appears always to belong, in a degree, to the aged, +but it is assumed often by the middle aged men. It is no protection to +the possessor, from attack, or injury, on the part of other natives. On +the contrary, the greater the skill of the sorcerer, and the more +extensive his reputation, the more likely is he to be charged with +offences he is unconscious of, and made to pay their penalty. Sorcerers +are not ubiquitous, but have the power of becoming invisible, and can +transport themselves instantaneously to any place they please. Women are +never sorcerers. It is a general belief among almost all the Aborigines, +that Europeans, or white people, are resuscitated natives, who have +changed their colour, and who are supposed to return to the same +localities they had inhabited as black people. The most puzzling point, +however, with this theory, appears to be that they cannot make out how it +is that the returned natives do not know their former friends or +relatives. I have myself often been asked, with seriousness and +earnestness, who, among the Europeans, were their fathers, their mothers, +and their other relatives, and how it is that the dead were so ignorant, +or so forgetful, as not to know their friends when they again returned to +the earth. + +One old native informed me, that all blacks, when dead, go up to the +clouds, where they have plenty to eat and drink; fish, birds, and game of +all kinds, with weapons and implements to take them. He then told me, +that occasionally individuals had been up to the clouds, and had come +back, but that such instances were very rare; his own mother, he said, +had been one of the favoured few. Some one from above had let down a +rope, and hauled her up by it; she remained one night, and on her return, +gave a description of what she had seen in a chaunt, or song, which he +sung for me, but of the meaning of which I could make out nothing. + + + + +Chapter VI + + + +NUMBERS--DISEASES--CAUSE OF LIMITED POPULATION--CRIMES AGAINST EUROPEANS-- +AMONGST THEMSELVES--TREATMENT OF EACH OTHER IN DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD, ETC. + + +There is scarcely any point connected with the subject of the Aborigines +of New Holland, upon which it is more difficult to found an opinion, even +approximating to the truth, than that of the aggregate population of the +continent, or the average number of persons to be found in any given +space. Nor will this appear at all surprising, when the character and +habits of the people are taken into consideration. Destitute of any fixed +place of residence, neither cultivating the soil, nor domesticating +animals, they have no pursuits to confine them to any particular +locality, or to cause them to congregate permanently in the same +district. On the contrary, all their habits have an opposite tendency. + +The necessity of seeking daily their food as they require it, the fact of +that food not being procurable for any great length of time together in +the same place, and the circumstance that its quality, and abundance, or +the facility of obtaining it, are contingent upon the season of the year, +at which they may visit any particular district, have given to their mode +of life, an unsettled and wandering character. + +The casual observer, or the passing traveller, has but little, therefore, +to guide him in his estimate of the population of the country he may be +in. A district that may at one time be thinly inhabited, or even +altogether untenanted, may at another be teeming with population. The +wanderer may at one time be surrounded by hundreds of savages, and at +another, in the same place he may pass on alone and unheeded. + +At Lake Victoria, on the Murray, I have seen congregated upwards of six +hundred natives at once, again I have passed through that neighbourhood +and have scarcely seen a single individual; nor does this alone +constitute the difficulty and uncertainty involved in estimating the +numbers of the Aborigines. Such are the silence and stealth with which +all their movements are conducted, so slight a trace is left to indicate +their line of march, and so small a clue by which to detect their +presence, that the stranger finds it impossible to tell from any thing +that he sees, whether he is in their vicinity or not. I have myself often +when travelling, as I imagined in the most retired and solitary recesses +of the forest, been suddenly surprised by the unexpected appearance of +large bodies of natives, without being in the least able to conjecture +whence they had come, or how they obtained the necessaries of life, in +what appeared to me an arid and foodless desert. + +Captain Grey has observed in other parts of Australia, the same ingenuity +and stealth manifested by them in either cloaking their movements, or +concealing their presence, until circumstances rendered it in their +opinion no longer necessary to preserve this concealment, vol. i. p. 147, +he says: "Immediately numbers of other natives burst upon my sight, each +tree, each rock, seemed to give forth its black denizen as if by +enchantment; a moment before the most solemn silence pervaded these +woods, we deemed that not a human being moved within miles of us, and now +they rang with savage and ferocious yells, and fierce armed men crowded +around us on every side, bent on our destruction." + +Nor is it less difficult to arrive at the number of the population in +those districts which are occupied by Europeans. In some, the native +tribes rarely frequent the stations, in others, portions only of the +different tribes are to be found; some belong to the district and others +not. In all there is a difficulty in ascertaining the exact number of any +tribe, or the precise limits to which their territory extends in every +direction around. Even could these particulars be accurately obtained in +a few localities, they would afford no data for estimating the population +of the whole, as the average number of inhabitants to the square mile, +would always vary according to the character of the country and the +abundance of food. + +Upon this subject Captain Grey remarks, vol. ii. p. 246, "I have found the +number of inhabitants to a square mile to vary so much from district to +district, from season to season, and to depend upon so great a variety of +local circumstances, that I am unable to give any computation which I +believe would even nearly approach to truth." + +Mr. Moorhouse, who has also paid much attention to this subject, in the +neighbourhood of Adelaide, has arrived at the conclusion, that, in 1843, +there were about sixteen hundred aborigines, in regular or irregular +contact with the Europeans, in the province of South Australia; these he +has classed as follows, viz.:-- + +In regular contact with Europeans, + + +Adelaide district 300 +Encounter Bay 230 +Moorunde 300 +Port Lincoln 60 +Hutt River 30 + --- + 920 + + +In irregular contact with Europeans, + + +Adelaide - +Encounter Bay 100 +Moorunde 200 +Port Lincoln 340 +Hutt River 40 + --- + 680 + + +or together about 1600. + +Taking in the southern districts of South Australia 120 miles from +Adelaide, the northern ones 160, and the eastern one 200. Mr. Moorhouse +estimates that there are altogether only about 3000 natives. This +however, appears to me to be a considerably under-rated number, and I +should rather incline to the opinion, that there are twice as many, if +the Port Lincoln peninsula be added to the limits already mentioned. In +the Port Lincoln district, Mr. Schurman conjectures there are about 400. + +On the Murray River, which is, perhaps, the most densely populated part +of the country, I imagine there are, from Moorunde, about three to four +natives to every mile of river, which as it winds very considerably in +its course, would give a large population to the square mile, if only the +valley of the Murray was taken into account. + +There are other tribes also frequenting the river occasionally, from the +back scrubs on either side; but as these range through a great extent of +country beyond the valley, and only sometimes come down there on a visit; +I do not include them in the estimate. + +At Moorunde itself I have sometimes had from four to five hundred +collected, and among those, only a few, perhaps, from the very remote +tribes. + +At the Rufus and Lake Victoria, I have seen above six hundred together, +where they had no other motive to collect in so large a party, than from +custom, and for the enjoyment of festivity. + +Large towns are frequently the centre of meeting for many, and very +distant tribes. The facility of obtaining scraps by begging, small +rewards for trifling jobs of work, donations from the charitable, and a +variety of broken victuals, offal, etc. enable them to collect in large +numbers, and indulge to the uttermost their curiosity in observing the +novelties around them, in meeting strange tribes, and joining them either +in war or festivity, in procuring tools, clothes, etc. to carry back and +barter in their own districts, and for other similar objects. Thus, +Adelaide is nearly always occupied by tribes from one part or other of +the country: on an average, it will support probably six hundred in the +way I have described, though occasionally eight hundred have met there. +The following returns of the numbers who have attended the annual muster +on the Queen's birthday, when bread and beef have been distributed, will +show how the ratio has gone on increasing during the last five years. + + +In 1840 there were present 283 men, women, and children. + 1841 there were present 374 men, women, and children. + 1842 there were present 400 men, women, and children. + 1843 there were present 450 men, women, and children. + 1844 there were present 793 men, women, and children. + + +In the Murray district, where it has been customary, since the first +establishment of the post at Moorunde, to issue a certain quantity of +flour once in the month (at the full moon) to every native who chose to +come in to receive it, the increase in attendance has been progressively +going on, viz. + + + 2 issues in 1841 the average attendance were 52 men, women, and children +12 issues in 1842 the average attendance were 94 men, women, and children +10 issues in 1843 the average attendance were 136 men, women, and children + 9 issues in 1844 the average attendance were 171 men, women, and children + + +Occasionally nearly 500 natives have been present at these monthly issues +of flour, and the reason that the average attendance is not greater, is, +that immediately after collecting at Moorunde, at the full of the moon, +to receive their flour, from 100 to 300 would usually set off to +Adelaide, where there are so many objects of interest and attraction, and +re-remain there for several months at a time, and especially during the +winter. As fast, too, as one party returned to their own districts, +another would go into town, and thus the average number would be +constantly kept down. A third reason why the musters do not appear so +large as they otherwise would, is that many of the more distant natives +come down at other times than the full moon, and I have then been obliged +to deviate from my usual custom, and issue flour to them at the periods +when they arrived. The number of natives attending such extraordinary +issues do not appear in the periodical returns. + +In endeavouring to estimate the numbers and proportions of the sexes, and +children, almost as great a difficulty exists as in that of obtaining +their aggregate numbers. This arises from the fact of the more distant +tribes who visit Europeans stations, frequently leaving their younger +wives, or little children at home, with aged relatives, whilst they +themselves go to a distance. In all the periodical, or regular issues of +flour at the time of full moon, I have accurately kept lists of all who +attended. The gross totals of thirty-three issues are as follows:-- + + +Men 1266 +Women 1330 +Boys 930 +Girls 551 +Infants 52 + ---- + 4129 + + +From this it is apparent, first, that the women attending the monthly +meetings at the Murray have been, on the whole, about five and a half per +cent in excess of the men, an extraordinary and unusual circumstance, as +compared with the results obtained at other places. I can only account +for this upon the supposition before given, that when large bodies of +natives leave Moorunde for Adelaide, more men than women go away, and +that consequently a larger proportion of females is left behind. Mr. +Moor-house remarks, upon this point, that he has found the males to +average seventy per cent more than the females, among the Adelaide +tribes. My own observation leads me to the opinion that upon the Murray +the two sexes are as nearly equal in numbers as may be. + +Secondly, it would appear, that of the Moorunde issues, the number of +girls attending has been little more than one half that of the boys. This +may, perhaps, arise in some measure from females assuming the duties of +women, and being classed as such, at an age when males would still be +considered as only boys. The principal reason, however, must, as before, +be ascribed to a greater number of girls being left behind by the more +distant tribes when they come to visit Moorunde. + +Thirdly, from the list I have given, it seems that to each woman there +would be about 1 1/3 child. Upon this subject Mr. Moorhouse remarks, that +his investigation has led to the conclusion that each woman has, on an +average, five children born (nine being the greatest number known), but +that each mother only rears, upon an average, two; and this I think, upon +the whole, would be a tolerably correct estimate. + +There is one point connected with the return I have given, peculiarly +striking, as it shews the comparatively small increase that now appears +to be going on among the more numerous tribes of the Aborigines, I allude +to the fact of there only having been fifty-two young infants among 1330 +women. By infants I mean such as had to be carried in the arms, for those +who could walk at all have been classed among the boys and girls. + +I have never known a case of twins among the Aborigines, and Mr. +Moorhouse informs me that no case has ever come under his observation; +but Captain Grey found such to occur sometimes in Western Australia. On +the number and proportion of the sexes he observes, that 4.6 seemed to be +the average number of children born to each woman, and that there was one +female to every 1.3 males. With respect to the duration of life among the +Aborigines, Captain Grey says, vol. ii. p. 246-248--"With regard to the +age occasionally attained by the natives, I believe very erroneous ideas +have been prevalent, for so far am I from considering them to be short +lived, that I am certain they frequently attain the age of seventy years +and upwards." "Yet were these instances of longevity contrasted with the +great number of deaths which take place during the period of infancy, +there can be no doubt whatever that the average duration of life amongst +these savage tribes falls far short of that enjoyed by civilized races." + +These remarks, as far as my observation has extended, apply to the +natives of New Holland generally. I have frequently met with many +venerable, white-headed men among the Aborigines, who could not, I think, +have been less than eighty years of age, and who yet retained the full +vigour of mind, and the bold, upright, though now wasted form, that had +characterised them in the pride of manhood; but about sixty-five appears +perhaps to be the average age attained by the old. + +The second inference is more than borne out by the statement already +recorded, that for every five children born on an average to each mother, +two only are reared, and these subject to all the casualities and dangers +which savage life is exposed to. + +[Note 90: This can of course only apply to tribes tolerably well known to +Europeans, and more or less frequently coming in contact with them. Of +tribes in their natural state we can have no accurate data, and but few +passing notes even that are worthy of confidence. Generally I have found +children to be numerous among tribes who have never had intercourse with +Europeans' and it is a well known fact that the increase of numbers in +aboriginal tribes is checked in proportion to the frequency, or the +extent of their communication with Europeans. At Flinders island to which +210 Van Diemen's Land natives were removed from Van Diemen's Land in +1835, this is singularly exemplified. In 1842 Count Strzelecki says, page +353--"And while each family of the interior of New South Wales, +uncontaminated by contact with the whites, swarms with children, those of +Flinders island, had during eight years an accession of only fourteen in +number."] + +Upon inquiry into the causes which tend to prevent population going on in +an increasing ratio among the natives of Australia, the following appear +to be the most prominent. First, polygamy, and the illicit and almost +unlimited intercourse between the sexes, habits which are well known to +check the progress of population, wherever they prevail. + +Secondly. Infanticide, which is very general, and practised to a great +extent, especially among the younger and favourite women. + +Thirdly. Diseases, to which in a savage state young children are +peculiarly liable, such as dysentry, cold, and their consequences, etc. + +[Note 91: Huic accedit, ex quo illis sunt immisti Europaei, lues venerea. +Morbum infantibus matres afflant, et ingens multitudo quotannis +inde perit.] + +Fourthly. Wars and quarrels, occurring sometimes from the most trivial +circumstances, and often ending in deaths, or wounds that terminate in +death. + +The diseases to which the natives are subject, are with the exception of +those induced by artificial living, as gout, rheumatism, etc. very similar +to those which afflict Europeans, the principal being the result of +inflammation, acute, or chronic, arising from exposure to the cold, and +which affects most generally the bronchiae, the lungs, and the pleura. +Phthisis occasionally occurs, as does also erysipelas. Scrofula has been +met with, but very rarely. A disease very similar to the small-pox, and +leaving similar marks upon the face, appears formerly to have been very +prevalent, but I have never met with an existing case, nor has Mr. +Moorhouse ever fallen in with one. It is said to have come from the +eastward originally, and very probably may have been derived in the first +instance from Europeans, and the infection passed along from one tribe to +another: it has not been experienced now for many years. + +[Note 92: Ex morbis quos patiuntur ab adventu Europaeorum longe +frequentissima et maxime fatalis est lues venerea. An hic morbus +indigenis, priusquam illis immiscebuntur Europaei erat notus, sciri nunc +minime potest. Ipsi jamdiu ex oriente adductum dicunt, ex quo maxime +probabile videtur, eum, origine prima ex Europa, inde de gente in gentem +per totam poene continentem esse illatam. Neque dubium eum in gentibus iis +quibus non immiscentur Europaei, neque frequentem esse, nec acrem, eorum +autem per immistionem terribilem in modum augescere. Quinetiam ii sunt +indigenarum mores, ut, adveniat modo forma sub pessima morbus, velox et +virulentus qualis nusquam alias illico latissime effluat. Licet bene +sciant hae gentes, hunc, sicut ejus modi alii morbum per contactum +contractum esse illis tamen pestem cujus indies spectantur tantae tamque +terribiles offensiones, vitare minime curae est. Vidi egomet plurimos non +modo aegrotorum in tentoriis otiari, verum etiam foedatus ita secure +induere vestes aut iisdem in stragulis cubare, ac si optima ibi adesset +sanitas. Mihi stationem publicam ponendi causa ad "Morrandi" in mensa +Octobris, 1841, advenienti, occurrebant populi morbis poene liberi +formam atque membra bene formati; postea autem ex frequenti cum oppido +et proximis stationibus commercio, circa Octobrem 1844, morbos quam +maxime horridos contraxerant. Inde eo tempore moribundi erant plurimi, +nonnulli mortui, paucique ex iis, qui frequenter coibant, ex omni aetate +et sexu hujusce pestis formis omnino expertes erant. Apud indigenas +morbus hic eodem fere modo quo apud Europaeos sese ostendere videtur +variis tamen ex causis etiam magis odiosum, eo praesertim quod pustulae +rotundae, magnitudinem fere uncialem habentes, simul in cute exsurgunt. +His gradatim, cum pure effluente, pars media expletur, et inde magis +magisque crescentibus et dispersis corporis universi superficies tabe ac +scabie laborat, quae propinquantibus simul horrorem ac nauseam movent. +Ulcera haec aliquando infra sex vel octo menses ipsa se cohaerent; +plerumque autem incitamentorum et vi causticorum ad locum adhibita infra +hebdomadas tres sanantur. Nec minus apud indigenas quam apud Europaeos, +remedium hujusoe morbi speciale: medicamenta sunt mercurialia, majore +tamen illis cum periculo, tum propter eorum mores, quum quod plerumque +sub dio vivunt, omni absente medicina. Post annum primum aut alterum +morbus evanescit, interdum mortem affert. Semper autem aegrotis miseris +cruciatus maximus et dolores perpetui inde flunt. Moorhousi de morbo hoc +opiniones in paucis a meis experimentis dissident, quum ille num glandem +penis aut inguinis, principio nunquam, glandem autem penis rarissime vel +secundo attingere arbitrabatur. Ego autem et hoc et illud in ripis +Murray fluminis vidi.] + +Many natives of deformed persons are occasionally to be met with, +especially in the extremities. I have seen natives tall, and perfect, and +well built in the body and limbs, from the head down to the knees: but +from that point downwards, shrivelled and blighted, presenting but skin +and bone. Many are blind in one eye, some in both; sometimes this appears +the effect of inflammation, or of cataract; at others, it may be the +result of accident. Among those natives inhabiting the sandy drifts along +the western coast, where the sand is always circling about in a perfect +shower, I have no doubt but that many become blind from its effects. + +In October, 1839, Mr. Moorhouse found nine inhabitants in two huts to the +south; out of these, five were quite blind, and one had lost one eye; +they were occupied in making nets. + +Deaf and dumb persons are not often found among the Aborigines, but I +have met with instances of this kind. One of the most intelligent natives +I ever met with, was a deaf and dumb youth at the Wimmera. From this poor +boy, I could more readily and intelligibly obtain by signs a description +of the country, its character, and localities, than from any native I +ever met with, whose language I was at the time quite unacquainted with. + +The blind, or the infirm, are generally well treated, and taken care of +when young, but as soon as they advance in years, or become an impediment +to the movements of the tribe, they are abandoned at once by their +people, and left to perish. + +The crimes committed by the natives against Europeans do not bear any +proportion, either numerically, or in magnitude, to their number, as a +people, and the circumstances of their position. When we consider the low +state of morals, or rather, the absence of all moral feeling upon their +part, the little restraint that is placed upon their community, by either +individual authority, or public opinion, the injuries they are smarting +under, and the aggressions they receive, it cannot but be admitted that +they are neither an ill disposed, nor a very vindictive people. The +following are the returns of the convictions of natives in South +Australia for the years 1842 and 1843, viz. :-- + +SUPREME COURT. +-------------- + +OFFENCE. 1842 1843 1844 + +Larceny 2 0 2 +Assault with intent to murder 2 0 0 +Wilful murder 0 3 1 +Sheep stealing 1 2 1 +Cattle stealing 0 1 2 + +RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. +---------------------------- + +Assault 0 3 3 +Breaking windows 1 0 0 +Intoxication 3 0 0 +Injuring park trees 0 0 2 + ---------- + 9 9 11 + + +In the colony of New South Wales, the return of all the trials of the +Aborigines, from 10th February, 1837, to the 24th July, 1843, amounted to +thirty-three cases, and implicated sixty-one individuals. The offences +were chiefly murder and assault, or stealing sheep and cattle. In ten +cases only, out of thirty-three, convictions took place, and nineteen +individuals were sentenced, viz., twelve to death, six to transportation +for ten years, and one to a flogging. [Note 93: For particulars vide +Papers on the Aborigines of Australian Colonies, printed for the House of +Commons, August 9th, 1844.] + +Among the natives, but few crimes are committed against each other; in +fact, it would be somewhat difficult to define what their idea of crime +would be, for that which is offensive on the part of another is +considered a virtue in themselves. Accustomed to act upon the impulse of +the moment, and to take summary vengeance for injury, real or imagined, +their worst deeds are but in accordance with their own standard of right, +having no moral sense of what is just or equitable in the abstract, their +only test of propriety must in such cases be, whether they are +numerically, or physically strong enough to brave the vengeance of those +whom they may have provoked, or injured. Custom has, however, from time +immemorial, usurped the place of laws, and with them, perhaps, is even +more binding than they would be. Through custom's irresistible sway has +been forged the chain that binds in iron fetters a people, who might +otherwise be said to be without government or restraint. By it, the young +and the weak are held in willing subjection to the old and the strong. +Superstitious to a degree they are taught from earliest infancy to dread +they know not what evil or punishment, if they infringe upon obligations +they have been told to consider as sacred. All the better feelings and +impulses implanted in the human heart by nature, are trampled upon by +customs, which, as long as they remain unchanged, must for ever prevent +them from rising in the scale of civilization and improvement, or to use +the apt and expressive language of Captain Grey upon this point, vol. ii. +p. 217 :-- + +"He (the native) is in reality subjected to complex laws, which not only +deprive him of all free agency of thought, but at the same time, by +allowing no scope for the development of intellect, benevolence, or any +other great moral qualification, they necessarily bind him down in a +hopeless state of barbarism, from which it is impossible for him to +emerge, so long as he is enthralled by these customs, which, on the other +hand, are so ingeniously devised as to have a direct tendency to +annihilate any effort that is made to overthrow them." + +Those customs regulate all things, the acquisition and disposal of wives, +the treatment of women, of the elders, the acquiescence of the younger +members of a tribe in any measure that may have been decided upon by the +old men, the rules which guide the international intercourse between +different tribes, the certain restrictions or embargoes that are put upon +different kinds of food or at certain ages, the fear of sorcery or +witchcraft if they transgress the orders of the elders, or break through +the ordinances that have been imposed upon them, and many other similar +influences. + +In their intercourse with each other I have generally found the natives +to speak the truth and act with honesty, and they will usually do the +same with Europeans if on friendly terms with them. In their treatment of +each other, and in the division of food, policy and custom have induced +them to be extremely polite and liberal. Old men are especially well off +in this respect, as the younger people always give them the best and +largest share of everything. Males generally are generous and liberal to +each other in sharing what food they have, but it is not often that the +females participate in the division. When following their usual pursuits +upon the Murray, I have seen the men after an hour or two's fishing with +the nets, sit down and devour all they had caught, without saving +anything for their family or wives, and then hurry about noon to the +camps to share in what had been procured by the women, who usually begin +to return at that hour, with what they have been able to collect. +Favourite kinds of food are also frequently sent as presents from one +male to another, and at other times two parties will meet and exchange +the different kinds they respectively bring. Among the younger people I +have often seen a poor hungry fellow, who had by his skill or +perseverance obtained some small article of food, compelled by the rules +of savage politeness to share out the petty spoil among a group of +expectant sharks around, whilst he whose skill or labour had procured it +dared hardly taste it, and was sure to come in for the smallest share. + +Naturally, I do not think they are bloodthirsty; custom or example may +sometimes lead them on to shed blood, but it is usually in accordance +with their prejudices or to gratify the momentary excitement of passion. +With many vices and but few virtues, I do not yet think the Australian +savage is more? vicious in his propensities or more virulent in his +passions than are the larger number of the lower classes of what are +called civilized communities. Well might they retort to our accusations, +the motives and animus by which too many of our countrymen have been +actuated towards them. + +I have remarked that as far as my observation has enabled me to judge, +the natives are rarely guilty of offences (which they deem such,) towards +members of their own tribes. There are many acts, however, which +according to our ideas of right and wrong, are acts of the greatest +cruelty and tyranny, which they exercise towards each other, though +sanctioned by custom, and enforced by daily practice. Such are the +cruelties inflicted upon the women, who are looked upon in the light of +slaves, and mercilessly beaten or speared for the most trifling offences. +No one under any circumstances ever attempts to take the part of a +female, and consequently they are maltreated and oppressed in a shocking +degree. Does a native meet a woman in the woods and violate her, he is +not the one made to feel the vengeance of the husband, but the poor +victim whom he has abused. Is there hard or disagreeable work of any kind +to be done--the woman is compelled to do it. Is there a scarcity of food +at the camp when the husband comes home hungry--the wife is punished for +his indolence and inactivity. + +[Note 94: In February 1842, Mr. Gouger, then Colonial Secretary at +Adelaide, caused a dog belonging to a native to be shot for some cause or +other I am not acquainted with. The animal had been left by its master in +the charge of his wife, and as soon as he learnt that it was dead, he +speared her for not taking better care of it.] + +The complete subserviency of the younger people of both sexes in the +savage community, to the older or leading men, is another very serious +evil they labour under. The force of habit and of traditional custom has +so completely clouded their otherwise quick perceptions, that they +blindly yield to whatever the elders may require of them; they dare not +disobey, they dare not complain of any wrong or indignity they may be +subjected to this has been and will be the greatest bar to their +civilization or improvement until some means are taken to free them from +so degrading a thraldom, and afford that protection from the oppression +of the strong and the old which they so greatly require. + +On the Murray river, or amongst the Adelaide natives I am not aware that +any stated punishments are affixed to specific crimes, except that of +spearing in the arm to expiate deaths. Vengeance appears usually to be +summarily executed and on the spot, according to the physical strength or +number of friends of the individual injured; otherwise it is made a cause +of quarrel between tribes, and a battle or disturbance of some kind takes +place. This appears to be one great point of distinction between the +practice of some of the tribes in Southern and Western Australia. Captain +Grey says in reference to the latter place, (vol. ii. p. 243.) + + +"Any other crime may be compounded for, by the criminal appearing and +submitting himself to the ordeal of having spears thrown at him by all +such persons as conceive themselves to have been aggrieved, or by +permitting spears to be thrust through certain parts of his body; such as +through the thigh, or the calf of the leg, or under the arm. The part +which is to be pierced by a spear, is fixed for all common crimes, and a +native who has incurred this penalty, sometimes quietly holds out his leg +for the injured party to thrust his spear through." + + +This custom does not appear to hold among the tribes of South Australia, +with whom I have come in contact; but I have often been told by natives +of tribes in New South Wales, that they practised it, although an +instance of the infliction of the punishment never came under my own +observation. + +Injuries, when once overlooked, are never revenged afterwards. Tribes may +compel members to make restitution, as in the case of stealing a wife; +but I have never known an instance of one of their number being given up +to another tribe, for either punishment or death. Occasionally they have +been induced to give up guilty parties to Europeans; but to effect this, +great personal influence on the part of the person employed is necessary +to ensure success. Though they are always ready to give up or point out +transgressors, if belonging to other tribes than their own. + + + + +Chapter VII. + + + +LANGUAGE, DIALECTS, CUSTOMS, etc.--GENERAL SIMILARITY THROUGHOUT THE +CONTINENT--CAUSES OF DIFFERENCES--ROUTE BY WHICH THE NATIVES HAVE +OVERSPREAD THE COUNTRY, etc. + + +During the last few years much has been done towards an examination and +comparison of the dialects spoken by the aboriginal tribes of Australia +in different portions of the continent. The labours of Mr. Threlkeld, of +Captain Grey, of Messrs. Teichelman and Schurmann, of Mr. Meyer, of Mr. +Schurman, with the occasional notes of visitors and travellers, have done +much to elucidate this subject, and have presented to the world +vocabularies of the Hunter's River and Lake Macquarie districts in New +South Wales; of Swan River and King George's Sound in Western Australia; +of Adelaide, of Encounter Bay, and of Port Lincoln, in South Australia; +besides occasional phrases or scanty manuals of various other dialects +spoken in different districts. From these varied contributions it would +appear that a striking coincidence exists in the personal appearance, +character, customs, traditions, dialects, etc. among the many and remotely +separated tribes scattered over the surface of New Holland. Each of +these, no doubt, varies in many particulars from the others, and so much +so some times, as to lead to the impression that they are essentially +different and distinct. [Note 95 at end of para.] Upon close examination, +however, a sufficient general resemblance is usually found to indicate +that all the tribes have originally sprung from the same race, that +they have gradually spread themselves over the whole continent from +some one given point; which appears, as far as we can infer from +circumstantial evidence, to have been somewhere upon the northern +coast. There are some points of resemblance which, as far as is yet +known, appear to be common to most of the different dialects with +which we are acquainted. Such are, there being no generic terms +as tree, fish, bird, etc., but only specific ones as applied to +each particular variety of tree, fish, bird, etc. The cardinal +numbers, being only carried up to three, there being no degrees +of comparison except by a repetition to indicate intensity, or by a +combination of opposite adjectives, to point out the proportion intended, +and no distinction of genders, if we except an attempt to mark one among +those tribes who give numerical names to their children, according to the +order of their birth, as before mentioned. [Note 96: Chap. IV. +nomenclature.] All parts of speech appear to be subject to inflections, +if we except adverbs, post-fixes, and post-positions. Nouns, adjectives, +pronouns and verbs have all three numbers, singular, dual and plural. The +nominative agent always precedes an active verb. When any new object +is presented to the native, a name is given to it, from some fancied +similarity to some object they already know, or from some peculiar +quality or attribute it may possess; thus, rice is in the Moorunde +dialect called "yeelilee" or "maggots," from an imagined resemblance +between the two objects. + +[Note 95: Catlin remarks the existence of a similar number and variety in +the dialects of the American Indians, but appears to think them radically +different from one another.] + +The most singular and remarkable fact, connected with the coincidence of +customs or dialect, amongst the Aborigines, is that it exists frequently +to a less degree among tribes living close to one another, than between +those who are more remotely separated. The reason of this apparent +anomaly would seem to be, that those tribes now living near to one +another, and among whom the greatest dissimilarity of language and +customs is found to exist, have originally found their way to the same +neighbourhood by different lines of route, and consequently the greatest +resemblances in language and custom, might naturally be expected to be +met with, (as is in reality the case), not between tribes at present the +nearest to each other, but between those, who although now so far +removed, occupy respectively the opposite extremes of the lines of route +by which one of them had in the first instance crossed over the +continent. + +Without entering into an elaborate analysis, of either the structure or +radical derivation of the various dialects we are acquainted with, I +shall adduce a few instances in each, of words taken from the +vocabularies I have mentioned before, for King George's Sound, Adelaide, +Encounter Bay, and Port Lincoln, and supply them myself from other +dialects, including those meeting on the Murray or at the Darling, to +shew the degree of similarity that exists in language. + +In selecting the examples for comparison, I have taken first the personal +pronouns and numerals, as being the words which usually assimilate more +closely in the different dialects, than any other. Secondly, those words +representing objects which would be common to all tribes, and which from +their continual recurrence, and daily use, might naturally be supposed to +vary the least from each other, if the original language of all were the +same, but which, if radically different in any, render the subject still +more difficult and embarrassing. + +DIALECTS +======== + +[Note: At this point in the book a table appears, which lists +common English words and the equivalent word as taken from the +vocabularies of aborigines from various locations. This table has not +been reproduced in full, however, a few entries are given below.] + + +English Western Adelaide Encounter Parnkalla Aiawong + Australia Bay (Port Lincoln) (Moorundie) + +I Nganya Ngaii Ngaape Ngai, ngatto Ngappo +Thou Nginnee Ninna Nginte Ninna Ngurru +She Bal Pa Kitye Panna Nin +We (Ye) Nganneel Ngadlu Ngane Ngarrinyalbo Ngenno +They Balgoon Parna Kar Yardna Ngau-o +We two Ngal-li Ngadli Ngele Ngadli Ngel-lo +You two Newball Niwa Ngurle Nuwalla Ngupal +They two Boala Purla Kengk Pudlanbi Dlau-o +One Gyne Kumande Yammalaitye Kuma Meiter +Two Kardura Purlaitye Ning Kaiengg Kuttara Tang kul +Many Partanna Towata Ruwar Kulbarri Neil +Few Warrang Kutyonde -- -- Baupalata + + +Upon comparison of the different dialects given in the two foregoing +tables, and which comprise an extent of country, embracing fully one half +of the continent of Australia, it will be apparent that a sufficient +degree of resemblance exists to justify the conclusion, that they were +derived from one and the same original. It is true, that in many +respects, there are sometimes even radical differences in some of the +words of various dialects; but as Captain Grey judiciously remarks, if +the comparison in such cases be extended, and the vocabulary of each +enlarged, there will always be found points of resemblance, either in the +dialects compared, or in some intermediate dialect, which will bear out +the conclusion assumed. [Note 97 at end of para.] This view is still +further strengthened, by including in the comparison the weapons, habits, +customs, and traditions, of the various tribes. + +[Note 97. I may here refer to a curious mathematical calculation, by +Dr. Thomas Young, to the effect, that if three words coincide in two +different languages, it is ten to one they must be derived in both cases +from some parent language, or introduced in some other manner. "Six words +would give more," he says, "than seventeen hundred to one, and eight near +100,000; so that in these cases, the evidence would be little short of +absolute certainty."--Vestiges of the Creation, p. 302.] + +It must be admitted, however, that where the languages spoken by two +tribes, appear to differ greatly, there is no key common to both, or by +which a person understanding one of them thoroughly, could in the least +degree make out the other, although an intimate acquaintance with one +dialect and its construction, would undoubtedly tend to facilitate the +learning of another. A strong illustration of this occurs at Moorunde, +where three dialects meet, varying so much from each other, that no +native of any one of the three tribes, can understand a single word +spoken by the other two, except he has learnt their languages as those of +a foreign people. + +The dialects I allude to, are first that of the Murray river, called the +"Aiawong" and which is spoken with slight variations from the Lake +Alexandrina, up to the Darling. Secondly, the "Boraipar," or language of +the natives to the east of the Murray, and which appears in its +variations to branch into that of the south-eastern tribes; and thirdly, +the "Yak-kumban," or dialect spoken by the natives, inhabiting the +country to the north-west and north of the Murray, and which extends +along the range of hills from Mount Bryant to the Darling near Laidley's +Ponds, and forms in its variations the language of the Darling itself; +these tribes meet upon the Murray at Moorunde, and can only communicate +to each other by the intervention of the Aiawong dialect, which the +north-western or south-eastern tribes are compelled to learn, before they +can either communicate with each other, or with the natives of the +Murray, at their common point of rendezvous. + +To the tables already given, it is thought desirable to add two of the +dialects, spoken in the country to the eastward of South Australia, and +which were published for the House of Commons, with other papers on the +Aborigines, in August 1844. + +[Note: At this point in the book two table appear, with the following +headings. These tables have not been reproduces in this eBook.] + +A SPECIMEN OF THE DIFFERENCE OF DIALECTS SPOKEN BY THE NATIVE TRIBES OF +PORT PHILLIP. + +SPECIMEN OF FIVE DIALECTS SPOKEN BY THE ABORIGINES OF THE NORTH-WESTERN +DISTRICT. + + +Captain Flinders observed the same difference to exist in various parts +of New Holland, which he visited, and yet that judicious navigator +inclined to the opinion that all the various tribes had originally one +common origin. Vol. ii. p. 213-14, he says, + + +"I do not know that the language of any two parts of Terra Australis, +however near, has been found to be entirely the same; for even at Botany +Bay, Port Jackson, and Broken Bay, not only the dialect, but many words +are radically different; and this confirms one part of an observation, +the truth of which seems to be generally admitted, that although +similarity of language in two nations proves their origin to be the same, +yet dissimilarity of languages is no proof of the contrary position. + +"The language of Caledon Bay (north-west coast) may therefore be totally +different to what is spoken on the east and south coasts, and yet the +inhabitants have one common origin; but I do not think that the language +is absolutely and wholly different, though it certainly was no better +understood by Bongarrco (a Sydney native) than by ourselves. In three +instances I found a similarity. The personal pronoun of Port Jackson, +'Ngia' (I), was used here, and apparently in the same sense. When inquiry +was made after the axe, the natives replied 'yehangeree-py,' making signs +of beating, and py signifies to beat in the Port Jackson language. The +third instance was that of the lad Woga calling to Bongarree in the boat, +which after he had done several times without being answered, he became +angry, and exclaimed Bongarree-gah in a vehement manner, as Bongarree +himself would have done in a similar case." + + +Captain Grey, in speaking of the Aborigines of New Holland, says (vol. +ii. p. 209), + + +"One singularity in the dialects spoken by the Aborigines in different +portions of Australia is, that those of districts widely removed from one +another, sometimes assimilate very closely, whilst the dialects spoken in +the intermediate ones differ considerably from either of them. The same +circumstances take place with regard to their rights and customs." + + +And again, after comparing some of the dialects of South Australia and +New South Wales with those of Western Australia, Captain Grey says (vol. +ii. p. 216), + + +"Having thus traced the entire coast line of the continent of Australia, +it appears that a language the same in root is spoken throughout this +vast extent of country, and from the general agreement in this, as well +as in personal appearance, rites and ceremonies, we may fairly infer a +community of origin for the Aborigines." + + +Had we a collected and an authentic account of the dialects, weapons, +habits, customs, and traditions of all the tribes of Australia with whom +Europeans have already been in close or friendly contact, and which, with +very few exceptions, would embrace the circuit of the whole continent, we +should have a mass of valuable and interesting information, that would +enable us, not only to form a probable opinion as to the community of +origin of the various tribes, and the point from which they first +overspread the continent, but also to guide us in conjecturing the routes +which the various offsets have taken from the parent tribe, the places of +contact where they have met from opposite extremities of the continent, +and the gradual change which has taken place in the habits, customs, and +dialects of each. + +In the absence of many links necessary to form a connection, we can at +present only surmise conclusions, which otherwise might have been almost +certainly deduced. + +Connecting, however, and comparing all the facts with which we are +acquainted, respecting the Aborigines, it appears that there are still +grounds sufficient to hazard the opinion, that it is not improbable that +Australia was first peopled on its north-western coast, between the +parallels of 12 degrees and 16 degrees S. latitude. From whence we might +surmise that three grand divisions had branched out from the parent +tribe, and that from the offsets of these the whole continent had been +overspread. + +The first division appears to have proceeded round the north-western, +western, and south-western coast, as far as the commencement of the Great +Australian Bight. The second, or central one, appears to have crossed the +continent inland, to the southern coast, striking it about the parallel +of 134 degrees E. longitude. The third division seems to have followed +along the bottom of the Gulf of Carpentaria to its most south-easterly +bight, and then to have turned off by the first practicable line in a +direction towards Fort Bourke, upon the Darling. From these three +divisions various offsets and ramifications would have been made from +time to time as they advanced, so as to overspread and people by degrees +the whole country round their respective lines of march. Each offset +appearing to retain fewer or more of the original habits, customs, etc. of +the parent tribe in proportion to the distance traversed, or its isolated +position, with regard to communication with the tribes occupying the main +line of route of its original division; modified also, perhaps, in some +degree, by the local circumstances of the country through which it may +have spread. + +Commencing with the parent tribe, located as I have supposed, first upon +the north-west coast, we find, from the testimony of Captain Flinders and +Dampier, that the male natives of that part of the country, have two +front teeth of the upper jaw knocked out at the age of puberty, and that +they also undergo the rite of circumcision; but it does not appear that +any examination was made with sufficient closeness to ascertain, +whether [Note 98: Vide Note 78.] any other ceremony was conjoined with +that of circumcision. How far these ceremonies extend along the +north-western or western coasts we have no direct evidence, but at +Swan River, King George's Sound, and Cape Arid, both customs are +completely lost, and for the whole of the distance intervening +between these places, and extending fully six hundred miles in +straight line along the coast, the same language is so far spoken, +that a native of King George's Sound, who accompanied me when travelling +from one point to the other, could easily understand, and speak to any +natives we met with. This is, however, an unusual case, nor indeed am I +aware that there is any other part of Australia where the same dialect +continues to be spoken by the Aborigines, with so little variation, for +so great a distance, as in the colony of Western Australia. + +Following round the southern coast easterly, the head of the Great Bight +is the first point at which any great change appears to occur, and even +here it is less in the character, language, and weapons of the natives, +than in their ceremonial observances. For the first time the rite of +circumcision is observed, and conjoined with it the still more +extraordinary practice to which I have before alluded. The ceremony of +knocking out the two upper front teeth of boys arrived at the age of +puberty, is not, however, adopted. We have already noticed, that for six +hundred miles to the west and north-west from the Great Bight, +circumcision is unknown. The tribes, therefore, who practise it, cannot +have come from that direction, neither are they likely to have come from +the eastward, for after crossing the head of the Port Lincoln peninsula, +and descending towards Adelaide, we find the rite of circumcision alone +is practised, without any other ceremony in connection with it. Now, in a +change of habits or customs, originating in the wandering, unsettled life +of savages, it is very likely, that many of their original customs may +gradually be dropped or forgotten; but it is scarcely probable, that they +should be again revived by their descendants, after a long period of +oblivion, and when those tribes from whom they more immediately +proceeded, no longer remembered or recognised such ceremonials. By +extending the inquiry still further to the east, the position I have +assumed is more forcibly borne out, for the rite of circumcision itself +then becomes unknown. It is evident, therefore, that the Adelaide or Port +Lincoln natives could not have come along either the eastern or western +coasts, and retained customs that are there quite unknown, neither could +they have come across the country inland, in the direction of the +Darling, for the ceremonies alluded to are equally unknown there. They +must then have crossed almost directly from the north-western coast, +towards the south-eastern extremity of the great Australian Bight. And +from them the Adelaide natives would appear to be a branch or offset. + +Returning to the north-west coast, and tracing down the route of the +third division of the parent family, from the south-east Bight of +Carpentaria, towards Fort Bourke upon the Darling, we shall find, that by +far the greatest and most fertile portion of New Holland appears to have +been peopled by it. In its progress, offsets and ramifications would have +branched off in every direction along the various ranges or watercourses +contiguous to the line of route. All the rivers running towards the +eastern coast, together with the Nammoy, the Gwyder, the Castlereagh, +Macquarie, Bogan, Lochlan, Darling, Hume, Goulburn, etc. with their many +branches and tributaries, would each afford so many routes for the +different sub-divisions of the main body, to spread over the varied and +fertile regions of Eastern, South-eastern, and part of Southern +Australia. As tribe separated from tribe, each would retain, in a greater +or less degree, some of the language, habits, or customs of the original +division; but such points of resemblance would naturally again undergo +many changes or modifications, in proportion to the time, distance, or +isolated character of the separation. If we look at the progress of any +two parties of natives, branching off upon different rivers, and trace +them, either upwards or downwards, we shall find, that the further they +went, the more isolated they would become, and the less likely to come +again in contact with each other, or with the original division from +which they separated. We may, therefore, naturally expect a much greater +variety of dialects or customs in a country that is much intersected by +rivers, or ranges, or by any features that tend to produce the isolating +effect that I have described, than in one whose character has no such +tendency; and this in reality we find to be the case. In Western and +South-western Australia, as far as the commencement of the Great Bight, +the features and character of the country appear to be but little +diversified, and here, accordingly, we find the language of the natives +radically the same, and their weapons, customs, and ceremonies very +similar throughout its whole extent; but if, on the other hand, we turn +to Eastern, South-eastern, and part of Southern Australia, we find the +dialects, customs, and weapons of the inhabitants, almost as different as +the country itself is varied by the intersection of ranges and rivers. + +The division I have supposed as taking a south-easterly course from the +Gulf of Carpentaria, would appear early to have lost the rite of +circumcision; but to have retained among some of its branches, the +practice of knocking out the front teeth of the upper jaw. Thus, those +who made their way to Port Jackson and to Hunter's River, and to some of +the southern parts of New South Wales, still retained the practice of +knocking out one of the front teeth at the age of puberty; but at +Keppel's, Harvey's, and Glass-House bays, on the north-east coast, at +Twofold bay on the south-east, at Port Phillip on the south, and upon the +rivers Darling and Murray, of the interior, no such rite is practised. It +is clear, therefore, that when the continent was first peopled, the +natives of Sydney or Hunter's River could not have come round the +north-east coast by Keppel's or Harvey's bays, and retained a ceremony +that is there lost; neither could the Murrumbidgee or southern districts +of New South Wales, have been peopled from Port Phillip, or from South +Australia, or by tribes passing up the Murray for the same reason. It is +not demanding too much, therefore, to suppose that the general lines of +route taken by the Aborigines in spreading over the continent of +Australia, have been somewhat analogous to those I have imagined, or that +we can fairly account for any material differences there may be in the +dialects, customs, or weapons of the different tribes, by referring them +to the effect of local circumstances, the length of time that may have +elapsed since separation, or to the isolated position in which they may +have been placed, with regard to that division of the parent tribe from +which they had seceded. + +At present our information respecting the customs, habits, weapons and +dialects of the various tribes is too limited and too scattered to enable +us to trace with accuracy the division to which each may have originally +belonged, or the precise route by which it had arrived at its present +location; but I feel quite confident that this may be done with tolerable +certainty, when the particulars I have referred to shall be more +abundantly and correctly recorded. + +It is at least a subject of much interest, and one that is well worthy +the attention of the traveller or the philanthropist. No one individual +can hope personally to collect the whole material required; but if each +recorded with fidelity the facts connected with those tribes, with whom +he personally came in contact, a mass of evidence would soon be brought +together that would more than suffice for the purpose required. + + + + +Chapter VIII. + + + + +EFFECTS OF CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS--ATTEMPTS AT IMPROVEMENT AND +CIVILIZATION--ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS--DEFECTS OF THE SYSTEM. + + +Some attempts have been made in nearly all the British Settlements of +Australia to improve the condition of the aboriginal population; the +results have, however, in few cases, met the expectations of the +promoters of the various benevolent schemes that have been entered upon +for the object; nor have the efforts hitherto made succeeded in arresting +that fatal and melancholy effect which contact with civilization seems +ever to produce upon a savage people. It has already been stated, that in +all the colonies we have hitherto established upon the continent, the +Aborigines are gradually decreasing in number, or have already +disappeared in proportion to the time their country has been occupied by +Europeans, or to the number of settlers who have been located upon it. + +Of the blighting and exterminating effects produced upon simple and +untutored races, by the advance of civilization upon them, we have many +and painful proofs. History records innumerable instances of nations who +were once numerous and powerful, decaying and disappearing before this +fatal and inexplicable influence; history WILL record, I fear, similar +results for the many nations who are now struggling; alas, how vainly, +against this desolating cause. Year by year, the melancholy and appalling +truth is only the more apparent, and as each new instance multiplies upon +us, it becomes too fatally confirmed, until at last we are almost, in +spite of ourselves, forced to the conviction, that the first appearance +of the white men in any new country, sounds the funeral knell of the +children of the soil. In Africa, in the country of the Bushmen, Mr. +Moffat says-- + + +"I have traversed those regions, in which, according to the testimony of +the farmers, thousands once dwelt, drinking at their own fountains, and +killing their own game; but now, alas, scarcely is a family to be seen! +It is impossible to look over those now uninhabited plains and mountain +glens without feeling the deepest melancholy, whilst the winds moaning in +the vale seem to echo back the sound, 'Where are they?'" + + +Another author, with reference to the Cape Colony, remarks-- + + +"The number of natives, estimated at the time of the discovery at about +200,000, are stated to have been reduced, or cut off, to the present +population of about 32,000, by a continual system of oppression, which +once begun, never slackened." + + +Catlin gives a feeling and melancholy account of the decrease of the +North American Indians, [Note 99: Vide Catlin's American Indians, +vol. i. p. 4 and 5, and vol. ii. p. 238.] and similar records might be +adduced of the sad fate of almost every uncivilized people, whose country +has been colonized by Europeans. In Sydney, which is the longest +established of all our possessions in New Holland, it is believed that not +a single native of the original tribes belonging to Port Jackson is now +left alive. [Note 100 at end of para.] Advancing from thence towards the +interior a miserable family or two may be met with, then a few detached +groups of half-starved wretches, dependant upon what they can procure +by begging for their daily sustenance. Still further, the scattered +and diseased remnants [Note 101 at end of para.], of once powerful, +but now decayed tribes are seen interspersed throughout the country, +until at last upon arriving at the more remote regions, where the +blighting and annihilating effects of colonization have not yet +overtaken them, tribes are yet found flourishing in their natural state, +free from that misery and diminution which its presence always brings +upon them. + +[Note 100: "In the first year of the settlement of New South Wales, 1788, +Governor Phillip caused the amount of the population of Port Jackson to be +ascertained, by every cove in it being visited by different inspectors at +the same time. The number of natives found in this single harbour was +130, and they had 67 boats. At the same time it was known that many were +in the woods making new canoes. From this and other data, Governor Phillip +estimated the population between Botany Bay and Broken Bay inclusive, +at 1500."--Aboriginal Protection Society's Report, May 1839, p. 13. + +In Report of the same Society for July 1839, page 71, Mr. Threlkeld +says--"Of one large tribe in the interior four years ago there were 164 +persons--there are now only three individuals alive!!"] + +[Note 101: "The whole eastern country, once thickly peopled, may now be +said to be entirely abandoned to the whites, with the exception of some +scattered families in one part, and of a few straggling individuals in +another; and these once so high spirited, so jealous of their independence +and liberty, now treated with contempt and ridicule even by the lowest of +the Europeans; degraded, subdued, confused, awkward, and distrustful, ill +concealing emotions of anger, scorn, and revenge--emaciated and covered +with filthy rags;--these native lords of the soil, more like spectres of +the past than living men, are dragging on a melancholy existence to a yet +more melancholy doom."--STRZELECHI'S N. S. WALES, p.350.] + +It is here that the native should be seen to be appreciated, in his +native wilds, where he alone is lord of all around him. To those who have +thus come into communication with the Aborigines, and have witnessed the +fearless courage and proud demeanour which a life of independence and +freedom always inspires, it cannot but be a matter of deep regret to see +them gradually dwindling away and disappearing before the presence of +Europeans. As the ravages of a flood destroy the country through which it +takes its course, and which its deposit ought only to have fertilized, +[Note 102 at end of para.] so the native, who ought to be improved by a +contact with Europeans, is overwhelmed and swept away by their approach. +In Van Diemen's Land the same result has been produced as at Sydney, but +in a more extended and exterminating manner.[Note 103 at end of para.] +There, instead of a few districts, the whole island is depopulated +of its original inhabitants, and only thirty or forty individuals, +the banished remnant of a once numerous people, are now existing as +exiles at Flinders Island, to tell the tale of their expatriation. [Note +104 at end of para.] In Western Australia the same process is gradually +but certainly going on among the tribes most in contact with the +Europeans. In South Australia it is the same; and short as is the time +that this province has been occupied as a British Colony, the results +upon the Aborigines are but too apparent in their diminished numbers, in +the great disproportion that has been produced between the sexes, and in +the large preponderance of deaths over births. A miserably diseased +condition, and the almost total absence of children, are immediate +consequences of this contact with Europeans. The increase or diminution +of the tribes can only be ascertained exactly in the different +districts, by their being regularly mustered, and lists kept of the +numbers and proportion of the sexes, births, deaths, etc. + +[Note 102: "Hard indeed is the fate of the children of the soil, +and one of the darkest enigmas of life lies in the degradation and +decay wrought by the very civilization which should succour, teach, +and improve."--ATHENAEUM.] + +[Note 103: "That the Aboriginal Tasmanian was naturally mild and +inoffensive in disposition, appears to be beyond doubt. A worm, however, +will turn, and the atrocities which were perpetrated against these +unoffending creatures may well palliate the indiscriminate, though +heart-rending slaughter they entailed. Such was the character of the +Tasmanian native before roused by oppression, and ere a continued +and systematic hostility had arisen between the races--ere 'their +hand was against every man, and every man's hand against them.'" +--MARTYN'S COLONIAL MAGAZINE, May, 1840.] + +[Note 104: "At the epoch of their deportation, in 1835, the number of the +natives amounted to 210. Visited by me in 1842, that is, after the +interval of seven years, they mustered only fifty-four individuals." +--STRZELECKI'S NEW SOUTH WALES, p. 352 + +Respecting the Aborigines of Van Diemen's Land, who were thus forcibly +removed, Mr. Chief Protector Robinson (who removed them) observes +(Parliamentary Report, p. 198), "When the natives were all assembled +at Flinders Island, in 1835, I took charge of them, and have continued +to do so ever since. I did not find them retaining that ferocious +character which they displayed in their own country; they shewed +no hostility, nor even hostile recollection towards the whites. +Unquestionably these natives assembled on the island were the same who +had been engaged in the outrages I have spoken of; many of them, before +they were removed, pointed out to me the spots where murders and other +acts of violence had been committed; they made no secret of +acknowledging their participation in such acts, and only considered them +a just retaliation for wrongs done to them or their progenitors. On +removal to the island they appeared to forget all these facts; they +could not of course fail to remember them, but they never recurred to +them."] + +In April, 1843, or only six and a half years after South Australia had +first been occupied, the Protector of the Aborigines in Adelaide +ascertained that the tribes, properly belonging to that neighbourhood, +consisted of 150 individuals, in the following proportions, namely, 70 +men, 39 women, and 41 children. Now, at the Murray, among a large number +of natives who, until 1842, were comparatively isolated from Europeans, +and among whom are frequently many different tribes, I found by an +accurate muster every month at Moorunde for a period of three years, that +the women, on an average, were equally numerous with the men, from which +I infer that such is usually the case in their original and natural +state. Taking this for granted, and comparing it with the proportions of +the Adelaide tribe, as given above, we shall find that in six years and a +half the females had diminished from an equality with the males, to from +70 to 80 per cent. less, and of course the tribe must have sustained also +a corresponding diminution with respect to children. + +[Note 105: This result seems to be generally borne out by the few accurate +returns that have hitherto been made on the subject. In Mr. Protector +Parker's report for his district, to the north-west of Port Phillip (for +January, 1843), that gentleman gives a census of 375 male natives, and 295 +female, which gives an excess of about 26 per cent. of males over females. +In 1834 Mr. Commissioner Lambie gives a census, for the district of +Manero, of 416 males and 321 females, or an excess of the former over the +latter of nearly 45 per cent. It would appear that the disproportion of +the sexes increases in a ratio corresponding to the length of time a +district has been occupied by settlers and their stock, and to the density +of the European population residing in it. Official returns for four +divisions of the Colony of New South Wales, give a decrease of the +proportion of females to males of fifteen per cent. in two years. Vide +Aborigines Protection Society Report, July, 1839, p. 69. In the same +Report, p. 70, Mr. Threlkeld states, that the Official Report for one +district gives only two women to 28 men, two boys, and no girls.] + +Again, in 1844, the Protector ascertained from the records he had kept +that, in the same tribe, there were, in four years, twenty-seven births +and FIFTY deaths, which shews, beyond all doubt, the gradual but certain +destruction that was going on among the tribe. If no means can be adopted +to check the evil, it must eventually lead to their total extermination. + +By comparing the twenty-seven births in four years with the number of +women, thirty-nine, it appears that there would be annually only one +child born among every six women: a result as unnatural as it is +evidently attributable to the increased prostitution that has taken +place, with regard both to Europeans and other native tribes, whom +curiosity has attracted to the town, but whom the Adelaide tribe were not +in the habit of meeting at all, or, at least, not in such familiar +intercourse prior to the arrival of the white people. This single cause, +with the diseases and miseries which it entails upon the Aborigines, is +quite sufficient to account for the paucity of births, and the additional +number of deaths that now occur among them. + +In the Moorunde statistics, given Chapter VI., the very small number of +infants compared with the number of women is still more strongly +illustrated; but in this case only those infants that lived and were +brought up by their mothers to the monthly musters were marked down; many +other births had, doubtless, taken place, where the children had died, or +been killed, but of which no notice is taken, as it would have been +impossible under the circumstances of such a mixture of tribes, and their +constantly changing their localities, to have obtained an accurate +account of all. + +Under the circumstances of our intercourse with the Aborigines as at +present constituted, the same causes which produced so exterminating an +effect in Sydney and other places, are still going on in all parts of +Australia occupied by Europeans, and must eventually lead to the same +result, if no controlling measures can be adopted to prevent it. + +Many attempts, upon a limited scale, have already been made in all the +colonies, but none have in the least degree tended to check the gradual +but certain extinction that is menacing this ill-fated people; nor is it +in my recollection that throughout the whole length and breadth of New +Holland, a single real or permanent convert to Christianity has yet been +made amongst them, by any of the missionaries engaged in their +instruction, many of whom have been labouring hopelessly for many years. + +In New South Wales, one of the oldest and longest established missions in +Australia was given up by the Rev. Mr. Threlkeld, after the fruitless +devotion of many years of toil. [Note 106 at end of para.] Neither have +the efforts hitherto made to improve the physical circumstances or social +relations of the Aborigines been attended with any better success. None +have yet been induced permanently to adopt our customs, or completely to +give up their wandering habits, or to settle down fixedly in one place, +and by cultivating the ground, supply themselves with the comforts and +luxuries of life. It is not that the New Hollander is not as apt and +intelligent as the men of any other race, or that his capacity for +receiving instruction, or appreciating enjoyment is less; on the contrary, +we have the fullest and most ample testimony from all who have been +brought much into contact with this people that the very contrary is the +case: a testimony that is completely borne out by the many instances on +record, of the quickness with which natives have learned our language, or +the facility with which temporarily they have accommodated themselves to +our habits and customs. + +[Note 106: Vide Parliamentary Reports on Australian Aborigines, 9th of +August, 1844, pages 160 and 161.--"In submitting to this decision, it is +impossible not to feel considerable disappointment to the expectations +formerly hoped to be realized in the conversion of some at least of the +Aborigines in this part of the colony, and not to express concern that so +many years of constant attention appear to have been fruitlessly +expended. It is however, perfectly apparent that the termination of the +mission has arisen solely from the Aborigines becoming extinct in these +districts, and the very few that remain elsewhere are so scattered, that +it is impossible to congregate them for instruction; and when seen in the +towns, they are generally unfit to engage in profitable conversation. The +thousands of Aborigines, if ever they did exist in these parts, decreased +to hundreds, the hundreds have lessened to tens, and the tens will +dwindle to units before a very few years will have passed away." + +"This mission to the Aborigines has ceased to exist, not from want of +support from the British Government, nor from the inclination of the +agent, but purely from the Aborigines themselves becoming extinct in these +parts; and in leaving this scene of much solitariness, privation, and +trial, it is earnestly hoped that He who fixes the bounds of our +habitation, apparently in Sydney for a season, will guide our feet through +life to his glory, and provide support for a numerous family, so that the +'ministry be not blamed.'"] + +On the natural intelligence of the native children, Mr. Moorhouse +remarks, after several years practical experience:-- + + +"They are as apt as European children so far as they have been tried, but +they have not been put to abstract reasoning. Their perceptive powers are +large, as they are much exercised in procuring food, etc. Anything +requiring perception only is readily mastered, the alphabet will be known +in a few lessons; figures are soon recognised, and the quantities they +represent, but addition from figures alone always presents difficulties +for a while, but in a little time, however, it is understood." + + +Upon the same subject, Captain Grey remarks, vol. ii. p. 374. + + +"They are as apt and intelligent as any other race of men I am acquainted +with; they are subject to the same affections, appetites, and passions as +other men." + + +Innumerable cases might be adduced, where native boys, or young men, and +sometimes even females, have been taken into the employment of the +settlers, and have lived with them as active and useful servants for many +months, and occasionally even years. Unfortunately, however, in all such +cases, they have eventually returned again to their savage life, and +given up the customs and habits they had assumed. The same result has +occurred among the many children who have been educated at the various +schools established for their instruction, in the different Colonies. +Numerous examples might be given of the great degree of proficiency made; +and often, of many of the scholars being in such a state of forwardness +and improvement, as reasonably to sanction the expectation, that they +might one day become useful and intelligent members of the community: +this hope has, however, hitherto, in almost every instance, been sooner +or later disappointed, and they have again descended from the civilized +to the savage state. What can be the causes then, that have operated to +produce such unfavourable results? + +If we admit, and it is admitted by all whose experience best qualifies +them to give an opinion, that the Australian is fully equal in natural +powers and intelligence, to the generality of mankind; it is very +evident, that where so little success has hitherto attended any attempts +to improve him, either morally or socially, there must either be some +radical defects in the systems adopted, or some strongly counteracting +causes to destroy their efficiency. I believe, that to both these +circumstances, may be traced the results produced. + +The following remarks, by Captain Grey, upon this subject, point out some +of the evils to which the natives are subject, and in a great degree, +account for the preference they appear to give to their own wild life and +habits. (Vol. 2. pp. 367 to 371.) He says:-- + + +"If we inquire into the causes which tend to detain them in their present +depressed condition, we shall find that the chief one is--'prejudice' The +Australians have been most unfairly represented as a very inferior race, +in fact as one occupying a scale in the creation which nearly places them +on a level with the brutes, and some years must elapse, ere a prejudice +so firmly rooted as this can be altogether eradicated, but certainly a +more unfounded one never had possession of the public mind. + +"Amongst the evils which the natives suffer in their present position, +one is an uncertain and irregular demand for their labour, that is to +say, they may one day have plenty of means for exerting their industry +afforded them by the settlers, and the next their services are not +required; so that they are necessarily compelled to have recourse to +their former irregular and wandering habits. + +"Another is the very insufficient reward for the services they render. As +an example of this kind, I will state the instance of a man who worked +during the whole season, as hard and as well as any white man, at getting +in the harvest for some setlers, and who only received bread, and +sixpence a day, whilst the ordinary labourers would earn at least fifteen +shillings. In many instances, they only receive a scanty allowance of +food, so much so, that some settlers have told me that the natives left +them because they had not enough to eat. + +"The evil consequence of this is, that a native finding he can gain as +much by the combined methods of hunting and begging, as he can by +working, naturally prefers the former and much more attractive mode of +procuring subsistence, to the latter one. + +"Many of the natives have not only a good idea of the value of money, but +even hoard it up for some particular purpose; several of them have shewn +me their little treasure of a few shillings, and have told me it was +their intention to save more until they had enough to buy a horse, a gun, +or some wished-for article, but their improvidence has always got the +better of their thriftiness, and this sum has eventually been spent in +treating their friends to bread and rice. + +"Another evil is the very extraordinary position in which they are placed +with regard to two distinct sets of laws; that is they are allowed to +exercise their own laws upon one another, and are again held amenable to +British law where British subjects are concerned. Thus no protection is +afforded them by the British law against the violence or cruelty of one +of their own race, and the law has only been hitherto known to them as +the means of punishment, but never as a code from which they can claim +protection or benefit. + +"The following instances will prove my assertion: In the month of October +1838, I saw early one morning some natives in the public street in Perth, +in the act of murdering a native woman, close to the store of the Messrs. +Habgood: many Europeans were present, amongst others a constable; but +there was no interference on their part until eventually the life of the +woman was saved by the courage of Mr. Brown, a gardener in Perth, who +rushed in amongst the natives, and knocked down the man who was holding +her; she then escaped into the house of the Messrs. Habgood, who treated +the poor creature with the utmost humanity. She was, however, wounded in +several places in the most severe and ghastly manner. + +"A letter I received from Mr. A. Bussel, (a settler in the southern part +of the colony,) in May, 1839, shews that the same scenes are enacted all +over it. In this case, their cow-keeper, (the native whose burial is +narrated at p. 330,) was speared by the others. He was at the time the +hired servant of Europeans, performing daily a stated service for them; +yet they slew him in open day-light, without any cause of provocation +being given by him. + +"Again, in October, 1838, the sister of a settler in the northern +district, told me that shortly before this period, she had, as a female +servant, a most interesting little native girl, not more than ten or +eleven years of age. This girl had just learned all the duties belonging +to her employment, and was regarded in the family as a most useful +servant, when some native, from a spirit of revenge, murdered this +inoffensive child in the most barbarous manner, close to the house; her +screams were actually heard by the Europeans under whose protection, and +in whose service she was living, but they were not in time to save her +life. This same native had been guilty of many other barbarous murders, +one of which he had committed in the district of the Upper Swan, in the +actual presence of Europeans. In June, 1839, he was still at large, +unmolested, even occasionally visiting Perth. + +"Their fondness for the bush and the habits of savage life, is fixed and +perpetuated by the immense boundary placed by circumstances between +themselves and the whites, which no exertions on their part can overpass, +and they consequently relapse into a state of hopeless passive +indifference. + +"I will state a remarkable instance of this:--The officers of the Beagle +took away with them a native of the name of Miago, who remained absent +with them for several months. I saw him on the North-west coast, on board +the Beagle, apparently perfectly civilized; he waited at the gun-room +mess, was temperate (never tasting spirits), attentive, cheerful, and +remarkably clean in his person. The next time I saw him was at Swan +River, where he had been left on the return of the Beagle. He was then +again a savage, almost naked, painted all over, and had been concerned in +several murders. Several persons here told me,--"you see the taste for a +savage life was strong in him, and he took to the bush again directly." +Let us pause for a moment and consider. + +"Miago, when he was landed, had amongst the white people none who would +be truly friends of his,--they would give him scraps from their table, +but the very outcasts of the whites would not have treated him as an +equal,--they had no sympathy with him,--he could not have married a white +woman,--he had no certain means of subsistence open to him,--he never +could have been either a husband or a father, if he had lived apart from +his own people;--where, amongst the whites, was he to find one who would +have filled for him the place of his black mother, whom he is much +attached to?--what white man would have been his brother?--what white +woman his sister? He had two courses left open to him,--he could either +have renounced all natural ties, and have led a hopeless, joyless life +amongst the whites,--ever a servant,--ever an inferior being;--or he +could renounce civilization, and return to the friends of his childhood, +and to the habits of his youth. He chose the latter course, and I think +that I should have done the same." + + +Such are a few of the disadvantages the natives have to contend with, if +they try to assimilate in their life and habits to Europeans, nor is +there one here enumerated, of which repeated instances have not come +under my own observation. If to these be added, the natural ties of +consanguinity, the authority of parents, the influence of the example of +relatives and friends, and the seducing attraction which their own habits +and customs hold out to the young of both sexes; first, by their offering +a life of idleness and freedom, to a people naturally indolent and +impatient of restraint; and secondly, by their pandering to their natural +passions: we shall no longer wonder that so little has been effected +towards ameliorating their condition, or inducing them to adopt habits +and customs that deprive them of those indulgences. + +In New South Wales and Port Phillip, the Government have made many +efforts in behalf of the Aborigines; for a series of years past, and at +present, the sum of about ten thousand pounds, is annually placed upon +the estimates, towards defraying the salaries of a Chief Protector, and +several subordinate ones, and for other expenses connected with the +natives. + +[Note: Not included in thei eBook, Table on pages 428-9: ABSTRACT +OF EXPENDITURE IN N.S.W ON ACCOUNT OF THE ABORIGINES FROM 1821 TO 1842 +INCLUSIVE.] + +In Western Australia a sum of money is also devoted annually towards +defraying the salaries of two Protectors, and other expenses connected +with the department. + +I am not, however, personally aware, what the particular arrangements may +be that have latterly been adopted in either of these colonies, for the +benefit of the Aborigines, or the degree of success which may have +attended them. I believe, however, that in both places, more has been +attempted, within the last three or four years, than had ever been the +case before. What the eventual result may be it is impossible to tell, +but with the past experience before me, I cannot persuade myself, that +any real or permanent good will ever be effected, until the influence +exercised over the young by the adults be destroyed, and they are freed +from the contagious effects of their example, and until means are +afforded them of supporting themselves in a new condition, and of forming +those social ties and connections in an improved state, which they must +otherwise be driven to seek for among the savage hordes, from which it is +attempted to reclaim them. + +In South Australia many efforts have been made in behalf of the +Aborigines, and an anxious desire for their welfare has frequently been +exhibited on the part of the Government, and of many of the colonists. +For the year 1845 the sum of 820 pounds is noted in the estimates for the +Aboriginal Department. This sum is distributed as follows:-- + + +Salary of Protector 300 pounds +Master of Native School at Walkerville 100 +Matron of School at Native Location 20 +Provisions 150 +Donation to Lutheran Mission 100 +Miscellaneous 150 + --- +Total 820 pounds + + +There are three native schools established in the province. The first is +that at the native location in the town of Adelaide, commenced in +December, 1839, by Mr. Klose, one of the Dresden missionaries. The +average attendance of children has been about sixteen, all of whom have +latterly been lodged as well as fed at the school. The progress made by +the children may be stated to have been as follows: on the 16th February, +1844-- + +14 were able to read polysyllables. +2 were able to read monosyllables. +2 could repeat the cardinal numbers. +14 were in addition. +3 in subtraction. +9 in multiplication. +2 in division. + +Most of the children could repeat the Lord's Prayer and Commandments, and +they were able to narrate the history of the Creation, the fall of our +first parents, and other portions of the Old and New Testament. A few +were able to write these subjects to dictation. In geography many of the +scholars knew the ordinary divisions of the earth, its shape, diameter, +circumference, and the names of the continents, oceans, seas, gulfs, etc. +etc. together with the general description of the inhabitants of each +part, as to colour, etc. Of the girls, fourteen had been taught to sew, +and have made upwards of fifty garments for themselves, besides several +shirts for Europeans. + +Mr. Klose receives as salary 33 pounds per annum from the Government, and +a remittance from his society at Dresden. The matron of the establishment +also receives 20 pounds from the Government. The average expense of +provisions for each child per week, amounts to two shillings and ten +pence. The cost of clothing each child per year is 2 pounds. Until very +recently this school was taught in the native language; but English is +now adopted, except in lecturing from Scripture, when the native language +is still retained. + +At Walkerville, about one mile from North Adelaide, another school has +been established under the superintendence of Mr. Smith, since May, 1844. +Up to October of the same year the average attendance of children had +been sixty-three. In that short time the progress had been very +satisfactory; all the children had passed from the alphabetical to the +monosyllabic class, and most had mastered the multiplication table; +eighteen could write upon the slate, and six upon paper; twelve girls had +commenced sewing, and were making satisfactory progress. + +They go four times in the week to the council chamber to be instructed by +gratuitous teachers. On Sunday evening service is performed according to +the Church of England by Mr. Fleming, and the children are said to be +attentive and well-behaved. The Methodists of the New Connection have +them also under spiritual instruction in the morning and afternoon of +each Sabbath, assisted by persons of other religious denominations. + +All instruction is given in English; their food is cooked by the elder +children, (who also provide the firewood,) and distributed by themselves +under the master's eye The cook is said to take good care of himself, and +certainly his appearance does not belie the insinuation, for he is by far +the fattest boy in the lot. The school building is a plain, low cottage, +containing a school-room, a sleeping-room for the male children, another +for the female, and apartments for the master and mistress. There is also +an old out-building attached, where the children perform their ablutions +in wet weather. Mr. and Mrs. Smith receive 100 pounds. per annum from the +Colonial Government for their services. The children of this school have +not yet been generally provided with other clothing than a small blanket +each. The third school was only just commenced at Encounter Bay, where it +has been established through the influence and exertions of Mr. Meyer, +one of the missionaries. The Government give 20 pounds per annum, and the +settlers of the neighbourhood 100 bushels of wheat, and some mutton. Six +or eight children are expected to be lodged and boarded at this school, +with the means at present existing. + +Besides the establishment of schools, there is a Protector resident in +Adelaide to take the management of the aboriginal department, to afford +medical assistance and provisions to such of the aged or diseased as +choose to apply for them, and to remunerate any natives who may render +services to the Government, or the Protectorate. At Moorunde, upon the +Murray, the natives are mustered once a month by the Resident magistrate, +and two pounds and a half of flour issued to each native who chooses to +attend. This is occasionally done at Port Lincoln, and has had a very +beneficial effect. Once in the year, on the Queen's birthday, a few +blankets are distributed to some of the Aborigines at Adelaide, Moorunde, +Encounter Bay, and Port Lincoln, amounting in all to about 300. Four +natives are also provisioned by the Government as attaches to the police +force at different out-stations, and are in many respects very useful. + +Exclusive of the Government exertions in behalf of the Aborigines, there +are in the province four missionaries from the Lutheran Missionary +Society at Dresden, two of whom landed in October 1838, and two in August +1840. Of these one is stationed at the native location, and (as has +already been stated) acts as schoolmaster. A second is living twelve +miles from Adelaide, upon a section of land, bought by the Dresden +Society, with the object of endeavouring to settle the natives, and +inducing them to build houses upon the property, but the plan seems +altogether a failure. It was commenced in November 1842, but up to +November 1844 natives had only been four months at the place; and on one +occasion a period of nine months elapsed, without their ever visiting it +at all, although frequently located at other places in the neighbourhood. + +A third missionary is stationed at Encounter Bay, and is now conducting a +school, mainly established through his own exertions and influence. + +The fourth is stationed at Port Lincoln. All the four missionaries have +learned the dialects of the tribes where they are stationed, and three +have published vocabularies and grammars as the proof of their industry. + +Such is the general outline of the efforts that have hitherto been made +in South Australia, and the progress made. It may be well to inquire, +what are likely to be the results eventually under the existing +arrangements. From the first establishment of the schools, until June +1843, the children were only instructed at the location, their food was +given to them to take to the native encampments to cook, and they were +allowed to sleep there at night. The natural consequence was, that the +provisions intended for the sonolars were shared by the other natives, +whilst the evil influence of example, and the jeers of their companions, +did away with any good impression produced by their instruction. I have +myself, upon going round the encampments in Adelaide by night, seen the +school-children ridiculed by the elder boys, and induced to join them in +making a jest of what they had been taught during the day to look upon as +sacred. + +A still more serious evil, resulting from this system was, that the +children were more completely brought into the power, and under the +influence of the parents, and thus their natural taste for an indolent +and rambling life, was constantly kept up. The boys naturally became +anxious to participate and excel in the sports, ceremonies, or pursuits +of their equals, and the girls were compelled to yield to the customs of +their tribe, and break through every lesson of decency or morality, which +had been inculcated. + +Since June, 1843, the system has so far been altered, that the children, +whilst under instruction, are boarded and lodged at the school houses, +and as far as practicable, the boys and girls are kept separate. There +are still, however, many evils attending the present practice, most of +which arise from the inadequacy of the funds, applicable to the +Aborigines, and which must be removed before any permanent good can be +expected from the instruction given. The first of these, and perhaps one +of the greatest, is that the adult natives make their encampments +immediately in the neighbourhood of the schools, whilst the children, +when out of school, roam in a great measure at will, or are often +employed collecting firewood, etc. about the park lands, a place almost +constantly occupied by the grown up natives, there is consequently nearly +as much intercourse between the school children and the other natives, +and as great an influence exercised over them by the parents and elders, +as if they were still allowed to frequent the camps. + +Another evil is, that no inducement is held out to the parents, to put +their children to school, or to allow them to remain there. They cannot +comprehend the advantage of having their children clothed, fed, or +educated, whilst they lose their services; on the contrary, they find +that all the instruction, advice, or influence of the European, tends to +undermine among the children their own customs and authority, and that +when compelled to enforce these upon them, they themselves incur the +odium of the white men. Independently, however, of this consideration, +and of the natural desire of a parent to have his family about him, he is +in reality a loser by their absence, for in many of the methods adopted +for hunting, fishing, or similar pursuits, the services even of young +children are often very important. For the deprivation of these, which he +suffers when his children are at school, he receives no equivalent, and +it is no wonder therefore, that by far the great majority of natives +would prefer keeping their children to travel with them, and assist in +hunting or fishing. It is a rare occurrence, for parents to send, or even +willingly [Note 107 at end of para.] to permit their children to go to +school, and the masters have consequently to go round the native +encampments to collect and bring away the children against their wishes. +This is tacitly submitted to at the time, but whenever the parents +remove to another locality, the children are informed of it, and at +once run away to join them; so that the good that has been done in school, +is much more rapidly undone at the native camp. I have often heard the +parents complain indignantly of their children being thus taken; and +one old man who had been so treated, but whose children had run away +and joined him again, used vehemently to declare, that if taken any more, +he would steal some European children instead, and take them into the +bush to teach them; he said he could learn them something useful, +to make weapons and nets, to hunt, or to fish, but what good did the +Europeans communicate to his children? + +[Note 107: "Mr. Gunter expressed very decidedly his opinion, that the +blacks do not like Mr. Watson, and that they especially do not like him, +SINCE HE HAS TAKEN CHILDREN FROM THEM BY FORCE: he would himself like to +have some children under his care, IF HE COULD PROCURE THEM BY PROPER +MEANS."--Memorandum respecting Wellington Valley, by Sir G. Gipps, +November 1840.] + +A third, and a very great evil, is that, after a native boy or girl has +been educated and brought up at the school, no future provision is made +for either, nor have they the means of following any useful occupation, +or the opportunity of settling themselves in life, or of forming any +domestic ties or connections whatever, save by falling back again upon +the rude and savage life from which it was hoped education would have +weaned them. It is unnatural, therefore, to suppose that under existing +circumstances they should ever do other than relapse into their former +state; we cannot expect that individuals should isolate themselves +completely from their kind, when by so doing they give up for ever all +hope of forming any of those domestic ties that can render their lives +happy. + +Such being the very limited, and perhaps somewhat equivocal advantages we +offer the Aborigines, we can hardly expect that much or permanent benefit +can accrue to them; and ought not to be disappointed if such is not the +case. [Note 108 at end of para.] At present it is difficult to say what +are the advantages held out to the natives by the schools, since they have +no opportunity of turning their instruction to account, and must from +necessity relapse again to the condition of savages, when they leave +school. Taken as children from their parents, against the wishes of +the latter, there are not means sufficient at the schools for keeping +them away from the ill effects of the example and society of the most +abandoned of the natives around. They are not protected from the power +or influence of their parents and relatives, who are always encouraging +them to leave, or to practise what they have been taught not to do. +The good that is instilled one day is the next obliterated by evil +example or influence. They have no future openings in life which +might lead them to become creditable and useful members of society; +and however well disposed a child may be, there is but one sad and +melancholy resource for it at last, that of again joining its tribe, +and becoming such as they are. Neither is there that disinclination +on the part of the elder children to resume their former mode of +life and customs that might perhaps have been expected; for whilst +still at school they see and participate enough in the sports, +pleasures, or charms of savage life to prevent their acquiring a distaste +to it; and when the time arrives for their departure, they are generally +willing and anxious to enter upon the career before them, and take their +part in the pursuits or duties of their tribe. Boys usually leave school +about fourteen, to join in the chase, or learn the practice of war. Girls +are compelled to leave about twelve, through the joint influence of +parents and husbands, to join the latter; and those only who have been +acquainted with the life of slavery and degradation a native female is +subject to, can at all form an opinion of the wretched prospect before +her. + +[Note 108: The importance of a change in the system and policy adopted +towards the Aborigines, and the urgent necessity for placing the schools +upon a different and better footing, appears from the following extract +from a despatch from Governor Hutt to Lord Stanley, 21st January, 1843, in +which the difficulties and failure attending the present system are +stated. Mr. Hutt says (Parliamentary Reports, p. 416). "It is to the +schools, of course, that we must look for any lasting benefit to be +wrought amongst the natives, and I regret most deeply the total +failure of the school instituted at York, and the partial failure +of that at Guilford, both of which at FIRST promised so well. The +fickle disposition of these people, in youth as in older years, +incapacitate them from any long continued exertions, whether of +learning or labour, whilst from the roving lives of the parents in +search of food, the children, if received into the schools, must +be entirely supported at the public expense. This limits the sphere +of our operations, by restricting the number of the scholars who +can thus be taken charge of. Through the kindly co-operation of the +Wesleyan Society at Perth, and the zealous pastoral exertions of the Rev. +Mr. King at Fremantle, the schools at both these places have been +efficiently maintained; but in the country, and apart from the large +towns, to which the Aborigines have an interest in resorting in large +numbers for food and money, the formation of schools of a lasting +character will be for some time a work of doubt and of difficulty."] + +There are two other points connected with the natives to which I will +briefly advert: the one, relative to the language in which the school +children are taught, the other, the policy, or otherwise, of having +establishments for the natives in the immediate vicinity of a town, or of +a numerous European population. + +With respect to the first, I may premise, that for the first four years +the school at the location in Adelaide was conducted entirely in the +native tongue. To this there are many objections. + +First, the length of time and labour required for the instructor to +master the language he has to teach in. + +Secondly, the very few natives to whom he can impart the advantages of +instruction, as an additional school, and another teacher would be +required for every tribe speaking a different dialect. + +Thirdly, the sudden stop that would be put to all instruction if the +preceptor became ill, or died, as no one would be found able to supply +his place in a country where, from the number, and great differences of +the various dialects, there is no inducement to the public to learn any +of them. + +Fourthly, that by the children being taught in any other tongue than that +generally spoken by the colonists, they are debarred from the advantage +of any casual instruction or information which they might receive from +others than their own teachers, and from entering upon duties or +relations of any kind with the Europeans among whom they are living, but +whose language they cannot speak. + +Fifthly, that, by adhering to the native language, the children are more +deeply confirmed in their original feelings and prejudices, and more +thoroughly kept under the influence and direction of their own people. + +Among the colonists themselves there have scarcely been two opinions upon +the subject, and almost all have felt, that the system originally adopted +was essentially wrong. It has recently been changed, and the English is +now adopted instead of the native language. I should not have named this +subject at all, had I not been aware that the missionaries themselves +still retain their former impressions, and that although they have +yielded to public opinion on this point, they have not done so from a +conviction of its utility. + +The second point to which I referred,--the policy, or otherwise, of +having native establishments near a populous European settlement, is a +much more comprehensive question, and one which might admit, perhaps, of +some reasons on both sides, although, upon the whole, those against it +greatly preponderate. + +The following are the reasons I have usually heard argued for proximity +to town. + +1st. It is said that the children sooner acquire the English language by +mixing among the towns people. This, however, to say the least, is a very +negative advantage, for in such a contact it is far more probable that +they will learn evil than good; besides, if means were available to +enable the masters to keep their scholars under proper restrictions, +there would no longer be even the opportunity for enjoying this very +equivocal advantage. + +2nd. It is stated that the natives are sooner compelled to give up their +wandering habits, as there is no game near a town. This might be well +enough if they followed any better employment, but the contrary is the +case; and with respect to the school-children, the restriction would be +the correction of a bad habit, which they ought never to be allowed to +indulge in, and one which might soon be done away with entirely if +sufficient inducement were held out to the parents to put their children +to school, and allow them to remain there. + +3rd. It is thought that a greater number of children can be collected in +the vicinity of a town than elsewhere. This may perhaps be the case at +present, but would not continue so if means were used to congregate the +natives in their own proper districts. + +4th. It is said that provisions and clothing are cheaper in town and more +easily procured than elsewhere. This is the only apparently valid reason +of the whole, but it is very questionable whether it is sufficient to +counterbalance the many evils which may result from too close a +contiguity to town, and especially so as far as the adults are concerned. +With respect to the children, if kept within proper bounds, and under +proper discipline, it is of little importance where they may be located, +and perhaps a town may for such purposes be sometimes the best. With the +older natives however it is far different, and the evils resulting to +them from too close contact with a large European population, are most +plainly apparent; in,-- + +1st. The immorality, which great as it is among savages in their natural +state, is increased in a tenfold degree when encouraged and countenanced +by Europeans, and but little opening is left for the exercise of +missionary influence or exertions. + +2nd. The dreadful state of disease which is superinduced, and which +tends, in conjunction with other causes as before stated, to bring about +the gradual extinction of the race. + +3rd. The encouragement a town affords to idleness, and the opportunities +to acquire bad habits, such as begging, pilfering, drinking, etc. the +effects of which must also have a very bad moral tendency upon the +children. + +The town of Adelaide appears capable of supporting about six hundred +natives on an average. Many of these obtain their food by going errands, +by carrying wood or water, or by performing other light work of a similar +kind. Many are supported by the offal of a place where so much animal +food is consumed; but by far the greater number are dependent upon +charity, and some few even extort their subsistence from women or +children by threats, if they have the opportunity of doing so without +fear of detection. + +The number of natives usually frequenting the town of Adelaide averages +perhaps 300, but occasionally there are even as many as 800. These do not +belong to the neighbourhood of the town itself, for the Adelaide tribe +properly so called only embraces about 150 individuals. The others come +in detached parties from almost all parts of the colony. Some from the +neighbourhood of Bonney's Well, or 120 miles south; some from the +Broughton, or 120 miles north; some from the upper part of the Murray, or +nearly 200 miles east. Thus are assembled at one spot sometimes portions +of tribes the most distant from each other, and whose languages, customs +and ceremonies are quite dissimilar. If any proof were wanted to shew the +power of European influence in removing prejudices or effecting a total +revulsion of their former habits and customs, a stronger one could +scarcely be given than this motley assembly of "all nations and +languages." In their primitive state such a meeting could never take +place; the distant tribes would never have dreamt of attempting to pass +through the country of the intermediate ones, nor would the latter have +allowed a passage if it had been attempted. + +I have remarked that in Adelaide many of the natives support themselves +by light easy work, or going errands; there are also a dozen, or fourteen +young men employed regularly as porters to storekeepers with whom they +spend two-thirds of their time, and make themselves very useful. At +harvest time many natives assist the settlers. At Encounter Bay during +1843, from 70 to 100 acres of wheat or barley, were reaped by them; at +Adelaide from 50 to 60 acres, and at Lynedoch Valley they aided in +cutting and getting in 200 acres. Other natives have occasionally +employed themselves usefully in a variety of ways, and one party of young +men collected and delivered to a firm in town five tons of mimosa bark up +to December 1843. At the native location during the year 1842, three +families of natives assisted by the school-children, had dug with the +spade the ground, and had planted and reaped more than one acre of maize, +one acre of potatoes, and half an acre of melons, besides preparing +ground for the ensuing year. On the Murray River native shepherds and +stock-keepers have hitherto been employed almost exclusively, and have +been found to answer well. Most of the settlers in that district have one +or more native youths constantly living at their houses. + +In concluding an account of the present state and prospects of the +Aborigines and of the efforts hitherto made on their behalf, I may state +that I am fully sensible that to put the schools upon a proper footing +and to do away with the serious disadvantages I have pointed out as at +present attending them, or to adopt effective means for assembling, +feeding, or instructing the natives in their own respective districts +would involve a much greater expenditure than South Australia has +hitherto been able to afford from her own resources; and I have therefore +called attention to the subject, not for the purpose of censuring what it +is impossible to remedy without means; but in the sincere and earnest +hope that an interest in behalf of a people who are generally much +misrepresented, and who are certainly in justice entitled to expect at +our hands much more than they receive, will be excited in the breasts of +the British public, who are especially their debtors on many accounts. + +I am aware that the subject of the Aborigines is one of a very difficult +and embarrassing nature in many respects, and I know that evils and +imperfections will occasionally occur, in spite of the utmost efforts to +prevent them. No system of policy can be made to suit all circumstances +connected with a subject so varied and perplexing, and especially so, +where every new arrangement and all benevolent intentions are restrained +or limited, by the deficiency of pecuniary means to carry out the object +in a proper manner. Already the subject of apprenticing the natives, or +teaching them a trade, has been under the consideration of the +Government, but has been delayed from being brought into operation by the +want of funds sufficient to carry the object into effect. It is intended, +I believe, to make the experiment as soon as means are available for that +purpose. + +My duties as an officer of the Government having been principally +connected with the more numerous, but distant tribes of the interior, I +can bear testimony to the anxious desire of the Government to promote the +welfare of the natives. + +I have equal pleasure in recording the great interest that prevails on +their behalf among their numerous friends in the colonies, and the +general kindness and good feeling that have been exhibited towards them +on the part of a large proportion of the colonists of Australia. It is in +the hope that this good feeling may be promoted and strengthened that I +have been led to enter into the details of the preceding pages. In +bringing before the public instances of a contrary conduct or feeling, I +by no means wish to lead to the impression that such are now of very +frequent or general occurrence, and I trust my motives may not be +misunderstood. My sole, my only wish has been to bring about an +improvement in the terms of intercourse, which subsists between the +settlers and the Aborigines. Whilst advocating the cause of the latter, I +am not insensible to the claims of the former, who leaving their native +country and their friends, cheerfully encounter the inconveniences, +toils, privations, and dangers which are necessarily attendant upon +founding new homes in the remote and trackless wilds of other climes. +Strongly impressed with the advantages, and the necessity of +colonization, I am only anxious to mitigate its concomitant evils, and by +effecting an amelioration in the treatment and circumstances of the +Aborigines, point out the means of rendering the residence or pursuits of +the settler among an uncivilized community, less precarious, and less +hazardous than they have been. My object has been to shew the result, I +may almost say, the necessary result of the system at present in force, +when taking possession of and occupying a country where there are +indigenous races. By shewing the complete failure of all efforts hitherto +made, to prevent the oppression and eventual extinction of these +unfortunate people, I would demonstrate the necessity of remodelling the +arrangements made on their behalf, and of adopting a more equitable and +liberal system than any we have yet attempted. + +I believe that by far the greater majority of the settlers in all the +Australian Colonies would hail with real pleasure, the adoption of any +measures calculated to remove the difficulties, which at present beset +our relations with the Aborigines; but to be effectual, these measures, +at the same time that they afford, in some degree, compensation and +support to the dispossessed and starving native--must equally hold out to +the settler and the stockholder that security and protection, which he +does not now possess, but which he is fairly entitled to expect, under +the implied guarantee given to him by the Government, when selling to him +his land, or authorizing him to locate in the more remote districts of +the country. + +From a long experience, and an attentive observation of what has been +going on around me, I am perfectly satisfied, that unless some great +change be made in our system, things will go on exactly as they have +done, and in a few years more not a native will be left to tell the tale +of the wrongs and sufferings of his unhappy race. I am equally convinced +that all one-sided legislation--all measures having reference solely to +the natives must fail. The complete want of success attending the +protecting system, and all other past measures, clearly shew, that unless +the interests of the two classes can be so interwoven and combined, that +both may prosper together; no real good can be hoped for from our best +efforts to ameliorate the condition of the savage. In all future plans it +is evident that the native must have the inducements and provocations to +crime destroyed or counteracted, as far as it may be practicable to +effect this, and the settler must be convinced that it is his interest to +treat the native with kindness and consideration, and must be able to +feel that he is no longer exposed to risk of life or property for +injuries or aggressions, which, as an individual, he has not induced. + +I have now nearly discharged the duty I have undertaken--a duty which my +long experience among the natives, and an intimate acquaintance with +their peculiarities, habits, and customs, has in a measure almost forced +upon me. In fulfilling it, I have been obliged to enter at some length +upon the subject, to give as succinct an account as I could of the +unfavourable impressions that have often, but unjustly, been entertained +of the New Hollanders: of the difficulties and disadvantages they have +laboured under, of the various relations that have subsisted, or now +subsist between them and the colonists, of the different steps that have +been adopted by the Government or others, to ameliorate their condition, +and of the degree of success or otherwise that has attended these +efforts. I have stated, that from the result of my own experience and +observation, for a long series of years past, from a practical +acquaintance with the character and peculiarities of the Aborigines, and +after a deliberate and attentive consideration of the measures that have +been hitherto pursued, I have unwillingly been forced to the conviction, +that some great and radical defect has been common to all; that we have +not hitherto accomplished one single, useful, or permanent result; and +that unless a complete change in our system of policy be adopted for the +future, there is not the slightest hope of our efforts being more +successful in times to come, than they have been in times past. That I am +not alone or singular in the view which I take on this subject, may be +shewn from various sources, but most forcibly from the opinions or +statements of those, who from being upon the spot, and personally +acquainted with the real facts of the case, may be supposed to be most +competent to form just conclusions, and most worthy of having weight +attached to their opinions. The impression on the public mind in the +colonies, with respect to the general effect of the measures that have +heretofore been adopted, may be gathered from the many opinions or +quotations to which I have already referred in my remarks; many others +might be adduced, if necessary, but one or two will suffice. + +The following extract is from a speech by A. Forster, Esq. at a meeting +held to celebrate the anniversary of the South Australian Missionary +Society, on the 6th September, 1843, and at which the Governor of the +Colony presided:-- + + +"This colony had been established for nearly seven years, and during the +whole of that time the natives had been permitted to go about the streets +in a state of nudity. [Note 109 at end of para.] This was not only an +outrage on decency and propriety, but it was demoralising to the natives +themselves. Like Adam, after having come in contact with the tree of +knowledge, they had begun to see their own nakedness, and were ashamed +of it. If they could give them a nearer approach to humanity by clothing +them, if they could make them look like men, they would then, perhaps, +begin to think like men. What he complained of was, not that they were +in a low and miserable condition, but that no effort had been made to +rescue them from that condition." + +[Note 109: And yet a law is passed, subjecting natives, who appear thus, +to punishment!--How are they to clothe themselves?] + +"The circumstances, too, of the aborigines called upon them for increased +exertion. They were wasting away with disease--they were dying on the +scaffold--they were being shot down in mistake for native dogs, and their +bleeding and ghastly heads had been exhibited on poles, as scare-crows to +their fellows." + + +The report of the Missionary Society, read on the same occasion, says, + + +"Though it is undeniable that there is much to discourage in the small +results which can yet be reckoned from these efforts, and a variety of +secondary means might be brought to bear with great advantage on the +condition of the natives, still we must exercise faith in the power of +the Spirit of God, over the most savage soul, in subduing the wicked +passions and inclining the heart unto wisdom by exalted views of a future +state, and of the divine character and will." + + +Captain Grey's opinion of the little good that had ever been +accomplished, may be gathered from the following quotation, and which is +fully as applicable to the state of the natives in 1844, as it was in +1841. Vol. ii. p. 366, he says, + + +"I wish not to assert, that the natives have been often treated with +wanton cruelty, but I do not hesitate to say, that no real amelioration +of their condition has been effected, and that much of negative evil, and +indirect injury has been inflicted on them." + + +Upon the same subject, the Committee of Management of the Native School +at Perth, Swan River, Western Australia, state in their 3rd Annual +Report, dated 1844. + + +"With regard to the physical condition of the native children, and those +who are approaching to mature life, it may be observed, that they are +somewhat improving, though slowly, we trust surely. We find that to undo +is a great work; to disassociate them from their natural ideas, habits, +and practices which are characteristic of the bush life, is a greater +difficulty, for notwithstanding the provisions of sleeping berths in good +rooms, also of tables, etc. for their use, and which are peculiar to +civilised life, and with which they are associated, yet they naturally +verge towards, and cling to aboriginal education, and hence to squat on +the sand to eat, to sleep a night in the bush, to have recourse to a +Byly-a-duck man for ease in sickness; these to them seem reliefs and +enjoyments from these restraints which civilized life entails upon them." + +"With regard to the mental improvement of the native children, we cannot +say much." + +"As to the religious state of the pupils in the institution we have +signs, improvements, and encouragements, which say to us, 'Go on.'" + + +The following quotation from Count Strzelecki's work only just published +(1845), shews the opinion of that talented and intelligent traveller, +after visiting various districts of New South Wales, Port Phillip, Van +Diemen's Land, and Flinders' Island, and after a personal acquaintance +with, and experience among the Aborigines:-- + + +"Thus, in New South Wales, since the time that the fate of the +Australasian awoke the sympathies of the public, neither the efforts of +the missionary, nor the enactments of the Government, and still less the +Protectorate of the "Protectors," have effected any good. The attempts to +civilize and christianize the Aborigines, from which the preservation and +elevation of their race was expected to result, HAVE UTTERLY FAILED, +though it is consolatory, even while painful, to confess, that NEITHER +THE ONE NOR THE OTHER ATTEMPT HAS BEEN CARRIED INTO EXECUTION, WITH THE +SPIRIT WHICH ACCORDS WITH ITS PRINCIPLES." + + +With such slight encouragement in colonies where the best results are +supposed to have been obtained, and with instances of complete failure in +others, it is surely worth while to inquire, why there has been such a +signal want of success?--and whether or not any means can be devised that +may hold out better hopes for the future? I cannot and I would not +willingly believe, that the question is a hopeless one. The failure of +past measures is no reason that future ones should not be more +successful, especially when we consider, that all past efforts on behalf +of the Aborigines have entirely overlooked the wrongs and injuries they +are suffering under from our mere presence in their country, whilst none +have been adapted to meet the exigencies of the peculiar relations they +are placed in with regard to the colonists. The grand error of all our +past or present systems--the very fons et origo mali appears to me to +consist in the fact, that we have not endeavoured to blend the interests +of the settlers and Aborigines together; and by making it the interest of +both to live on terms of kindness and good feeling with each, bring about +and cement that union and harmony which ought ever to subsist between +people inhabiting the same country. So far, however, from our measures +producing this very desirable tendency, they have hitherto, +unfortunately, had only a contrary effect. By our injustice and +oppression towards the natives, we have provoked them to retaliation and +revenge; whilst by not affording security and protection to the settlers, +we have driven them to protect themselves. Mutual distrusts and mutual +misunderstandings have been the necessary consequence, and these, as must +ever be the case, have but too often terminated in collisions or +atrocities at which every right-thinking mind must shudder. To prevent +these calamities for the future; to check the frightful rapidity with +which the native tribes are being swept away from the earth, and to +render their presence amidst our colonists and settlers, not as it too +often hitherto has been, a source of dread and danger, but harmless, and +to a certain extent, even useful and desirable, is an object of the +deepestinterest and importance, both to the politician and to the +philanthropist. I have strong hopes, that means may be devised, to bring +about, in a great measure, these very desirable results; and I would +suggest, that such means only should be tried, as from being just in +principle, and equally calculated to promote the interests of both races, +may, in their practical adoption, hold out the fairest prospect of +efficacy and success. + + + + +Chapter IX. + + + +SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SYSTEM ADOPTED TOWARDS THE NATIVES. + + +In the preceding chapters I have given a general outline of the +character, manners, and customs of the Aborigines of Australia, and of +the effects produced upon them by a contact with civilization. + +I have thus endeavoured to lay before the public their present state and +future prospects, and as far as I am able, have attempted to explain what +appear to me the reasons that so little success has hitherto attended +Missionary, or other efforts, in their behalf. I would sincerely hope, +that the accounts which I have given, may not be altogether useless; but +that a certain knowledge of the real position of the natives, of the just +claims they have upon us, and of the little prospect that exists of any +real or permanent good being effected for them, until a great alteration +takes place in our system, and treatment, may be the means of attracting +attention to their condition, and of enlisting the sympathy of my +fellow-countrymen in their cause. + +Englishmen have ever been ready to come forward to protect the weak, or +the oppressed; nor could they lend their aid to promote a greater, or a +nobler work, than that of endeavouring, to arrest the decay, and avert +the destruction which at present threatens the aboriginal races of our +Australian colonies; and to try at least to bring within the pale of +christianity and civilization, a people hitherto considered as the +lowest, and most irreclaimable of mankind, but whose natural capabilities +and endowments, are, I feel assured, by no means inferior to those of the +most favoured nations. + +I shall now briefly suggest such alterations and additions, in the system +of instruction and policy adopted towards them, as appear to me likely to +prove beneficial. + +I am aware, that in carrying out the improvements I propose, a greatly +increased expenditure on behalf of the natives would be necessary, beyond +what has hitherto been allowed by any of the Colonial Governments. + +It appears to me, however, that they are justly entitled to expect, at +our hands, some compensation for the injuries our presence unavoidably +inflicts, and some alleviation of the consequent miseries they are +suffering under. + +If we are sincere in our desires and efforts to promote the improvement, +or prevent the decay of this unfortunate people, we are bound to make our +measures sufficiently comprehensive to hold out some reasonable hope of +success, otherwise our labour and money are only thrown away. + +I do not believe that there is any one practically acquainted with the +present state of our relations with the Aborigines, and the system +adopted towards them, its working, defects, and inaptitude to overcome +opposing difficulties, who would conscientiously assert that there is the +least prospect of any greater benefits resulting in future than have been +realized up to the present time. + +There is another reason, independently of justice or humanity, one which, +with some, may perhaps have more weight, as a motive for extending and +amending our policy towards the natives. I mean self-interest. If our +measures were calculated to afford them that protection which we claim +for ourselves; and in place of those resources we have deprived them of, +to offer to them a certain and regular supply of food in their respective +districts, their wandering habits would be partially restrained, and a +degree of influence and authority acquired over the whole aboriginal +population, in contact with Europeans, which would counteract their +natural propensities. The flocks and herds of the settlers, and the lives +of his family and servants, would be as unmolested and uninjured as among +our own people. There would no longer occur those irritating aggressions, +or bloody retaliations, which have too often taken place heretofore, +between the black and the white man; and the misfortune of always having +the border districts in a state of excitement and alarm, would be +avoided, whilst the expense and inconvenience of occasionally sending +large parties of military and police, to coerce or punish transgressors +that they can rarely meet with, would be altogether dispensed with. + +Unfortunately, the system I propose has been so little tried in +Australia, that but few instances of its practical results can be +adduced. There is one instance, however, which, from its coming nearer to +it than any other, may serve to exemplify the success that might be +expected. The case I allude to, is that of the establishment of the +Government post at Moorunde, upon the Murray, in October 1841, by His +Excellency Governor Grey. The circumstances which led to the formation of +this post, arose from the disturbed and dangerous state the river route +from New South Wales was in at the time, from the fearful losses that had +occurred both of life and property, and the dread entertained by many, +that the out-stations, which were formed along the line of hills fronting +the Murray, would be subject to irruptions from the natives. + +Between the 16th of April, and 27th of August, or in about four months, +four several affrays had taken place between the Aborigines and +Europeans, in which many of the latter had been killed, and stock, drays, +and other property, had been taken to a great value, (in one instance +alone amounting to 5,000 sheep, besides drays and stores); on the other +hand the sacrifice of native life had been very great, and was admitted +in one case, to have amounted to thirty individuals, exclusive of many +who were perhaps mortally wounded. Four different parties had been sent +up the river during this short period, to punish aggressions. or protect +property. In one of these the Europeans were worsted and driven back by +the natives, in another a number amounting to sixty-eight Europeans, were +absent for upwards of six weeks, at an immense expense, and were then +obliged to return without bringing in a single culprit from the offending +tribes. + +[Note 110: In this latter case, the Commissioner of Police, and the +greater number of his men, accompanied the expedition, leaving of course +the colony unprotected, and ordinary civil arrangements at a stand still +until their return. I have already remarked, the little chance there is, +of either the police or military ever succeeding in capturing native +offenders, and how very frequently it has occurred, that in their attempts +to do so, either through mistake, or from mismanagement, they have very +often been guilty of most serious and lamentable acts of injury and +aggression upon the innocent and the unoffending. As a mere matter of +policy, or financial arrangement, I believe it would in the long run, +be prudent and economical, to adopt a liberal and just line of treatment +towards the Aborigines. I believe by this means, we should gain a +sufficient degree of influence, to induce them always to GIVE UP OFFENDERS +THEMSELVES; and I believe that this is the ONLY MEANS by which we can ever +hope to ensure their CAPTURE.] + +The line of route had become unsafe and dangerous for any party coming +from New South Wales; a feeling of bitter hostility, arising from a sense +of injury and aggression, had taken possession both of the natives and +the Europeans, and it was evident for the future, that if the European +party was weak, the natives would rob and murder them, and if otherwise, +that they would commit wholesale butchery upon the natives. It was to +remedy this melancholy state of affairs, that the Government station at +Moorunde was established, and his Excellency the Governor, did me the +honour to confide to my management the carrying out the objects proposed. + +The instructions I received, and the principles upon which I attempted to +carry out those instructions, were exclusively those of conciliation and +kindness. I made it my duty to go personally amongst the most distant and +hostile tribes, to explain to them that the white man wished to live with +them, upon terms of amity, and that instead of injuring, he was most +anxious to hold out the olive branch of peace. + +By the liberality of the Government, I had it in my power once every +month, to assemble all the natives who chose to collect, whether from +near or more distant tribes, and to give to each a sufficiency of flour +to last for about two days, and once in the year, at the commencement of +winter, to bestow upon some few of the most deserving, blankets as a +protection against the cold. + +How far success attended the system that was adopted, or the exertions +that were made, it is scarcely perhaps becoming in me to say: where the +object, however, is simply and solely to try to benefit the Aborigines, +and by contrasting the effects of different systems, that have been +adopted towards them, to endeavour to recommend the best, I must, even at +the risk of being deemed egotistical, point out some of the important and +beneficial results that accrued at Moorunde. + +In the first place, I may state that the dread of settling upon the +Murray, has so far given place to confidence, that from Wellington (near +the Lake), to beyond the Great South Bend, a distance of more than 100 +miles, the whole line of river is now settled and occupied by stock, +where, in 1841, there was not a single European, a herd of cattle, or a +flock of sheep; nay, the very natives who were so much feared then, are +looked upon now as an additional inducement to locate, since the services +of the boys or young men, save in great measure the expense of European +servants. There are few residents on the Murray, who do not employ one or +more of these people, and at many stations, I have known the sheep or +cattle, partially, and in some instances, wholly attended to by them. + +For three years I was resident at Moorunde, and during the whole of that +time, up to November, 1844, not a single case of serious aggression, +either on the persons or property of Europeans had ever occurred, and but +very few offences even of a minor character. The only crime of any +importance that was committed in my neighbourhood, was at a sheep +station, about 25 miles to the westward, where somefew sheep were stolen, +by a tribe of natives during the absence or neglect of the men attending +them. By a want of proper care and precaution, temptation was thrown in +the way of the natives, but even then, it was only some few of the young +men who were guilty of the offence; none of the elder or more influential +members of the tribe, having had any thing to do with it. Neither did the +tribe belong to the Murray river, although they occasionally came down +there upon visits. There was no evidence to prove that the natives had +stolen the sheep at all; the only fact which could be borne witness to, +was that so many sheep were missing, and it was supposed the natives had +taken them. As soon as I was made acquainted with the circumstances, I +made every inquiry among the tribe suspected, and it was at once admitted +by the elder men that the youths had been guilty of the offence. At my +earnest solicitations, and representations of the policy of so doing, the +culprits, five in number, WERE BROUGHT IN AND DELIVERED UP BY THEIR +TRIBE. No evidence could be procured against them, and after remanding +them from time to time as a punishment, I was obliged to discharge them. + +I may now remark, that upon inquiry into the case, and in examining +witnesses against the natives, it came out in evidence, that at the same +station, and not long before, a native HAD BEEN FIRED AT, (with what +effect did not appear,) simply because he SEEMED to be going towards the +sheep-folds, which were a long way from the hut, and were directly in the +line of route of any one either passing towards Adelaide, or to any of +the more northern stations. Another case occurred about the same time, +and at the same station, where an intelligent and well-conducted native, +belonging to Moorunde, was sent by a gentleman at the Murray to a +surgeon, living about sixty miles off, with a letter, and for medicines. +The native upon reaching this station, which he had to pass, was +ASSAULTED AND OPPOSED BY A MAN, ARMED WITH A MUSKET, and if not fired at, +(which he said he was,) was at least intimidated, and driven back, and +PREVENTED FROM GOING FOR THE MEDICINES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS ILL. I +myself knew the native who was sent, to be one of the most orderly and +well-conducted men we had at the Murray; in fact he had frequently, at +different times, been living with me as an attache to the police force. + +In the second place, I may state, that during the time I have held office +at Moorunde, I have frequently visited on the most friendly terms, and +almost alone, the most distant and hostile tribes, where so short a time +before even large and well-armed bodies of Europeans could not pass +uninterrupted or in safety. Many of those very natives, who had been +concerned in affrays or aggressions, have since travelled hundreds of +miles and encountered hunger and thirst and fatigue, to visit a white +man's station in peace, and on friendly terms. + +Thirdly, I may observe, that ever since I went to the Murray, instead of +shewing signs of enmity or hostility, the natives have acted in the most +kind and considerate manner, and have upon all occasions, when I have +been travelling in less known and more remote districts, willingly +accompanied me as guides and interpreters, introducing me from one tribe +to another, and explaining the amicable relations I wished to establish. +In one case, a native, whom I met by himself, accompanied me at once, +without even saying good-bye to his wife and family, who were a mile or +two away, and whom, as he was going to a distance of one hundred and +fifty miles and back, he was not likely to see for a great length of +time. He was quite content to send a message by the first native he met, +to say where he was going. In my intercourse with the Aborigines I have +always noticed that they would willingly do any thing for a person whom +they were attached to. I have found that an influence, amounting almost +to authority, is produced by a system of kindness; and that in cases +where their own feelings and wishes were in opposition to the particular +object for which this influence might be exercised, that the latter would +almost invariably prevail. Thus, upon one occasion in Adelaide, where a +very large body of the Murray natives were collected to fight those from +Encounter Bay, I was directed by the Government to use my influence to +prevent the affray. Upon going to their encampment late at night, I +explained the object of my visit to them, and requested them to leave +town in the morning, and return to their own district, (90 miles away.) +In the morning I again went to the native camp, and found them all ready, +and an hour afterwards there was not one in Adelaide. Another strong +instance of the power that may be acquired over the natives occurred at +Moorunde, in 1844:--Several tribes were assembled in the neighbourhood, +and were, as I was told, going to fight. I walked down towards their huts +to see if this was the case, but upon arriving at the native camps I +found them deserted, and all the natives about a quarter of a mile away, +on the opposite side of a broad deep sheet of water caused by the floods. +As I reached the edge of the water I saw the opposing parties closing, +and heard the cry of battle as the affray commenced; raising my voice to +the utmost, I called out to them, and was heard, even above the din of +combat. In a moment all was as still as the grave, a canoe was brought +for me to cross, and I found the assembled tribes fully painted and +armed, and anxiously waiting to know what I was going to do. It was by +this time nearly dark, and although I had no fears of their renewing the +fight again for the night, I knew they would do so early in the morning; +I accordingly directed them to separate, and remove their encampments. +One party I sent up the river, a second down it, a third remained where +they were, and two others I made recross the water, and go up to encamp +near my own residence. All this was accomplished solely by the influence +I had acquired over them, for I was alone and unarmed among 300 natives, +whose angry passions were inflamed, and who were bent upon shedding each +others' blood. + +By the assistance of the natives, I was enabled in December 1843, to +ascend the Darling river as far as Laidley's Ponds (above 300 miles from +Moorunde) when accompanied only by two other Europeans, and should have +probably been enabled to reach Mount Lyell (100 miles further) but that a +severe attack of illness compelled me to return. My journey up the +Darling had, however, this good effect, that it opened a friendly +communication with natives who had never before come in contact with the +white man, except in enmity or in contest, and paved the way for a +passage upon friendly terms of any expedition that might be sent by that +route to explore the continent. Little did I anticipate at the time, how +soon such an expedition was to be undertaken, and how strongly and how +successfully the good results I so confidently hoped for were to be fully +tested. + +In August 1844, Captain Sturt passed up the Murray to explore the country +north-west of the Darling, and whilst at Moorunde, on his route, was +supplied with a Moorunde boy to accompany his party to track stock, and +also with a native of the Rufus named And-buck, to go as guide and +interpreter to the Darling. The latter native had accompanied me to +Laidley's Ponds in December 1843, and had come down to Moorunde, +according to a promise he then made me, to visit me in the winter, and go +again with me up the Darling, if I wished it. At Laidley's Ponds I found +the natives very friendly and well conducted, and one of them, a young +man named Topar, was of such an open intelligent disposition that +although my own acquaintance with him was of very short duration, I did +not hesitate to recommend him strongly to my friend Captain Sturt, as +likely to be a willing and useful assistant. The following report from +Captain Sturt, dated from Laidley's Ponds, will best shew how far I was +justified in expecting that a friendly intercourse might be maintained +even with the Darling natives, and to what distance the influence of the +Government station at Moorunde had extended, upon the conciliatory system +that had been adopted, limited though it was by an inadequacy of funds to +provide for such a more extended and liberal treatment of the Aborigines +as I should wish to have adopted. + + +"Sir,--Feeling assured that the Governor would be anxious to hear from me +as soon as possible after the receipt of my letters from Lake Victoria, I +should have taken the earliest opportunity of forwarding despatches to +his Excellency after I had ascertained whether the reports I had heard of +the massacre of a party of overlanders at the lagoons on the Darling was +founded in fact or not; but having been obliged to cross over from the +ana-branch of the Darling to that river itself for water,--and its +unlooked-for course having taken me greatly to the eastward, I had no +opportunity by which to send to Moorunde, although I was most anxious to +allay any apprehensions my former letter might have raised as to the +safety of my party. I tried to induce several natives to be the bearers +of my despatches, but they seemed unwilling to undertake so long a +journey; the arrival, therefore, of a messenger from Moorunde was a most +welcome occurrence, as he proposes returning to that place immediately, +and will be the bearer of this communication to you. + +"In continuing, for his Excellency's information, the detail of the +proceedings of the expedition under my orders since I last addressed you, +I have the honour to state that I had advanced a considerable way up the +Darling before I ascertained satisfactorily the true grounds of the +report I had heard at Lake Victoria, and was enabled to dismiss all +further anxiety on the subject from my mind. + +"It referred to the affray which took place on the Darling, opposite to +Laidley's Ponds, between Major Mitchell and the natives; and I conclude +that the circumstance of our being about to proceed to the same place, +recalled a transaction which had occurred eight years ago to their minds; +for we can trace a connection between the story we heard at the Lake, and +what we have heard upon the spot; but all the circumstances were at first +told to us with such minuteness, that coupling them with the character +Major Mitchell has given of the Darling natives, and the generally +received opinion of their ferocity and daring, we could hardly refuse +giving a certain degree of credit to what we heard; more especially as it +was once or twice confirmed by natives with whom we communicated on our +way up the river. I really feared we should come into collision with +these people, despite my reluctance to proceed to extremities; but it +will be satisfactory to his Excellency, as I trust it will to Lord +Stanley, to know that we have passed up the Darling on the most friendly +terms with the native tribes, insomuch that I may venture to hope that +our intercourse with them will be productive of much good. So far from +the show of any hostility, they may have invariably approached us +unarmed, nor have we seen a weapon in the hands of a native since we +touched upon the river. THEY HAVE CONSTANTLY SLEPT AT OUR FIRES, AND +SHEWN BY THEIR MANNER THAT THEY HAD EVERY CONFIDENCE IN US, BRINGING +THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN TO THE CAMP, NOR AT ANY TIME GIVING US THE LEAST +ANNOYANCE, BUT ALWAYS SHEWING A WILLINGNESS TO SAVE US TROUBLE, AND TO DO +WHATEVER WE DESIRED THEM TO DO. NOTHING INDEED COULD HAVE BEEN MORE +SATISFACTORY TO US THAN OUR INTERCOURSE WITH THESE POOR PEOPLE, OR MORE +AMUSING THAN THE SPIRITS AND FEELINGS TO WHICH THEY HAVE GIVEN WAY BEFORE +US, WHEN UNCONTROLLED BY FEAR. MANY INDEED HAVE CONTINUED WITH US FOR +SOME TIME, AND HAVE EVINCED SINCERE AND MARKED SORROW AT LEAVING US. I +have made it a rule to give blankets to the old and infirm, and tomahawks +and knives to the young men, and they perfectly understand the reason of +this distinction. Finding too, that they consider kangaroos as their own +property, we have almost invariably given them all the animals the dogs +have killed, and have endeavoured to convince them that we wish to be +just, and have the kindest feelings toward them. In this humane duty I +have been most cordially assisted both by Mr. Poole and Mr. Browne, and I +must add, by the conduct of my men towards the natives, which reflects +very great credit upon them. WE HAVE RECEIVED VERY GREAT ASSISTANCE FROM +OUR GUIDES, WHO HAVE ALWAYS SMOOTHED THE WAY TO OUR COMMUNICATION WITH +THE DIFFERENT TRIBES; and I have earnestly to recommend Nadbuck, who has +accompanied us from Moorunde to this place, to the favour of the +Governor, and to request that he may be rewarded in such manner as his +Excellency thinks fit, from the funds of the expedition. We find that Mr. +Eyre's influence has extended to this place, and that he is considered in +the highest light by all the natives along the Darling. In their physical +condition they are inferior to the natives of the Murray in size and +strength, but we have seen many very handsome men, and, although +diminutive in stature, exceedingly well proportioned. The tribe at +Williorara, Laidley's Ponds, numbers about eighty souls; the greater +proportion women and children. One of them, Topar, accompanies us to the +hills with another native, Toonda, who has been with us since we left +Lake Victoria, and who is a native of this tribe. He is a very singular +and remarkable man, and is rather aged, but still sinewy and active; +Topar is young, and handsome, active, intelligent, and exceedingly good +natured;--with them I hope we shall be able to keep up our friendly +relations with the natives of the interior. + +"I have to request that you will thank his Excellency for the prompt +assistance he would have afforded us; but I am sure it will be as +gratifying to him as it is to us to know that it is not required. + +"As I reported to you in my letter of the 17th of September, I left Lake +Victoria on the following day, and crossing the country in a +south-easterly direction, reached the Murray after a journey of about +fifteen miles, over plains, and encamped on a peninsula formed by the +river and a lagoon, and on which there was abundance of feed. We had +observed numerous tracks of wild cattle leading from the brush across the +plains to the river, and at night our camp was surrounded by them. I +hoped, therefore, that if I sent out a party in the morning. I should +secure two or three working bullocks, and I accordingly detached Mr. +Poole and Mr. Browne, with Flood, my stockman, and Mack, to run them in; +but the brush was too thick, and in galloping after a fine bull, Flood's +carbine went off, and carried away and broke three of the fingers of his +right hand. This unfortunate accident obliged me to remain stationary for +a day; but we reached the junction of the ana-branch of the Darling with +the Murray, on the 23rd, and then turned for the first time to the +northward. + +"We found the ana-branch filled by the back waters of the Murray, and ran +up it for two days, when the water in it ceased, and we were obliged to +cross over to the Darling, which we struck on an east course, about +eighteen miles above its junction with the Murray. It had scarcely any +water in its bed, and no perceptible current--but its neighbourhood was +green and grassy, and its whole aspect pleasing. On the 27th, we thought +we perceived a stronger current in the river, and observed small sticks +and grass floating on the water, and we were consequently led to believe +that there was a fresh in it; and as we had had rain, and saw that the +clouds hung on the mountains behind us, we were in hopes the supply the +river was receiving came from Laidley's Ponds. On the following morning +the waters of the Darling were half-bank high, and from an insignificant +stream it was at once converted into a broad and noble river, sweeping +everything away on its turbid waters at the rate of these or four miles +an hour. The river still continues to rise, and is fast filling the +creeks and lagoons on either side of it. The cattle enjoy the most +luxuriant feed on the banks of the river--there being abundance of grass +also in the flats, which far surpass those of the Murray both in richness +of soil, and in extent. I cannot but consider the river as a most +valuable feature of the interior: many a rich and valuable farm might be +established upon it. Its seasons appear to be particularly favourable, +for we have had gentle rains ever since we came upon it. Its periodical +flooding is also at a most favourable period of the year, and its waters +are so muddy that the deposit must be rich, and would facilitate the +growth of many of the inter-tropical productions, as cotton, indigo--the +native indigo growing to the height of three feet--maize, or flax; +whilst, if an available country is found in the interior, the Darling +must be the great channel of communication to it. The country behind the +flats is sandy and barren, but it would in many places support a certain +number of stock, and might be found to be of more value than appearances +would justify me in stating, and I would beg to be understood, in +speaking of the Darling, that I only speak of it as I have seen it. The +summer sun probably parches up the vegetation and unclothes the soil; but +such is the effect of summer heat in all similar latitudes, and that spot +should be considered the most valuable where the effect of solar heat can +be best counteracted by natural or artificial means. I had hoped, as I +have stated, that the Darling was receiving its accession of waters from +the Williorara (Laidley's Ponds); but on arriving on its banks we were +sadly disappointed to find, instead of a mountain stream, a creek only +connects the river with Cowandillah Lake; instead of supplying the +Darling with water it was robbing it, and there was scarcely a blade of +vegetation on its banks. I was, therefore, obliged to return to the +Darling, and to encamp until such time as I should determine on our next +movement. From some hills above the camp, we had a view of some ranges to +the north-west and north, and I detached Mr. Poole on the 4th to +ascertain the nature of the country between us and them, before I +ventured to remove the party; more especially as the natives told us the +interior beyond the ranges was perfectly impracticable. This morning Mr. +Poole returned, and informed me that, from the top of the ranges he +ascended, he had a view of distant ranges to the north and north-west, as +far as he could see; that from south-west to west to 13 degrees east of +north, there was water extending, amidst which there were numerous +islands; that there was a very distant high peak, which appeared to be +surrounded by water, which shewed as a dark blue line along the horizon. +The country between him and the more distant ranges appeared to be level, +and was similar in aspect to the plains we had traversed when approaching +the hills, which were covered with spear grass, a grass of which the +animals are fond, and thin green shrubs. + +"I will not venture a conjecture as to the nature of the country whose +features have been thus partially developed to us. How far these waters +may stretch, and what the character of the ranges is, it is impossible to +say, but that there is a good country at no great distance, I have every +reason to hope. Mr. Poole states that the small scolloped parroquets +passed over his head from the north-west in thousands; and he observed +many new birds. I am therefore led to hope, that, as these first are +evidently strong on the wing on their arrival here, that the lands from +which they come are not very remote from us. So soon as I shall have +verified my position in a satisfactory manner,--which a clouded sky has +hitherto prevented my doing,--we shall move to the ranges, and leaving my +drays in a safe place, shall proceed with the horse teams to a closer +examination of the country, and, if I should find an open sea to +north-west, shall embark upon it with an ample supply of provisions and +water, and coast it round. The reports of the fine interior, which we +have heard from the natives, are so contradictory, that it is impossible +to place any reliance in them; but Toonda informs us that the water Mr. +Poole has seen is fresh--but as we are not more than two hundred and +fifteen feet above the sea, and are so near Lake Torrens, I can hardly +believe that such can be the case. It is a problem, however, that will +now very soon be solved, and I most sincerely trust this decided change +in the barrenness of the land will lead us to a rich and available +country. + +"I have great pleasure in reporting to you the continued zeal and anxiety +of my officers, and the cheerful assistance they render me. I have found +Mr. Piesse of great value, from his regular and cautious issue of the +stores and provisions; and Mr. Stewart extremely useful as draftsman. +Amongst my men, I have to particularise Robert Flood, my stockman, whose +attention to the horses and cattle has mainly insured their fitness for +service and good condition; and I have every reason to feel satisfied +with the manner in which the men generally perform their duties. + +"I have to apologize for the hurried manner in which this letter is +written, and beg to subscribe myself, + +"Sir, your most obedient servant, + +"CHARLES STURT." + + +With reference to the above report, I may mention in explanation, that, +after I had accompanied the exploring party as far as the Rufus, and +returned from thence to Moorunde, a rumour was brought to Captain Sturt +by some natives from the Darling, of a massacre said to have taken place +up that river near Laidley's Ponds. From being quite unacquainted with +the language not only of the Darling natives, but also of the Rufus +interpreter or the Moorunde boy, Captain Sturt's party had been only able +to make out the story that was told to them by signs or by the aid of +such few words of English as the boy might have learnt at Moorunde. They +had naturally fallen into some error, and had imagined the natives to be +describing the recent murder of a European party coming down the Darling +with stock, instead of their narrating, as was in reality the case, an +old story of the affray with Major Mitchell some years before. As Captain +Sturt was still at the Rufus (150 miles from Moorunde) when he received +the account, as he imagined, of so sanguinary an affray, he felt anxious +to communicate the occurrence to the Colonial Government as early as +possible, and for this purpose, induced two natives to bring down +despatches to Moorunde. Upon their arrival there, the policeman was +absent in town, and I had no means of sending in the letters to the +Government, but by natives. Two undertook the task, and walked from +Moorunde to Adelaide with the letters, and brought answers back again to +the station within five days, having walked 170 miles in that period, +Moorunde being 85 miles from Adelaide. + +Again upon the Government wishing to communicate with Captain Sturt, +letters were taken by the natives up to the Rufus, delivered over to +other natives there, and by them carried onwards to Captain Sturt, +reaching that gentleman on the eleventh day after they been sent from +Moorunde, at Laidley's Ponds, a distance of 300 miles. + +By this means a regular intercourse was kept up with the exploring party, +entirely through the aid and good feeling of the natives, up to the time +I left the colony, in December, 1844, when messengers who had been sent +up with despatches were daily expected back with answers. For their very +laborious and harassing journeys, during which they must suffer both some +degree of risk in passing through so many other tribes on their line of +route, and of hunger and other privations in prosecuting them, the +messengers are but ill requited; the good feeling they displayed, or the +fatigues they went through, being recompensed only by the present of a +SMALL BLANKET AND A FEW POUNDS OF FLOUR. With these facts before us can +we say that these natives are a ferocious, irreclaimable set of savages, +and destitute of all the better attributes of humanity? yet are they +often so maligned. The very natives, who have now acted in such a +friendly manner, and rendered such important services to Europeans, are +the SAME NATIVES who were engaged in the plundering of their property, +and taking away their lives when coming over land with stock. Such is the +change which has been effected by kindness and conciliation instead of +aggression and injury; and such, I think, I may in fairness argue, would +generally be the result if SIMILAR MEANS were more frequently resorted +to. + +As yet Moorunde is the only place where the experiment has been made of +assembling the natives and giving food to them; but as far as it has been +tried, it has been proved to be eminently successful. I am aware that the +system is highly disapproved of by many of the colonists, and the general +feeling among them appears to be that nothing should be given where +nothing is received, or in other words, that a native should never have +any thing given to him until he does some work for it. I still maintain +that the native has a right to expect, and that we are IN JUSTICE BOUND +to supply him with food in any of those parts of the country that we +occupy, and to do this, too, WITHOUT demanding or requiring any other +consideration from him than we have ALREADY received when we TOOK FROM +HIM his possessions and his hunting grounds. It may be all very proper to +get him to work a little if we can--and, perhaps, that MIGHT follow in +time, but we have no right to force him to a labour he is unused to, and +WHICH HE NEVER HAD TO PERFORM IN HIS NATURAL STATE, whilst we have a +right to supply him with what he has been accustomed to, BUT OF WHICH WE +HAD DEPRIVED HIM--FOOD. + +If in our relations with the Aborigines we wish to preserve a friendly +and bloodless intercourse; if we wish to have their children at our +schools to be taught and educated; if we hope to bring the parents into a +state that will better adapt them for the reception of christianity and +civilization; or if we care about staying the rapid and lamentable +ravages which a contact with us is causing among their tribes, we must +endeavour to do so, by removing, as far as possible, all sources of +irritation, discontent, or suffering. We must adopt a system which may at +once administer to their wants, and at the same time, give to us a +controlling influence over them; such as may not only restrain them from +doing what is wrong, but may eventually lead them to do what is right--an +influence which I feel assured would be but the stronger and more lasting +from its being founded upon acts of justice and humanity. It is upon +these principles that I have based the few suggestions I am going to +offer for the improvement of our policy towards the natives. I know that +by many they will be looked upon as chimerical or impracticable, and I +fear that more will begrudge the means necessary to carry them into +effect; but unless something of the kind be done--unless some great and +radical change be effected, and some little compensation made for the +wrongs and injuries we inflict--I feel thoroughly satisfied that all we +are doing is but time and money lost, that all our efforts on behalf of +the natives are but idle words--voces et preterea nihil--that things will +still go on as they have been going on, and that ten years hence we shall +have made no more progress either in civilizing or in christianizing them +than we had done ten years ago, whilst every day and every hour is +tending to bring about their certain and total extinction. + + +SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE ABORIGINES. + +1st. It appears that the most important point, in fact almost the only +essential one, in the first instance, is to gain such an influence or +authority over the Aborigines as may be sufficient to enable us to induce +them to adopt, or submit to any regulations that we make for their +improvement, and that to effect this, the means must be suited to their +circumtances and habits. + +2ndly. It is desirable that the means employed should have a tendency to +restrain their wandering habits, and thus gradually induce them to locate +permanently in one place. + +3rdly. It is important that the plan should be of such a nature as to +become more binding in its influence in proportion to the length of time +it is in operation. + +4thly. It should hold out strong inducements to the parents, willingly to +allow their children to go to, and remain at the schools. + +5thly. It should be such as would operate, in some degree, in weaning the +natives from towns or populous districts. + +6thly. It should offer some provision for the future career of the +children upon their leaving school, and its tendency should be of such a +character as to diminish, as far as practicable, the attractions of a +savage life. + +7thly. It is highly important that the system adopted should be such as +would add to the security and protection of the settlers, and thereby +induce their assistance and co-operation, instead, as has too often been +the case hitherto with past measures, of exciting a feeling of irritation +and dislike between the two races. + +I believe that all these objects might be accomplished, in a great +degree, by distributing food regularly to all the natives, in their +respective districts. + +[Note 111: The whole of my remarks on the Aborigines having been hurriedly +compiled, on board ship, during the voyage from Australia, it was not +until my arrival in England that I became aware that a plan somewhat +similar to this in principle, was submitted to Lord John Russell by a Mr. +J. H. Wedge, and was sent out to the colony of New South Wales, to be +reported upon by the authorities. I quote the following extract from Mr. +La Trobe's Remarks on Mr. Wedge's letter, as shewing an opinion differing +from my own (Parliamentary Papers, p. 130). "With reference to the supply +of food and clothing, it has not been hitherto deemed advisable to +furnish them indiscriminately to all natives visiting the homesteads. In +one case, that of the Western Port District, the assistant protector has +urged that this should be the case; but I have not felt myself +sufficiently convinced of the policy or expediency of such measure to +bring it under his Excellency's notice."] + +I have previously shewn, that from the injuries the natives sustain at +our hands, in a deprivation of their usual means of subsistence, and a +banishment from their homes and possessions, there is at present no +alternative for them but to remain the abject and degraded creatures they +are, begging about from house to house, or from station to station, to +procure food, insulted and despised by all, and occasionally tempted or +driven to commit crimes for which a fearful penalty is enacted, if +brought home to them. I have given instances of the extent to which the +evils resulting from the anomalous state of our relations with them are +aggravated by the kind of feeling which circumstances engender on the +part of the Colonists towards them. I have pointed out the tendency of +their own habits and customs, to prevent them from rising in the scale of +improvement, until we can acquire an influence sufficient to counteract +these practices; and I have shewn that thus situated, oppressed, +helpless, and starving, we cannot expect they should make much progress +in civilization, or pay great regard to our instructions, when they see +that we do not practice what we recommend, and that we have one law for +ourselves and another for them. The good results that have been produced +when an opposite and more liberal system has been adopted (limited as +that system was) has also been stated. It is only fair to assume, +therefore, that these beneficial effects may be expected to accrue in an +increasing ratio in proportion to our liberality and humanity. + +My own conviction is, that by adopting the system I recommend, an almost +unlimited influence might be acquired over the native population. I +believe that the supplying them with food would gradually bring about the +abandonment of their wandering habits, in proportion to the frequency of +the issue, that the longer they were thus dependent upon us for their +resources, the more binding our authority would be; that when they no +longer required their children to assist them in the chase or in war, +they would willingly allow them to remain at our schools; that by only +supplying food to natives in their own districts they would, in some +measure, be weaned from the towns; that by restraining the wandering +habits of the parents in this way, there would be fewer charms and less +temptation to the children to relapse from a comparative state of +civilization into one of barbarism again; and that, by supplying the +wants of the natives, and taking away all inducements to crime, a +security and protection would be afforded to the settlers which do not +now exist, and which, under the present system, can never be expected, +until the former have almost disappeared before their oppressors. + +Many subordinate arrangements would be necessary to bring the plan into +complete operation, and from its general character it could not, perhaps, +be carried out every where at once, but if such arrangements were made, +only in a few districts every year, much would be done towards eventually +accomplishing the ends desired. + +At Moorunde flour was only regularly issued once in the month, but that +is not often enough to attain the full advantages of the system, still +less to remedy the evils the natives are subject to, or restrain their +wandering propensities. Upon the Murray the natives are peculiarly +situated, and have greater facilities for obtaining their natural food +than in any other part of the country. They were consequently in a +position more favourable for making an experiment upon, than those of the +inland districts, where a native is often obliged to wander over many +miles of ground for his day's subsistence, and where large tribes cannot +remain long congregated at the same place. In these it would therefore be +necessary to make the issues of food much more frequently, and I would +proportion this frequency to the state of each district with regard to +the number of Europeans, and stock in it; and the facility there might be +for procuring native food. On the borders of the colony, where the +natives are less hemmed in, the issue might take place once every +fortnight, gradually increasing the number of the issues in approaching +towards Adelaide as a centre. At the latter, and in many other of the +districts where the country is thoroughly occupied by Europeans, it would +be necessary, as it would only be just, to supply the natives with food +daily, and I would extend this arrangement gradually to all the +districts, as funds could be obtained for that purpose. It is possible +that if means at the same time were afforded of teaching them industrial +pursuits, a proportion of the food required might eventually be raised by +themselves, but it would not be prudent to calculate upon any such +resources at first. + +Having now explained what I consider the first and most important +principle, to be observed in all systems devised for the amelioration of +the Aborigines, viz. that of endeavouring to adapt the means employed to +the acquisition of a strong controlling influence over them, and having +shewn how I think this might best be obtained, I may proceed to mention a +few collateral regulations, which would be very essential to the +effective working of the system proposed. + +First. It would be necessary for the sake of perspicuity to suppose the +country divided into districts, agreeing as nearly as could be +ascertained with the boundaries of the respectives tribes. In these +districts a section or two of land, well supplied with wood and water, +should be chosen for the Aborigines; such lands, if possible, to be +centrically situated with regard to the tribes intended to assemble +there, but always having reference to their favourite places of resort, +or to such as would afford the greatest facilities for procuring their +natural food. I do not apprehend that these stations need be very +numerous at first: for the whole colony of South Australia nine or ten +would probably be sufficient at present; thus stations such as I have +described, at Adelaide, Encounter Bay, The Coorong, Moorunde, the Hutt +River, Mount Bryant, Mount Remarkable, and Port Lincoln would embrace +most of the tribes of Aborigines at present in contact with the settlers; +others could be added, or these altered, as might be thought desirable or +convenient. + +Secondly. In order to carry due weight when first established, and until +the natives get well acquainted with Europeans and their customs, it +would be essential that each station should be supported by two or more +policemen. These might afterwards be reduced in number, or withdrawn, +according to the state of the district. + +[Note 112: "It is absolutely necessary, for the cause of humanity and good +order, that such force should exist; for as long as distant settlers +are left unprotected, and are compelled to take care of and avenge +themselves, so long must great barbarities necessarily be committed, +and the only way to prevent great crimes on the part of the natives, +and massacres of these poor creatures, as the punishment of such crimes, +is to check and punish their excesses in their infancy; it is only after +becoming emboldened by frequent petty successes that they have hitherto +committed those crimes, which have drawn down so fearful a vengeance upon +them."--GREY, vol ii. p. 379.] + +Under any circumstances a police is necessary in all the country +districts, nor do I think on the whole, many more policemen would be +required than there are at out-stations at present. They would only have +to be quartered at the native establishments. + +Thirdly. It would be absolutely requisite to have experienced and proper +persons in charge of each of the locations; as far as practicable, it +would undoubtedly be the most desirable to have these establishments +under missionaries. In other cases they might be confided to the +protectors of the Aborigines, and to the resident or police magistrates. +All officers having such charge should be deemed ex-officio to be +protectors, and as many should be in the commission of the peace as +possible. + +Many other necessary and salutary regulations, would naturally occur in +so comprehensive a scheme, but as these belong more to the detail of the +system, it may be desirable to allude only to a few of the most +important. + +It would be desirable to keep registers at all the stations, containing +lists of the natives frequenting them, their names, and that of the tribe +they belong to. + +Natives should not be allowed to leave their own districts, to go to +Adelaide, or other large towns, unless under passes from their respective +protectors, and if found in Adelaide without them, should be taken up by +the police and slightly punished. + +[Note 113: Natives, from a distance, are in the habit of going at certain +times of the year into Adelaide, and remaining three or four months at a +time. They are said by Europeans to plunder stations on the line of route +backwards and forwards, and to threaten, and intimidate women and +children living in isolated houses near the town. There is no doubt but +that they have sometimes driven away the natives properly belonging to +Adelaide, and have been the means, by their presence, of a great decrease +in the attendance of the children of the Adelaide tribes at the school. +The protector has more than once been obliged to make official +representations on this subject, and to request that measures might be +taken to keep them away.] + +Deaths, Births, and Marriages, should be duly registered, and a gratuity +given on every such occasion, to ensure the regulation being attended to. + +Rewards should be given, (as an occasional present, of a blanket for +instance), to such parents as allowed their children to go to and remain +at school during the year. + +Rewards should be bestowed for delivering up offenders, or for rendering +any other service to the Government. + +Light work should be offered to such as could be induced to undertake it, +and rewards, as clothing, or the like, should be paid in proportion to +the value of the work done, and BEYOND THE MERE PROVIDING THEM with food. + +Gifts might also be made to those parents, who consented to give up the +performance of any of their savage or barbarous ceremonies upon their +children. + +Young men should be encouraged to engage themselves in the service of +settlers, as shepherds or stockkeepers, and the masters should be induced +to remunerate their services more adequately than they usually do. + +The elder natives should be led as far as could be, to make articles of +native industry for sale, as baskets, mats, weapons, implements, nets, +etc., these might be sent to Adelaide and sold periodically for their +benefit. + +Such and many other similar regulations, would appear to be advantageous, +and might be adopted or altered from time to time, as it should be deemed +desirable. + +Upon the subject of schools for the native children, it appears that much +benefit would be derived from having them as far separated as possible +from other natives, and that the following, among others, would be +improvements upon the plans in present use. + +1st. That the school buildings should be of such size and arrangement, as +to admit of all the scholars being lodged as well as boarded, and of the +boys and girls having different sleeping rooms. + +2ndly. That the schools should have a sufficiency of ground properly +enclosed around them, for the play-grounds, and that no other natives +than the scholars should be admitted within those precincts, except in +the presence of the master, when relatives come to see each other; but +that on no account should any natives be permitted to encamp or sleep +within the school grounds. + +3rdly. That the children should not be allowed or encouraged to roam +about the towns, begging, or to ramble for any purpose outside their +boundaries, where they are likely to come under the influence of the +other natives. This is particularly necessary with respect to girls, +indeed the latter should never be allowed to be absent from school at +all, by themselves. + +4thly. To compensate in some degree, for what may at first appear to them +an irksome or repulsive restraint, playthings should occasionally be +provided for those children who have behaved well, and all innocent +amusement be encouraged, and as often as might be convenient, the master +should accompany his scholars out into the country for recreation, or +through the town, or such other public places, as might be objects of +interest or curiosity. + +5thly. That a stimulus to exertion, should be excited by prizes, being +given to children distinguishing themselves at certain stages of their +progress, such as a superior article of dress, a toy, or book, or +whatever might be best adapted to the age or disposition of the child. + +6thly. That parents should never be allowed to withdraw the children, +contrary to their wishes, after having once consented to allow them to +remain there. + +7thly. That children of both sexes, after having received a proper degree +of instruction, and having attained a certain age, should be bound out as +apprentices for a limited term of years, to such as were willing to +receive them, proper provision being made for their being taught some +useful occupation, and being well treated. + +8thly. Encouragement should be offered to those who have been brought up +at the schools to marry together when their apprenticeships are out, and +portions of land should be preserved for them and assistance given them +in establishing themselves in life. At first perhaps it might be +advisable to have these settlements in the form of a village and +adjoining the school grounds, so that the young people might still +receive the advantage of the advice or religious instruction of the +missionaries or such ministers as attended to this duty at the schools. + +9thly. The children should be taught exclusively in the English language +and on Sundays should always attend divine service at some place of +public worship, accompanied by their masters. + +In carrying into effect the above or any other regulations which might be +found necessary for the welfare and improvement of the children. I +believe that a sufficient degree of influence would be acquired over the +parents by the system of supplying them with food, which I have +recommended to induce a cheerful consent, but it would be only prudent to +have a legislative enactment on the subject, that by placing the +school-children under the guardianship of the protectors, they might be +protected from the influence or power of their relatives; after these had +once fully consented to their being sent to school to be educated. + +[Note 114: "The best chance of preserving the unfortunate race of New +Holland lies in the means employed for training their children: the +education given to such children should consist in a very small part of +reading and writing. Oral instruction in the fundamental truths of the +Christian religion will be given by the missionaries themselves. The +children should be taught early; the boys to dig and plough, and the +trades of shoemakers, tailors, carpenters and masons; the girls to sew and +cook and wash linen, and keep clean the rooms and furniture. The more +promising of these children might be placed, by a law to be framed for +this purpose, under the guardianship of the Governor and placed by him at +a school, or in apprenticeship, in the more settled parts of the colony. +Thus early trained, the capacity of the race for the duties and +employments of civilized life would be fairly developed."--Letter from +Lord John Russell to Sir G. Gipps; Parliamentary Report on +Aborigines, p. 74.] + +There is yet another point to be considered with respect to the +Aborigines, and upon the equitable adjustment of which hinges all our +relations with this people, whilst upon it depends entirely our power of +enforcing any laws or regulations we may make with respect to them, I +allude to the law of evidence as it at present stands with respect to +persons incompetent to give testimony upon oath. + +It is true that in South Australia an act has very recently passed the +legislative council to legalize the unsworn testimony of natives in a +court of justice, but in that act there occurs a clause which completely +neutralizes the boon it was intended to grant, and which is as follows, +"Provided that no person, whether an Aboriginal or other, SHALL BE +CONVICTED OF ANY OFFENCE by any justice or jury upon the SOLE TESTIMONY +of any such uncivilized persons." 7 and 8 Victoria, section 5. + +Here then we find that if a native were ill-treated or shot by an +European, and the whole tribe able to bear witness to the fact, no +conviction and no punishment could ensue: let us suppose that in an +attempt to maltreat the native, the European should be wounded or injured +by him, and that the European has the native brought up and tried for a +murderous attack upon him, how would it fare with the poor native? the +oath of the white man would overpower any exculpatory unsworn testimony +that the native could bring, and his conviction and punishment would be +(as they have been before) certain and severe. + +Without attempting to assign a degree of credence to the testimony of a +native beyond what it deserves, I will leave it to those who are +acquainted with Colonies, and the value of an oath among the generality +of storekeepers and shepherds, to say how far their SWORN evidence is, in +a moral point of view, more to be depended upon than the unsworn parole +of the native. I would ask too, how often it occurs that injuries upon +the Aborigines are committed by Europeans in the presence of those +competent to give a CONVICTING TESTIMONY, (unless where all, being +equally guilty, are for their own sakes mutually averse to let the truth +be known)? or how often even such aggressions take place under +circumstances which admit of circumstantial evidence being obtained to +corroborate native testimony? + +Neither is it in the giving of evidence alone, that the native stands at +a disadvantage as compared with a white man. His case, whether as +prosecutor or defendant, is tried before a jury of another nation whose +interests are opposed to his, and whose prejudices are often very strong +against him. + +I cannot illustrate the position in which he is placed, more forcibly, +than by quoting Captain Grey's remarks, vol. ii. p. 381, where he says:-- + + +"It must also be borne in mind, that the natives are not tried by a jury +of their peers, but by a jury having interests directly opposed to their +own, and who can scarcely avoid being in some degree prejudiced against +native offenders." + + +The opinion of Judge Willis upon this point may be gathered from the +following extract, from an address to a native of New South Wales, when +passing sentence of death upon him:-- + + +"The principle upon which this court has acted in the embarrassing +collisions which have too frequently arisen between the Aborigines and +the white Europeans, has been one of reciprocity and mutual protection. +On the one hand, the white man when detected (WHICH I FEAR SELDOM +HAPPENS), has been justly visited with the rigour of the law, for +aggressions on the helpless savages; and, on the other, the latter has +been accountable for outrages upon his white brethren. As between the +Aborigines themselves, the court has never interfered, for obvious +reasons. Doubtless, in applying the law of a civilized nation to the +condition of a wild savage, innumerable difficulties must occur. The +distance in the scale of humanity between the wandering, houseless man of +the woods, and the civilized European, is immeasurable! FOR PROTECTION, +AND FOR RESPONSIBILITY IN HIS RELATION TO THE WHITE MAN THE BLACK IS +REGARDED AS A BRITISH SUBJECT. In theory, this sounds just and +reasonable; but in practice, how incongruous becomes its application! As +a British subject, he is presumed to know the laws, for the infraction of +which he is held accountable, and yet he is shut out from the advantage +of its protection when brought to the test of responsibility. As a +British subject, he is entitled to be tried by his PEERS. Who are the +peers of the black man? Are those, of whose laws, customs, language, and +religion, he is wholly ignorant--nay, whose very complexion is at +variance with his own--HIS peers? He is tried in his native land by a +race new to him, and by laws of which he knows nothing. Had you, unhappy +man! had the good fortune to be born a Frenchman, or had been a native of +any other country but your own, the law of England would have allowed you +to demand a trial by half foreigners and half Englishmen. But, by your +lot being the lowest, as is assumed, in the scale of humanity, you are +inevitably placed on a footing of fearful odds, when brought into the +sacred temple of British justice. Without a jury of your own +countrymen--without the power of making adequate defence, by speech or +witness--you are to stand the pressure of every thing that can be alleged +against you, and your only chance of escape is, not the strength of your +own, but the weakness of your adversary's case. Surrounded as your trial +was with difficulties, everything, I believe, was done that could be done +to place your case in a proper light before the jury. They have come to a +conclusion satisfactory, no doubt, to their consciences. Whatever might +be the disadvantages under which you laboured, they were convinced, as I +am, that you destroyed the life of Dillon; and as there was nothing +proved to rebut the presumption, of English law, arising from the fact of +homicide being committed by you, they were constrained to find you guilty +of murder. There may have been circumstances, if they could have been +proved, which would have given a different complexion to the case from +that of the dying declaration of the deceased, communicated to the Court +through the frail memory of two witnesses, who varied in their relation +of his account of the transaction. This declaration, so taken, was to be +regarded as if taken on oath, face to face with your accuser; and, +although you had not the opportunity of being present at it, and of +cross-examining the dying man, yet by law it was receivable against you." + + +In vol. ii. p 380, Captain Grey says:-- + + +"I have been a personal witness to a case in which a native was most +undeservedly punished, from the circumstance of the natives, who were the +only persons who could speak as to certain exculpatory facts, not being +permitted to give their evidence." + + +Under the law lately passed in South Australia, the evidence of natives +would be receivable in a case of this kind, in palliation of the offence. +Although it is more than questionable how far such evidence would weigh +against the white man's oath; but for the purpose of obtaining redress +for a wrong, or of punishing the cruelty, or the atrocity of the European +[Note 115 at end of para.], no amount of native evidence would be of the +least avail. Reverse the case, and the sole unsupported testimony of a +single witness, will be quite sufficient to convict even unto death, as +has lately been the case in two instances connected with Port Lincoln, +where the natives have been tried at different times for murder, +convicted, and two of them hung, upon the testimony of one old man, who +was the only survivor left among the Europeans, but who, from the natural +state of alarm and confusion in which he must have been upon being +attacked, and from the severe wounds he received, could not have been in +an advantageous position, for observing, or remarking the identity of the +actual murderers, among natives, who, even under more favourable +circumstances are not easily recognizable upon a hasty view, and still +less so, if either they, or the observer, are in a state of excitement at +the time. Is it possible for the natives to be blind to the unequal +measure of justice, which is thus dealt out, and which will still continue +to be so as long as the law remains unchanged? + +[Note 115: Governor Hutt remarks, in addressing Lord Glenelg on this +subject:--"In furtherance of the truth of these remarks, I would request +your Lordship particularly to observe, that here is one class of Her +Majesty's subjects, who are DEBARRED A TRUE AND FAIR TRIAL BY JURY, +whose evidence is inadmissible in a court of justice, and who consequently +may be the victims of any of the most outrageous cruelty and violence, +and yet be UNABLE, FROM THE FORMS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW, to obtain +redress, and whose quarrels, ending sometimes in bloodshed and death, +it is unjust, as well as inexpedient, to interfere with. + +"A jury ought to be composed of a man's own peers. Europeans, in the case +of a native criminal, cannot either in their habits or sympathies be +regarded as such, and his countrymen are incapable of understanding or +taking upon themselves the office of juror."] + +I have no wish to give the native evidence a higher character than it +deserves, but I think that it ought not to be rendered unavailable in a +prosecution; the degree of weight or credibility to be attached to it, +might be left to the court taking cognizance of the case, but if it is +consistent and probable, I see no reason why it should not be as strong a +safeguard to the black man from injury and oppression, as the white man's +oath is to him. There are many occasions on which the testimony of +natives may be implicitly believed, and which are readily distinguishable +by those who have had much intercourse with this people--unaccustomed to +the intricacies of untruth, they know not that they must be consistent to +deceive, and it is therefore rarely difficult to tell when a native is +prevaricating. + +Among the natives themselves, the evil effects resulting from the +inability of their evidence to produce a conviction are still more +apparent and injurious. [Note 116 at end of para.] It has already been +shewn how highly important it is to prevent the elders from exercising +an arbitrary and cruel authority over the young and the weak, and how +necessary that the latter should feel themselves quite secure from +the vengeance of the former, when endeavouring to throw off the +trammels of custom and prejudice, and by embracing our habits and +pursuits, making an effort to rise in the scale of moral and physical +improvement. Whatever alteration therefore we may make in our system +for the better, or however anxious we may be for the welfare and the +improvement of the Aborigines, we may rest well assured that our +efforts are but thrown away, as long as the natives are permitted +with impunity to exercise their cruel or degrading customs upon +each other, unchecked and unpunished. We may feel equally certain that +these oppressions and barbarities can never be checked or punished but by +means of their own unsupported testimony against each other, and until +this can be legally received, and made available for that purpose, there +is no hope of any lasting or permanent good being accomplished. + +[Note 116: Upon the inability of natives to give evidence in a court of +justice, Mr. Chief Protector Robinson remarks, in a letter to His Honour, +the Superintendent of Port Phillip, dated May, 1843--"The legal +disabilities of the natives have been a serious obstacle to their civil +protection; and I feel it my duty, whilst on this subject, respectfully to +bring under notice the necessity that still exists for some suitable +system of judicature for the governance and better protection of the +aboriginal races. 'As far as personal influence went, the aboriginal +natives have been protected from acts of injustice, cruelty, and +oppression; and their wants, wishes, and grievances have been faithfully +represented to the Government of the colony,' and this, under the +circumstances, was all that could possibly be effected. There is, +however, reason to fear that the destruction of the aboriginal natives +has been accelerated from the known fact of their being incapacitated +to give evidence in our courts of law. I have frequently had to deplore, +when applied to by the Aborigines for justice in cases of aggression +committed on them by white men, or by those of their own race, my +inability to do so in consequence of their legal incapacity to give +evidence. It were unreasonable, therefore, under such circumstances, +to expect the Aborigines would respect, or repose trust and confidence +in the Protectors, or submit to the governance of a department unable +efficiently to protect or afford them justice. Nor is it surprising they +should complain of being made to suffer the higher penalties of our law, +when deprived (by legal disability) of its benefits. Little difficulty +has been experienced in discovering the perpetrator where the blacks +have been concerned, even in the greater offences, and hence the ends +of justice would have been greatly facilitated by aboriginal evidence. +It is much to be regretted the Colonial Act of Council on aboriginal +evidence was disallowed."] + +The following very forcible and just remarks are from Captain Grey's +work, vol. ii. pages 375 to 378:-- + + +"I would submit, therefore, that it is necessary from the moment the +Aborigines of this country are declared British subjects, they should, as +far as possible, be taught that the British laws are to supersede their +own, so that any native who is suffering under their own customs, may +have the power of an appeal to those of Great Britain; or to put this in +its true light, that all authorized persons should, in all instances, be +required to protect a native from the violence of his fellows, even +though they be in the execution of their own laws. + +"So long as this is not the case, the older natives have at their +disposal the means of effectually preventing the civilization of any +individuals of their own tribe, and those among them who may be inclined +to adapt themselves to the European habits and mode of life, will be +deterred from so doing by their fear of the consequences, that the +displeasure of others may draw down upon them. + +"So much importance am I disposed to attach to this point, that I do not +hesitate to assert my full conviction, that whilst those tribes which are +in communication with Europeans are allowed to execute their barbarous +laws and customs upon one another, so long will they remain hopelessly +immersed in their present state of barbarism: and however unjust such a +proceeding might at first sight appear, I believe that the course pointed +out by true humanity would be, to make them from the very commencement +amenable to the British laws, both as regards themselves and Europeans; +for I hold it to be imagining a contradiction to suppose, that +individuals subject to savage and barbarous laws, can rise into a state +of civilization, which those laws have a manifest tendency to destroy and +overturn. + +"I have known many instances of natives who have been almost or quite +civilized, being compelled by other natives to return to the bush; more +particularly girls, who have been betrothed in their infancy, and who, on +approaching the years of puberty, have been compelled by their husbands +to join them. + +"To punish the Aborigines severely for the violation of laws of which +they are ignorant, would be manifestly cruel and unjust; but to punish +them in the first instance slightly for the violation of these laws would +inflict no great injury on them, whilst by always punishing them when +guilty of a crime, without reference to the length of period that had +elapsed between its perpetration and their apprehension, at the same time +fully explaining to them the measure of punishment that would await them +in the event of a second commission of the same fault, would teach them +gradually the laws to which they were henceforth to be amenable, and +would shew them that crime was always eventually, although it might be +remotely, followed by punishment. + +"I imagine that this course would be more merciful than that at present +adopted; viz. to punish them for a violation of a law they are ignorant +of, when this violation affects a European, and yet to allow them to +commit this crime as often as they like, when it only regards themselves; +for this latter course teaches them, not that certain actions, such, for +instance, as murder, etc. are generally criminal, but only that they are +criminal when exercised towards the white people, and the impression, +consequently excited in their minds is, that these acts only excite our +detestation when exercised towards ourselves, and that their criminality +consists, not in having committed a certain odious action, but in having +violated our prejudices." + + +Many instances have come under my own personal observation, where natives +have sought redress both against one another and against Europeans, but +where from their evidence being unavailable no redress could be afforded +them. Enough has however been now adduced to shew the very serious evils +resulting from this disadvantage, and to point out the justice, the +policy, the practicability, and the necessity of remedying it. + +In bringing to a close my remarks on the Aborigines, their present +condition and future prospects, I cannot more appropriately or more +forcibly conclude the subject than by quoting that admirable letter of +Lord Stanley's to Governor Sir G. Gipps, written in December, 1842; a +letter of which the sentiments expressed are as creditable to the +judgment and discrimination, as they are honourable to the feelings and +humanity of the minister who wrote it, and who, in the absence of +personal experience, and amidst all the conflicting testimony or +misrepresentation by which a person at a distance is ever apt to be +assailed and misled, has still been able to separate the truth from +falsehood, and to arrive at a rational, a christian, and a just opinion, +on a subject so fraught with difficulties, so involved in uncertainty, +and so beset with discrepancies. + +In writing to Sir G. Gipps, Lord Stanley says (Parliamentary Reports, pp. +221, 2, 3):-- + + +"DOWNING-STREET, 20TH DECEMBER, 1842. +"SIR, + +"I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches of the +dates and numbers mentioned in the margin, reporting the information +which has reached you in respect to the aboriginal tribes of New South +Wales, and the result of the attempts which have been made, under the +sanction of Her Majesty's Government, to civilize and protect these +people. + +"I have read with great attention, but with deep regret, the accounts +contained in these despatches. After making every fair allowance for the +peculiar difficulty of such an undertaking, it seems impossible any +longer to deny that the efforts which have hitherto been made for the +civilization of the Aborigines have been unavailing; that no real +progress has yet been effected, and that there is no reasonable ground to +expect from them greater suceess in future. You will be sensible with how +much pain and reluctance I have come to this opinion, but I cannot shut +my eyes to the conclusion which inevitably follows from the statements +which you have submitted to me on the subject. + +"Your despatch of the 11th March last, No. 50, contains an account of the +several missions up to that date, with reports likewise from the chief +Protector and his assistants, and from the Crown Land Commissioners. The +statements respecting the missions, furnished not by their opponents, nor +even by indifferent parties, but by the missionaries themselves, are, I +am sorry to say, as discouraging as it is possible to be. In respect to +the mission at Wellington Valley, Mr. Gunther writes in a tone of +despondency, which shews that he has abandoned the hope of success. The +opening of his report is indeed a plain admission of despair; I sincerely +wish that his facts did not bear out such a feeling. But when he reports, +that after a trial of ten years, only one of all who have been attached +to the mission 'affords some satisfaction and encouragement;' that of the +others only four still remain with them, and that these continually +absent themselves, and when at home evince but little desire for +instruction; that 'their thoughtlessness, and spirit of independence, +ingratitude, and want of sincere, straightforward dealing, often try us +in the extreme;' that drunkenness is increasing, and that the natives are +'gradually swept away by debauchery and other evils arising from their +intermixture with Europeans,' I acknowledge that he has stated enough to +warrant his despondency, and to shew that it proceeds from no momentary +disappointment alone, but from a settled and reasonable conviction. + +"Nor do the other missions hold out any greater encouragement. That at +Moreton Bay is admitted by Mr. Handt to have made but little progress, as +neither children nor adults can be persuaded to stay for any length of +time; while that at Lake Macquarie had, at the date of your despatch, +ceased to exist, from the extinction or removal of the natives formerly +in its vicinity. The Wesleyan Missionaries at Port Phillip, +notwithstanding an expenditure in 1841 of nearly 1,300 pounds, acknowledge +that they are 'far from being satisfied with the degree of success which +has attended our labours,' and 'that a feeling of despair sometimes takes +possession of our minds, and weighs down our spirits,' arising from the +frightful mortality among the natives. + +"In the face of such representations, which can be attributed neither to +prejudice nor misinformation, I have great doubts as to the wisdom or +propriety of continuing the missions any longer. I fear that to do so +would be to delude ourselves with the mere idea of doing something; which +would be injurious to the natives, as interfering with other and more +advantageous arrangements, and unjust to the colony, as continuing an +unnecessary and profitless expenditure. + +"To this conclusion I had been led by your despatch, No. 50, but +anticipating that the protectorate system would promise more beneficial +results, I postponed my instructions in the matter until I should receive +some further information. + +"Your despatches of the 16th and 20th May have furnished that further +information, although they contradict the hopes which I had been led to +entertain. After the distinct and unequivocal opinion announced by Mr. La +Trobe, supported as it is by the expression of your concurrence, I cannot +conceal from myself that the failure of the system of protectors has been +at least as complete as that of the missions. + +"I have no doubt that a portion of this ill success, perhaps a large +portion, is attributable to the want of sound judgment and zealous +activity on the part of the assistant protectors. Thus the practice of +collecting large bodies of the natives in one spot, and in the immediate +vicinity of the settlers, without any previous provision for their +subsistence or employment, was a proceeding of singular indiscretion. +That these people would commit depredations rather than suffer want, and +that thus ill-blood, and probably collisions, would be caused between +them and the settlers, must, I should have thought, have occurred to any +man of common observation; and no one could have better reason than Mr. +Sievewright to know his utter inability to control them. When such a +course could be adopted, I am not surprised at your opinion that the +measures of the protectors have tended 'rather to increase than allay the +irritation which has long existed between the two races.' + +"But after allowing for the effect of such errors, and for the +possibility of preventing their recurrence, there is yet enough in Mr. La +Trobe's reports to shew that the system itself is defective, at least in +the hands of those whose services we are able to command. I am unwilling, +at this distance from the scene, and without that minute local knowledge +which is essential, to give you any precise instructions as to the course +which under present circumstances should be pursued: but I have the less +hesitation in leaving the matter in your hands, because your whole +correspondence shews that no one feels more strongly than yourself the +duty as well as the policy of protecting, and, if possible, civilizing +these Aborigines, and of promoting a good understanding between them and +the white settlers. At present, though I am far from attributing to the +white settlers generally an ill disposition towards the natives, there is +an apparent want of feeling among them, where the natives are concerned, +which is much to be lamented. Outrages of the most atrocious description, +involving sometimes considerable loss of life, are spoken of, as I +observe in these papers, with an indifference and lightness which to +those at a distance is very shocking. I cannot but fear that the feeling +which dictates this mode of speaking, may also cause the difficulty in +discovering and bringing to justice the perpetrators of the outrages +which from time to time occur. With a view to the protection of the +natives, the most essential step is to correct the temper and tone +adopted towards them by the settlers. Whatever may depend on your own +personal influence, or on the zealous co-operation of Mr. La Trobe, will +I am sure be done at once, and I will not doubt that your efforts in this +respect will be successful. In regard to the missions and the protectors, +I give you no definite instructions. If at your receipt of this despatch +you should see no greater prospect of advantage than has hitherto +appeared, you will be at liberty to discontinue the grants to either as +early as possible; but if circumstances should promise more success for +the future, the grants may be continued for such time as may be necessary +to bring the matter to a certain result. In the meantime, agreeing as I +do, in the general opinion, that it is indispensable to the protection of +the natives that their evidence should, to a certain extent at least, be +received in the courts of law, I shall take into my consideration the +means by which this can be effected in the safest and most satisfactory +manner. + +"I cannot conclude this despatch without expressing my sense of the +importance of the subject of it, and my hope that your experience may +enable you to suggest some general plan by which we may acquit ourselves +of the obligations which we owe towards this helpless race of beings. I +should not, without the most extreme reluctance, admit that nothing can +be done; that with respect to them alone the doctrines of Christianity +must be inoperative, and the advantages of civilization incommunicable. I +cannot acquiesce in the theory that they are incapable of improvement, +and that their extinction before the advance of the white settler is a +necessity which it is impossible to control. I recommend them to your +protection and favourable consideration with the greatest earnestness, +but at the same time with perfect confidence: and I assure you that I +shall be willing and anxious to co-operate with you in any arrangement +for their civilization which may hold out a fair prospect of success. + +"I have, etc. +"(signed) +"STANLEY." + +* * * * * + +EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES OF NATIVE ORNAMENTS, WEAPONS, IMPLEMENTS, +AND WORKS OF INDUSTRY. + + +PLATE I.--ORNAMENTS. + +1. Ku-ru-un-ko--tuft of emu feathers used in the play spoken of, page +228. +2. Three tufts of feathers tied in a bunch, with two kangaroo teeth, worn +tied to the hair. +3. Tufts of feathers, used as a flag or signal, elevated on a spear; +similar ones are worn by the males, of eagle or emu feathers over the +pubes. +4. Let-ter-rer--kangaroo teeth worn tied to the hair of young males and +females after the ceremonies of initiation. +5 and 6. Coverings for the pubes, worn by females, one is of fur string in +threads, the other of skins cut in strips. +7. Tufts of white feathers worn round the neck. +8. Tufts of feathers stained red, worn round the neck. +9. Tufts of feathers stained red, with two kangaroo teeth to each tuft, +also worn round the neck. +10. A piece of bone worn through the septum nasi. +11. Tufts of feathers worn round the neck, one is black, the other +stained red. +12. Tufts of feathers stained red, with four kangaroo teeth in a bunch, +worn round the neck. +13. Necklace of reeds cut in short lengths. +14. Band for forehead, feathers and swan's-down. +15. Man-ga--band for forehead, a coil of string made of opossum fur. +16. Mona--net cap to confine the hair of young men of opossum fur. +17. Korno--widow's mourning cap made of carbonate of lime, moulded to the +head, weight 8 1/2lbs. +18. Dog's-tail, worn as an appendage to the beard, which is gathered +together and tied in a pigtail. + + +PLATE II.--WEAPONS. + +1. Spear barbed on both sides, of hard wood, 10 1/2 feet long, used in war +or hunting. +2. Similar to the last but only barbed on one side, used for same +purposes. +3. Kar-ku-ru--smooth spear of hard wood, 10 1/2 feet, used for +punishments, as described page 222, also for general purposes. +4. Short, smooth, hard wood spear, 7 1/2 feet long, used to spear fish in +diving. +5. Reed spear with barbed hard wood point, used for war with the throwing +stick--the way of holding it, and position of the hand are shewn. +6. Hard wood spear with grass-tree end, 8 feet long, used with the +throwing stick for general purposes. +7. Hard wood spear with single barb spliced on, 8 feet long, used from +Port Lincoln to King George's Sound for chase or war, it is launched with +the throwing stick. +8. Ki-ko--reed spear, hard wood point, 6 to 7 feet long, used with the +throwing-stick to kill birds or other game. +9. Hard wood spear, grass-tree end, barbed with flint, used with the +throwing-stick for war. +10. The head of No. 9 on a arger scale. +11. The head of No. 1 on a larger scale. +12. The head of a Lachlan spear, taken from a man who was wounded there, +the spear entered behind the shoulder in the back, and the point reached +to the front of the throat, it had to be extracted by cutting an opening +in the throat and forcing the spear-head through from behind--the man +recovered. +13. The head of No. 7 on a larger scale. + + +PLATE III.--WEAPONS. + +1. Nga-waonk, or throwing-stick, about 2 feet long, and narrow. +2. Ditto but hollowed and conical. +3. Ditto straight and flat. +4. Ditto narrow and carved. +5. Ditto broad in the centre. +6. Sorcerer's stick, with feathers and fur string round the point +7. Ditto plain. +8. The Darling Wangn, (boomerang) carved, 1 foot 10 inches. +9. The Darling war Wangn, 2 feet 1 inch. +10. Battle-axe. +11. Ditto +12. Ditto +13. Ditto +14. The lower end of the throwing-stick, shewing a flint gummed on as a +chisel. +15. The Tar-ram, or shield made out of solid wood, 2 feet 7 inches long, +1 foot broad, carved and painted. +16. A side view of ditto +17. War-club of heavy wood, rounded and tapering. +18. Port Lincoln Wirris, or stick used for throwing at game, 2 feet. +19. Murray River Bwirri, or ditto ditto +20. War club, with a heavy knob, and pointed. +21. Port Lincoln Midla, or lever, with quartz knife attached to the end. +22. Murray river war club. + + +PLATE IV.--IMPLEMENTS. + +1. Tat-tat-ko, or rod for noosing wild fowl, 16 feet long, vide p. 310. +2. Moo-ar-roo, or paddle and fish spear, 10 to 16 feet, vide p. 263. +3. Chisel pointed hard wood stick, from 3 to 4 feet long, used by the +women for digging. +4. Ngakko, or chisel pointed stick, 3 feet long, used by the men. +5. Mun--canoe of bark, vide p. 314. +6. 7, 8. Varieties of Mooyumkarr, or sacred oval pieces of wood, used at +night, by being spun round with a long string so as to produce a loud +roaring noise for the object of counteracting any evil influences, and +for other purposes. +9. 10, 11, 12. Needles, etc. from the fibulas of kangaroos, wallabies, +emus, etc. +13. Kangaroo bone, used as a knife. +14. Stone with hollow in centre for pounding roots. +15. Stone hatchet. +16. Distaff with string of hair upon it. +17. Lenko, or net hung round the neck in diving to put muscles, etc. in. +18. Kenderanko, net used in diving, vide p. 260. +19. Drinking cup made of a shell. +20. Drinking cup, being the scull of a native with the sutures closed +with wax or gum. + + +PLATE V.--WORKS OF INDUSTRY. + +1. Lukomb, or skin for carrying water, made from the skins of opossums, +wallabie, or young kangaroo; the fur is turned inside, and the legs, +tail, and neck, are tied up; they hold from 1 quart to 3 gallons. +2. Pooneed-ke--circular mat, 1 foot 9 inches in diameter, made of a kind +of grass, worn on the back by the women, with a band passed round the +lower part and tied in front, the child is then slipped in between the +mat and the back, and so carried. +3. Kal-la-ter--a truncated basket of about a foot wide at the bottom, +made also of a broad kind of grass, used for carrying anything in, and +especially for taking about the fragile eggs of the Leipoa. +4. A wallet, or man's travelling bag, made of a kangaroo skin, with the +fur outside. +5. A small kal-la-ter. +6. Pool-la-da-noo-ko, or oval basket made of broad-leaved grass, used for +carrying anything; from its flat make, it fits easily to the back. +7. An Adelaide oblong and somewhat flattish basket, made of a kind of +rush. +8. The Rok-ko, or net bag, made of a string manufactured from the rush, +it is carried by the women, and contains generally all the worldly +property of the family, such as shells and pieces of flint for +knives--bones for needles--sinews of animals for thread--fat and red +ochre for adorning the person--spare ornaments or belts--white pigment +for painting for the dance--a skin for carrying water--a stone for +pounding roots--the sacred implements of the husband carefully folded up +and concealed--a stone hatchet--and many other similar articles. The size +of the rok-ko varies according to the wealth of the family; it is +sometimes very large and weighty when filled. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery +Into Central Australia And Overland From Adelaide To King George's Sound In The Years 1840-1: Sent By The Colonists Of South Australia, With The Sanction And Support Of The Government: Including An Account Of The Manners And Customs Of The Aborigines And The State Of Their Relations With Europeans., by Edward John Eyre + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS *** + +***** This file should be named 5346.txt or 5346.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/4/5346/ + +Produced by Col Choat + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/5346.zip b/5346.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1ea4729 --- /dev/null +++ b/5346.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..04c9799 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #5346 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5346) diff --git a/old/xpcsc10.txt b/old/xpcsc10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cc4dd20 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/xpcsc10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,24628 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into +Central Australia, by Edward John Eyre + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery Into Central + Australia And Overland From Adelaide To King George's + Sound In The Years 1840-1: Sent By The Colonists Of + South Australia, With The Sanction And Support Of The + Government: Including An Account Of The Manners And + Customs Of The Aborigines And The State Of Their + Relations With Europeans. + +Author: Edward John Eyre + +Release Date: March, 2004 [EBook #5346] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on July 2, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS *** + + + + +Produced by Col Choat colc@gutenberg.net.au + + + + + + + +PRODUCTION NOTES: +--Italics in the book have been changed to to upper case in this eBook. +--Footnotes have been placed in brackets [] within the text. +--A number of tables have been omitted or rendered incomplete. These are + indicated in the eBook at the point at which they occurred in the book. +--Plates and maps in the book have not been reproduced. A list of plates + forms part of the Table of Contents. There were 2 maps included in the + book. These indicated the extent of Eyre's journeys. + + + + + + +JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY INTO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA AND OVERLAND +FROM ADELAIDE TO KING GEORGE'S SOUND IN THE YEARS 1840-1: SENT BY THE +COLONISTS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, WITH THE SANCTION AND SUPPORT OF THE +GOVERNMENT: INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE +ABORIGINES AND THE STATE OF THEIR RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS. + +by EYRE, EDWARD JOHN (1815-1901) + + + +TO LIEUT.-COLONEL GEORGE GAWLER, K.H. M.R.G.S. +UNDER WHOSE AUSPICES, AS GOVERNOR OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, +THE EXPEDITIONS, DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES, +WERE UNDERTAKEN, THESE VOLUMES ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, +AS A TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS KINDNESS AND RESPECT FOR HIS VIRTUES, +BY THE AUTHOR. + + + + + +PREFACE. + + + +In offering to the public an account of Expeditions of Discovery in +Australia, undertaken in the years 1840-1, and completed in July of the +latter year, some apology may be deemed necessary for this narrative not +having sooner appeared, or perhaps even for its being now published at +all. + +With respect to the first, the author would remark that soon after his +return to South Australia upon the close of the Expeditions, and when +contemplating an immediate return to England, he was invited by the +Governor of the Colony to remain, and undertake the task of +re-establishing peace and amicable relations with the numerous native +tribes of the Murray River, and its neighbourhood, whose daring and +successful outrages in 1841, had caused very great losses to, and created +serious apprehensions among the Colonists. + +Hoping that his personal knowledge of and extensive practical experience +among the Aborigines might prove serviceable in an employment of this +nature, the author consented to undertake it; and from the close of +September 1841, until December 1844, was unremittingly occupied with the +duties it entailed. It was consequently not in his power to attend to the +publication of his travels earlier, nor indeed can he regret a delay, +which by the facilities it afforded him of acquiring a more intimate +knowledge of the character and habits of the Aborigines, has enabled him +to render that portion of his work which relates to them more +comprehensive and satisfactory than it otherwise would have been. + +With respect to the second point, or the reasons which have led to this +work being published at all, the author would observe that he has been +led to engage in it rather from a sense of duty, and at the instance of +many of his friends, than from any wish of his own. The greater portion +of the country he explored was of so sterile and worthless a description, +and the circumstances which an attempt to cross such a desert region led +to, were of so distressing a character, that he would not willingly have +revived associations, so unsatisfactory and so painful. + +It has been his fate, however, to cross, during the course of his +explorations, a far greater extent of country than any Australian +traveller had ever done previously, and as a very large portion of this +had never before been trodden by the foot of civilized man, and from its +nature is never likely to be so invaded again, it became a duty to record +the knowledge which was thus obtained, for the information of future +travellers and as a guide to the scientific world in their inquiries into +the character and formation of so singular and interesting a country. + +To enable the reader to judge of the author's capabilities for the task +he undertook, and of the degree of confidence that may be due to his +impressions or opinions, it may not be out of place to state, that the +Expeditions of 1840--1 were not entered upon without a sufficient +previous and practical experience in exploring. + +For eight years the author had been resident in Australia, during which +he had visited many of the located parts of New South Wales, Port +Phillip, South Australia, Western Australia, and Van Diemen's Land. In +the years 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, and 1840 he had conducted expeditions +across from Liverpool Plains in New South Wales to the county of Murray, +from Sydney to Port Phillip, from Port Phillip to Adelaide, and from King +George's Sound to Swan River, besides undertaking several explorations +towards the interior, both from Port Lincoln and from Adelaide. + +To the knowledge and experience which were thus acquired, the author must +ascribe the confidence and good opinion of his fellow-colonists, which +led them in 1840 to place under his command an undertaking of such +importance, interest, and responsibility; and to these advantages he +feels that he is in a great measure indebted, under God's blessing, for +having been enabled successfully to struggle through the difficulties and +dangers which beset him, in crossing from Adelaide to King George's +Sound. + +With this explanation for obtruding upon the public, the author would +also solicit their indulgence, for the manner in which the task has been +performed. The only merit to which he can lay claim, is that of having +faithfully described what he saw, and the impressions which were produced +upon him at the time. In other respects it is feared that a work, which +was entirely (and consequently very hastily) prepared for the press from +the original notes, whilst voyaging from Australia to England, must +necessarily be crude and imperfect. Where the principal object, however, +was rather to record with accuracy than indulge in theory or conjecture, +and where a simple statement of occurrences has been more attended to +than the language in which they are narrated, plainness and fidelity +will, it is hoped, be considered as some compensation for the absence of +the embellishments of a more finished style, or a studied composition, +and especially as the uncertainty attending the duration of the author's +visit to England made it a matter of anxious consideration to hurry these +volumes through the press as rapidly as possible. There is one +circumstance to which he wishes particularly to allude, as accounting for +the very scanty notices he is now able to give of the geology or botany +of the country through which he travelled; it is the loss of all the +specimens that were collected during the earlier part of the Expedition, +which occurred after they had been sent to Adelaide; this loss has been +irreparable, and has not only prevented him from ascertaining points +about which he was dubious, but has entirely precluded him from having +the subjects considered, or the specimens classified and arranged by +gentlemen of scientific acquirements in those departments of knowledge, +in which the author is conscious he is himself defective. In the latter +part of the Expedition, or from Fowler's Bay to King George's Sound, the +dreadful nature of the country, and the difficulties and disasters to +which this led, made it quite impossible either to make collections of +any kind, or to examine the country beyond the immediate line of route; +still it is hoped that the passing notices which are made in the journal, +and the knowledge of the similarity of appearance and uniform character, +prevalent throughout the greater portion of the country passed through, +will be quite sufficient to give a general and correct impression of the +whole. + +To Mr. Gray of the British Museum, the author is particularly indebted +for his valuable contribution on the Natural History of the Southern +coast of Australia, and to Mr. Gould, the celebrated Ornithologist, his +thanks are equally due, for a classified and most interesting list of the +birds belonging to the same portion of the continent. + +To Mr. Adam White, of the British Museum, he is also indebted for an +account of some new insects, and to Dr. Richardson, for a scientific and +classified arrangement of fish caught on the Southern coast, near King +George's Sound. The plates to which the numbers refer in the +last-mentioned paper, are the admirable drawings made from life, by J. +Neill, Esq. of King George's Sound, and now lodged at the British Museum. +They are, however, both too numerous and too large to give in a work of +this description, and will probably be published at some future time by +their talented author. + +For the account given of the Aborigines the author deems it unnecessary +to offer any apology; a long experience among them, and an intimate +knowledge of their character, habits, and position with regard to +Europeans, have induced in him a deep interest on behalf of a people, who +are fast fading away before the progress of a civilization, which ought +only to have added to their improvement and prosperity. Gladly would the +author wish to see attention awakened on their behalf, and an effort at +least made to stay the torrent which is overwhelming them. + +It is most lamentable to think that the progress and prosperity of one +race should conduce to the downfal and decay of another; it is still more +so to observe the apathy and indifference with which this result is +contemplated by mankind in general, and which either leads to no +investigation being made as to the cause of this desolating influence, or +if it is, terminates, to use the language of the Count Strzelecki, "in +the inquiry, like an inquest of the one race upon the corpse of the +other, ending for the most part with the verdict of 'died by the +visitation of God.'" + +In his attempt to delineate the actual circumstances and position of the +natives, and the just claims they have upon public sympathy and +benevolence, he has been necessitated to refer largely to the testimony +of others, but in doing this he has endeavoured as far as practicable, to +support the views he has taken by the writings or opinions of those who +are, or who have been resident in the Colonies, and who might therefore +be supposed from a practical acquaintance with the subject, to be most +competent to arrive at just conclusions. + +In suggesting the only remedy which appears at all calculated to mitigate +the evil complained of, it has studiously been kept in view that there +are the interests of two classes to be provided for, those of the +Settlers, and those of the Aborigines, it is thought that these interests +cannot with advantage be separated, and it is hoped that it may be found +practicable to blend them together. + +The Aborigines of New Holland are not on the whole a numerous people; +they are generally of a very inoffensive and tractable character, and it +is believed that they may, under ordinary circumstances, almost always be +rendered peaceable and well-disposed by kind and consistent treatment. +Should this, in reality, prove to be the case, it may be found perhaps, +that they could be more easily managed, and in the long run at a less +expense, by some such system as is recommended, than by any other +requiring means of a more retaliatory or coercive character. The system +proposed is at least one which by removing in a great measure temptation +from the native, and thereby affording comparative security to the +settlers, will have a powerful effect in inducing the latter to unite +with the Government in any efforts made to ameliorate the condition of +the Aborigines; a union which under present or past systems has not ever +taken place, but one which it is very essential should be effected, if +any permanent good is hoped for. + +To Mr. Moorhouse the author returns his best thanks for his valuable +notes on the Aborigines, to which he is indebted for the opportunity of +giving an account of many of the customs and habits of the Adelaide +tribes. + +To Anthony Forster, Esq. he offers his warmest acknowledgments for his +assistance in overlooking the manuscripts during the voyage from +Australia, and correcting many errors which necessarily resulted from the +hurried manner in which they were prepared; it is to this kind +supervision must be ascribed the merit--negative though it may be--of +there not being more errors than there are. + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE +WESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR +THAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE +WESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED +INSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN +EXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THE +GOVERNOR--ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OF +EXPEDITION--NAME A DAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT +OF THE UNDERTAKING + +CHAPTER II. + +FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEP +STATION--RE-ARRANGEMENTS OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETE +THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THE +LIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OF +FIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTT +RIVERS--INDICATION OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE +OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'S +RANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON + +CHAPTER III. +SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVE +PLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERS +RANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRY +WATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE +PARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH + +CHAPTER IV. +MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THE +PARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKE +TORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGE +WATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNING +STREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THE +WATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKE +PREPARATIOUS FOR LEAVING--SEUD DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL + +CHAPTER V. +BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF +THE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCEND +TERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIR +CHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT +DECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOIN +THE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT THE DEPOT--EMBARRASSING +CIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TO THE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARREN +COUNTRY--TABLE-TOPPED ELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF +WATER--MEET NATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TO +RETURN--ARRIVAL AT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. + +CHAPTER VI. +CAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEER +SENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLUBIES--OVERSEER'S +RETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS +BED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THE +CAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THE +BURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS + +CHAPTER VII. +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMES +SALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRY +WATERCOURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATION +OF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHER +ADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDS +MOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THE +FUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING + +CHAPTER VIII. +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS +AND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORT +LINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FOR +WATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGE +ROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGE +WATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OF +PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND +OVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP + +CHAPTER IX. +BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE +ABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'S +RETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKY +BAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH +BRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONY +COUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOAT +HARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULAR +SPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS + +CHAPTER X. +COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBY +CHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALT +LAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER BILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVE +VIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE + +CHAPTER XI. +EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUB--POINT +BROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FOR +WATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'S +NEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORE +NATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBY +COUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORE +NATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVES +LEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. + +CHAPTER XII. +LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINT +FOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST +SAND-DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURN +BACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THE +HORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHED +COUNTRY--FALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVE +US--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FOR +WATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAY +SURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSES +ABANDONED--REACH THE SAND-DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE +HORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO NORTH-EAST--RECOVER +THE DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN +OF THE CUTTER + +CHAPTER XIII. +FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TO +ADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TO +ANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAIN +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND-HILLS, AND BURY +FLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TO +THE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITH +PACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THE +BIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND +BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR + +CHAPTER XIV. +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFF'S OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THE +INTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME TO THE +CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO DEPOT--BAD +WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE CUTTER HERO--JOINED BY +THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THE +HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE EXPEDITION +AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE HERO +SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVE +JOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE +DEPOT + +CHAPTER XV. +RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR +ADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE +SAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE +HORSES--REACH YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIES +AGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE +HORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THE +CLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OF +THE CLIFFS--FIND WATER + +CHAPTER XVI. +GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONG +ENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FOR +WATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDS +FROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDON +BAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OF +PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS + +CHAPTER XVII. +HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TIMOR PONY +UNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MORE +HORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECT +DEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVE +AND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUS +TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY + +CHAPTER XVIII. +GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLD +WEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLE +REPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL A +HORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOME +DISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEY +RETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF +THE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THE +OVERSEER + +APPENDIX. + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S. +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, BY DEPUTY + ASSISTANT COMMISSARY--GENERAL NEILL. THE REPTILES NAMED AND ARRANGED BY + J. E. GRAY, ESQ., AND THE FISH BY DR. RICHARDSON DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES + OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS, BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S. +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, BY J. E. + GRAY, ESQ. F.R.S. +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS, BY EDWARD + DOUBLEDAY, ESQ. F.R.S. etc. +LIST OF BIRDS KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, BY JOHN GOULD, + ESQ. F.R.S. + + +LIST OF PLATES--VOLUME I. + +Tenberry, with Wife and Child, drawn by G. Hamilton +Departure of the Expedition drawn by G. Hamilton +Opossum-hunting at Gawler Plains +Native Graves +Wylie (J. Neil) +Plate I.--New Toads and Frogs +Plate II.--New Frogs and new Bat +Plate III.--New Insects +Plate IV.--New Cray-fish +Plate V.--New Shells +Plate VI.--New Butterflies + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME II. + + +CHAPTER I. +THE CAMP PLUNDERED--NIGHT OF HORRORS--PROCEED ON TO THE WESTWARD--THE +BOYS FOLLOW US--THEY ARE LEFT BEHIND--FORCED MARCHES--DESERT +COUNTRY--BANKSIAS MET WITH--TRACES OF NATIVES--TERMINATION OF THE +CLIFFS--FIND WATER + +CHAPTER II. +REFLECTIONS UPON SITUATION--WATCH FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NATIVE +BOYS--THEIR PROBABLE FATE--PROCEED ON THE JOURNEY--FACILITY OF OBTAINING +WATER--KILL A HORSE FOR FOOD--SILVER-BARK TEA-TREE--INTENSE COLD--FIRST +HILLS SEEN--GOOD GRASS--APPETITE OF A NATIVE--INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF +UNWHOLESOME DIET--CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--GRANITE FORMS +THE LOW WATER LEVEL--TREE WASHED ON SHORE--INDISPOSITION + +CHAPTER III. +HEAVY ROAD--A YOUNG KANGAROO SHOT--GRASSY COUNTRY--POINT MALCOLM--TRACES +OF ITS HAVING BEEN VISITED BY EUROPEANS--GRASS-TREES MET WITH--A KANGAROO +KILLED--CATCH FISH--GET ANOTHER KANGAROO--CRAB HUNTING--RENEW THE +JOURNEY--CASUARINAE MET WITH--CROSS THE LEVEL BANK--LOW COUNTRY BEHIND +IT--CAPE ARID--SALT WATER CREEK--XAMIA SEEN--CABBAGE TREE OF THE +SOUND--FRESH WATER LAKE--MORE SALT STREAMS--OPOSSUMS CAUGHT--FLAG REEDS +FOUND--FRESH WATER STREAMS--BOATS SEEN--MEET WITH A WHALER + +CHAPTER IV. +GO ON BOARD THE MISSISSIPPI--WET WEATHER--VISIT LUCKY BAY--INTERVIEW WITH +NATIVES--WYLIE UNDERSTANDS THEIR LANGUAGE--GET THE HORSES SHOD--PREPARE +TO LEAVE THE VESSEL--KINDNESS AND LIBERALITY OF CAPTAIN ROSSITER--RENEW +JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--FOSSIL FORMATION STILL CONTINUES--SALT WATER +STREAMS AND LAKES--A LARGE SALT RIVER--CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY + +CHAPTER V. +LARGE WATERCOURSE--LAKE OF FRESH WATER--HEAVY RAINS--REACH MOUNT +BARREN--SALT LAKES AND STREAMS--BARREN SCRUBBY COUNTRY--RANGES BEHIND +KING GEORGE'S SOUND ARE SEEN--BRACKISH PONDS--PASS CAPE RICHE--A LARGE +SALT RIVER--CHAINS OF PONDS--GOOD LAND--HEAVILY TIMBERED COUNTRY--COLD +WEATHER--FRESH LAKE--THE CANDIUP RIVER--KING'S RIVER--EXCESSIVE +RAINS--ARRIVAL AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, AND TERMINATION OF THE +EXPEDITION--RECEPTION OF WYLIE BY THE NATIVES + +CHAPTER VI. +CONCLUDING REMARKS + + + +MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA. + +CHAPTER I. +PRELIMINARY REMARKS--UNJUST OPINIONS GENERALLY ENTERTAINED OF THE +CHARACTER OF THE NATIVE--DIFFICULTIES AND DISADVANTAGES HE LABOURS UNDER +IN HIS RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS--AGGRESSIONS AND INJURIES ON THE PART OF +THE LATTER IN GREAT DEGREE EXTENUATE HIS CRIMES + +CHAPTER II. +PHYSICAL APPEARANCE--DRESS--CHARACTER--HABITS OF LIFE--MEETINGS OF +TRIBES--WARS--DANCES--SONGS + +CHAPTER III. +FOOD--HOW PROCURED--HOW PREPARED--LIMITATION AS TO AGE, etc. + +CHAPTER IV. +PROPERTY IN +LAND--DWELLINGS--WEAPONS--IMPLEMENTS--GOVERNMENT--CUSTOMS--SOCIAL +RELATIONS--MARRIAGE--NOMENCLATURE + +CHAPTER V. +CEREMONIES AND SUPERSTITIONS--FORMS OF BURIAL--MOURNING +CUSTOMS--RELIGIOUS IDEAS--EMPIRICS, etc. + +CHAPTER VI. +NUMBERS--DISEASES--CAUSE OF LIMITED POPULATION--CRIMES AGAINST +EUROPEANS--AMONGST THEMSELVES--TREATMENT OF EACH OTHER IN DISTRIBUTION OF +FOOD, etc. + +CHAPTER VII. +LANGUAGE, DIALECTS, CUSTOMS, etc.--GENERAL SIMILARITY THROUGHOUT THE +CONTINENT--CAUSES OF DIFFERENCES--ROUTE BY WHICH THE NATIVES HAVE +OVERSPREAD THE COUNTRY, etc. + +CHAPTER VIII. +EFFECTS OF CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS--ATTEMPTS AT IMPROVEMENT AND +CIVILIZATION--ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS--DEFECTS OF THE SYSTEM + +CHAPTER IX. +SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SYSTEM ADOPTED TOWARDS THE NATIVES 458 + +* * * * * + + + +EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES OF NATIVE ORNAMENTS, WEAPONS, IMPLEMENTS, AND +WORKS OF INDUSTRY + + + +LIST OF PLATES.--VOL. II. + +Distribution of flour at Moorunde, G. Hamilton +Arrival at King George's Sound, J. Neill +Plate I.--Native Ornaments +Kangaroo Dance of King George's Sound, J. Neill +Woodcut of a Standard used in the Dances performed by day +Plate II. Native Weapons +Plate III. Native Weapons +Plate IV. Native Implements +Plate V. Native Works of Industry +Mode of disposing of the Dead of the Lower Murray +Murray River at Moorunde +Plate VI. Miscellaneous Native Articles +1. Head of war spear of the North Coast, barbed for 3 feet, total length +9 1/2 feet. +2. Head of fish spear of the North Coast, barbed for 18 inches, total +length 8 3/4 feet. +2. Head of spear of the North Coast, barbed for 18 inches, total length +8 3/4 feet. +4. Head of war spear of the North Coast, with head of quartz, 6 inches, +total length 9 1/2 feet. +5. Head of war spear of the North Coast, with head of slate, 6 inches, +total length 9 1/2 feet. +6. Two handed sword of hard wood, North Coast, 3 1/2 feet. +7. Throwing stick of North Coast, 3 feet 1 inch. +8. Throwing stick of North Coast, very pliant, 3-16ths of an inch only +thick, 3 feet 6 inches. +9. Broad short throwing stick, 2 feet 2 inches. +10. An ornament of feathers for the neck. +11. Five Kangaroo teeth in a bunch, worn round the neck. +12. A net waistband or belt, from Murray River, 8 feet long 6 inches +wide. +13. Plume of feathers tied to thin wand, and stuck in the hair at +dances--New South Wales. +14. War club. +15. War club. +16. Bag of close net work. +17. Band for forehead of Swan's down. +18. Root end of a kind of grass, used as pins for pegging out skins. +19. Sorcerer's stick. +20. Sorcerer's stick. + + + + + +VOLUME I + + + + +JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1840. + + + +Chapter I. + + +ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THE +WESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FOR +THAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THE +WESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINED +INSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH AN +EXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR, +ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OF EXPEDITION--NAME A +DAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNDERTAKING. + +Before entering upon the account of the expedition sent to explore the +interior of Australia, to which the following pages refer, it may perhaps +be as well to advert briefly to the circumstances which led to the +undertaking itself, that the public being fully in possession of the +motives and inducements which led me, at a very great sacrifice of my +private means, to engage in an exploration so hazardous and arduous, and +informed of the degree of confidence reposed in me by those interested in +the undertaking, and the sanguine hopes and high expectations that were +formed as to the result, may be better able to judge how far that +confidence was well placed, and how far my exertions were commensurate +with the magnitude of the responsibility I had undertaken. + +I have felt it the more necessary to allude to this subject now, because +I was in some measure at the time instrumental in putting a stop to a +contemplated expedition to the westward, and of thus unintentionally +interfering with the employment of a personal friend of my own, than whom +no one could have been more fitted to command an undertaking of the kind, +from his amiable disposition, his extensive experience, and his general +knowledge and acquirements. + +Upon returning, about the middle of May 1840, from a visit to King +George's Sound and Swan River, I found public attention in Adelaide +considerably engrossed with the subject of an overland communication +between Southern and Western Australia. Captain Grey, now the Governor of +South Australia, had called at Adelaide on his way to England from King +George's Sound, and by furnishing a great deal of interesting information +relative to Western Australia, and pointing out the facilities that +existed on its eastern frontier, as far as it was then known, for the +entrance of stock from the Eastward, had called the attention of the +flock-masters of the Colony to the importance of opening a communication +between the two places, with a view to the extension of their pastoral +interests. The notes of Captain Grey, referring to this subject, were +published in the South Australian Register newspaper of the 28th March, +1840. On the 30th of the same month, a number of gentlemen, many of whom +were owners of large flocks and herds, met together, for the purpose of +taking the matter into consideration, and the result of this conference +was the appointment of a Committee, whose duty it was to report upon the +best means of accomplishing the object in view. On the 4th, 7th, and 9th +of April other meetings were held, and the results published in the South +Australian Register, of the 11th April, as follows:-- + + +OVERLAND ROUTE TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA. + +At a Meeting of the Committee for making arrangements for an expedition +to explore an overland route to Western Australia, held the 7th of April, +the Hon. the Surveyor-general in the chair, the following resolutions +were agreed to:-- + +That a communication be made to the Government of Western Australia, +detailing the objects contemplated by this Committee, and further stating +that the assistance of the Government of this province has been obtained. + +That a communication be made to the Hon. the Surveyor-general, the Hon. +the Advocate-general the Hon. G. Leake, Esq. of Western Australia, with a +request that they will form a committee in conjunction with such settlers +as may feel interested in the same undertaking, for the purpose of +collecting private subscriptions, and co-operating with this committee. + +Resolved, that similar communications be made to the Government of New +South Wales, and to the following gentlemen who are requested to act as a +committee with the same power as that of Western Australia: Hon. E. Deas +Thomson, Colonial Secretary; William Macarthur, Esq.; Captain Parker; P. +King, R.N.; Stuart Donaldson, Esq.; George Macleay, Esq.; Charles +Campbell, Esq. + +That this Committee would propose, in order to facilitate the progress of +the expedition, that depots be formed at convenient points on the route; +that it is proposed to make Fowler's Bay the first depot on the route +from Adelaide, and to leave it to the Government of Western Australia to +decide upon the sites which their local knowledge may point out as the +most eligible for similar stations, as far to the eastward as may appear +practicable. + +That a subscription list be immediately opened in Adelaide to collect +funds in aid of the undertaking. + +That R. F. Newland, Esq., be requested to act as Treasurer to this +Committee, and that subscriptions be received at the Banks of Australasia +and South Australia. + +E. C. FROME, Chairman. +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + + +The Committee again met on the 9th April--the Hon. the Assistant +Commissioner in the chair. It was resolved that the following statement +head the subscription list:-- + + +Several meetings having taken place at Adelaide of persons interested in +the discovery of an overland route to Western Australia, and it being the +general opinion of those meetings that such an enterprise would very +greatly benefit the colonists of Eastern, Southern, and Western +Australia, it was determined to open subscriptions for the furtherance of +this most desirable object under the direction of the following +Committee: + +G. A. Anstey, Esq. John Knott, Esq. +Charles Bonney, Esq. Duncan M'Farlane, Esq. +John Brown, Esq. David McLaren, Esq. +Edward Eyre, Esq. John Morphett, Esq. +John Finniss, Esq. Chas. Mann, Esq. +J. H. Fisher, Esq. R. F. Newland, Esq. +Lieutenant Frome, Dr. Rankin. Esq. +Surveyor-general G. Stevenson, Esq. +O. Gilles, Esq. F. Stephens, Esq. +Captain Grey W. Smilie, Esq. +J. B. Hack, Esq. T. B. Strangwaya, Esq. +G. Hamilton, Esq. Capt. Sturt, Ass. Com. +Ephraim Howe, Esq. John Walker, Esq. + +The very great importance of the undertaking as leading to results, and +in all probability to discoveries, the benefits of which are at present +unforeseen, but which, like the opening of the Murray to this Province, +may pave the way to a high road from hence to Western Australia, will, it +is hoped meet with that support from the public which undertakings of +great national interest deserve, and which best evince the enterprise and +well-doing of a rising colony. + +That Captain Grey, being about to embark for England, the Committee +cannot allow him to quit these shores without expressing their regret +that his stay has been so short, and the sense they entertain of the +great interest he has evinced in the welfare of the colony, and the +disinterested support he has given an enterprise which is likely to lead +to such generally beneficial results as that under consideration. + +CHAS. STURT, Chairman. +CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. + + +LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVED YESTERDAY. + + +The Government of South Australia 200 pounds +His Excellency the Governor +(absent at Port Lincoln) +and the Colonists 349 pounds 10 shillings + + +Such was the state in which I found the question on my return from +Western Australia. All had been done that was practicable, until answers +were received from the other Colonies, replying to the applications for +assistance and co-operation in the proposed undertaking. + +Having been always greatly interested in the examination of this vast but +comparatively unknown continent, and having already myself been +frequently engaged in long and harassing explorations, it will not be +deemed surprising that I should at once have turned my attention to the +subject so prominently occupying the public mind. I have stated that the +principal object proposed to be attained by the expedition to the +westward, was that of opening a route for the transit of stock from one +colony to the other--nay it was even proposed and agreed to by a majority +of the gentlemen attending the public meeting that the first party of +exploration should be accompanied by cattle. Now, from my previous +examination of the country to the westward of the located parts of South +Australia, I had in 1839 fully satisfied myself, not only of the +difficulty, but of the utter impracticability of opening an overland +route for stock in that direction, and I at once stated my opinion to +that effect, and endeavoured to turn the general attention from the +Westward to the North, as being the more promising opening, either for +the discovery of a good country, or of an available route across the +continent. The following extract, from a paper by me on the subject, was +published in the South Australian Register of the 23rd May, 1840, and +contains my opinion at that time of the little prospect there was of any +useful result accruing from the carrying out of the proposed expedition +to the Westward:-- + + +"It may now, therefore, be a question for those who are interested in the +sending an expedition overland to the Swan River to consider what are +likely to be the useful results from such a journey. In a geographical +point of view it will be exceedingly interesting to know the character of +the intervening country between this colony and theirs, and to unfold the +secrets hidden by those lofty, and singular cliffs at the head of the +Great Bight, and so far, it might perhaps be practicable--since it is +possible that a light party might, in a favourable season, force their +way across. As regards the transit of stock, however, my own conviction +is that it is quite impracticable. The vast extent of desert country to +the westward--the scarcity of grass--the denseness of the scrub--and the +all but total absence of water, even in the most favourable seasons, are +in themselves, sufficient bars to the transit of stock, even to a +distance we are already acquainted with. I would rather, therefore, turn +the public attention to the Northward, as being the most probable point +from which discoveries of importance may be made, or such as are likely +to prove beneficial to this and the other colonies, and from which it is +possible the veil may be lifted, from the still unknown and mysterious +interior of this vast continent." + + +On the 27th I dined with His Excellency the Governor, and had a long +conversation with him on the subject of the proposed Western Expedition, +and on the exploration of the Northern Interior. With his usual anxiety +to promote any object which he thought likely to benefit the colony, and +advance the cause of science, His Excellency expressed great interest in +the examination of the Northern Interior, and a desire that an attempt +should be made to penetrate its recesses during the ensuing season. + +As I had been the means of diverting public attention from a Western to a +Northern exploration, so was I willing to encounter myself the risks and +toils of the undertaking I had suggested, and I therefore at once +volunteered to His Excellency to take the command of any party that might +be sent out, to find one-third of the number of horses required, and pay +one-third of the expenses. Two days after this a lecture was delivered at +the Mechanics' Institute in Adelaide, by Captain Sturt, upon the +Geography and Geology of Australia, at the close of which that gentleman +acquainted the public with the proposal I had made to the Governor, and +the sanction and support which His Excellency was disposed to give it. +The following extract is from Captain Sturt's address, and shews the +disinterested and generous zeal which that talented and successful +traveller was ever ready to exert on behalf of those who were inclined to +follow the career of enterprise and ambition in which he had with such +distinction led the way. + + +"Before I conclude, however, having drawn your attention to the science +of geology, I would for a moment dwell on that of geography, and the +benefit the pursuit and study of it has been to mankind. To geography we +owe all our knowledge of the features of the earth's surface, our +intercourse with distant nations, and our enjoyments of numberless +comforts and luxuries. The sister sciences of geography and hydrography +have enabled us to pursue our way to any quarter of the habitable and +uninhabitable world. With the history of geography, moreover, our +proudest feelings are associated. Where are there names dearer to us than +those of the noble and devoted Columbus, of Sebastian Cabot, of Cook, of +Humboldt, and of Belzoni and La Perouse? Where shall we find the generous +and heroic devotion of the explorers of Africa surpassed? Of Denham, of +Clapperton, of Oudeny, and of the many who have sacrificed their valuable +lives to the pestilence of that climate or to the ferocity of its +inhabitants?--And where shall we look for the patient and persevering +endurance of Parry, of Franklin, and of Back, in the northern regions of +eternal snow? If, ladies and gentlemen, fame were to wreathe a crown to +the memory of such men, there would not be a leaf in it without a name. +The region of discovery was long open to the ambitious, but the energy +and perseverance of man has now left but little to be done in that once +extensive and honourable field. The shores of every continent have been +explored--the centre of every country has been penetrated save that of +Australia--thousands of pounds have been expended in expeditions to the +Poles--but this country, round which a girdle of civilization is forming, +is neglected, and its recesses, whether desert or fertile, are unsought +and unexplored. What is known of the interior is due rather to private +enterprise than to public energy. Here then there is still a field for +the ambitious to tread. Over the centre of this mighty continent there +hangs a veil which the most enterprising might be proud to raise. The +path to it, I would venture to say, is full of difficulty and danger; and +to him who first treads it much will be due. I, who have been as far as +any, have seen danger and difficulty thicken around me as I advanced, and +I cannot but anticipate the same obstacles to the explorer, from whatever +point of these extreme shores he may endeavour to force his way. +Nevertheless, gentlemen, I shall envy that man who shall first plant the +flag of our native country in the centre of our adopted one. There is not +one deed in those days to be compared with it, and to whoever may +undertake so praiseworthy and so devoted a task, I wish that success, +which Heaven sometimes vouchsafes to those who are actuated by the first +of motives--the public good; and the best of principles--a reliance on +Providence. I would I myself could undertake such a task, but fear that +may not be. However, there is a gentleman among us, who is auxious to +undertake such a journey. He has calculated that in taking a party five +hundred miles into the interior, the expense would not be more than 300 +pounds and the price of ten horses. At a meeting held some time ago, on +this very subject, about half that sum was subscribed.--His Excellency +the Governor has kindly promised to give 100 pounds, and two horses--and +I think we may very soon make up the remainder; and thus may set out an +expedition which may explore the as yet unknown interior of this vast +continent, which may be the means, by discovery, of conferring a lasting +benefit on the colony--and hand down to posterity the name of the person +who undertakes it." + + +On the same day I received a note from the private secretary, stating +that the Governor wished to see me, and upon calling on His Excellency I +had a long and interesting interview on the subject of the expedition, in +the course of which arrangements were proposed and a plan of operations +entered into. I found in His Excellency every thing that was kind and +obliging. Sincerely desirous to confer a benefit upon the colony over +which he presided, he was most anxious that the expedition should be +fitted out in as complete and efficient a manner as possible, and to +effect this every assistance in his power was most frankly and freely +offered. In addition to the sanction and patronage of the government and +the contribution of 100 pounds, towards defraying the expenses, His +Excellency most kindly offered me the selection of any two horses I +pleased, from among those belonging to the police, and stated, that if I +wished for the services of any of the men in the public employment they +should be permitted to accompany me on the journey. The Colonial cutter, +WATERWITCH, was also most liberally offered, and thankfully accepted, to +convey a part of the heavy stores and equipment to the head of Spencer's +Gulf, that so far, the difficulties of the land journey to that point, at +least, might be lessened. + +I was now fairly pledged to the undertaking, and as the winter was +rapidly advancing, I became most anxious to get all preparations made as +soon as possible to enable me to take advantage of the proper season. On +the first of June I commenced the necessary arrangements for organizing +my party, and getting ready the equipment required. To assist me in these +duties, and to accompany me as a companion in the journey, I engaged Mr. +Edward Bate Scott, an active, intelligent and steady young friend, who +had already been a voyage with me to Western Australia, and had travelled +with me overland from King George's Sound to Swan River. + +Meetings of the colonists interested in the undertaking were again held +on the 2nd and 5th of June, at which subscriptions were entered into for +carrying out the object of the expedition; and a brief outline of my +plans was given by the Chairman, Captain Sturt, in the following extract +from his address. + + +"The Chairman went on to state, that Mr. Eyre would first proceed to Lake +Torrens and examine it, and then penetrate as far inland in a northerly +direction as would be found practicable. With regard to an observation +which he (the Chairman) had made on Friday evening, regarding this +continent having been formerly an archipelago, he stated, that he was of +opinion that a considerable space of barren land in all probability +existed between this district and what had formerly been the next island. +This space was likely to be barren, though of course it would be +impossible to say how far it extended. He had every reason to believe, +from what he had seen of the Australian continent, that at some distance +to the northward, a large tract of barren country would be found, or +perhaps a body of water, beyond which, a good country would in all +probability exist. The contemplated expedition, he hoped would set +supposition at rest--and as the season was most favourable, and Mr. Eyre +had had much personal experience in exploring, he had no doubt but the +expedition would be successful. The eyes of all the Australasian +colonies--nay, he might say of Britain--are on the colonists of South +Australia in this matter; and he felt confident that the result would be +most beneficial, not only to this Province, but also to New South Wales +and the Australian colonies generally--for the success of one settlement +is, in a measure, the success of the others." + + +An advertisement, published in the Adelaide Journals of 13th June, shewed +the progress that had been made towards collecting subscriptions for the +undertaking, and the spirited and zealous manner in which the colonists +entered into the project. Up to that date the sum of 541 pounds 17 +shillings 5 pence had been collected and paid into the Bank of Australia. + +Having now secured the necessary co-operation and assistance, my +arrangements proceeded rapidly and unremittingly, whilst the kindness of +the Governor, the Committee of colonists, my private friends and the +public generally, relieved me of many difficulties and facilitated my +preparations in a manner such as I could hardly have hoped or expected. +Every one seemed interested in the undertaking, and anxious to promote +its success; zeal and energy and spirit were infused among all connected +with it, and everything went on prosperously. + +In addition to the valuable aid which I received from his Excellency the +Governor, I was particularly indebted to Captain Frome the +Surveyor-general, Captain Sturt the Assistant-commissioner, and Thomas +Gilbert, Esq. the Colonial storekeeper, for unceasing kindness and +attention, and for much important assistance rendered to me by the loan +of books and instruments, the preparation of charts, and the fitting up +of drays, etc. etc. + +Captain Frome, too, now laid me under increased obligations by giving up +his own servant, Corporal Coles of the Royal Sappers and Miners, upon my +expressing a wish to take him with me, and the Governor sanctioning his +going. + +This man had accompanied Captain Grey in all his expeditions on the +North-west coast of New Holland--and had been highly recommended by that +traveller; he was a wheelwright by trade, and being a soldier was likely +to prove a useful and valuable addition to my party; and I afterwards +found him a most obliging, willing and attentive person. + +To the Governor and to the Committee of colonists I owe many thanks, for +the very flattering and gratifying confidence they reposed in me, a +confidence which left me as unrestricted in my detail of outfit and +equipment, as I was unfettered in my plan of operations in the field. +This enabled me to avoid unnecessary delays, and to hasten every thing +forward as rapidly as possible, so that when requested by the Governor to +name a day for my departure I was enabled to fix upon the 18th of June. + +Having already done all in their power to forward and assist the +equipment and arrangement of the expedition, the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +were determined still further to increase the heavy debt of gratitude +which I was already under to them, by inviting myself and party to meet +the friends of the expedition at Government House on the morning of our +departure, that by a public demonstration of interest in our welfare, we +might be encouraged in the undertaking upon which we were about to +enter--and might be stimulated to brave the perils to which we should +shortly be exposed, by a remembrance of the sympathy expressed in our +behalf, and the pledge we should come under to the public upon leaving +the abode of civilised man, for the unknown and trackless region which +lay before us. + +On the 15th of June I attended a meeting of the Committee, and presented +for audit the accounts of the expenditure incurred up to that date. On +the 16th I had a sale of all my private effects, furniture, etc. by +auction, and arranged my affairs in the best way that the very limited +time at my disposal would permit. + +The 17th found me still with plenty of work to do, as there were many +little matters to attend to at the last, which the best exertions could +not sooner set aside. + +Mr. Scott, who ever since the commencement of our preparations, had been +most indefatigable and useful in his exertions, was even still more +severely tasked on this day; at night, however, we were all amply +rewarded, by seeing every thing completely and satisfactorily +arranged--the bustle, confusion, and excitement over, and our drays all +loaded, and ready to commence on the morrow a journey of which the +length, the difficulty, and the result, were all a problem yet to be +solved. + +In the short space of seventeen days from the first commencement of our +preparations, we had completely organized and fully equipped a party for +interior exploration. Every thing had been done in that short time men +hired, horses sought out and selected, drays prepared, saddlery, harness, +and the thousand little things required on such journeys, purchased, +fitted and arranged. In that short time too, the Colonists had subscribed +and collected the sum of five hundred pounds towards defraying the +expenses, exclusive of the Government contribution of 100 pounds. + +Unfortunately, at the time the expedition was undertaken, every thing in +South Australia was excessively dear, and the cost of its outfit was +therefore much greater in 1840, than it would have been any year since +that period; nine horses (including a Timor pony, subsequently procured +at Port Lincoln) cost 682 pounds 10 shillings, whilst all other things +were proportionably expensive. After the expedition had terminated and +the men's wages and other expenses had been paid, the gross outlay +amounted to 1391 pounds 0 shillings 7 pence:--of this + +Amount of Donation from Government was 100 00 00 +Amount of Subscriptions of the Colonists 582 04 09 +Sale of the Drays and part of the Equipment 28 00 00 +Amount paid by myself 680 15 10 + ---------- +Total 1391 00 07 + + +In addition to this expenditure, considerable as it was, there were very +many things obtained from various sources, which though of great value +did not come into the outlay already noted. Among these were two horses +supplied by the Government, and three supplied by myself, making with the +nine bought for 682 pounds 10 shillings, a total of fourteen horses. The +very valuable services of the cutters "HERO" and "WATERWITCH," were +furnished by the Government; who also supplied all our arms and +ammunition, with a variety of other stores. From my many friends I +received donations of books and instruments, and I was myself enabled to +supply from my own resources a portion of the harness, saddlery, tools, +and tarpaulins, together with a light cart and a tent. + +June 18.--Calling my party up early, I ordered the horses to be +harnessed, and yoked to the drays, at half past nine the whole party, +(except the overseer who was at a station up the country) proceeded to +Government House, where the drays were halted for the men to partake of a +breakfast kindly provided for them by His Excellency and Mrs. Gawler, +whilst myself and Mr. Scott joined the very large party invited to meet +us in the drawing room. + +The following account of the proceedings of the morning, taken from the +South Australian Register, of the 20th June, may perhaps be read with +interest; at least it will shew the disinterested spirit and enterprising +character of the colonists of South Australia, even at this early stage +of its history, and especially how much the members of our little party +were indebted to the kindness and good feeling of the Governor and +colonists, who were anxious to cheer and stimulate us under the +difficulties and trails we had to encounter, by their earnest wishes and +prayers for our safety and success. + + +EXPLORATORY EXPEDITION TO THE CENTRE OF NEW HOLLAND + +The arrangements for the expedition into the interior, undertaken by Mr. +Eyre, having been completed, His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. Gawler +issued cards to a number of the principal colonists and personal friends +of Mr. Eyre, to meet him at Government House on the morning of his +departure. On Thursday last accordingly (the anniversary of Waterloo, in +which His Excellency and the gallant 52nd bore so conspicuous a part) a +very large party of ladies and gentlemen assembled. After an elegant +DEJEUNER A LA FOURCHETTE, His Excellency the Governor rose and spoke as +nearly as we could collect, as follows:-- + +"We are assembled to promote one of the most important undertakings that +remain to be accomplished on the face of the globe--the discovery of the +interior of Australia. As Captain Sturt in substance remarked in a recent +lecture, of the five great divisions of the earth, Europe is well known; +Asia and America have been generally searched out; the portion that +remains to be known of Africa is generally unfavourable for Europeans, +and probably unfit for colonization; but Australia, our great island +continent, with a most favourable climate, still remains unpenetrated, +mysterious, and unknown. Without doing injustice to the enterprising +attempts of Oxley, Sturt, and Mitchell, I must remark that they were +commenced from a very unfavourable point--from the eastern and almost +south-eastern extremity of the island--and consequently the great +interior still remains untouched by them, the south-eastern corner alone +having been investigated. As Captain Sturt some years since declared, +this Province is the point from which expeditions to the deep interior +should set out. This principle, I know, has been acknowledged by +scientific men in Europe; and it is most gratifying to see the spirit +with which our Colonists on the present occasion have answered to the +claim which their position imposes upon them. Mr. Eyre goes forth this +day, to endeavour to plant the British flag--the flag which in the whole +world has "braved for a thousand years the battle and the breeze"--on the +tropic of Capricorn (as nearly as possible in 135 degrees or 136 degrees +of longitude) in the very centre of our island continent. On this day +twenty-five years since, commencing almost at this very hour, the British +flag braved indeed the battle, and at length floated triumphant in +victory on the field of Waterloo. May a similar glorious success attend +the present undertaking! Mr. Eyre goes forth to brave a battle of a +different kind, but which in the whole, may present dangers equal to +those of Waterloo. May triumph crown his efforts, and may the British +flag, planted by him in the centre of Australia, wave for another +thousand years over the pence and prosperity of the mighty population +which immigration is pouring in upon us! Of the immediate results of his +journey, no one, indeed, can at present form a solid conjecture. Looking +to the dark side, he may traverse a country useless to man; but +contemplating the bright side, and remembering that but a few years since +Sturt, setting off on an equally mysterious course, laid the foundation +for the large community in which we dwell, it is in reason to hope that +Mr. Eyre will discover a country which may derive support from us, and +increase the prosperity of our Province. I must express my gratification +at the manner in which this enterprise, noble, let its results be what +they may, has been supported by our colonists at large. It is a greater +honor to be at the head of the government of a colony of enlightened and +enterprising men, than at that of an empire of enslaved and ignorant +beings in the form of men. I count it so. May the zeal which has been +exhibited in the colony in the promotion of every good and useful work +ever continue. Some ladies of Adelaide have worked a British Union Jack +for Mr. Eyre. Captain Sturt will be their representative to present it to +him. After that we will adjourn to the opposite rooms to invoke a +blessing on the enterprise. All here, and I believe the whole colony, +give to Mr. Eyre their best wishes, but to good wishes right-minded men +always add fervent prayers. There is an Almighty invisible Being in whose +hands are all events--man may propose, but it is for God only to +dispose--let us therefore implore his protection." + +"The Hon. Captain Sturt then received a very handsome Union Jack, neatly +worked in silk; and presenting it to Mr. Eyre, spoke nearly as follows:-- + +"It cannot but be gratifying to me to be selected on such an occasion as +this, to perform so prominent a part in a duty the last a community can +discharge towards one who, like you, is about to risk your life for its +good. I am to deliver to you this flag, in the name of the ladies who +made it, with their best wishes for your success, and their earnest +prayers for your safety. This noble colour, the ensign of our country, +has cheered the brave on many an occasion. It has floated over every +shore of the known world, and upon every island of the deep. But you have +to perform a very different, and a more difficult duty. You have to carry +it to the centre of a mighty continent, there to leave it as a sign to +the savage that the footstep of civilized man has penetrated so far. Go +forth, then, on your journey, with a full confidence in the goodness of +Providence; and may Heaven direct your steps to throw open the fertility +of the interior, not only for the benefit of the Province, but of our +native country; and may the moment when you unfurl this colour for the +purpose for which it was given to you, be as gratifying to you as the +present." + +"Mr. Eyre, visibly and deeply affected, returned his warmest thanks, and +expressed his sense of the kindness he had received on the present +occasion. He hoped to be able to plant the flag he had just received in +the centre of this continent. If he failed, he should, he hoped, have the +cousciousness of having earnestly endeavoured to succeed. To His +Excellency the Governor, his sincere thanks were due for the promptitude +with which so much effectual assistance to the expedition had been +rendered. Mr. Eyre also begged leave to return his thanks to the +Colonists who had so liberally supported the enterprise; and concluded by +expressing his trust that, through the blessing of God, he would be +enabled to return to them with a favourable report of the country into +which he was about to penetrate. + +"The company then returned to the library and drawing-room, where the +Colonial Chaplain, the Rev. C. B. Howard, offered up an affecting and +appropriate prayer, and at twelve precisely, Mr. Eyre, accompanied by a +very large concourse of gentlemen on horseback, left Government House, +under the hearty parting cheers of the assembled party." + +Leaving Government House under the hearty cheers of the very large +concourse assembled to witness our departure outside the grounds; Mr. +Scott, myself, and two native boys (the drays having previously gone on) +proceeded on horseback on our route, accompanied by a large body of +gentlemen on horseback, and ladies in carriages, desirous of paying us +the last kind tribute of friendship by a farewell escort of a few miles. + +At first leaving Government House we had moved on at a gentle canter, but +were scarcely outside the gates, before the cheering of the people, the +waving of hats, and the rush of so many horses, produced an emulation in +the noble steeds that almost took from us the control of their pace, as +we dashed over the bridge and up the hill in North Adelaide--it was a +heart-stirring and inspiriting scene. Carried away by the enthusiasm of +the moment, our thoughts and feelings were wrought to the highest state +of excitement. + +The time passed rapidly away, the first few miles were soon travelled +over,--then came the halt,--the parting,--the last friendly cheer;--and +we were alone in the wilderness. Our hearts were too full for +conversation, and we wended on our way slowly and in silence to overtake +the advance party. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + +FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEP +STATION--RE-ARRANGEMENT OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETE +THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THE +LIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OF +FIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTT +RIVERS--INDICATIONS OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THE +OPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'S +RANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON. + + +June 18.--The party having left Adelaide late in the forenoon, and it +being the first day of working the horses, I did not wish to make a long +stage; having followed the usual road, therefore, as far as the little +Parra, the drays were halted upon that watercourse (after a journey of +about twelve miles), and we then proceeded to bivouac for the first time. +For the first time too since I had engaged to command the expedition, I +had leisure to reflect upon the prospects before me. + +During the hurry and bustle of preparation, and in the enthusiasm of +departure, my mind was kept constantly on the stretch, and I had no time +for calm and cool consideration, but now that all was over and the +journey actually commenced, I was again able to collect my thoughts and +to turn my most serious and anxious attention to the duty I had +undertaken. The last few days had been so fraught with interest and +occupation, and the circumstances of our departure this morning, had been +so exciting, that when left to my own reflections, the whole appeared to +me more like a dream than a reality. The change was so great, the +contrast so striking. From the crowded drawing room of civilized life, I +had in a few hours been transferred to the solitude and silence of the +wilds, and from being but an unit in the mass of a large community, I had +suddenly become isolated with regard to the world, which, so far as I was +concerned, consisted now only of the few brave men who accompanied me, +and who were dependant for their very existence upon the energy and +perseverance and prudence with which I might conduct the task assigned to +me. With this small, but gallant and faithful band, I was to attempt to +penetrate the vast recesses of the interior of Australia, to try to lift +up the veil which has hitherto shrouded its mysteries from the researches +of the traveller, and to endeavour to plant that flag which has floated +proudly in all the known parts of the habitable globe, in the centre of a +region as yet unknown, and unvisited save by the savage or the wild +beast. + +Those only who have been placed in similar circumstances can at all +appreciate the feelings which they call forth. The hopes, fears, and +anxieties of the leader of an exploring party, must be felt to be +understood, when he is about to commence an undertaking which MUST be one +of difficulty and danger, and which MAY be of doubtful and even fatal +result. + +The toil, care, and anxiety devolving upon him are of no ordinary +character; everyday removes him further from the pale of civilization and +from aid or assistance of any kind--whilst each day too diminishes the +strength of his party and the means at his command, and thus renders him +less able to provide against or cope with the difficulties that may beset +him. A single false step, the least error of judgment, or the slightest +act of indiscretion might plunge the expedition into inextricable +difficulty or danger, or might defeat altogether the object in view. +Great indeed was the responsibility I had undertaken--and most fully did +I feel sensible of the many and anxious duties that devolved upon me. The +importance and interest attached to the solution of the geographical +problem connected with the interior of Australia, would, I well knew, +engage the observation of the scientific world. If I were successful, the +accomplishment of what I had undertaken would more than repay me in +gratification for the toil and hazard of the enterprise--but if otherwise +I could not help feeling that, however far the few friends who knew me +might give me credit for exertion or perseverance, the world at large +would be apt to reason from the result, and to make too little allowance +for difficulties and impediments, of the magnitude of which from +circumstances they could be but incompetent judges. + +With such thoughts as these, and revolving in my mind our future plans, +our chances of success or otherwise, it will not be deemed surprising, +that notwithstanding the fatigue and care I had gone through during the +last fortnight of preparation, sleep should long remain a stranger to my +pillow; and when all nature around me was buried in deep repose I alone +was waking and anxious. + +From former experience in a personal examination of the nature of the +country north of the head of Spencer's Gulf, during the months of May and +June, 1839, I had learnt that the farther the advance to the north, the +more dreary and desolate the appearance of the country became, and the +greater was the difficulty, both of finding and of obtaining access to +either water or grass. The interception of the singular basin of Lake +Torrens, which I had discovered formed a barrier to the westward, and +commencing near the head of Spencer's Gulf, was connected with it by a +narrow channel of mud and water. This lake apparently increased in width +as it stretched away to the northward, as far as the eye could reach, +when viewed from the farthest point attained by me in 1839, named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Eyre. Dreary as had been the view I then obtained, +and cheerless as was the prospect from that elevation, there was one +feature in the landscape, which still gave me hope that something might +be done in that direction, and had in fact been my principal inducement +to select a line nearly north from Spencer's Gulf, for our route on the +present expedition; this feature was the continuation, and the +undiminished elevation of the chain of hills forming Flinders range, +running nearly parallel with the course of Lake Torrens, and when last +seen by me stretching far to the northward and eastward in a broken and +picturesque outline. + +It was to this chain of hills that I now looked forward as the +stepping-stone to the interior. In its continuation were centered all my +hopes of success, because in its recesses alone could I hope to obtain +water and grass for my party. The desert region I had seen around its +base, gave no hope of either, and though the basin of Lake Torrens +appeared to be increasing so much in extent to the northward, I had seen +nothing to indicate its terminating within any practicable distance, in a +deep or navigable water. True the whole of the drainage from Flinders +range, as far as was yet known, emptied into its basin, but such was the +arid and sandy nature of the region through which it passed, that a great +part of the moisture was absorbed, whilst the low level of the basin of +the lake, apparently the same as that of the sea itself, forbade even the +most distant hope of the water being fresh, should any be found in its +bed. + +It was in reflections and speculations such as these, that many hours of +the night of my first encampment with the party passed away. The kindness +of the Governor and our many friends had been so unbounded; their anxiety +for our safety and comfort so great; their good wishes for our success so +earnest, and their confidence in our exertions, so implicit, that I could +not but look forward with apprehension, lest the success of our efforts +might not equal what our gratitude desired, and even now I began to be +fearful that the high expectations raised by the circumstances of our +departure might not be wholly realised. + +We had fairly commenced our arduous undertaking, and though the party +might appear small for the extent of the exploration contemplated, yet no +expedition could have started under more favourable or more cheering +auspices; provided with every requisite which experience pointed out as +desirable, and with every comfort which excess of kindness could suggest, +we left too, with a full sense of the difficulties before us, but with a +firm determination to overcome them, if possible. And I express but the +sentiments of the whole party when I say, that we felt the events of the +day of our departure, and the recollection of the anxiety and interest +with which our friends were anticipating our progress, and hoping for our +success, would be cherished as our watchword in the hour of danger, and +bethe incentive to perseverance and labour, when more than ordinary +trials should call for our exertions. The result we were willing to leave +in the hands of that Almighty Being whose blessing had been implored upon +our undertaking, and to whom we looked for guidance and protection in all +our wanderings. + +June 19.--On mustering the horses this morning it was found, that one or +two had been turned loose without hobbles, and being fresh and high fed +from the stables, they gave us a great deal of trouble before we could +catch them, but at last we succeeded, and the party moved on upon the +road to Gawler town, arriving there (12 miles) about noon; at this place +we halted for half an hour, at the little Inn to lunch, and this being +the last opportunity we should have of entering a house for many months +to come, I was anxious to give my men the indulgence. After lunch I again +moved on the party for five miles, crossing and encamping upon, a branch +of the Parra or Gawler, where we had abundance of good water and grass. + +June 20.--Having a long stage before us to-day, I moved on the party very +early, leaving all roads, and steering across the bush to my sheep +stations upon the Light. We passed through some very fine country, the +verdant and beautiful herbage of which, at this season of the year, +formed a carpet of rich and luxuriant vegetation. Having crossed the +grassy and well wooded ranges which confine the waters of the Light to +the westward, we descended to the plain, and reached my head station +about sunset, after a long and heavy stage of twenty miles--here we were +to remain a couple of days to break up the station, as the sheep were +sold, and the overseer and one of the men were to join the Expedition +party. + +The night set in cold and rainy, but towards morning turned to a severe +frost; one of the native boys who had been sent a short cut to the +station ahead of the drays, lost his road and was out in the cold all +night--an unusual circumstance, as a native will generally keep almost as +straight a direction through the wilds as a compass will point. + +Sunday, June 21.--We remained in camp. The day was cold, the weather +boisterous, with showers of rain at intervals, and the barometer falling; +our delay enabled me to write letters to my various friends, before +finally leaving the occupied parts of the country, I was glad too, to +give the horses and men a little rest after the fatigue they had endured +yesterday in crossing the country. + +June 22.--As we still remained in camp, the day being dark and cloudy +with occasional showers, I took the opportunity of having one of the +drays boarded close up, and of re-arranging the loads, oiling the +fire-arms, and grinding the axes, spades, etc.; we completed our +complement of tools, tents, tarpaulins, etc. from those at the station, +and had everything arranged on the drays in the most convenient manner, +always having in view safety in carriage and facility of access; the best +place for the fire-arms I found to be at the outside of the sides, the +backs, or the fronts, of those drays that were close boarded. + +By nailing half a large sheepskin with the wool on in any of these +positions, a soft cushion was formed for the fire-arms to rest against, +they were then fixed in their places by a loop of leather for the muzzle, +and a strap and buckle for the stock; whilst the other half of the +sheepskin which hung loose, doubled down in front of the weapons. between +them and the wheel, effectually preserving them from both dirt and wet, +and at the same time keeping them in a position, where they could be got +at in a moment, by simply lifting up the skin and unbuckling the strap; +by this means too, all danger or risk was avoided, which usually exists +when the fire-arms are put on or off the drays in a loaded state. I have +myself formerly seen carbines explode more than once from the cocks +catching something, in being pulled out from, or pushed in amidst the +load of a dray, independently of the difficulty of getting access to them +in cases of sudden emergency; a still better plan than the one I adopted, +would probably be to have lockers made for the guns, to hang in similar +places, and in a somewhat similar manner to that I have described, but in +this case it would be necessary for the lockers to be arranged and fitted +at the time the drays or carts were made. + +All the time I could spare from directing or superintending the loading +of the drays, I devoted to writing letters and making arrangements for +the regulation of my private affairs, which from the sudden manner in +which I had engaged in the exploring expedition, and from the busy and +hurried life I had led since the commencement of the preparations, had +fallen into some confusion. I was now, however, obliged to content myself +with such a disposition of them as the time and circumstances enabled me +to make.--I observed the latitude of the station to be 34 degrees 15 +minutes 56 seconds S. + +June 23.--Having got all the party up very early, I broke up the station, +and sent one man on horseback into Adelaide with despatches and letters. +My overseer and another man were now added to the party, making up our +complement in number. Upon re-arranging the loads of the drays yesterday, +I had found it inconvenient to have the instruments and tent equipage +upon the more heavily loaded drays, and I therefore decided upon taking +an extra cart and another horse from the station. This completed our +alterations, and the party and equipment stood thus:-- + +Mr. Eyre. +Mr. Scott, my assistant and companion. +John Baxter, Overseer. +Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +John Houston, driving a three horse dray. +R. M'Robert, driving a three horse dray. +Neramberein and Cootachah, + Aboriginal boys, to drive the sheep, track, etc. + +We had with us 13 horses and 40 sheep, and our other stores were +calculated for about three months; in addition to which we were to have a +further supply forwarded to the head of Spencer's Gulf by sea, in the +WATERWITCH, to await our arrival in that neighbourhood. This would give +us the means of remaining out nearly six months, if we found the country +practicable, and in that time we might, if no obstacles intervened, +easily reach the centre of the Continent and return, or if practicable, +cross to Port Essington on the N. W. coast. + +About eleven I moved on the party up the Light for 8 miles, and then +halted after an easy stage. As the horses were fresh and the men were not +yet accustomed to driving them, I was anxious to move quietly on at +first, that nothing might be done in a hurry, and every one might +gradually settle down to what he had to perform, and that thus by a +little care and moderation at first, those evils, which my former +travelling had taught me were frequently the result of haste or +inexperience, might be avoided. Nothing is more common than to get the +withers of horses wrung, or their shoulders and backs galled at the +commencement of a journey, and nothing more difficult than to effect a +cure of this mischief whilst the animals are in use. By the precaution +which I adopted, I succeeded in preventing this, for the present. + +As we passed up the valley of the Light, we had some rich and picturesque +scenery around us--the fertile vale running nearly north and south, +backed to the westward by well wooded irregular ranges grassed to their +summits, and to the eastward shut in by a dark looking and more heavily +timbered range, beyond which rose two peaks of more distant hills, +through the centre of the valley the Light took its course, but at +present it was only a chain of large ponds unconnected by any stream; and +thus, I believe, it remains the greater part of the year, although +occasionally swollen to a broad and rapid current. + +June 24.--The horses having strayed a little this morning, and given us +some trouble to get them, it was rather late when we started; we, +however, crossed the low ridges at the head of the Light, and entering +upon extensive plains to the north, we descended to a channel, which I +took to be the head of a watercourse called the "Gilbert." + +Finding here some tolerably good water and abundance of grass, I halted +the party for the night, though we were almost wholly without firewood, +an inconvenience that we felt considerably, as the nights now were very +cold and frosty. Our stage had been fourteen miles to-day, running at +first over low barren ridges, and then crossing rich plains of a loose +brown soil, but very heavy for the drays to travel over. + +At our camp, a steep bank of the watercourse presented an extensive +geological section, but there was nothing remarkable in it, the substrata +consisting only of a kind of pipe clay. + +June 25.--Upon starting this morning we traversed a succession of fine +open and very grassy plains, from which we ascended the low ridges +forming the division of the waters to the north and south. In the latter +direction, we had left the heads of the "Gilbert" and "Wakefield" chains +of ponds, whilst in descending in the former we came upon the "Hill," a +fine chain of ponds taking its course through a very extensive and grassy +valley, but with little timber of any kind growing near it. On this +account I crossed it, and passing on a little farther encamped the party +on a branch of the "Hutt," and within a mile and a half of the main +course of that chain of ponds. Our whole route to-day, had been through a +fine and valuable grazing district, with grass of an excellent +description, and of great luxuriance. + +We were now nearly opposite to the most northerly of the out stations, +and after seeing the party encamp, I proceeded, accompanied by Mr. Scott, +to search for the stations for the purpose of saying good bye to a few +more of my friends. We had not long, however, left the encampment when it +began to rain and drove us back to the tents, effectually defeating the +object with which we had commenced our walk. Heavy rain was apparently +falling to the westward of us, and the night set in dark and lowering. + +In some parts of the large plains we had crossed in the morning, I had +observed traces of the remains of timber, of a larger growth than any now +found in the same vicinity, and even in places where none at present +exists. Can these plains of such very great extent, and now so open and +exposed, have been once clothed with timber? and if so, by what cause, or +process, have they been so completely denuded, as not to leave a single +tree within a range of many miles? In my various wanderings in Australia, +I have frequently met with very similar appearances; and somewhat +analogous to these, are the singular little grassy openings, or plains, +which are constantly met with in the midst of the densest Eucalyptus +scrub. + +Every traveller in those dreary regions has appreciated these, (to him) +comparatively speaking, oasises of the desert--for it is in them alone, +that he can hope to obtain any food for his jaded horse; without, +however, their affording under ordinary circumstances, the prospect of +water for himself. Forcing his way through the dense, and apparently +interminable scrub, formed by the Eucalyptus dumosa, (which in some +situations is known to extend for fully 100 miles), the traveller +suddenly emerges into an open plain, sprinkled over with a fine silky +grass, varying from a few acres to many thousands in extent, but +surrounded on all sides by the dreary scrub he has left. + +In these plains I have constantly traced the remains of decayed +scrub--generally of a larger growth than that surrounding them--and +occasionally appearing to have grown very densely together. From this it +would appear that the face of the country in those low level regions, +occupied by the Eucalyptus dumosa, is gradually undergoing a process +which is changing it for the better, and in the course of centuries +perhaps those parts of Australia which are now barren and worthless, may +become rich and fertile districts, for as soon as the scrub is removed +grass appears to spring up spontaneously. The plains found interspersed +among the dense scrubs may probably have been occasioned by fires, +purposely or accidentally lighted by the natives in their wanderings, but +I do not think the same explanation would apply to those richer plains +where the timber has been of a large growth and the trees in all +probability at some distance apart--here fires might burn down a few +trees, but would not totally annihilate them over a whole district, +extending for many miles in every direction. + +June 26.--This morning brought a very heavy fog, through which we +literally could not see 100 yards, when the party moved on to the "Hutt" +chain of ponds, and then followed that watercourse up to the Broughton +river, which was crossed in Lat. 33 degrees 28 minutes S. At this point +the bed of the Broughton is of considerable width, and its channel is +occupied by long, wide and very deep water holes, connected with one +another by a strongly running stream, which seldom or never fails even in +the driest seasons. The soil upon its banks however is not valuable, +being generally stony and barren, and bearing a sort of prickly grass, +(Spinifex). Wild fowl abound on the pools. On a former occasion, when I +first discovered the Broughton, I obtained both ducks and swans from its +waters, but now I had no time for sporting, being anxious to push on to +the "reedy watercourse," a halting place in my former journey, so as to +get over all the rough and hilly ground before nightfall, that we might +have a fair start in the morning. I generally preferred, if practicable, +to lengthen the stage a little in the vicinity of watercourses or hills, +in order to get the worst of the road over whilst the horses worked +together and were warm, rather than leave a difficult country to be +passed over the first thing in the morning, when, for want of exercise, +the teams are chill and stiff, and require to be stimulated before they +will work well in unison. Our journey to-day was about twenty miles, and +the last five being over a rugged hilly road, it was late in the +afternoon when we halted for the night. + +"The reedy watercourse," is a chain of water-holes taking its rise among +some grassy and picturesque ranges to the north of us, and trending +southerly to a junction with the Broughton. Among the gorges of this +range, (which I had previously named Campbell's range,)[Note 1: After +R. Campbell, Esq. M. C. of Sydney.] are many springs of water, +and the scenery is as picturesque as the district is fertile. +Many of the hills are well rounded, very grassy, and moderately well +timbered even to their summits. This is one of the prettiest and most +desirable localities for either sheep or cattle, that I have yet seen in +the unoccupied parts of South Australia, whilst the distance from +Adelaide by land, does not at the most exceed one hundred and twenty +miles. [Note 2: All this country, and for some distance to the +north, is now occupied by stations.] The watercourse near our camp took +its course through an open valley, between bare hills on which there was +neither tree nor shrub for firewood and we were constantly obliged to go +half a mile up a steep hill before we could obtain a few stunted bushes to +cook with. As the watercourse approached the Broughton the country became +much more abrupt and broken, and after its junction with that river, the +stream wound through a succession of barren and precipitous hills, for +about fifteen miles, at a general course of south-west; these hills were +overrun almost everywhere with prickly grass and had patches of the +Eucalyptus dumosa scattered over them at intervals. + +Up to the point where it left the hills, there were ponds of water in the +bed of the Broughton, but upon leaving them the river changed its +direction to the northward, passing through extensive plains and +retaining a deep wide gravelly channel, but without surface water, the +drainage being entirely underground, and the country around comparatively +poor and valueless. + + + + +Chapter III. + + + +SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVE +PLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERS +RANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRY +WATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THE +PARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH. + + +During the night the frost had been so severe, that we were obliged to +wait a little this morning for the sun to thaw the tent and tarpaulins +before they would bend to fold up. After starting, we proceeded across a +high barren open country, for about three miles on a W. N. W. course, +passing close under a peak connected with Campbell's range, which I named +Spring Hill, from the circumstance of a fine spring of water being found +about half way up it. + +Not far from the spring I discovered a poor emaciated native, entirely +alone, without either food or fire, and evidently left by his tribe to +perish there; he was a very aged man, and from hardship and want was +reduced to a mere skeleton, how long he had been on the spot where we +found him I had no means of ascertaining, but probably for some time, as +life appeared to be fast ebbing away; he seemed almost unconscious of our +presence, and stared upon us with a vacant unmeaning gaze. The pleasures +or sorrows of life were for ever over with him: his case was far beyond +the reach of human aid, and the probability is that he died a very few +hours after we left him. + +Such is the fate of the aged and helpless in savage life, nor can we +wonder that it should be so, since self-preservation is the first law of +nature, and the wandering native who has to travel always over a great +extent of ground to seek for his daily food, could not obtain enough to +support his existence, if obliged to remain with the old or the sick, or +if impeded by the incumbrance of carrying them with him; still I felt +grieved for the poor old man we had left behind us, and it was long +before I could drive away his image from my mind, or repress the +melancholy train of thoughts that the circumstance had called forth. + +From the summit of Spring Hill, I observed extensive plains to the N. W. +skirted both on their eastern and western sides, by open hills, whilst to +the N. W. and N. E. the ranges were high, and apparently terminated in +both directions by peaked summits on their eastern extremes; a little +south of west the waters of Spencer's Gulf were distinctly visible, and +the smokes ascending from the fires of the natives, were seen in many +directions among the hills. After passing Spring Hill, we crossed some +rich and extensive plains, stretching far away to the northward, and +taking a nearly north and south direction under Campbell's range; in the +upper part of these plains is the deep bed of a watercourse with water in +it all the year round, and opposite to which, in lat. 33 degrees 14 +minutes S, is a practicable pass for drays through Campbell's range, to +the grassy country to the eastward. + +June 27.--In crossing the southern extremity of these large plains, we +came suddenly upon a small party of natives engaged in digging yams of +which the plains were full; they were so intent upon their occupation +that we were close to them before they were aware of our presence; when +they saw us they appeared to be surprised and alarmed, and endeavoured to +steal off as rapidly as they could without fairly taking to their heels, +for they were evidently either unwilling or afraid to run; finding that +we did not molest them they halted, and informed us by signs that we +should soon come to water, in the direction we were going. This I knew to +be true, and about three o'clock we were in front of a water-course, I +had on a former journey named the "Rocky river," from the ragged +character of its bed where we struck it. + +We had been travelling for some distance upon a high level open country, +and now came to a sudden gorge of several hundred feet below us, through +which the Rocky river wound its course. It was a most singular and wild +looking place, and was not inaptly named by the men, the "Devil's Glen;" +looking down from the table land we were upon, the valley beneath +appeared occupied by a hundred little hills of steep ascent and rounded +summits, whilst through their pretty glens, flowed the winding stream, +shaded by many a tree and shrub--the whole forming a most interesting and +picturesque scene. + +The bed of the watercourse was over an earthy slate, and the water had a +sweetish taste. Like most of the Australian rivers, it consisted only of +ponds connected by a running stream, and even that ceased to flow a +little beyond where we struck it, being lost in the deep sandy channel +which it then assumed, and which exhibited in many places traces of very +high floods. Below our camp the banks were 50 to 60 feet high, and the +width from 60 to 100 yards, its course lay through plains to the +south-west, over which patches of scrub were scattered at intervals, and +the land in its vicinity was of an inferior description, with much +prickly grass growing upon it. + +Upwards, the Rocky river, after emerging from the gorges in which we +found it, descended through very extensive plains from the +north-north-east; there was plenty of water in its bed, and abundance of +grass over the plains, so that in its upper parts it offers fine and +extensive runs for either cattle or sheep, and will, I have no doubt, ere +many years be past, be fully occupied for pastoral purposes. + +From our present encampment a very high and pointed hill was visible far +to the N.N. W. this from the lofty way in which it towered above the +surrounding hills, I named Mount Remarkable. Our latitude at noon was 33 +degrees 25 minutes 26 seconds S. + +A very beautiful shrub was found this afternoon upon the Rocky river, in +full flower: it was a tall slender stalked bush, about six or eight feet +high, growing almost in the bed of the river, with leaves like a +geranium, and fine delicate lilac flowers about an inch and a half in +diameter; here, too, we found the first gum-trees seen upon any of the +watercourses for many miles, as all those we had recently crossed, +traversed open plains which were quite without either trees or shrubs of +any kind. + +June 28.--This morning we passed through a country of an inferior +description, making a short stage to a watercourse, named by me the +"Crystal Brook;" it was a pretty stream emanating from the hills to the +north-east, and marked in its whole course through the plains to the +northward and westward by lines of gum-trees. The pure bright water ran +over a bed of clear pebbles, with a stream nine feet wide, rippling and +murmuring like the rivulets of England--a circumstance so unusual in the +character of Australian watercourses, that it interested and pleased the +whole party far more than a larger river would have done; this +characteristic did not, however, long continue, for like all the streams +we had lately crossed, the water ceased to flow a short distance beyond +our crossing place. + +The country below us, like that through which the Rocky river took its +course, was open and of an inferior description, but I have no doubt that +by tracing the stream upwards, towards its source among the ranges, a +good and well watered country would be found; I ascertained the latitude +by a meridian altitude at Crystal brook to be 33 degrees 18 minutes 7 +seconds S. + +The hills on the opposite side of Spencer's Gulf were now plainly +visible, and one which appeared to be inland, I took to be the middle +Back mountain of Flinders; between our camp and the eastern shores of the +gulf, the land was generally low, with a good deal of scrub upon it, and +nearer the shores appeared to be swampy, and subject to inundation by the +tides. + +June 29.--Upon moving from our camp this morning we commenced following +under Flinders range. From Crystal brook, the hills rise gradually in +elevation as they trend to the northward, still keeping their western +slopes almost precipitous to the plains, out of which they appear to rise +abruptly. Our course was much embarrassed by the gullies and gorges +emanating from the hills, in some of which the crossing place was not +very good, and in all the horses got much shaken, so that when we arrived +at a large watercourse defined by gum trees, and in which was a round +hole of water that had been on a former occasion called by me "The Deep +Spring," I halted the party for the night and found that the horses were +a good deal fatigued. Fortunately there was excellent food for them, and +plenty of water. The place at which we encamped was upon one of the +numerous watercourses, proceeding from the gorges of Flinders range. It +had a wide gravelly bed, divided into two or three separate channels, but +without a drop of water below the base of the hills, excepting where we +bivouacked, at this point, there was a considerable extent of rich black +alluvial soil, and in the midst of it a mound of jet black earth, +surrounded by a few reeds. In the centre of the mound was a circular deep +hole containing water, and apparently a spring: the last time I was here, +in 1839 it was full to overflowing, but now, though in the depth of +winter, I was surprised and chagrined to see the water so much lower than +I had known it before. It was covered up too so carefully with bushes and +boughs, that it was evident the natives sometimes contemplated its being +quite dried up, [Note 3: In October 1842, I again passed this way, in +command of a party of Police sent overland to Port Lincoln, to search for +Mr. C. C. Dutton: the spring was then dried up completely.] and had taken +this means as the best they could adopt for shading and protecting the +water. On the other hand the numerous well beaten tracks leading to this +solitary pool appeared to indicate that there was no other water in the +neighbourhood. We saw kangaroos, pigeons and birds of various +descriptions, going to it in considerable number. At night too after dark +we found that a party of natives were watching also for an opportunity +to participate in so indispensable a necessary, which having secured, +they departed, and we saw nothing more of them. I observed the latitude +at this camp to be 33 degrees 7 minutes 14 seconds S. and the variation +8 degrees 53 minutes E. + +June 30.--Our road to day was much better, and less interrupted by +gullies, though we still kept close under Flinders range. We traversed a +great extent of plain land which was generally stony, but grassy, and +tolerably well adapted for sheep runs. Several watercourses take their +rise from this range, with a westerly direction towards the gulf, these +were all dry when we crossed them, but their course was indicated by gum +trees, and as some of the channels were wide and large, and had strong +traces of occasional high floods, I rode for many miles down one of the +most promising, but without being able to find a drop of water. At noon +our latitude was 32 degrees 59 minutes 8 seconds, S. + +Late in the afternoon we reached a watercourse, which I had previously +named "Myall Ponds," [Note 4: Myall is in some parts of New Holland, the +native name for the Acacia pendula.] from the many and beautiful Acacia +pendula trees that grew upon its banks. There I knew we could get water, +and at once halted the party for the night. Upon going to examine the +supply I was again disappointed at finding it so much less than when I had +been here in 1839. This did not augur well for our future prospects, and +gave me considerable anxiety relative to our future movements. + +For some days past the whole party had fully entered upon their +respective duties, each knew exactly what he had to do, and was beginning +to get accustomed to its performance, so that every thing went on +smoothly and prosperously. My own time, when not personally engaged in +conducting the party, was occupied in keeping the journals and charts, +etc. in taking and working observations--in the daily register of the +barometer, thermometer, winds, and weather, and in collecting specimens +of flowers, or minerals. My young friend, Mr. Scott, was kept equally +busy; for in many of these duties he assisted me, and in some relieved me +altogether; the regular entry of the meteorological observations, and the +collecting of flowers or shrubs generally fell to his share; +independently of which he was the only sportsman in the party, and upon +his gun we were dependant for supplies of wallabies, pigeons, ducks, or +other game, to vary our bill of fare, and make the few sheep we had with +us hold out as long as possible. As a companion I could not have made a +better selection--young, active, and cheerful, I found him ever ready to +render me all the assistance in his power. At our present encampment, +several of a species of wallabie, very much resembling a hare in flavour, +were shot by Mr. Scott, but hitherto we had not succeeded in getting a +kangaroo. + +July 1.--To-day we travelled through a similar country to that we were in +yesterday, consisting of open plains and occasionally low scrub. +Kangaroos abounded in every direction. Our stage was eighteen miles to a +watercourse called by me the "Reedy water holes," from the circumstance +of reeds growing around the margin of the water. Upon arriving at this +place I was surprised to find a strongly running stream, where formerly +there had only been a reedy pond, although the two last watercourses we +had encamped at had been much reduced and dried up. When I had been here +in 1839, they were the running streams, and this only a pool, whilst +singularly enough there did not appear to have been more rain at one +place than the other. + +We were now in full view of Spencer's gulf, but as yet could observe no +signs of the WATERWITCH, which was to meet us at the head of the gulf +with additional stores. At night I observed the latitude by altitude of a +Bootis to be 32 degrees 41 minutes 28 seconds S. + +July 2.--We moved on for 15 miles over extensive plains, covered +principally with Rhagodia, and in some places stony, and halted early in +the afternoon at a large dry watercourse, coming out from Flinders range. +Though there was no water in this channel below the base of the hill, on +sending a party a mile and a half up it with spades and buckets, we got, +by digging in the gravelly bed, as much as sufficed for ourselves and +horses. At this camp I observed the variation to be 7 degrees +24 minutes E. + +July 3.--During the night our horses had rambled a little, so that we +could not get away early, and as we had a long stage before us we were +obliged to push on to a late hour. At dark we arrived at my former depot +near Mount Arden, and took up our old position in the dry bed of the +watercourse, at the base of the hills from which it emanated; but we had +still to send the horses a mile and a half further up the gorge, over a +hilly and stony road, before we could either get water for ourselves or +them; it was therefore very late when the men returned, and the whole +party were a good deal fatigued, having travelled from Adelaide to Mount +Arden in 14 days, (deducting the two days in camp at the Light.) I now +ascertained the latitude of the depot to be 32 degrees 14 minutes S. + +July 4.--Having mustered the horses this morning, I ordered an +arrangement to be entered into for taking them to the water twice a day, +and bringing down the supply required for the use of the party. Each +person undertook this duty in turn, and thus the labour was divided. +After breakfast I went up myself to examine the state of the water and +found great abundance in its bed; there were strong traces of recent and +high flooding, the drift timber being lodged among the bushes several +feet above the ordinary channel. The grass I was sorry to find was rather +old and dry, but still there was a very fair supply of it, a point of +great importance to us at a time when it was necessary to detain the +whole party for two or three weeks in depot, to enable me to examine the +country to the north; my former experience having convinced me that it +would be dangerous to attempt to push on, before ascertaining where grass +and water could be procured. + +We had now travelled upwards of eighty miles under Flinders range, from +Crystal brook to Mount Arden, and hitherto the character of that range +had varied but little. High, rocky, and barren, it rises abruptly from +the plains, and so generally even is the country at its base, that we had +no difficulty in keeping our drays within a mile or two of it. This was +convenient, because we had not far to leave our line of route, when +compelled to send up among the ravines for water. The slopes of Flinders +range are steep and precipitous to the westward, and composed principally +of an argillaceous stone or grey quartz, very hard and ringing like metal +when struck with a hammer. + +There was no vegetation upon these hills, excepting prickly grass, and +many were coated over so completely with loose stones that from the +steepness of the declivity it was unsafe, if not impossible to ascend +them. At one or two points in our routs I climbed up to the top of high +summits, but was not rewarded for my toil, the prospect being generally +cheerless and barren in the extreme, nor did the account given by Mr. +Brown of his ascent of Mount Brown in March 1802, tempt me to delay a day +to enable me to view the uninteresting prospect he had seen from the +summit of that hill--by far the highest peak in this part of Flinders +range. + +Having decided upon ridingon a head of my party to reconnoitre, as soon +as the WATERWITCH should arrive, I at once commenced my preparations, and +made the overseer put new shoes on the horses I intended to take with me. +The very stony character of the country we had been lately traversing and +the singularly hard nature of the stone itself, had caused the shoes to +wear out very rapidly, and there was hardly a horse in the teams that did +not now require new shoes; fortunately we had brought a very large supply +with us, and my overseer was a skilful and expeditious farrier. At dusk a +watch was set upon one of the hills near us, to look out for signals from +the WATERWITCH in the direction of Spencer's gulf, but none were seen. + +July 4.--Whilst writing in my tent this evening, my attention was +attracted by the notes of swans, and upon going out I perceived a flight +of several of the black species coming up from the southward; when they +had got over the tents, they appeared to be alarmed and wheeled to the +eastward, but soon returning, they took a nearly due northerly course. +This was encouraging for us, and augured well for the existence of some +considerable body of water inland, but we hoped and expected that a few +days would perhaps give us a clue to the object of their flight. + +Sunday, July 5.--A day of rest to all. In the afternoon I employed myself +in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as also +for the master of the WATERWITCH, for whose arrival we now kept a +constant and anxious look out. In the evening about eight o'clock the +sentinel on the hill reported a fire on the opposite side of Spencer's +gulf. Upon receiving this intelligence I had blue lights exhibited, and +rockets fired, which in a little time were replied to by rockets from the +gulf and the lighting up of a second fire on shore assuring me at once of +the safe arrival of the cutter. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + +MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THE +PARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKE +TORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THE +COUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGE +WATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNING +STREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THE +WATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKE +PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING--SEND DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL. + + +July 6.--BEING anxious to pursue my explorations, and unwilling to lose +another day solely for the purpose of receiving my letters, I sent down +my overseer to arrange about getting our stores up from the vessel, which +was about fourteen miles away, and to request the master to await my +return from the north, and in the interval employ himself in surveying +and sounding some salt water inlets, we had seen on the eastern shores of +the gulf in our route up under Flinders range. + +Having made all necessary arrangements and wished Mr. Scott good bye, I +set off on horseback with the eldest of my native boys, taking a pack +horse to carry our provisions, and some oats for the horses. After +rounding a projecting corner of the range we passed Mount Arden, still +traversing open plains of great extent, and very stony. In some of these +plains we found large puddles of water much discoloured by the soil, so +that it was evident there had been heavy rains in this direction, though +we had none to the southward. + +After travelling twenty-four miles we came to a large watercourse winding +from Flinders range through the plains, with its direction distinctly +marked out by the numerous gum-trees upon its banks. This was the "salt +watercourse" of my former journeys so called from the large reaches of +salt water in its bed a mile or two among the hills. By digging in the +gravelly bed of the channel, where the natives had scooped a small hole, +we got some tolerable water, and were enabled to give as much as they +required to our horses, but it was a slow and tedious operation. We could +get very little out at once, and had to give it to them to drink in the +black boy's duck frock, which answered the purpose of a bucket amazingly +well. + +There was not a blade of grass, or anything that the horses could eat +near this creek, so I was obliged to tie them up for the night, after +giving to each a feed of oats. + +July 7.--Towards morning several showers of rain fell, and I found that I +had got a severe attack of rheumatism, which proved both troublesome and +painful. Pushing on for ten miles we reached the height standing out from +the main range which Colonel Gawler named Mount Eyre, from its having +been the limit of my first journey to the north in May 1839. This little +hill is somewhat detached, of considerable elevation, and with a bold +rocky overhanging summit to the southward. Having clambered to the top of +it, I had an extensive view, and took several bearings. + +The region before us appeared to consist of a low sandy country without +either trees or shrubs, save a few stunted bushes. On the east this was +backed by high rugged ranges, very barren in appearance, and extending +northward as far as the eye could reach, beyond this level country to the +West, and stretching far to the north-west, appeared a broad glittering +stripe, looking like water, and constituting the bed of Lake Torrens. The +lake appeared to be about twenty-five miles off, and of considerable +breadth; but at so great distance, it was impossible to say whether there +was actually any water in it or not. + +Having completed my observations we descended again to the plains +steering north-west for the lake. At two miles from Mount Eyre we found a +puddle of water in the midst of the plains, and halted at it for the +night. Our horses had good grass, but would not touch the water, which +was extremely thick and muddy. Upon trying it ourselves we found it was +not usable, even after it had been strained twice through a handkerchief, +whilst boiling only thickened it; it was a deep red colour, from the +soil, and was certainly an extraordinary and unpalatable mixture. + +July 8.--Our horses having strayed this morning I sent the native boy to +look for them, but as he did not return in a reasonable time, I got +anxious and went after him myself, leaving the saddles and provisions at +our sleeping place. In about four miles I met the boy returning with the +runaways, which had rambled for several miles, though they had abundance +of good feed around the camp; fortunately we found every thing safe when +we got back, but if any natives had accidentally passed that way we +should probably have lost everything, and been left in very awkward +predicament. + +This is a risk I have frequently been obliged to incur, and is one of the +inconveniences resulting from so small a number as two travelling alone; +it it is not always practicable from want of grass to tether the horses, +and frequently when they are tethered the ropes break, and occasion the +necessity of both individuals leaving the encampment to search for them +at the same time. + +Moving on to the N. W. by N. we passed over heavy sandy ridges, with +barren red plains between, and in one of the latter we found a puddle of +rain water, this upon tasting. I found to be rather saline from the +nature of the soil upon which it lay, the horses, however, drank it +readily, and we put some in a small keg for ourselves. The only +vegetation to be seen consisted of a few small stunted trees and shrubs, +and even these as we approached the vicinity of the lake disappeared +altogether, and gave place to Salsolaceous plants, the country being open +and barren in the extreme. + +I found Lake Torrens completely girded by a steep sandy ridge, exactly +like the sandy ridges bounding the sea shore, no rocks or stones were +visible any where, but many saline coasts peeped out in the outer ridge, +and upon descending westerly to its basin, I found the dry bed of the +lake coated completely over with a crust of salt, forming one unbroken +sheet of pure white, and glittering brilliantly in the sun. On stepping +upon this I found that it yielded to the foot, and that below the surface +the bed of the lake consisted of a soft mud, and the further we advanced +to the westward the more boggy it got, so that at last it became quite +impossible to proceed, and I was obliged to return to the outer margin of +the lake without ascertaining whether there was water on the surface of +its bed further west or not. + +The extraordinary deception caused by mirage and refraction, arising from +the state of the atmosphere in these regions, makes it almost impossible +to believe the evidence of one's own eyesight; but as far as I could +judge under these circumstances, it appeared to me that there was water +in the bed of the lake at a distance of four or five miles from where I +was, and at this point Lake Torrens was about fifteen or twenty miles +across, having high land bounding it to the west, seemingly a +continuation of the table land at the head of Spencer's gulf on its +western side. + +Foiled in the hope of reaching the water, I stood gazing on the dismal +prospect before me with feelings of chagrin and gloom. I can hardly say I +felt disappointed, for my expectations in this quarter had never been +sanguine; but I could not view unmoved, a scene which from its character +and extent, I well knew must exercise a great influence over my future +plans and hopes: the vast area of the lake was before me interminable as +far as the eye could see to the northward, and the country upon its +shore, was desolate and forbidding. + +It was evident, that I could never hope to take my party across the lake, +and it was equally evident, that I should not be able to travel around +its shores, from the total absence of all fresh water, grass, or wood, +whilst the very saline nature of the soil in the surrounding country, +made even the rain water salt, after lying for an hour or two upon the +ground. My only chance of success now lay in the non-termination of +Flinders range, and in the prospect it held out to me, that by continuing +our course along it we might be able to procure grass and water in its +recesses, until we were either taken beyond Lake Torrens, or led to some +practicable opening to the north. + +With a heavy heart I turned towards the mountains, and steering N. E. for +ten miles, halted at dark, where there was nothing for our horses to eat +or drink, and we were consequently obliged to tie them up for the night. +We had still a few oats left and gave each horse three pints. A short +time before encamping, I had observed that Lake Torrens was trending more +to the eastward, and that when we halted, it was not at any very great +distance from us. + +July 9.--One of our horses having got loose last night, pulled the cork +out of the keg in which was our small stock of the dirty brackish water +we had found yesterday, and rolling the keg over, destroyed its contents; +we were thus deprived of our breakfasts, and consequently had but little +delay in starting. I intended to push on steadily for the hills, but +after travelling six miles came to a puddle in the plains, with tolerable +grass around, and at this I halted for the day, to rest the horses. Our +latitude was 31 degrees 25 minutes S. by an altitude of Arcturus, Mount +Eyre then bearing S. 7 degrees E. + +July 10.--Our horses being much recruited I altered our course to-day to +N. 5 degrees E. being the bearing of the most distant range to the +northward, (subsequently named Mount Deception). We passed for the first +ten miles through an open barren country, but found a puddle at which we +watered our horses, and refilled the keg; we then entered heavy ridges of +dense red sand lying nearly north and south, and having small barren +plains between. + +There were a few stunted bushes upon the ridges and occasionally some +small straggling pines. Lake Torrens still trended easterly, being +occasionally seen from, and sometimes approaching near to our track. + +Emerging from the sandy ridges we again entered upon vast level plains +covered with rhagodia. In the midst of these we came to the bed of a +large dry watercourse, having good grass about it, but containing no +water. I halted here for the day as our horses were not very thirsty. + +Upon examining the bed of the watercourse, I found traces of a rather +recent and high flood; much drift being still left upon the bushes where +it had been swept by the torrent; I could, however, find no water +anywhere. + +A great many emus were seen during our ride, and I wounded one with my +rifle, but did not get it. We found to-day a description of flower, which +I had not seen before, white, and sweetly scented like the hawthorn, +growing upon a low prickly bush near the watercourse. + +July 11.--To-day I left our course and rambled up the watercourse to +examine its character and search for water, which however I could not +find in its channel anywhere. Traces of natives were numerous and recent +all the way as we went, till at last we came to where they had encamped +the previous night, and where they had left a fire still fresh and +burning. + +Proceeding onwards we came upon a single native, a female, young, but +miserably thin and squalid, fit emblem of the sterility of the country. +We could gain no information from her, she was so much alarmed, but not +long after parting with her we came to a puddle of water in the plains, +and encamped for the night. Our stage had been a tortuous, but not a long +one, and we halted early in the day, the latitude was 30 degrees 58 +minutes S. by an altitude of the sun at noon. + +After taking some refreshment, I walked to a rise about three miles off +at N. 40 degrees E. from which I took several bearings, and among them I +set Mount Deception at N. 25 degrees W., I then examined several of the +gorges between the front hills, where the banks were broken away, and to +my great dismay found in all of them salt mixed with the sand, the clay, +and even the rocks; whilst in the bed of the watercourse, the salt water +tea-tree was making its appearance, a shrub I had never before seen under +Flinders range, and one which never grows where the soil is not of a very +saline nature, and generally only where the water is too brackish for use. + +The beds of the watercourses were in some places quite white and glazed +with encrustations of salt, where the rains had lodged, and the water had +evaporated. Some of the cliffs which I examined presented sections of 40 +and 50 feet perpendicular height, in which layers of salt were embedded +from the very top to the bottom. + +In such a country, what accommodation could I expect, or what hopes could +I entertain for the future, when the very water shed from the clouds +would not be drinkable after remaining a few hours on the ground? +Whichever way I turned myself, to the West, to the East, or the North, +nothing but difficulties met my view. + +In one direction was an impracticable lake, skirted by heavy and scrubby +sand ridges; in another, a desert of bare and barren plains; and in a +third, a range of inhospitable rocks. The very stones lying upon the +hills looked like the scorched and withered scoria of a volcanic region; +and even the natives, judging from the specimen I had seen to-day, +partook of the general misery and wretchedness of the place. + +My heart sank within me when I reflected upon the gradual but too obvious +change that had taken place in the character of the country for the +worse, and when I considered that for some days past we had been entirely +dependent for our supply of water upon the little puddles that had been +left on the plains by the rain, and which two or three more days would +completely dry up. Under circumstances so unpropitious, I had many +misgivings, and the contemplation of our future prospect became a subject +of painful anxiety. + +July 12.--We moved away early, steering for Mount Deception. Near its +base, and emanating from it, we crossed the dry bed of a very large +watercourse, more resembling that of a river in character, its channel +being wide, deep, and well-defined, and lined with the salt-water +tea-tree; whilst its course was marked by very large, green looking +gum-trees, the bed consisted of an earthy, micaceous slate of a reddish +colour, and in very minute particles, almost in some places as fine as +sand, but we could find no water in it anywhere. + +The range in which this watercourse has its source, is of the same slaty +rock, and very rugged; it could not be less than 3,000 feet in elevation, +and its summit was only attainable by winding along the steep and stony +ridges that led round the deep gorges and ravines by which it was +surrounded. + +From the top the view was extensive and unsatisfactory. Lake Torrens +appearing as large and mysterious as ever, and bearing in its most +northerly extreme visible W. 22 degrees N. To the north was a low level +cheerless waste, and to the east Flinders range trending more easterly, +and then sweeping back to N. 28 degrees W. but its appearance seemed to +be changing and its character altering; the ranges struck me as being +more separated by ridges, with barren flats and valleys between, among +which winding to the N. W. were many large and deep watercourses, but +which when traced up, often for many miles, I found to emanate from +gorges of the hills, and to have neither water nor springs in them. + +I had fully calculated upon finding permanent water at this very high +range, and was proportionally disappointed at not succeeding, especially +after having toiled to the summit, and tired both myself and horses in +tracing up its watercourses. There was now no other alternative left me, +than to make back for the hills to the eastward, in the hope of being +more fortunate there. I had only found permanent water once, (at Salt +watercourse) since I left my party, having depended entirely upon puddles +of rain water for subsistence; but it now became imperative on me to turn +my attention exclusively to this subject, not only to enable me to bring +up my men, but to secure the possibility of my own return, as every day +that passed dried up more and more the small puddles I had found in the +plains. + +Descending Mount Deception, we travelled five miles upon a S. E. course, +and encamped upon a small dry watercourse for the night, with good grass +for our horses, but without water. + +July 13.--Bending our steps backwards, to search for water in the eastern +hills, we were lucky enough to fall in with a puddle in the plains, at +which we watered our horses, and again proceeded. + +Selecting one of the larger watercourses running out from the hills, we +traced it up a considerable distance, examining all its minor branches +carefully, and sparing no pains in seeking a permanent spring of water; +the channel, however, gradually diminished in size, as we occasionally +passed the junctions of small branches from the various gorges; the +gum-trees on its course were either dead or dying; the hills, which at a +distance had appeared very rugged and lofty, upon a nearer approach +turned out to be mere detached eminences of moderate elevation, covered +with loose stones, but without the least sign of water. + +About two o'clock, P.M. we passed a little grass, and as the day appeared +likely to become rainy, I halted for the night. Leaving the native boy to +hobble the horses, I took my gun and ascended one of the hills near me +for a view. Lake Torrens was visible to the west, and Mount Deception to +the N.W. but higher hills near me, shut out the view in every other +direction. In descending, I followed a little rocky gully leading to the +main watercourse, and to my surprise and joy, discovered a small but deep +pool of water in a hole of the rock: upon sounding the depth, I found it +would last us some time, and that I might safely bring on my party thus +far, until I could look for some other point for a depot still farther +north; the little channel where the water was, I named Depot Pool. + +Regaining the camp, I immediately set to work with the native boy to +construct a bough hut, as the weather looked very threatening. We had +hardly completed it before the rain came down in torrents, and water was +soon laying every where in the ledges of rock in the bed of the +watercourse. So little do we know what is before us, and so short a time +is necessary to change the aspect of affairs, and frequently too, when we +least expect it! + +July 14.--Our hut not having been quite water-tight before the rain came, +we got very wet during the night, and turned out early this morning to go +and hunt for firewood to warm ourselves. + +As the weather still continued rainy, I determined to give our horses a +day's rest, whilst I walked up the watercourse to examine it farther. I +found the hills open a good deal more as I proceeded, with nice grassy +valleys between; and the hills themselves, though high and steep, were +rounded at the summits, and richly clothed with vegetation: among them +numerous watercourses took their rise in the gorges, and generally these +were well marked by gum-trees. Altogether it was a pretty and fertile +spot, and though very hilly, would do well for stock, if permanent water +could be found near. I was quite unsuccessful, however, in my search for +this, and the native boy, whom I sent in the opposite direction, after my +return, was equally unfortunate. Towards evening, one of the horses +having broken his hobbles, and got alarmed, galloped off, taking the +other with him. Tired and wet as I was, I was obliged to go after them, +and it was some miles from the camp, before I could overtake and turn +them back. Our latitude was 30 degrees 55 minutes S. + +July 15.--This morning was misty and clondy, and dreadfully cold. We set +off early and commenced tracing up and examining as many of the +watercourses as we could; we did not, however, find permanent water. + +Under one low ridge we met with what I took to be a small spring +emanating from a limestone rock; but it was so small as to be quite +useless to a party like mine, though the natives appeared frequently to +have resorted to it. Finding the courses of the main channel become lost +in its many branches, I ascended the dividing ridge, and crossed into the +bed of another large watercourse, in which, after travelling but a short +distance, I found a fine spring of running water among some very broken +and precipitous ranges, which rose almost perpendicularly from the +channel; in the latter, high ledges of a slaty rock stretched +occasionally quite across its bed, making it both difficult and dangerous +to get our horses along. In the vicinity of the water the grass was +tolerably good, but the declivities upon which it principally grew, were +steep and very stony. + +Having hobbled the horses, I took my gun, and walked down the +watercourse, to a place where it forms a junction with a larger one, but +in neither could I find any more water. Upon my return, I found that the +native boy had caught an opossum in one of the trees near, which proved a +valuable addition to our scanty and unvaried fare. The latitude to-day +was 30 degrees 51 minutes S. + +July 16.--Tracing down the watercourse we were encamped on, to the +junction before mentioned, I steered a little more to the north, to +ascend a high stony range, from which I hoped to obtain a view to the +eastward; but after considerable toil in climbing, and dragging our +horses over loose rolling stones, which put them constantly in danger of +falling back, I was not rewarded for the trouble I had taken: the view to +the east was quite shut out by high rugged ranges of ironstone and +quartz, whilst to the north, the hills appeared lower and more open. + +It now became a matter of serious consideration, whether I should pursue +my researches any farther at present. I was already about 120 miles away +from my party, with barely provisions enough to last me back; and the +country, in advance, appeared to be getting daily more difficult; added +to this, the "WATERWITCH" was waiting at the head of Spencer's Gulf for +my return. + +After reflecting on my position, I decided to rejoin my party without +delay; and descending the range to the S. E., I steered for a large +watercourse we had crossed in the morning; intending to trace it up, for +the purpose of examining its branches. The bed of this watercourse, at +first, was very wide, and lined with gum-trees; but as I advanced, I +found its channel became contracted, and very rocky, the gum-trees +disappearing, and giving place to the salt-water tea-tree. By nightfall, +I was unable to proceed any further, owing to the large stones and rocks +that interposed themselves. Retracing my steps, therefore, for a mile or +two, to a little grass I had observed as I passed by, I bivouacked for +the night, being, as well as the horses, quite knocked up. The native +boy, who accompanied me, was equally fatigued; and we were both lame from +walking across so rugged a country, over a great portion of which we +found it quite impracticable to ride. Our stage could not have been less +than twenty-five or twenty-six miles during the day, yet we had not met +with a drop of water, even though we had high ranges, large watercourses, +and huge gum-trees on every side of us. As usual, the traces of high +floods were numerous; and the channels of these watercourses, confined as +they are by precipitous ranges, must, at times, be filled by rapid and +overwhelming torrents, which would collect there after heavy rains. + +Some great progressive change appears to be taking place in the climate +and seasons of this part of the country, as, in many of the watercourses, +we found all the gum-trees either dying or dead, without any young trees +growing up to replace them. The moisture which had promoted their growth, +and brought them to maturity, existed no longer; and in many places, only +the wreck of noble trees remained to indicate to the traveller what once +had been the character of this now arid region. In other watercourses the +gum-trees were still green and flourishing, and of giant growth; but we +were equally unable to discover water in these,[Note 5: We had no means +with us of digging--possibly moisture existed below the surface where the +trees were so large and green.] as in those where the trees were decaying +or withered. + +July 17.--To-day we returned to our temporary camp, tracing up various +branches of the water-courses as we went along, but without finding +water. Many of the ranges in our route consisted of masses of ironstone, +apparently containing a very large proportion of metal. In one place, I +found a mineral which I took to be tin ore; the loss, however, of all the +geological specimens I collected, after their arrival in Adelaide, has +unfortunately put it now beyond my power to test any of the rocks or +minerals, about which I was doubtful. As we encamped early, and I was +desirous of recruiting the horses, I employed myself in taking an +observation for latitude, whilst the black boy went out to look for an +opossum. He succeeded in bringing in a fine large one, which formed a +welcome addition to our meagre fare. The nights were still very frosty. + +July 18.--In travelling to "Depot Pool," the native boy caught another +opossum, and we again halted early in the day for the sake of resting the +horses. + +July 19.--Concealing among some rocks every thing we did not absolutely +require, we descended towards the plains, searching as we went, for the +most favourable line of road to them, for the drays, but at best the +country was very rough and stony. + +After clearing the hills, we made a stage of twenty-eight miles along the +plains running under Flinders range, and at night encamped upon a channel +coming out of it, where we obtained water, but very little grass for our +horses. + +July 20.--To-day I kept behind some of the low front hills, passing +through some extensive valleys between them and the main range; and as I +found abundance of water lying in pools upon the plains, I did not make +for the hills at all. + +Before sunset, I got a shot at a kangaroo with my rifle, which, though +severely wounded, gave me a long chase before I could capture it; this +furnished us with a welcome and luxurious repast. We had been so long +living upon nothing but the bush baked bread, called damper (so named, I +imagine, from its heavy, sodden character), with the exception of the one +or two occasions upon which the native boy had added an opossum to our +fare, that we were delighted to obtain a supply of animal food for a +change; and the boy, to shew how he appreciated our good luck, ate +several pounds of it for his supper. Our horses were equally fortunate +with ourselves, for we obtained both good grass and water for them. + +July 21.--Taking with us the best part of what was left of the kangaroo, +we crossed a stony ridge to the S. W., and at four miles struck a +watercourse with a large pool of water in its bed, and well adapted for a +halting place for the party on their route to the north: we had not seen +this in our outward course, having kept further to the westward in the +plains. From the water-hole, Mount Eyre bore W. 30 degrees S. distant +five miles. + +Upon leaving this pool I pushed on as rapidly as I could, being anxious +to rejoin my party; and after a hard and fatiguing ride of forty miles, +arrived at the depot under Mount Arden, late in the day, having been +absent sixteen days. I had been anxiously expected, and was cordially +welcomed by the whole party, who were getting sadly tired of inactivity, +and especially by my young friend Mr. Scott, whose eager and ardent +disposition rendered him quite uneasy under the confinement and restraint +of a depot encampment; he would gladly have shared with me the +difficulties and hazards of exploring the country in advance, but from +the very embarrassing nature of the undertaking, I did not think it right +to take more than a single native with me, as every addition to the +number of a party, on such occasions, only tends to increase the +difficulty and anxiety of the task. + +Having rested a little, and made innumerable inquiries, I was very much +gratified to find that the whole party were in good health, and that +every thing had been conducted in a satisfactory manner during my +absence. No one had been idle, and every thing that I could have wished, +had been properly arranged. The stores had been safely brought up from +the WATERWITCH, including a barometer kindly sent by the Governor, and a +large packet of English letters, at any time a highly valued prize, and +not the less so now that they were received 200 miles in the interior, +amidst the labours and anxieties of an exploring expedition. + +During my absence all the harness, hobbles, tents, tarpaulins, etc. had +been fully repaired; and according to my instructions, a large deep hole +had been dug in the slope of the hill, to bury a portion of the stores +in, that if compelled by circumstances to return from the north, we might +still have supplies to fall back upon. Mr. Scott had employed his time in +collecting botanical and geological specimens, and had already made a +very fair commencement for our collections in both these departments of +science. He had also regularly kept the meteorological journal, +registering the observations three times in each day. + +July 22.--After breakfast I had all the stores reweighed, and examined +the supplies sent us in the WATERWITCH, which consisted chiefly of flour, +biscuit, sugar, tea, salt pork, soap, tobacco, salt, canvas, etc. besides +many little luxuries which the kindness of the Governor, and the +consideration of our many friends had added to the list. + +The men during my absence, having been living entirely upon salt pork, to +economize the sheep, were glad to receive the kangaroo which I brought +home with me. + +Having inspected the stores, the whole party were put upon their +travelling rations, and the first week's allowance was issued to each, +consisting of ten pounds of meat, seven pounds of biscuit or flour, a +quarter of a pound of tea, a pound and a half of sugar, a quarter of a +pound of soap, and the same quantity of tobacco. + +Provisions of different kinds were then weighed out, headed up in casks, +and buried in the hole dug by the men during my absence, to wait our +return, if ever it should be our lot to reach the place again. The +remainder were all properly packed up, and the drays loaded and arranged +for moving on. + +After satisfactorily concluding all the preparations for leaving the +depot, I employed myself busily in writing letters and despatches until a +very late hour of the night, as it was the last opportunity I should have +for a long time, of reporting our prospects and progress, or of thanking +the Governor and our numerous friends, for the many attentions we had +experienced. + +I had hardly retired to rest before I was suddenly seized with a violent +attack of illness, arising probably from cold and over-exertion, now that +a return to my party had removed the stimulus to activity, and permitted +a reaction in the system to take place. + +July 23.--This morning I felt weak, and still very ill, and it was with +great difficulty I could manage to close my letters, and give the +necessary instructions to the overseer, whom I sent down to the head of +Spencer's Gulf, with orders to the master of the cutter to sail for +Adelaide, and to report what he had seen at the salt inlets in the east +side of Spencer's Gulf, which I had directed him to examine in the boats +whilst I was absent exploring to the north. His reply was, that there was +water enough for a ship to lie within one mile of the shore, that there +was a tolerable landing place, but that he had found no fresh water. The +men were employed during the day making a new tarpaulin from the canvas +sent up in the WATERWITCH. The following is a copy of the Report sent to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Committee for promoting the +expedition. + + +"Depot, near Mount Arden, +July 22nd, 1840. + +"Sir,--I have the honour to acquaint you for the information of His +Excellency the Governor, and of the colonists interested in the northern +expedition, with the progress made up to the present date. + +"I arrived here with my party all well, on the 3rd July instant, and on +the 6th I proceeded, accompanied by one of my native boys, on horseback, +to reconnoitre Lake Torrens and the country to the north of the depot, +leaving the party in camp to rest the horses and enable the overseer to +get up, from the head of Spencer's Gulf, the supplies kindly sent by His +Excellency the Governor in the WATERWITCH--her arrival having been +signalised the evening previous to my leaving. I arrived on the shores of +Lake Torrens the third day after leaving the depot, and have ascertained +that it is a basin of considerable magnitude, extending certainly over a +space varying in width from 15 to 20 miles, and with a length of from 40 +to 50, from its southern extremity, to the most northerly part of it, +visible from a high summit in Flinders range, (about ninety miles north +of Mount Arden). The lake is girded with an outer ridge of sand, covered +with salsolaceous plants, and with saline crusts, shewing above the +ground at intervals. Its waters appear to extend over a considerable +surface, but they are, seemingly, shallow. I could not approach the +water, from the soft nature of that part of its bed, which is uncovered, +and which appeared to reach from three to four miles from the outer bank +to the water's edge. There can be no doubt, however, of its being very +salt, as that portion of its bed which lay exposed to our view was +thickly coated with pungent particles of salt. There were not any trees +or shrubs of any kind near the lake where we made it, nor could either +grass or fresh water be procured for our horses. Lake Torrens is bounded +on its western side by high lands--apparently a continuation of the table +land to the westward of the head of Spencer's Gulf.--I should think that +it must receive a considerable drainage from that quarter, as well as the +whole of the waters falling from Flinders range to the eastward. + +"From the very inhospitable nature of the country, around the lake, I +could not examine it so carefully or so extensively as I could have +wished. My time, too, being very limited, made me hurry away to the +northward, to search for a place to which I might bring on my party, as +the grass in the neighbourhood of the depot was very old, and much less +abundant than on either of my former visits there. It became, therefore, +imperative on me to remove the horses as speedily as possible. Should +circumstances permit, I shall, however, endeavour to visit Lake Torrens +again, on my return from the northern interior. After leaving the lake I +spent many days in examining the country to the northward of our depot. +Its character seemed to vary but little; barren sandy plains still formed +the lower level, and the hills constituting the continuation of Flinders +range were still composed of quartz and ironstone; they were, however, +gradually becoming less elevated and more detached, with intervals of +stony valleys between, and the whole country was, if possible, assuming a +more barren aspect, while the springs, which had heretofore been numerous +among the hills, were very few in number--difficult to find--and very far +in amongst the ranges. After most anxious and laborious search, I at last +succeeded in finding a place about ninety miles (of latitude) north of +Mount Arden, to which I can remove my depot, and from which I can again +penetrate more to the northward. + +"After an absence of sixteen days I rejoined my party under Mount Arden +on the evening of the 21st July, and found they had safely received all +the supplies sent for our use by the WATERWITCH. The latter has been +detained until my return, for despatches, which I shall send down +to-morrow, and on the 24th I intend to move on with my party to the new +depot. I regret it is not in my power to afford more certain information +as to the future prospects of the expedition, but where so little +alteration has taken place, in the features of the country I have been +examining, conjectures alone can anticipate what may be beyond. From the +very difficult nature of the country we are advancing into, our further +progress must necessarily be very slow for some time, but I still hope +that by patience and perseverance we shall ultimately succeed in +accomplishing the object of the expedition. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, +"Your most obedient humble Servant, +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE." + +"To the Chairman of the Committee of Colonists for promoting the Northern +Expedition." + +* * * + +"Depot, near Mount Arden, +July 22nd, 1840. + +"My Dear Sir,--I beg to enclose a copy of the report of our proceedings +up to the present date, for the perusal of his Excellency the Governor. +By it his Excellency will perceive that the very inhospitable nature of +the country around Lake Torrens, added to my anxiety to remove our horses +from the depot near Mount Arden, where there was but very little grass +for them, prevented my devoting so much time to the examination of the +lake and the country around it, as I should have wished; and I therefore +intend, if possible, on my return, to investigate it more fully, being +anxious to ascertain, whether, as I suppose, there is a considerable +drainage into it from the westward. The high land seen on its opposite +side, appears to be a continuation of the table land, lying to the west +of the head of Spencer's Gulf; and though the fall of the country appears +to be to the north, I begin to be of opinion now that it is not in +reality. Lake Torrens is evidently the basin into which all the waters +from Flinders range fall, and its extent is very considerable; in fact, +where I last saw it to the north, it was impossible to say whether it +terminated or not, from the very great distance it was off. The country +lying between Flinders range on the one side, and the table land on the +other, and north of Spencer's Gulf, is of so low and so level a character +that the eye alone is not a sufficient guide as to the direction in which +the fall may be. On my previous visits, I felt convinced it was +northerly, but I am now inclined to think that the drainage from Lake +Torrens in seasons of wet, is to the south, into the head of the Gulf; +and I can only account for there not being a larger connecting +watercourse than the small shallow one found when crossing from Streaky +Bay--and which I did not then imagine extended far above the head of the +Gulf--by supposing that the seasons have so altered of late years that +the overflow of the lake has never been sufficient to cause a run of +water to the Gulf. Should my present supposition be correct, the idea of +a northerly drainage is done away with, and we have yet to come to a +"division of the waters." My uncertainty on this most important point has +made me most anxious to get my party removed to a place where they can +remain until I can decide so interesting a point, and one on which our +future prospects so much depend. The same causes that prevented my +staying a little longer in the neighbourhood of the Lake have also +prevented, as yet, my extending my researches to the north for more than +about forty miles farther than I had been when last in this +neighbourhood. The only change I observed, was the increasing barren +appearance of the country--the decrease in elevation of the ranges--their +becoming more detached, with sterile valleys between--and the general +absence of springs; the rock of the higher ridges, which were very rugged +and abrupt, was still the same, quartz and ironstone, but much more of +the latter than I had before seen, and, in some cases, with a very great +proportion of metal to the stone. The lower ridges and steep banks, when +washed away by the rains, presented great quantities of a very pungent +salt to the eye of the observer, mixed with the clay and sand of which +the banks were formed; and in this neighbourhood the watercourses were +(though dry) all lined with the salt-water tea-tree--a shrub we had never +before seen under Flinders range. My next push to the north will probably +throw some light upon our future prospects, and I only regret it will not +be in my power to communicate the intelligence. I intended to have sent +his Excellency a rough sketch of my last route, but have not been able to +get it ready in time, and I fear I have already detained the little +cutter too long: during their detention, I requested the master to +examine some salt water inlets on the east side of Spencer's Gulf, and he +said he would, but I have not yet heard the result of his researches. +Should he have found, a good landing-place for goods, it would be of much +importance to the northern parts of the colony when they become stocked; +and nearly all the country as far as the head of the Gulf is more or less +adapted for grazing. Pray return my best thanks to his Excellency for the +abundant supply of stores we have received by the WATERWITCH--especially +for the barometer, which has arrived quite safely. I shall take great +care of it, and shall make observations, whenever practicable, three +times a day--8, a.m., noon, and 5, p.m. I only returned late last night, +and have been so busy to-day preparing every thing for leaving the depot, +that I have been obliged to put off my writing until night; and I am now +acribbling in the tent, on my bed, with my young friend, Mr. Scott, fast +asleep, and a cold bleak wind whistling through the place, so that I fear +my writing will be scarcely legible. I send down the letters to the +cutter in the morning, and intend to move on my party on the 24th. With +kind remembrance to his Excellency, Mrs. Gawler, and family-- + +"Believe me, etc. +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE. +"G. Hall, Esq." + + + + +Chapter V. + + + +BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF +THE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCEND +TERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIR +CHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNT +DECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOIN +THE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT DEPOT--EMBARRASSING CIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TO +THE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARREN COUNTRY--TABLE TOPPED +ELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF WATER--MEET +NATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TO RETURN--ARRIVAL +AT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. + + +July 25.--To-DAY we broke up the camp, and commenced our labours in +earnest, the men and the horses having had a rest of three weeks; the +latter were in splendid condition and spirits, having eaten twenty-five +bushels of oats, which had been sent up in the WATERWITCH. Every thing +had been well and conveniently arranged, and the whole moved on with an +order and regularity that was very gratifying. + +I was very ill at starting, and remained so for some days after, but as I +had already been twice over the ground, and as my native boy was able to +act as guide to the party, my indisposition was not of so much +consequence as it would have been under other circumstances. At times I +was quite incapable of any exertion, and could not attend to any thing, +being hardly able to sit upon my horse for half an hour together. From +the 25th to the evening of the 30th, we were engaged in travelling from +Mount Arden to Depot Pool, by the same line of route by which myself and +the native boy had returned from our exploration. In our progress we +noticed many traces of natives around us, and saw many native fires among +the hills; the people themselves did not, however, appear. + +By a little trouble in examining the watercourses before encamping, we +were generally able to procure water for our horses, at some distance +among the hills; and we were usually fortunate enough to obtain tolerable +food for them also. The grass, it is true, was generally scanty, or dry; +but we found a succulent plant of the geranium tribe, bearing a small +blue flower, and growing where the channels of the watercourses spread +out in the plains, in the greatest abundance, and in the wildest +luxuriance; of this the horses were extremely fond, and it appeared to +keep them in good condition and spirits. + +July 30.--The geological formation of the country we had passed through, +consisted in the higher ranges of an argillaceous rock, of quartz, or of +ironstone. Upon some of the hills the small loose stones had a vitrified +appearance--in others they looked like the scoria of a furnace, and +appeared to be of volcanic origin, but nowhere did I observe the +appearance of anything like a crater. In the lower or front hills the +rock was argillaceous, of a hard slaty nature, and inclined at an angle +of about 45 degrees from the horizontal. This formation was frequently +traversed by dykes of grey limestone of a very hard texture. + +Upon watering the horses at the hole in the rock, I was much disappointed +to find that they had already sunk it eighteen inches, and now began to +fear that it would not last them so long as I had anticipated, and that I +should still be obliged to cross over the hills to the very rocky channel +where I had found permanent water on the 15th of July. This I was +desirous, if possible, to avoid, both from the difficult nature of the +road by which that water must be reached, and from the circumstance that +it was going so much out of our way into an all but impracticable +country, and that consequently, when we did move on again to the north, +we should be obliged to come all the way back again over the same bad +road to gain the open country under Flinders range, where alone we could +hope to make any progress with the drays. + +July 31.--Having remained all day in camp to rest the party, I found that +the horses had again made a great diminution in the depth of the water in +the rock, I therefore had the drays all prepared in the evening, +intending to move away to the other water-course in the morning; but the +next day the horses had unfortunately strayed, and it was late before +they were brought up, so that we could not get away. Upon watering them +when they arrived, I found that less impression was made upon the water +than on the previous days; and after an anxious consultation with my +overseer, I decided upon leaving the party in camp at Depot Pool until I +could reconnoitre further north and return. + +August 1.--To prevent any difficulties during my absence, in the event of +the water failing in the rocky hole, I sent the native boy to shew the +overseer the place where the permanent water was, and gave him +instructions to move the party thither if he should find it necessary; +but not until their safety absolutely required it, or before he had fully +ascertained that no water was to be procured by digging in the bed of any +of the adjoining watercourses. During his absence, I employed myself +busily in getting ready for another push to the north with the native boy +to search for a new depot, as in a country so difficult and embarrassing, +it was quite impracticable to move on the party until after having +previously ascertained where they could be taken to with safety. Upon +examining the barometers to-day, I was much concerned to find that they +were both out of order and useless; the damp had softened the glue +fastening the bags of leather which hold the quicksilver, and the +leathers that were glued over the joints of the cisterns, and so much of +the mercury had escaped, before I was aware of it, that I found all the +previous observations valueless. I emptied the tubes and attempted to +refill them, but in so doing I unfortunately broke one of them, and the +other I could not get repaired in a satisfactory manner, not being able, +after all my efforts, to get rid of some small air bubbles that would +intrude, in spite of every care I could exercise. + +August 2.--Leaving early, I took with me a native boy, and a man on +horseback, leading a pack-horse, to carry water, as I could not but be +apprehensive, lest we might find none in the country into which we were +advancing. In following down the Depot watercourse to the plains, we +found a fire where the natives had encamped the previous night. This +surprised us, because we were not aware that there were any so +immediately in our vicinity. It however shewed us the necessity of +vigilance and circumspection in our future movements. + +Steering for the most western point of Mount Deception range, until we +opened one still more distant to the north-west, and which I named +Termination Hill, we kept pushing on through barren stony plains, without +grass or shrubs, and arrived late in the afternoon upon a large +watercourse with gum-trees, but could find no water in its bed. Near it, +however, in the plains, we were fortunate enough to discover a puddle of +rain water, and at once halted for the night, though the feed was +indifferent. We had travelled twenty-eight miles, and the pack-horse +carrying twelve gallons of water, was considerably fatigued. At the +puddle, two teal were seen, which indicated the existence of a larger +body of water somewhere in the neighbourhood, but our efforts to find it +were unsuccessful. + +August 3.--Crossing very heavy sandy ridges, we passed at intervals one +or two dry watercourses, and the beds of some small dry lakes among the +sandy ridges, in one of which was a little rain water which appeared to +be rapidly drying up. Watering the horses we moved on for Termination +Hill, but the nature of the country had been so unfavourable, that the +pack-horse was knocked up, and I was obliged to halt four miles short of +our intended destination, and where there was but poor feed for the +animals. After dinner I walked to Termination Hill and ascended it. Like +all the others I had recently examined, it was composed principally of +quartz, ironstone and a kind of slaty rock; the low hills in front +exhibiting the grey limestone, whilst patches of gum scrub were +observable in many places. From the summit of Termination Hill, Lake +Torrens bore W. 20 degrees S. but the view was obstructed by intervening +sand ridges, the elevated land on the opposite shore of the lake still +appeared to continue, and was visibly further north than the lake itself, +which, as I observed, was partially shut out by the ridges. To the north +were low broken hills similar to those around me, but less elevated, and +immediately under these hills to the westward, were heavy red sandy +ridges, such as we had crossed during the day. To the eastward and ten +degrees north of east were seen Flinders range, with which Mount +Deception and Termination Hills were connected, by low long spurs thrown +off to the northward. In the north-east the horizon was one unbroken, +low, flat, level waste, with here and there small table-topped +elevations, appearing white in the distance and seemingly exhibiting +precipitous faces. Wherever I turned, or whatever way I looked, the +prospect was cheerless and disheartening. Our stage had been twenty-two +miles. + +August 4.--After giving five gallons of water each to my own and the +native boy's horse, I sent back the man with the pack-horse and the empty +kegs to the depot. We then steered E. 5 degrees S. across some very +extensive barren stony plains, occasionally broken into irregular +surfaces with steep white banks (of a fine freestone), forming the +termination of the higher levels, fronting the hollows. These hollows or +flats were covered with salsolaceous plants and samphire, and appeared +once to have been salt swamps. + +At twenty miles we came to a small watercourse emanating from the eastern +hills, which we had now reached, and soon after to a larger one which we +traced up for five miles among the front hills, which were composed of +limestone, but were then obliged to encamp without water. Whilst rambling +about after turning out the horses, I met with a party of native women +and children, but could gain no information from them. They would not +permit me to come near them, and at last fairly ran away, leaving at +their fire two young children who could not escape. I then went to their +camp and examined the bags and property which had been left, and amongst +other things found two kangaroo skins full of water, each containing from +six to eight quarts; it was quite muddy, and had evidently been taken +from a puddle in the plains, and carried to the present encampment in the +bed of the watercourse. Having helped ourselves to some of the water, I +tied a red pocket handkerchief round one of the children, as payment for +it and returned to our own camp. + +August 5.--During the night I was taken very ill again, and felt quite +weak when I arose this morning, but circumstances admitted of no delay, +and I was obliged to go on with my exploration: I continued to trace up +the creek, which I found to be large and lined with gum-trees for many +miles among rocky and precipitous hills, but altogether without water, +and as I knew of none of this requisite, of a permanent character, behind +me, I determined to retrace my steps again to Mount Deception range. In +doing so, I had to pass near the place from whence the natives had taken +flight, and from curiosity called to see if the children had been taken +away; to my surprise and regret I found them still remaining, they had +been left by their unnatural or terrified parents without food, and +exposed to the inclemency of a cold winter's night; the fire had gone +out, and the eldest of the children had scraped a hole among the ashes in +which both were lying. They were alarmed when they saw me, and would take +nothing I offered them. The child around whom I had tied the +handkerchief, had managed to get it off and throw it to one side. I now +scarcely knew what to do, as I was fearful if I left them there, and the +parents did not return, the poor little children might perish, and yet I +was so far away from my own party, and in such difficult circumstances, +that I knew not how I could take them with me. Upon due reflection, and +considering that I had not seen a single male native, it struck me that +the women might have gone for the men and would probably return by the +evening to see where their little ones were. + +Under this impression, I put the handkerchief again round the eldest +child, and tying it firmly, I left them; I had hopes too, that some of +the natives were watching our movements from the hills, and in this case +they would at once return, when they saw us fairly depart from the +neighbourhood. + +Keeping a little to the south of west, I still found the country very +much broken into hollows, with high steep banks bounding them, this +singular formation being apparently the result of the violent action of +water; but how long ago and under what circumstances I had no means of +judging. Having found a puddle of water in the plains, I halted for the +night, our stage having been about twenty miles. + +August 6.--We again passed many of those singular hollows fronted by the +high steep banks of the upper levels, and then crossed some low ironstone +ridges to a channel emanating from Mount Deception range. This I traced +through the hills to the westward without finding any water, and then +following down the Mount Deception range in its western slopes, I +examined all the watercourses coming from it; in one, which I named The +Scott, after my young friend and fellow traveller, I found a large hole +of rain water among the rocks, and at this I halted to rest and feed the +horses. The latitude of the water in The Scott was 30 degrees 32 minutes +S. Pushing on again, late in the afternoon, I reached our camp of the 2nd +August, quite tired, and the horses much fatigued, the puddle of water we +had found here on our outward course was now nearly all dried up. + +August 7.--Making an early start I returned to the Depot Pool, and found +the party all well. They were, however, just preparing to move away, as +the water was nearly all gone. The drays were packed and everything ready +when I arrived; they had tried to obtain water by digging, but had +failed, having been stopped by hard rock. + +I was now in a very awkward dilemma. The water where we were, had been +all used, and we must consequently remove at once,--but where to, was the +question? If I went to the permanent water to the eastward, I gained +nothing, as I only harassed my party by travelling through an almost +impracticable country, over which we must return before we could move +further to the north,--and if I went to the N. W. to The Scott, I went to +a mere puddle of water, precarious and uncertain at the best, and at +which, under any circumstances, we could not remain long:--yet move I +must, as soon as the morning dawned. Many and anxious were the hours I +spent in consideration and reflection. + +Little indeed are the public aware of the difficulties and +responsibilities attached to the command of an expedition of +exploration;--the incessant toil, the sleepless hours, the anxious +thoughts that necessarily fall to the share of the leader of a party +under circumstances of difficulty or danger, are but imperfectly +understood and less appreciated by the world at large. Accustomed to +judge of undertakings only by their results, they are frequently as +unjust in their censure as they are excessive in their approval. The +traveller who discovers a rich and well watered district, encounters but +few of the hardships, and still fewer of the anxieties, that fall to the +lot of the explorer in desert regions, yet is the former lauded with +praise, whilst the latter is condemned to obloquy; although the success +perhaps of the one, or the failure of the other, may have arisen from +circumstances over which individually neither had any control. + +August 8.--The horses having rambled a little this morning it was rather +late before we got away, I had, however, made up my mind to advance at +all risks, and we accordingly travelled sixteen miles to the N. W.; +halting without any water upon the large watercourse emanating from Mount +Deception; there was no grass either, and we were consequently obliged to +tie up our horses for the night. + +August 9.--The sheep had broken out of their yard, and could not be found +this morning; so sending the party on with the native boy as a guide, I +remained behind myself with the overseer, to search for them; they were +soon found, and we moved on after the drays. In going up the watercourse +I again found a native fire, where natives had been encamped within a +mile of us during the night, without our being aware of it; so difficult +is it always to know the proximity of these children of the wilds. + +Having overtaken the party, I conducted them to The Scott, at which we +arrived early in the day, though the distance could not be less than 20 +miles. At night a party of natives were seen near, but did not come up to +us. + +August 10.--To day I prepared for another exploration to the N. W. and +had all our casks and kegs new coopered and filled with water, to make +them water tight. I found it necessary also to have our horses new shod, +which was the third set of shoes they had required in less than two +months, in consequence of the hard and stony roads over which we had +travelled. The natives were again encamped near us at night, but did not +come up. + +August 11.--Leaving directions for the overseer to dig for water during +my absence, I took a native boy and one man driving a cart loaded with +water; we had mustered all the casks and kegs in the party, holding +altogether 65 gallons, and to draw this I had our three best draught +horses yoked to the light cart, being determined to push as far as +possible to the N. W. before I returned. At first we passed over a good +road but stony, then over heavy red sand ridges, and at night encamped in +a gorge coming from Termination Hill, where we had excellent feed for the +horses, but no water. The traces of natives were numerous and recent, and +I imagine they must obtain their supply of water at puddles in the +plains, but we could find none at present. The weather was very hot and +the flies excessively annoying, even at this early period of the year. We +gave each of the horses three gallons of water out of the kegs, after +which they fed well; the hills, as we advanced were getting lower, and +the sandy ridges now wound close under them, and in some instances even +among them; still there were many birds around us, amongst which cockatoo +parrots were very numerous. Our stage was about 23 miles. + +August 12.--Steering to the N. W. to a low range (the highest summit of +which I named Mount North-west,) we just kept far enough in the plains to +intercept the watercourses from the hills where they spread into the +level country, and by this means we got excellent feed for our horses; +generally the same rich succulent herbage I have mentioned before, +occasionally mixed with wild oats. It was only in places of this +description that we could expect to find anything for our horses. In the +plains or on the hills there was not a blade of of anything green; at +night we encamped upon a small dry channel with tolerable feed, but no +water, and we again gave each horse three gallons from our kegs. + +The country we were traversing as yet under-went no alteration, the only +difference being, that the hills were getting lower and the watercourses +less numerous, and both apparently without water; the sand ridges came +more in among the hills, and the dry beds of small salt lakes were often +met with; the salsolae were more abundant, but the traces of natives were +now less frequent; whilst those we fell in with seemed for the most part +to have been left during the wet season. The rock formation still +continued the same, quartz, ironstone, slate, and grey limestone, with +saline crusts peeping above the ground in many places in the lower +levels; the sky was cloudy and threatened rain, but none fell: our stage +was 18 miles. + +August 13.--Continuing our course to the N. W. I took on the cart for 13 +miles to a large dry channel, coming from the hills, upon which we halted +for an hour or two to rest and feed the horses, as there were some +sprinklings of grass around. We had now a change in the appearance of the +country; the ironstone ranges seemed to decrease rapidly in elevation to +the north, and the region around appeared more level, with many very +singular looking table-topped elevations from 50 to 300 feet in height +and with steep precipitous sides which were red, with the ironstone +above, and white, with a substance like chalk, below. The country was +covered with salsolae, and we passed the beds of many dried up salt +lakes. Ascending the highest ridge near us, I found Lake Torrens was no +longer visible, being shut out by the sandy ridges to the westward, +whilst the low ironstone hills impeded our view to the north, and to the +east. Having given our horses water, we buried twelve gallons against our +return, and sending back the man with the cart, and extra horses, the +native boy and I still pushed on to the N. W., taking a pack-horse to +carry our provisions and a few quarts of water for ourselves. + +As we proceeded, the country changed to extensive plains and undulations +of stones and gravel, washed perfectly level by water, and with the +stones as even in size and as regularly laid as if they had been picked +out and laid by a paviour. At intervals were interspersed many of the +fragments of table land I have alluded to before, only perhaps a little +less elevated than they had previously been; we passed also the beds of +several small dry watercourses, and encamped upon one of the largest, +long after dark, having travelled twenty-five miles since we left the +cart, and having made in the whole a day's journey of thirty-seven miles. +There was tolerable food in the bed of the watercourse, but the horses +were thirsty and eat but little. Unfortunately, in crossing the stony +ground, one of them cast a shoe, and began to go a little lame. + +August 14.--Moving away very early we travelled sixteen miles due north, +through a very similar country, only that the stones and gravel in the +plains had become much finer and a good deal mixed with sand; the +fragments of table land still continued in every direction at intervals, +and their elevations still varied from 50 to 300 feet. In the upper part +these elevations appeared red from the red sandy soil, gravel, or +iron-stone grit which were generally found upon their summits. They had +all steep precipitous sides, which looked very white in the distance, and +were composed of a chalky substance, traversed by veins of very beautiful +gypsum. There were neither trees nor shrubs, nor grass, nor vegetation of +any kind except salsolaceous plants, and these every where abounded. + +In the midst of these barren miserable plains I met with four natives, as +impoverished and wretched looking as the country they inhabited. As soon +as they saw us they took to their heels, apparently in great alarm, but +as I was anxious to find out from them if there was any water near, I +galloped after two of them, and upon coming up with them was very nearly +speared for my indiscretion; for the eldest of the two men, who had in +his hand a long, rude kind of spear with which he had been digging roots +or grubs out of the ground (although I could not see the least sign of +anything edible) finding that he was rather close pressed, suddenly +halted and faced me, raising his spear to throw. + +The rapid pace at which I had been pursuing prevented my reining in my +horse, but by suddenly spurring him when within but a few yards of the +native, I wheeled on one side before the weapon had time to leave his +grasp, and then pulling up I tried to bring my friend to a parley at a +less dangerous distance. + +Finding that I did not attempt to injure him, the native stood his +ground, though tremblingly, and kept incessantly vociferating, and waving +me away; to all my signs and inquiries, he was provokingly insensible, +and would not hear of anything but my immediate departure. Sometimes he +pointed to the north, motioning me to go in that direction, but the poor +wretch was in such a state of alarm and trepidation that I could make +nothing of him and left him. He remained very quietly until I had gone +nearly a quarter of a mile, and then thinking that he had a fair start, +he again took to his heels, and ran away as fast as he could in the +direction opposite to that I had taken. + +Continuing our course northerly I steered for what appeared to be a small +lake not far away to the N. W. and crossed over some heavy ridges of +white sand; upon reaching the object of my search it proved to be a +winding arm of the main lake (Torrens) at first somewhat narrow, but +gradually enlarging as we traced it downwards. The bed of this arm was +coated over, as had been the dry part of the bed of the main lake, with a +very pungent salt, with mud and sand and water intermixed beneath the +upper crust. + +Following the arm downwards I came to a long reach of water in its +channel, about two feet deep, perfectly clear, and as salt as the sea, +and I even fancied that it had that peculiar green tinge which sea-water +when shallow usually exhibits. + +This water, however, was not continuous; a little further on, the channel +again became dry, as it increased in width in its approach to the main +lake, the bed of which, near its shores, was also dry. From a high bank +which I ascended, I had a full view of the lake stretching away to the +north-east, as far as the eye could reach, apparently about thirty miles +broad, and still seeming to be bounded on its western shores by a low +ridge, or table land, beyond which nothing could be seen. No hills were +visible any where, nor was there the least vegetation of any kind. + +I was now upwards of 100 miles away from my party in a desert, without +grass or water, nor could I expect to obtain either until my return to +the creek, where I had left the twelve gallons, and this was about fifty +miles away. The main basin of Lake Torrens was still four or five miles +distant, and I could not expect to gain any thing by going down to its +shores; as on previous occasions, I had ascertained that to attempt to +cross it, or even to reach the water a few miles from its outer edge, was +quite impossible, from the boggy nature of its bed. From my present +elevation, the lake was seen bending round to the N. E., and I became +aware that it would be a barrier to all efforts to the north. My horses +were suffering, too, from want of water and food; and I had, therefore, +no alternative but to turn back from so inhospitable and impracticable a +country. + +With a heavy heart, and many misgivings as to the future, I retreated +from the dismal scene, and measured back my steps as rapidly as possible +towards the creek where our stock of water was buried. From the state in +which our horses were, I knew, that to save their lives, it was necessary +to get them to water without loss of time, and I therefore continued our +homeward course during the whole night, and arrived early in the morning +at the place where I had parted from the cart. + +August 15.--It was now necessary to use great caution in the management +of our jaded animals. During the last two days we had ridden them fully +100 miles over a heavy country, without food or water; and for the last +twenty-four hours they had never had a moment's rest; and now we had only +twelve gallons of water for three horses and ourselves, and were still +fifty miles away from the depot, without the possibility of getting a +further supply until our arrival there. + +Having hobbled the horses out for an hour, we watched them until they had +rested a little, and got cool. I then gave them half of our supply of +water; and leaving them to feed under the superintendence of the native +boy, took my gun, and walked seven or eight miles up the creek, under a +scorching sun, to look for water, examining every gorge and nook, with an +eagerness and anxiety, which those only can know who have been similarly +circumstanced; but my search was in vain, and I returned to the +encampment tired and disappointed. Out of what was left of our water, the +boy and myself now made each a little tea, and then gave the remainder to +the horses; after which we laid down for an hour whilst they were +feeding. About four in the afternoon, we again saddled them, and moved +homewards, riding, as before, the whole night, with the exception of +about an hour, when we halted to feed the horses, upon meeting with a +rich bed of the succulent geranium, of which they were so fond. + +August 16.--Travelling on steadily, we began early in the afternoon to +draw near to the depot; and when within a mile and half of it, I was +surprised, upon looking back, to see two natives trying to steal upon us +with spears, who, as soon as they perceived they were observed, rose up, +and made violent gestures of defiance, but at once desisted from +following us. A little further on, upon a rise not far from the depot, I +was still more astonished to see at least thirty of these savages; and I +hurried forwards as quickly as possible to ascertain what it could mean, +not without some anxiety for the safety of my party. + + + + +Chapter VI. + + + +GAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEER +SENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLABIE--OVERSEER'S +RETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITS +BED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THE +CAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THE +BURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS. + + +August 16.--UPON reaching the camp the extraordinary behaviour of the +natives was soon explained to me. At the time when I left the depot on +the 11th of August, in giving the overseer general directions for his +guidance, I had among other matters requested him, if he found any +natives in the neighbourhood, to try and get one up to the camp and +induce him to remain until my return, that we might, if possible, gain +some information as to the nature of the country or the direction of the +waters. In endeavouring to carry out my wishes, it seems he had one day +come across two or three natives in the plain, to whom he gave chase when +they ran away. The men escaped, but he came up with one of the females +and took her a prisoner to the camp, where he kept her for a couple of +days, but could gain no information from her; she either could not be +understood, or would not tell where there was water, although when signs +were made to her on the subject, she pointed to the east and to the +north-west. After keeping her for two days, during which, with the +exception of being a prisoner, she had been kindly treated, she was let +go with the present of a shirt and handkerchief. + +It was to revenge this aggression that the natives had now assembled; for +which I could not blame them, nor could I help regretting that the +precipitancy of my overseer should have placed me in a position which +might possibly bring me into collision with the natives, and occasion a +sacrifice of life; an occurrence I should deplore most deeply under any +circumstances, but which would be doubly lamentable when I knew that my +own party had committed the first act of aggression. + +The number of natives said to have been seen altogether, including women +and children, was between fifty and sixty, and though they had yet +actually committed no overt act against us, with the exception of trying +to steal upon myself and the native boy as we returned; yet they had +established themselves in the close vicinity of our encampment, and +repeatedly exhibited signs of defiance, such as throwing dust into the +air, shouting, and threatening with their weapons, and once or twice, the +evening before my arrival, crossing within a very short distance of the +tents, as if for the purpose of reconnoitring our position and strength; +I determined, however, nothing but the last extremity should ever induce +me to act on the defensive. [Note 6: "And they cried out, and cast off +their clothes, and threw dust into the air."--Acts xxii. 23.] + +When on my return to the depot, I had seen the natives creeping after me +with their spears, I and the native boy at once halted, turned round and +went slowly towards them, upon this they retreated. They would see by +this that we did not fear them, and as the party at the camp had been +increased in number by our return, I thought they might probably be more +cautious in their hostile demonstrations, which for the present was the +case, for we saw nothing more of them for some time. + +During my absence, the overseer, according to my instructions, had put a +party of men to dig for water in the bed of the creek, about four miles +from the depot, in a westerly direction and down upon the plains. They +were busy when I arrived at the depot; the soil already dug through had +been a very hard gravel, but as yet no water had been found, they had got +to a depth of about ten feet; but from the indurated character of the +soil were proceeding very slowly. + +I was, however, too much fatigued to go and inspect the work immediately, +the boy and myself as well as the horses being completely worn out. We +had ridden in the last five days and a half, about two hundred miles, and +walked about twenty up and down rocky and precipitous creeks, whilst, for +the last two nights before our arrival we had scarcely been off the +horses' back. + +On the 17th, which was dreadfully hot, I went in the afternoon to see +what progress was being made at the well, and found that only two feet +had been dug in the last twenty-four hours, whilst just as I arrived the +men came to a solid mass of rock, and could sink no further; I at once +ordered them to return to the camp, as I did not think it worth while to +make further attempts in so unkindly a soil, and indeed I was unwilling +to have my little party too much divided in the neighbourhood of so many +natives. The men themselves were very glad to get back to the camp, +having been apprehensive of an attack for the last two or three days. + +August 18.--This morning I sent off the overseer and a native boy to the +eastward, to look for water in the watercourses I had been at on the 5th +of August, the Scott not having then been discovered; they would now be +thirty-six miles nearer water than any I was acquainted with at that +time, and would consequently be less hurried and embarrassed in their +movements than I was. By giving them a pack-horse to carry ten gallons of +water, I hoped they would be able to examine all the watercourses so +effectually as to secure the object of their search, for I felt satisfied +that water was to be found somewhere among the high ranges we had seen in +the direction they were going; I also directed the overseer to visit the +camp where the two native children had been left, and to see what had +been their fate. + +During the day I employed myself in writing; the weather was excessively +close and oppressive, with heavy clouds coming up from the S. W. against +the wind at N. E. At night it blew almost a hurricane, accompanied by a +few drops of rain, after which, the wind then veered round to the north. + +The 19th was another oppressive hot day, with a northerly wind, and +clouds of dust which darkened the air so that we could not see the hills +distinctly, although we were close under them. The flies were also +incessant in their persecuting attacks. What with flies and dust, and +heat and indisposition, I scarcely ever remember to have spent a more +disagreeable day in my life. My eyes were swollen and very sore, and +altogether I was scarcely able to attend to any thing or employ myself in +any profitable way. + +August 20.--Some slight showers during the night made the weather cool +and pleasant, the day too was cloudy, and I was enabled to occupy myself +in charting, working out observations, etc. whilst Mr. Scott, by shooting, +supplied us with some wallabies. This animal is very like a rabbit when +running, and quite as delicate and excellent in eating. + +August 21.--Not having seen the natives for the last two days, I thought +I might venture to explore the watercourse we were encamped upon, and set +off on horseback immediately after breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott. + +We traced up its stony and rugged bed for about seven miles among the +hills, to a point where the scenery was peculiarly grand and sublime. The +cliffs rose perpendicularly from the channel of the watercourse to a +height of from six to eight hundred feet, towering above us in awful and +imposing prominencies. At their base was a large pool of clear though +brackish water; and a little beyond a clump of rushes, indicating the +existence of a spring. In the centre of these rushes the natives had dug +a small well, but the water was no better than that in the larger pool. + +The natives generally resort to such places as these when the rain water +is dried up in the plains or among the hills immediately skirting them. +Far among the fastnesses of the interior ranges, these children of the +wilds find resources which always sustain them when their ordinary +supplies are cut off; but they are not of corresponding advantage to the +explorer, because they are difficult of access, not easily found, and +seldom contain any food for his horses, so that he can barely call at +them and pass on. Such was the wretched and impracticable character of +the country in which we were now placed. + +Having tied up our horses, Mr. Scott and I ascended to the top of the +high cliff by winding along the ridges at the back of it. From its summit +we had an extensive view, and I was enabled to take several angles. One +of the high peaks in the Mount Deception range bearing S. 35 degrees W. +about five miles off I named Mount Scott. To the east were seen high +ranges, to which I had sent my overseer. Descending the hill we examined +the course of the watercourse a few miles further, and ascertaining that +there was no more water in it, retraced our steps towards the depot, +somewhat fatigued with clambering up rocky ranges under the oppressive +heat of an almost tropical sun. + +In the course of the morning Mr. Scott shot a rock wallabie of rather a +large species, and many more were seen about the high perpendicular cliff +under which we had found the water. These singular animals appeared to +have a wonderful facility for scaling precipices, for they leapt and +clambered up among the steep sides of the cliffs in a manner quite +incredible, and where it was perfectly impossible for any human being to +follow them. + +In the evening the overseer and native boy returned, they had traced up +the watercourse I turned back from on the 5th of August, and had found +water in it about eight miles beyond where I gave up the search. They had +also visited the native camp where the two little children had been left +deserted, they were now gone, and the whole plain around had been strewed +with green boughs. The handkerchief I had tied round the eldest child had +been taken off and left at the camp, the natives probably dreading to +have anything to do with property belonging to such fearful enchanters as +they doubtless suspected us to be. + +Our party being once more all together, it became necessary to decide +upon our future movements, the water in the hole at the depot being +nearly all used, and what was left being very muddy and unpalatable. +Before I abandoned our present position, however, I was anxious to make a +journey to the shores of Lake Torrens to the westward; I had already +visited its basin at points fully 150 miles apart, viz. in about 29 +degrees 10 minutes S. latitude, and in 31 degrees 30 minutes S. I had +also traced its course from various heights in Flinders range, from which +it was distinctly visible, and in my mind, had not the slightest doubt +that it was one continuous and connected basin. Still, from the hills of +our present depot, it was not visible to the north of west, and I should +not have felt myself justified in going away to the eastward, without +positively ascertaining its connection with the basin I was at to the +north-west; accordingly, as soon as the overseer returned I got ready for +another harassing and uninteresting journey to the westward. + +August 22.--Setting off early this morning, accompanied by a native boy, +I steered W.N.W. For the first four miles, I took my overseer along with +me, to shew him the direction I intended to take, so that if I did not +return in two days, he might send a pack-horse with water to meet me +along the tracks. + +After he had left I pushed steadily on for thirty-five miles, principally +over heavy sandy ridges, which were very fatiguing to the horses, and at +dark reached the outer dunes of the lake, where I was obliged to tie the +horses up to some small bushes, as there was neither water nor grass for +them. The bed of the lake where I struck it, seemed dry for some distance +from the shore, but towards the middle there appeared to be a large body +of water. From our camp Mount Deception bore E. 26 degrees S. and +Termination Hill, E. 35 degrees N. + +August 23.--Starting early, I traced the course of the lake +north-westerly for ten miles, and was then able to satisfy myself that it +was a part of the same vast basin I had seen so much further to the +north, it inclined here considerably to the westward, and this +circumstance added to the high sandy ridges intervening between it and +Flinders range fully explained the cause of our not having observed its +course to the north of west from the hills near our depot. Crossing the +sandy ridge bounding the basin of the lake, I was surprised to see its +bed apparently much contracted, and the opposite shore distinctly +visible, high, rocky and bluff to the edge of the water, seemingly only +seven or eight miles distant, and with several small islands or rocks +scattered over its surface. This was however only deceptive, and caused +by the very refractive state of the atmosphere at the time, for upon +dismounting and leading the horses into the bed of the lake, the opposite +shore appeared to recede, and the rocks or islands turned out to be only +very small lumps of dirt or clay lying in the bed of the lake, and +increased in magnitude by refraction. + +I penetrated into the basin of the lake for about six miles, and found it +so far without surface water. On entering at first, the horses sunk a +little in a stiff mud, after breaking through a white crust of salt, +which everywhere coated the surface and was about one eighth of an inch +in thickness, as we advanced the mud became much softer and greatly mixed +with salt water below the surface, until at last we found it impossible +to advance a step further, as the horses had already sunk up to their +bellies in the bog, and I was afraid we should never be able to extricate +them, and get them safely back to the shore. Could we have gone on for +some distance, I have no doubt that we should have found the bed of the +lake occupied by water, as there was every appearance of a large body of +it at a few miles to the west. As we advanced a great alteration had +taken place, in the aspect of the western shores. The bluff rocky banks +were no longer visible, but a low level country appeared to the view at +seemingly about fifteen or twenty miles distance. From the extraordinary +and deceptive appearances, caused by mirage and refraction, however, it +was impossible to tell what to make of sensible objects, or what to +believe on the evidence of vision, for upon turning back to retrace our +steps to the eastward, a vast sheet of water appeared to intervene +between us and the shore, whilst the Mount Deception ranges, which I knew +to be at least thirty-five miles distant, seemed to rise out of the bed +of the lake itself, the mock waters of which were laving their base, and +reflecting the inverted outline of their rugged summits. The whole scene +partook more of enchantment than reality, and as the eye wandered over +the smooth and unbroken crust of pure white salt which glazed the basin +of the lake, and which was lit up by the dazzling rays of a noonday sun, +the effect was glittering, and brilliant beyond conception. + +[Very similar appearances seem to have been observed by Monsieur Peron, +on the S. W. coast near Geographe Bay. "A cette epoque nous eprouvions les +effets les plus singuliers du mirage; tantot les terres les plus +uniformes et les plus basses nous paroissoient portees au dessus des +eaux, et profondement dechirrees dans toutes leurs parties; tantot leurs +cretes superieures sembloient renversees, et reposer ainsi sur les +vagues; a chaque instant on croyoit voir au large de longues chaines de +recifs, et de brisans qui sembloient se reculer a mesure qu'on s'en +approchoit davantage."--VOYAGE DE DECOUVERTES AUX TERRES AUSTRALES REDIGE +PAR PERON.] + +Upon regaining the eastern shore, I found that all I had been able to +effect was to determine that the lake still continued its course to the +N.W. that it was still guided as before, by a ridge like a sea shore, +that its area was undiminished, that its bed was dry on the surface for +at least six miles from the outer margin, and that from the increasing +softness of the mud, occasioned by its admixture with water, as I +proceeded there was every probability that still further west, water +would be found upon the surface. Beyond these few facts, all was +uncertainty and conjecture in this region of magic. Turning away from the +lake, I retraced my steps towards the depot, and halted at dark after a +stage of nearly forty miles. Here was neither grass nor water, and again +I was obliged to tie up the unfortunate horses, jaded, hungry and +thirsty. + +During the night, I released one of the poor animals for an hour or two, +thinking he would not stray from his companion, and might, perhaps, crop +a few of the little shrubs growing on the sand ridges, but on searching +for him in the morning he was gone, and I had to walk twelve miles over +the heavy sand tracking him, the boy following along our outward track +with the other horse, for fear of missing the man who was to meet us with +water. + +The stray horse had fortunately kept near the line we had followed in +going to the lake, and I came upon him in a very weak and miserable +condition, soon after the arrival of the man who had been sent to meet us +with water. By care and slow travelling, we reached the depot safely in +the afternoon, having crossed in going and returning, upwards of 100 +miles of desert country, during the last three days, in which the horses +had got nothing either to eat or drink. It is painful in the extreme, to +be obliged to subject them to such hardships, but alas, in such a +country, what else can be done. + +In the evening, I directed the overseer to have every thing got ready for +breaking up our encampment on the morrow, as the party had been fifteen +days in depot, and little else than mud remained in the hole which had +supplied them with water. + +August 25.--Slight showers during the night, and the day dark and cloudy, +with rather an oppressive atmosphere. The horses had strayed during the +night, so that it was nine o'clock before we got away. + +We had scarcely left the place of encampment, when shoutings were heard, +and signal fires lit up in every direction by the natives, to give +warning I imagine of our being abroad, and to call stragglers to their +camp. These people had still remained in our immediate vicinity, and were +now assembled in very considerable numbers on the brow of one of the +front ridges, to watch us pass by. They would not approach us, but as the +drays moved on kept running in a line with them, at some distance, and +occasionally shouting and gesticulating in an unintelligible manner. + +In our first and only intercourse with these natives, we had +unfortunately given them just cause of offence, and I was most anxious, +if possible, before leaving, to efface the unfavourable impression which +they had received. Letting the drays therefore move on, I remained behind +with Mr. Scott, leading our horses, and trying to induce some of the +natives to come up to us; for a long time, however, our efforts were in +vain, but at last I succeeded in persuading a fine athletic looking man +to approach within a moderate distance; I then shewed him a tomahawk, +which I laid on the ground, making signs that I intended it for him. When +I had retired a little, he went and took it up, evidently comprehending +its use, and appearing much pleased with the gift; the others soon +congregated around him, and Mr. Scott and I mounting our horses, followed +the party, leaving the sable council to discuss the merits of their new +acquisition, and hoping that the unfavourable opinion with which we had +at first impressed them, would be somewhat modified for the future. + +Steering N. 43 degrees W. for five miles, and then winding through the +range, in the bed of a watercourse to the plains on the other side, we +took a direction of E. 20 degrees N. for fifteen miles, arriving about +dark upon a small channel that I had crossed on the 14th of August. Here +was good feed for the horses, and plenty of water a little way up among +the hills. This watercourse I had not examined when I was here before, +preferring to trace up the larger one beyond instead. Had I followed +this, I should easily have found water, and been relieved from much of +the anxiety which I had then undergone. + +In travelling through a country previously unexplored, no pains should be +spared in examining every spot, even the most unlikely, where it is +possible for water to exist, for after searching in vain, in large deep +rocky and likely looking watercourses, I have frequently found water in +some small branch or gorge, that had appeared too insignificant, or too +uninviting to require to be explored. This I named The Mundy, after my +friend, Alfred Mundy, Esq., now the Colonial Secretary of South +Australia. + +Early this morning, I took Mr. Scott with me, to examine The Mundy, +leaving the overseer to proceed with the party. + +After entering the hills a short distance, we found in the bed of the +Mundy a strongly running stream, connecting several reaches of waters, +upon which many black ducks were sailing about. This appeared to be one +of the finest and best streams we had yet discovered, although the water +was slightly impregnated with alum. After the watercourse left the hills, +the surface water all disappeared, the drainage being then absorbed by +the light sandy soil of the plains, and this had invariably been the case +with all the waters emanating from Flinders range. + +Crossing some stony ridges, we followed the party up the large +watercourse, which I had traced so far on the 5th of August, since named +the Burr, after the Deputy Surveyor-general of the colony, and at +nineteen miles halted early in the afternoon, at some springs rising +among rocks and rushes in its bed. The water was very brackish, though +drinkable, but did not extend far on either side of the spot we were +encamped at, and when after dinner, I took a long walk up the watercourse +to search for more, I was unable to find any either in the main channel +or its branches. The grass was abundant and good. The latitude of the +camp I ascertained to be 30 degrees 27 minutes S. + +August 27.--Having risen and breakfasted very early, I took Mr. Scott and +a native boy with me, and steered for a very high hill with rather a +rounded summit, bearing from our camp E. 17 degrees S. This I named Mount +Serle, in accordance with a request made to me before my departure, by +the Governor, that I would name some remarkable feature in the country +after Mr. Serle. This was the most prominent object we had hitherto met +with; among high ranges it appeared the highest, and from a height above +our present encampment, it had been selected by us as the most likely +point from which to obtain a view to the eastward. + +The elevation of this hill could not be less than three thousand feet +above the level of the sea; but unfortunately, the injury my barometer +had sustained in the escape of some of the mercury, and my being unable +to fill it again properly, quite precluded me from ascertaining the +height with accuracy. + +In our route to Mount Serle, we observed another hill rather more to the +northward, seemingly of as great an altitude as Mount Serle itself; this +was not situate in the Mount Serle range, nor had it been seen by us in +our view from the height above the depot. + +At ten miles from our camp, we came to a large watercourse, emanating +from the Mount Serle range on the south side, and running close under its +western aspect, with an abundance of excellent clear water in it. This I +named the Frome, after the Surveyor-general of the colony, to whose +kindness I was so much indebted in preparing my outfit and for the loan +of instruments for the use of the expedition. + +Having watered our horses we tied them up to some trees, and commenced +the ascent of Mount Serle on foot. The day was exceedingly hot, and we +found our task a much harder one than we had anticipated, being compelled +to wind up and down several steep and rugged ridges before we could reach +the main one. + +At length, however, having overcome all difficulties we stood upon the +summit of the mountain. Our view was then extensive and final. At one +glance I saw the realization of my worst forebodings; and the termination +of the expedition of which I had the command. Lake Torrens now faced us +to the east, whilst on every side we were hemmed in by a barrier which we +could never hope to pass. Our toils and labours and privations, had all +been endured to no purpose; and the only alternative left us would be to +return, disappointed and baffled. + +To the north and north-west the horizon was unbroken to the naked eye, +but with the aid of a powerful telescope I could discover fragments of +table land similar to those I had seen in the neighbourhood of the lake +in that direction. At N. 8 degrees W. a very small haycock-looking hill +might be seen above the level waste, probably the last of the low spurs +of Flinders range to the north. To the north-east, the view was +obstructed by a high range immediately in front of us, but to the east +and as far as E. 13 degrees S. we saw through a break in the hills, a +broad glittering belt in appearance, like the bed of a lake, but +apparently dry. + +The ranges seemed to continue to the eastward of Mount Serle for about +fifteen miles, and then terminated abruptly in a low, level, +scrubby-looking country, also about fifteen miles in extent, between the +hills and the borders of the lake. The latter appearing about twenty-five +miles across, whilst beyond it was a level region without a height or +elevation of any kind. + +Connecting the view before me with the fact that on the 14th August, when +in about lat. 29 degrees S., I had found Lake Torrens turning round to +the north-east, and had observed no continuation of Flinders range to the +eastward of my position, I could now no longer doubt that I had almost +arrived at the termination of that range, and that the glittering belt I +now saw to the east, was in fact only an arm of the lake taking the +drainage from its eastern slopes. + +Sad and painful were the thoughts that occupied my mind in returning to +the camp. Hitherto, even when placed in the most difficult or desperate +circumstances I was cheered by hope, but now I had no longer even that +frail solace to cling to, there was no mistaking the nature of the +country, by which we were surrounded on every side, and no room for +doubting its impracticability. + + + + +Chapter VII. + + + +EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMES +SALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRY +WATER-COURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATION +OF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHER +ADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDS +MOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THE +FUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING. + + +Upon returning to the depot at the Burr, I decided upon making an +excursion to the north-east, to ascertain the actual termination of +Flinders range, and the nature of the prospect beyond it; not to satisfy +myself, for a single glance from the eminence I had recently occupied at +Mount Serle, had for ever set my curiosity at rest on these points, but +in discharge of the duty I owed to the Governor, and the promoters of the +expedition, who could not be expected to be satisfied with a bare +conjecture on a subject which they had sent me practically to +demonstrate, however fairly from circumstances the conclusions might be +deduced at which I had been compelled to arrive. Accordingly, on the +morning of the 29th, I took with me my overseer, one man, a native boy, +and a cart drawn by three horses to carry water; and making an early +start, proceeded to attempt for the last time to penetrate into those +regions of gloom. + +After travelling ten miles, we arrived at the Frome, where we watered and +fed the horses. From this place I sent the overseer on before us, to see +how far the water extended, that we might determine where to fix our +halting-place for the night. After resting awhile we proceeded on with +the cart, tracing down the watercourse over a very rough and stony road +on which the cart was upset, but without any serious damage, and passing +several very large and fine water-holes with many teal and wood-duck upon +them. + +At eight miles from where we lunched, we encamped with abundance of +water, but very little grass. The latitude by meridian altitude of Altair +was 30 degrees 18 minutes 30 seconds S. In the evening the overseer +returned, and stated there was water for nine miles further, but that the +road was very rocky and bad. + +August 30.--Leaving the overseer to bring on the cart, I rode on a-head +down the watercourse to trace the continuance of the water. The road I +found to be very bad, and at twenty-three miles, upon tasting the water I +found it as salt as the sea, and the bed of the creek quite impracticable +for a cart; I therefore hurried back for seven miles, and halted the +party at the last good water-hole, which was about sixteen miles from our +yesterday's camp. + +We had seen many ducks during the day, two of which I shot, and the black +boy found a nest with fresh eggs in it, so that we fared more luxuriously +than usual. The night set in very dark and windy, but no rain fell. + +August 31.--This morning I sent the overseer back to the depot with the +cart and two horses, whilst I and the native boy proceeded on our route +on horseback, taking also a man leading a pack-horse to carry water for +us the first day. Following down the watercourse, we passed through some +imposing scenery, consisting of cliffs from six to eight hundred feet in +height, rising perpendicularly from their bases, below which were +recesses, into which the sun never shone, and whose gloomy grandeur +imparted a melancholy cast to the thoughts and feelings, in unison with +the sublimity of the scene around. + +After travelling twelve miles from the camp, we got clear of the hills, +and found an open country before us to the north; through this we +proceeded for ten miles further, still following the direction of the +watercourse, and halting upon it for the night, after having made a stage +of twenty-two miles. We had tolerable grass for the horses, but were +obliged to give them water from the kegs. + +At this place I was much astonished to see four white cockatoos, flying +about among the gum-trees in the watercourse, and immediately commenced a +narrow search for water, as I knew those birds did not frequently go far +away from it: there was not, however, a drop to be found anywhere, nor +the least sign of there having been any for a long time. What made the +circumstance of finding cockatoos here so surprising and unusual was, +that for the last two hundred miles we had never seen one at all. Where +then had these four birds come from? could it be that they had followed +under Flinders range from the south, and had strayed so far away from all +others of their kind, or had they come from some better country beyond +the desert by which I was surrounded, or how was that country to be +attained, supposing it to exist? Time only may reply to these queries, +but the occasion which prompted them was, to say the least, +extraordinary. + +Towards night the sky became overcast with clouds, and as I saw that we +should have rain, I set to work with the boy and made a house of boughs +for our protection, but the man who accompanied us was too indolent to +take the same precaution, thinking probably that the rain would pass away +as it had often done before. In this, however, he was disappointed, for +the rain came down in torrents [Note 7 at end para.]--in an hour or two +the whole country was inundated, and he was taught a lesson of industry at +the expense of a thorough and unmitigated drenching. + +[Note 7: This will not appear surprising, when the great amount of rain +which falls annually in some parts of Australia, is taken into account. +The Count Strzelecki gives 62.68 inches, as the average annual fall for +upwards of twenty years, at Port Macquarie.--At p. 193, that gentleman +remarks:--"The greatest fall of rain recorded in New South Wales, during +24 hours, amounted to 25 inches. (Port Jackson)."] + +September 1.--This morning I sent the man back to the depot with the +pack-horse, with orders to the overseer to move back the party as rapidly +as possible towards Mount Arden, that by taking advantage of the rain we +might make a short route through the plains, and avoid the necessity of +going up among the rugged and stony watercourses of the hills. + +This retrograde movement was rendered absolutely necessary from our +present position, for since we had wound through the hills to the north, +and come out upon the open plains, I saw that Flinders range had +terminated, and I now only wished to trace its northern termination so +far east as to enable me to see round it to the southward, as well as to +ascertain the character and appearance of the country to the north and to +the east; as soon therefore as the man had left, I proceeded at a course +of E. 35 degrees N. for a low and very distant elevation, apparently the +last of the hills to the eastward, this I named Mount Distance, for it +deceived us greatly as to the distance we were from it. + +In passing through the plains, which were yesterday so arid and dry, I +found immense pools, nay almost large reaches of water lodged in the +hollows, and in which boats might have floated. Such was the result of +only an hour or two's rain, whilst the ground itself, formerly so hard, +was soft and boggy in the extreme, rendering progress much slower and +more fatiguing to the horses than it otherwise would have been. By +steadily persevering we made a stage of thirty-five miles, but were +obliged to encamp at night some miles short of the little height I had +been steering for. + +During our ride we passed several dry watercourses at five, ten, +twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five miles from our last encampment. The +last we halted upon with good feed for the horses, and rainwater lodged +everywhere. All these watercourses took their course to the north, +emptying and losing themselves in the plains. In the evening heavy +showers again fell, and the night set in very dark. + +September 2.--After travelling seven miles we ascended Mount Distance, +and from it I could see that the hills now bore S. and S.E. and were +getting much lower, so that we were rapidly rounding their northern +extremity. To the north and north-east were seen only broken fragments of +table lands, similar to what I found near the lake to the north-west; the +lake itself, however, was nowhere visible, and I saw that I should have +another day's hard riding before I could satisfactorily determine its +direction. Upon descending I steered for a distant low haycock-like peak +in the midst of one of the table-topped fragments; from this rise I +expected the view would be decisive, and I named it Mount Hopeless.--From +Mount Distance it bore E. 25 degrees N. + +Crossing many little stony ridges, and passing the channel of several +watercourses, I discovered a new and still more disheartening feature in +the country, the existence of brine springs. Hitherto we had found +brackish and occasionally salt water in some of the watercourses, but by +tracing them up among the hills, we had usually found the quality to +improve as we advanced, but now the springs were out in the open plains, +and the water poisoned at its very source. + +Occasionally round the springs were a few coarse rushes, but the soil in +other respects was quite bare, destitute of vegetation, and thickly +coated over with salt, presenting the most miserable and melancholy +aspect imaginable. We were now in nearly the same latitude as that in +which Captain Sturt had discovered brine springs in the bed of the +Darling, and which had rendered even that river so perfectly salt that +his party could not make use of it. + +September 2.--At thirty-five miles we reached the little elevation I had +been steering for, and ascended Mount Hopeless, and cheerless and +hopeless indeed was the prospect before us. As I had anticipated, the +view was both extensive and decisive. We were now past all the ranges; +and for three quarters of the compass, extending from south, round by +east and north, to west, the horizon was one unbroken level, except where +the fragments of table land, or the ridge of the lake, interrupted its +uniformity + +The lake was now visible to the north and to the east; and I had at last +ascertained, beyond all doubt, that its basin, commencing near the head +of Spencer's Gulf, and following the course of Flinders range (bending +round its northern extreme to the southward), constituted those hills the +termination of the island of South Australia, for such I imagine it once +to have been. This closed all my dreams as to the expedition, and put an +end to an undertaking from which so much was anticipated. I had now a +view before me that would have damped the ardour of the most +enthusiastic, or dissipated the doubts of the most seeptical. To the +showers that fell on the evening of the 31st of August, we were solely +indebted for having been able to travel thus far; had there been much +more rain the country would have been impracticable for horses,--if less +we could not have procured water to have enabled us to make such a push +as we had done. + +The lake where it was visible, appeared, as it had ever done, to be from +twenty-five to thirty miles across, and its distance from Mount Hopeless +was nearly the same. The hills to the S. and S. W. of us, seemed to +terminate on the eastern slopes, as abruptly as on the western; and from +the point where we stood, we could distinctly trace by the gum-trees, the +direction of watercourses emanating from among them, taking northerly, +north-easterly, easterly and south-easterly courses, according to the +point of the range they came from. This had been the case during the +whole of our route under Flinder's range. We had at first found the +watercourses going to the south of west, then west, north-west, north, +and now north-east, east and south-east. I had, at the same time, +observed all around this mountain mass, the appearance of the bed of a +large lake, following the general course of the ranges on every side, and +receiving, apparently, the whole drainage from them. + +On its western, and north-western shores, I had ascertained by actual +examination, that its basin was a very low level, clearly defined, and +effectually inclosed by an elevated continuous sandy ridge, like the +outer boundary of a sea-shore, its area being of immense extent, and its +bed of so soft and yielding a nature, as to make it quite impossible to +cross it. All these points I had decided positively, and finally, as far +as regards that part of Lake Torrens, from near the head of Spencer's +Gulf, to the most north-westerly part of it, which I visited on the 14th +of August, embracing a course of fully 200 miles in its outline. I had +done this, too, under circumstances of great difficulty, toil, and +anxiety, and not without the constant risk of losing my horses, from the +fatigues and privations of the forced labours I was obliged to impose +upon them. + +Having ascertained these particulars, and at so much hazard, relative to +Lake Torrens, for so great a part of its course, what conclusion could I +arrive at with regard to the character of its other half to the +north-east, and east of Flinders ranges, as seen from Mount Hopeless, and +Mount Serle points, nearly ninety miles apart! The appearances from the +ranges were similar; the trend of all the watercourses was to the same +basin, and undoubtedly that basin, if traced far enough, must be of +nearly the same level on the eastern, as on the western side of the +ranges. I had completely ascertained that Flinders range had terminated +to the eastward, the north-east, and the north; that there were no hills +or elevations connected with it beyond, in any of these directions, and +that the horizon every where was one low uninterrupted level. + +With such data, and under such circumstances, what other opinion could I +possibly arrive at, than that the bed of Lake Torrens was nearly similar +in its character, and equally impracticable in its eastern, as its +western arm; and that, considering the difficulties I had encountered, +and the hazards I had subjected myself to, in ascertaining these points +so minutely on the western side, I could not be justified in renewing +those risks to the eastward, where the nature and extent of the +impediments were so self-evidently the same, and where there was not the +slightest hope of any useful result being attained by it. + +I was now more than a hundred miles away from my party; and having sent +them orders to move back towards Mount Arden, I had no time to lose in +following them. With bitter feelings of disappointment I turned from the +dreary and cheerless scene around me, and pushing the horses on as well +as circumstances would allow, succeeded in retracing ten miles of my +course by a little after dark, having completed a stage of fully +forty-five miles during the day. Here there was tolerable good grass, and +plenty of water from the late rains, so that the horses were more +fortunate on this excursion than usual. I observed the variation to be 4 +degrees E. + +September 3.--Travelling early, we made a long stage of about forty +miles, and encamped with good grass and water. During the day we caught +four young emus in the plains, which we roasted for supper, being very +hungry, and upon short allowance, as I had not calculated upon remaining +out so long; the black boy enjoyed them exceedingly, and I managed to get +through one myself. They were about the size of full grown fowls. + +September 4.--Making a very early start, we travelled twenty miles to the +watercourse, where we had encamped on the 31st of August, striking it a +little lower down. As I had left one or two trifles here, that I wished +to take on with me, I sent the black boy for them, telling him to follow +my tracks while I went slowly on. Upon finding that he did not overtake +me so soon as I expected, I halted for some time, but still he did not +come up, and I again proceeded; for as I had left my former track, I +concluded he had taken that line, and thus missed me. Steering, +therefore, across the hills, some of which were very stony and broken, I +made for the Mundy, which I reached very late in the evening, and found +the party safely encamped there. + +I had rode fifty-five miles, and had been on horseback about thirteen +hours, so that both myself and horse were well nigh knocked up. The black +boy had not arrived, nor did he come up during the night. + +The next day, becoming uneasy about his absence, I detained the party in +the camp, and sent Mr. Scott to search for him, who fortunately met him +almost immediately he had left us. The boy's detention had been +occasioned by the fagged condition of his horse, which prevented the +possibility of his overtaking me. As the day was wet, I did not move on, +but gave the party a day's rest, whilst I employed myself in meditating +upon the disappointment I had experienced, and the future steps it might +be most advisable to take to carry out the objects of the expedition. I +was still determined not to give up the undertaking,--but rather to +attempt to penetrate either to the eastward or westward, and to try to +find some other line of route that might afford a practicable opening to +the interior. + +September 6.--Moving on the party early to-day, I pushed steadily towards +the depot near Mount Arden. In doing this, the favourable state of the +weather enabled us to keep more in the open plains, and thus both to +avoid a good deal of rough ground, and to shorten the road considerably. + +Upon mustering the horses on the 9th, the overseer reported to me that +one of them was lying down with a broken leg, and upon going to examine +him, I found that it was one of the police horses kindly lent to the +expedition by the Governor. During the night some other horse had kicked +him and broken the thigh bone of the hind leg. The poor animal was in +great pain and unable to rise at all, I was therefore obliged to order +the overseer to shoot him. By this accident we lost a most useful horse +at a time when we could but ill spare one. + +During our progress to the south we had frequently showers and +occasionally heavy rains, which lodging in puddles on the plains, +supplied us abundantly with water, and we were unusually fortunate enough +to obtain grass also. We were thus enabled to push on upon nearly a +straight course, which, after seven days of hard travelling, brought us +once more, on the afternoon of the 12th, to our old position at the depot +near Mount Arden. I had intended to have halted the party here for a day +or two, to recruit after the severe march we had just terminated; but the +weather was so favourable and the season so far advanced, that I did not +like to lose an hour in following out my prospective plans. + +During the homeward journey from the Mundy, I had reflected much on the +position in which I was placed, and spent many an anxious hour in +deliberating as to the future. I had one of three alternatives to choose, +either to give up the expedition altogether;--to cross to the Murray to +the east and follow up that river to the Darling;--or by crossing over to +Streaky Bay to the westward, to endeavour to find some opening leading +towards the interior in that direction. After weighing well the +advantages and disadvantages of each (and there were many objections to +them all,) I determined upon adopting the last, for reasons which will be +found in my Report sent to the Governor, and to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee from Port Lincoln. [Note 8: Vide Chapter +IX.] My mind having thus been made up, I knew, from former experience, +that I had no time to lose, now that the weather was showery and +favourable, and that if I delayed at all in putting my plans into +execution I might probably be unable to cross from Mount Arden to +Streaky Bay. The distance between these two points was upwards of +two hundred miles, through a barren and desert region, in which, +though among high ranges, I had on a former occasion been unable to +discover any permanent water, and through which we could only hope +to pass by taking advantage of the puddles left by the late rains; +I therefore decided upon halting at the depot to rest the horses +even for a day; and the party had no sooner reached their encampment, +than, while one portion of the men took the horses up the watercourse to +water, the others were employed in digging up the stores we had buried +here, and in repacking and rearranging all the loads ready to move on +again immediately. By the evening all the arrangements were completed and +the whole party retired to rest much fatigued. + + + + +Chapter VIII. + + + +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENS +AND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORT +LINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FOR +WATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGE +ROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGE +WATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OF +PORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SEND +OVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP. + + +September 13.--UPON leaving the depot this morning I was obliged to leave +behind a very large tarpaulin which we did not require, and which from +the extra weight we had last night put upon the drays, we could not +conveniently carry. Steering to the south-west we came at twelve miles to +the head of Spencer's Gulf, and crossed the channel connecting it with +Lake Torrens. At this place it is not very wide, but its bed like that of +the lake is soft and boggy, with salt water mixed with the mud. We had a +good deal of difficulty in getting over it, and one of the drays having +stuck fast, we had to unload it, carrying the things over on men's backs. +A few miles beyond this we halted for the night, where there was good +grass for the horses and plenty of water in the puddles around us. We +crossed principally during the day, a rather heavy sandy country, but +were now encamped in plains of a firmer and better character for the +drays. + +September 14.--Travelling on through open plains with loose gravelly +stones, lying on their surface, we passed to the south of a small +table-topped hill, visible from Mount Arden, and very much resembling the +fragments of table land that I had met with to the north. This however +was somewhat larger than those, and though steep-sided as they were it +did not disclose the same white strata of chalk and gypsum, its formation +being more rocky and of rather a slaty character. + +September 15.--Pushing on rapidly over extensive plains very similar to +those we had already crossed, we arrived, after a long stage, under +Baxter's range, and encamped upon a small channel coming from it, with +abundance of water and good grass. This range is high and rocky, rising +abruptly out of the plains, and distinctly visible from Mount Arden, from +which it is about fifty miles distant. Its formation is entirely +conglomerate of rather a coarse description. Among its rugged overhanging +steeps are many of the large red species of wallabie similar to those we +had seen to the north at the Scott. Two of these we shot. The latitude of +our camp at Baxter's range was 32 degrees 40 minutes S. + +September 16.--Remained in camp to-day to rest the horses and prepare for +dividing the party, as from the great abundance of rain that had fallen, +I no longer apprehended a scarcity of water on the route to Streaky Bay, +and therefore decided upon sending my overseer across with the party, +whilst I myself took a dray down direct to Port Lincoln, on the west side +of Spencer's Gulf, to obtain additional supplies, with the intention of +joining them again at Streaky Bay. + +Having spent some time in taking bearings from the summit of Baxter's +range, I examined all the channels and gorges coming from it, and in most +of these I found water. I am of opinion however that in a very dry +season, the water which I now found will be quite dried up, and +especially in the largest of the watercourses, or the one upon which we +were encamped. [Note 9: In October 1842, this was quite dry, but water was +still found in holes in the rocks in the southernmost gorge, above the +waterfall, at the base of which water was also procured by digging in +the gravel.] + +A little further south, there is a rocky ravine winding through a gorge +and terminating in a waterfall, with a large pool of beautiful water at +the base, and with many large and deep holes of water in the rocks above. +In this ravine I imagine water might be procured at any period of the +year, and I am confirmed in this opinion by the circumstance of three +well beaten native roads, coming from different points of the compass, +and all converging at this place. This is an important position for +parties crossing to the westward, or going overland to Port Lincoln. +Baxter's range is the nearest point at which permanent water can be +procured on the west side of the head of Spencer's Gulf, as the Depot +creek near Mount Arden is on the eastern. Having completed my examination +of the range, and taken all my observations, I spent the remainder of the +day in constructing a chart of my former route from Streaky Bay in 1839, +and in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as a +guide for him in crossing to the westward. + +September 17.--Placing under the charge of the overseer, two drays, seven +of our best horses, all the sheep, one native boy, and two men, I saw him +fairly started this morning, and wished him a speedy and prosperous +journey. I had left with me one dray, five horses, one man, one native +boy, and Mr. Scott; with fourteen days provision and forty gallons of +water. Steering S. 25 degrees W. for sixteen miles, we halted for the +night upon a patch of tolerable grass but without any water; I was +consequently obliged to give a bucket of water to each of the horses out +of the small stock which we had brought with us. The country we travelled +through was low, level, and for the most part covered with salsolae, or +brush, the latter in some places being very dense, and causing great +fatigue to the horses in dragging the dray through it. + +September 18.--Upon taking a view of the country, this morning, previous +to starting, it appeared so low and level, and held out so little +prospect of our finding water, that I was induced to deviate from the +course I had laid down, and steering S. 20 degrees E. made for some hills +before us. After travelling four miles upon this course, I observed a +native fire upon the hills at a bearing of S. 40 degrees E. and +immediately turned towards it, fully hoping that it was at a native camp +and in the immediate vicinity of water. + +At eight miles we were close under the hills, but found the dray could +not cross the front ridges; I therefore left Mr. Scott to keep a course +parallel with the range, whilst I and the native boy rode across to where +we had seen the fire. Upon arriving at the spot I was greatly +disappointed to find, instead of a native camp, only a few burning +bushes, which had either been lit as a signal by the natives, after +noticing us in the plains, or was one of those casual fires so frequently +left by them on their line of march. I found the hills scrubby, barren, +and rocky, with much prickly grass growing upon their slopes. There were +no watercourses upon the west side of the range at all, nor could I by +tracing up some short rocky valleys coming from steep gorges in the face +of the hill find any water. The rock was principally of ironstone +formation. Upon ascending to the summit of the hill, I had an extensive +but unsatisfactory view, a vast level field of scrub stretching every +where around me, interspersed here and there with the beds of small dried +up lakes, but with no signs of water any where. At S. W. by S. I saw the +smoke of a native fire rising in the plains. Hurrying down from the +range, I followed the dray, and as soon as I overtook it, halted for the +night in the midst of a thick scrub of large tea-trees and minor shrubs. +There was a little grass scattered among the trees, on which, by giving +our horses two buckets of water each, they were able to feed tolerably +well. During the day we had travelled over a very heavy sandy country and +through dense brush, and our horses were much jaded. Occasionally we had +passed small dried up salt lakes and the beds of salt water channels; but +even these did not appear to have had any water in them for a long time. + +Upon halting the party, I sent Mr. Scott to explore the range further +south than I had been, whilst I myself went to search among the salt +lakes to the southwest. We, however, both returned equally unsuccessful, +and I now found that I should be compelled to send the dray back for a +supply of water from Baxter's range. The country was so scrubby and +difficult to get a dray through that our progress was necessarily slow; +and in the level waste before us I had no hope of finding water for some +distance further. I thought, therefore, that if the dray could bring a +supply to last us for two days after leaving our present encampment, we +should then be enabled to make a fresh push through a considerable extent +of bad country, and might have a better chance of finding water as we +advanced to the south-west. + +September 19.--This morning I unloaded the dray of every thing except the +water casks, and pitching my tent among the scrub took up my quarters +alone, whilst I sent back the man, the native boy, the dray, and all the +horses with Mr. Scott to Baxter's range. As they made an early start, I +gave them instructions to push on as rapidly as possible, so as to get +the range that night, to rest the horses next day and fill the casks with +water, and on the third day, if possible, to return the whole distance +and rejoin me. + +Having seen them fairly away, I occupied myself in writing and charting +during the day, and at night amused myself in taking stellar observations +for latitude. I had already taken the altitude of Vega, and deduced the +latitude to be 32 degrees 3 minutes 23 seconds S.; leaving my artificial +horizon on the ground outside whilst I remained in the tent waiting until +Altair came to the meridian, I then took my sextant and went out to +observe this star also; but upon putting down my hand to take hold of the +horizon glass in order to wipe the dew off, my fingers went into the +quick-silver--the horizon glass was gone, and also the piece of canvass I +had put on the ground to lie down upon whilst observing so low an +altitude as that of Vega. Searching a little more I missed a spade, a +parcel of horse shoes, an axe, a tin dish, some ropes, a grubbing hoe, +and several smaller things which had been left outside the tent, as not +being likely to take any injury from the damp. + +It was evident I was surrounded by natives, who had stolen all these +things during the short time I had been in my tent, certainly not +exceeding half an hour. The night was very windy and I had heard nothing, +besides I was encamped in the midst of a very dense brush of large +wide-spreading tea-trees and other bushes, any of which would afford a +screen for a considerable number of natives. In daylight it was +impossible to see many yards in distance, and nothing could be discerned +at night. + +The natives must have watched the dray go away in the morning, and waited +until dark for their opportunity to rob me; and most daringly and +effectually had they done it. At the time that I lay on the ground, +taking the star's altitude, they must have been close to me, and after I +went into the tent, they doubtless saw me sitting there by the light of +the candle, since the door was not quite closed, and they had come quite +in front to obtain some of the things they had stolen. The only wonder +with me was that they had not speared me, as they could scarcely have +been intimidated by my individual presence. + +As soon as I missed my horizon glass, and entertained the suspicion of +natives being about, I hurried into the tent and lighting a large blue +light, run with it rapidly through the bushes around me. The effect of +this was very beautiful amidst the darkness and gloom of the woods, and +for a great distance in every direction objects could be seen as well as +by day; the natives, however, were gone, and I could only console myself +by firing a couple of balls after them through the underwood to warn them +of the danger of intruding upon me again; I then put every thing which +had been left outside, into the tent, and kept watch for an hour or two, +but my visitors came no more. The shots, or the blue light, had +effectually frightened them. They had, however, in their turn, produced +as great an effect upon me, and had at least deprived me of one night's +rest. + +September 20.--Rising very early I set to work, with an axe, to clear +away the bushes from around my tent. I now discovered that the natives +had been concealed behind a large tea-tree not twenty yards from the +tent; there were numerous foot-marks there, and the remains of +fire-sticks which they had brought with them, for a native rarely moves +at night without fire. + +By working hard I cleared a large circle with a radius of from thirty to +forty yards, and then piling up all the bushes outside and around the +tent, which was in the centre, I was completely fortified, and my sable +friends could no longer creep upon me to steal without my hearing them. I +spent great part of the day in charting, and took a few angles from the +tent, but did not dare to venture far away. At night, when it was dark, I +mounted guard with my gun for three hours, walking round outside the +tent, and firing off my gun before I lay down, which I did with my +clothes on, ready to get up at a moment's notice. Nothing, however, +disturbed me. + +September 21.--I had been occupied during the greater part of the day in +charting, and in the evening was just shouldering my gun to mount guard +again, when I was delighted to see Mr. Scott returning with the dray, and +the party all safe. They had executed the duty entrusted to them well, +and had lost no time in rejoining me; the horses were, however, somewhat +fatigued, having come all the way from the range in one day. Being now +reinforced, I had no longer occasion to mount guard, and for the first +time since the natives had stolen upon me, enjoyed a sound sleep. + +September 22.--Moving on the party for ten miles at a course of S. 35 +degrees W., we passed through a dreadful country, composed of dense scrub +and heavy sandy ridges, with some salt water channels and beds of small +dry lakes at intervals. In many cases the margins bounding these were +composed of a kind of decomposed lime, very light and loose, which +yielded to the slightest pressure; in this our horses and drays sank +deep, throwing out as they went, clouds of fine white dust on every side +around them. This, added to the very fatiguing and harassing work of +dragging the dray through the thick scrub and over the heavy sand ridges, +almost knocked them up, and we had the sad prospect before us of +encamping at night without a blade of grass for them to eat. Just at this +juncture the native boy who was with me, said he saw rocks in one of the +distant sand hills, but upon examining the place with a telescope I could +not make out distinctly whether they were rocks or only sand. The boy +however persisted that there were rocks, and to settle the point I halted +the dray in camp, whilst I proceeded with him to the spot to look. + +At seven miles W. 10 degrees S. of the drays we reached the ridge, and to +my great delight I found the boy was right; he had seen the bare sheets +of granite peeping out near the summit of a sandy elevation, and in these +we found many holes with water in them. At the base of the hill too, was +an opening with good grass around, and a fine spring of pure water. +Hastening back to the dray, I conducted the party to the hills, which I +named Refuge Rocks, for such they were to us in our difficulties, and +such they may be to many future travellers who may have to cross this +dreary desert. + +From the nature of the road and the exhausted state of our horses, it was +very late when we encamped, but as the position was so favourable a one +to recruit at, I determined to take advantage of it, and remain a couple +of days for that purpose. + +September 23.--Leaving my party to rest, after the fatigue they had +endured in forcing a way through the scrub, I set off after breakfast to +reconnoitre our position at Refuge Rocks, and to take a series of angles. +The granite elevation, under which we were encamped, I found to be one of +three small hills, forming a triangle, about a mile apart from each +other, and having sheets of granite lying exposed upon their summits, +containing deep holes which receive and retain water after rains. The +hill we were encamped under, was the highest of the three, and the only +one under which there was a spring. [Note 10: This was dried up in +October, 1842.] There was also better grass here than around either of the +other two; it appeared, too, to be the favourite halting place of the +natives, many of whose encampments still remained, and some of which +appeared to have been in use not very long ago. The bearings from the hill +we were under, of the other two elevations, which, with it, constitute +the Refuge Rocks, were N. 15 degrees W. and W. 35 degrees N. Baxter's +range was still visible in the distance, appearing low and wedge-shaped, +with the high end towards the east, at a bearing of N. 24 degrees E. +In the western extreme it bore N. 22 degrees E. Many other hills and +peaks were apparent in various directions, to all of which I took +angles, and then returned to the tent to observe the sun's meridian +altitude for latitude. By this observation, I made the latitude +33 degrees 11 minutes 12 seconds S.; but an altitude of Altair +at night only gave 33 degrees 10 minutes 6 seconds S.; probably +the mean of the two, or 33 degrees 10 minutes 39 seconds S., will be very +nearly the true position of the spring. From the summit of the hill I had +been upon, many native fires were visible in the scrub, in almost every +direction around. At one time I counted eleven different fires from the +smokes that were ascending, and some of which were very near us. Judging +from these facts, the natives appeared to be numerous in this part of the +country, and it would be necessary to be very cautious and vigilant after +the instance I had recently met with of their cunning and daring. + +September 24.--I still kept my party in camp to refresh the horses, and +occupied myself during the morning in preparing a sketch of my route to +the north, to send to the Governor from Port Lincoln. In the afternoon, I +searched for a line of road for our drays to pass, on the following day, +through the scrubby and sandy country, which still appeared to continue +in every direction. + +September 25.--Leaving Refuge Rocks, at a course of S. 37 degrees W., we +passed over a wretched country, consisting principally of heavy sandy +ridges, very densely covered with scrub, and giving our horses a severe +and fagging day's work to get the dray along for only twelve miles. I +then halted, as we were fortunate enough to find an opening in the scrub, +with good grass. Searching about our encampment, I found in a small +valley at one end of the little plain, a round hole, dug by the natives, +to catch the drainage from the slope above it. There were two or three +quarts of water in this hole when we discovered it; but by enlarging it, +we managed to fill a bucket once every hour from the water which drained +into it. This enabled us to save, to some extent, the water we had in our +casks, at the same time that all the horses had as much as they could +drink. I took angles from the camp to all the hills in sight, and at +night made the latitude of the tent 33 degrees 18 minutes 34 seconds S. +by an altitude of a Cygnus. + +September 26.--After travelling for thirteen miles at S. 40 degrees W., I +took a set of angles from a low scrubby hill, being the last opportunity +I should have of setting many of the heights, of which I had obtained +bearings from former camps. I then changed our course to S. 27 degrees W. +for five miles, and halted for the night where there was good grass. We +could find no water during the day; I had, consequently, to give the +horses some out of the casks. The country we traversed had altered +greatly in character, and though still heavy and sandy, it was a white +coarse gritty sand, instead of a fine red; and instead of the dense +cucalyptus scrub, we had now low heathy shrubs which did not present much +impediment to the progress of the dray, and many of which bore very +beautiful flowers. Granite was frequently met with during the day, but no +water could be found. Our latitude by an altitude of a Aquilae was 33 +degrees 30 minutes S. + +September 27.--Continuing our last night's course for about seven miles, +we passed through the densest scrub I had yet met with; fortunately, it +was not growing upon a sandy soil, and we got tolerably well through it, +but the horses suffered severely. Upon emerging from the brush, I noticed +a little green looking valley, about a mile off our track, and sent Mr. +Scott to see if there was water there. Upon his return, he reported that +there was, and I at once moved down to it, to rest the horses after the +toil of breaking through the scrub. The day was not far advanced when we +halted, and I was enabled to obtain the sun's altitude at noon, making +the latitude of the camp 33 degrees 34 minutes 25 seconds S. There was +good grass for the horses, and abundance of water left by the rains in +the hollows of a small watercourse, running between two scrubby ridges. + +September 28.--Making an early start, we crossed at four and a half +miles, a low scrubby range, and there found, upon the left of our track, +some very pretty grassy hills, and a valley lightly wooded with +casuarinae. Whilst I went on with the party, I detached Mr. Scott to see +if there was water at this little patch of good country, but he did not +find any. I am still of opinion, however, that if more time for +examination had been allowed, springs would have been discovered not far +away; as every thing looked so green and luxuriant, and formed so strong +a contrast to the country around. + +Pushing on steadify, we crossed over many undulations, coated on the +surface either with sand or breccia, and frequently having a good deal of +the eucalyptus scrub upon them, at eleven miles we passed a long grassy +plain in the scrub, and once or twice crossed small openings with a +little grass. For one of these we directed our course, late in the +evening, to encamp; upon reaching it, however, we were greatly +disappointed to find it covered only by prickly grass. I was therefore +obliged, after watering the horses from the casks, to send them a mile +and half back to some grass we had seen, and where they fared tolerably +well. Our day's journey had been long and fatiguing, through a barren, +heavy country. One mile before encamping, we crossed the bed of a salt +water channel, trending to the westward, which was probably connected +with the Lagoon Harbour of Flinders, as it appeared to receive the flood +tide. Our latitude was 33 degrees 50 minutes S. by observation of a +Aquilae. + +September 29.--Whilst the man was out looking for the horses, which had +strayed a little during the night, I took a set of angles to several +heights, visible from the camp; upon the man's return, he reported that +he had found some fresh water, but upon riding to the place, I. found it +was only a very small hole in a sheet of limestone rock, near the salt +watercourse, which did not contain above a pint or two. The natives, +however, appeared to come to this occasionally for their supply; similar +holes enabling them frequently to remain out in the low countries long +after the rain has fallen. After seeing the party move on, with the +native boy to act as guide through the scrub, I rode in advance to search +for water at the hill marked by Flinders as Bluff Mount, and named by +Colonel Gawler, Mount Hill. This isolated elevation rises abruptly from +the field of scrub, in the midst of which it is situated and is of +granite formation; nearly at its summit is an open grassy plain, which +was visible long before we reached it, and which leads directly over the +lowest or centre part of the range; water was found in the holes of rock +in the granite, and the grass around was very tolerable. Having +ascertained these particulars, I hurried back to the drays to conduct +them to a place of encampment. The road was very long and over a heavy +sandy country, for the most part densely covered with scrub, and it was +late, therefore, when we reached the hill. The horses, however, had good +feed and fair allowance of water, but of the latter they drank every drop +we could find. During our route to-day, I noticed some little distance to +the north-west of our track, a high scrubby range, having clear +grassy-looking openings at intervals. In this direction, it is probable +that a better line of road might be found than the one we had chosen. + +September 30.--After breakfast, I ascended to the summit of Mount Hill, +and took a set of angles; whilst the dray wound up the gap between it and +another low summit, with which it is connected. Upon descending the hill +on the opposite side, I was rejoiced to find two very large pools of +water in some granite rocks, one of them appearing to be of a permanent +character. Here I halted for an hour and a half, to give the horses a +little more water, and fill our casks again before we faced the scrubby +waste that was still seen ahead of us. I had been last night within fifty +yards of the pools that we now found, but had not discovered them, as the +evening was closing in at the time, and I was in great haste to return to +my party before dark. Leaving Mount Hill at the course of S. 27 degrees +W. we passed through a very dense scrub, the strongest, I think, we had +yet experienced; the drays were tearing down the brush with loud crashes, +at every step which the horses took, and I could only compare their +progress to the effect produced by the efforts of a clearing party, the +brush rapidly disappearing before the wheels, and leaving almost as open +a road as if it had been cut away by axes; the unfortunate animals, +however, had to bear the onus of all, and most severely were they +harassed before our short stage was over. At twelve miles we came to a +large rocky watercourse of brackish water, trending to the +east-north-east, through a narrow valley bounded by dense scrub. In this +we found pools of fresh water, and as there was good grass, I called a +halt about three in the afternoon. We were now able, for the first time +for several hundred miles, to enjoy the luxury of a swim, which we all +fully appreciated. In the afternoon Mr. Scott shot six ducks in the +pools, which furnished us with a most welcome addition to our very scanty +fare. For two days previous to this, we had been subsisting solely upon a +very limited allowance of dry bread, having only taken fourteen days +provisions with us from Baxter's range, which was nearly all expended, +whilst we were yet at least two days journey from Port Lincoln. At night +I observed the latitude of our camp, by alpha Aquilae 34 degrees +12 minutes 52 seconds S. by beta Leonis 34 degrees 12 minutes 35 seconds +S. and assumed the mean of the two, or 34 degrees 12 minutes 43 seconds as +the correct one. + +October 1.--Making an early start we passed at three miles the head of +the watercourse we had been encamped upon, and then ascended some scrubby +ranges, for about five miles further, when we entered into a narrow tract +of good grassy country, which at five miles brought us to Mr. Driver's +station; a Mr. Dutton was living at this place as Mr. Driver's manager, +and by him we were very hospitably received, and furnished with such +supplies as we required. + +[Note 11: In 1842, Mr. Dutton attempted to take some cattle overland, from +this station to the head of Spencer's Gulf; both he and his whole party +perished in the desert, (as supposed) from the want of water. In October +of that year, I was sent by Government to search for their remains, but +as it was the dry season, I could not follow up their tracks through the +arid country they had advanced into. The cattle returned.] + +It was a cattle station, and abounded with milk and butter, luxuries +which we all fully enjoyed after our long ramble in the wilds. Having +halted my party for the day, Mr. Scott and myself dined at Mr. Dutton's, +and learnt the most recent news from Adelaide and Port Lincoln. We had +much to hear and much to inquire about, for even in the few months of our +absence, it was to be presumed, that many changes would have taken place +in the fluctuating affairs of a new colony. Nor were our conjectures +wrong. + +That great reaction which was soon to convulse all the Australian +Colonies generally, to annihilate all mercantile credit, and render real +property comparatively valueless, had already commenced in South +Australia; failures, and rumours of failures, were of daily occurrence in +Adelaide, and even the little settlement of Port Lincoln had not escaped +the troubles of the times. I learnt with regret that it was rapidly +falling into decay, and its population diminishing. Many had already +deserted it, and amongst them I was surprised to hear of the departure of +Captain Porter and others, who were once the most enthusiastic admirers +and the staunchest supporters of this embryo town. That which however +affected me more particularly was the fear, that from the low and +impoverished state to which the place was now reduced, I should not be +able to obtain the supplies I required for my party, and should probably +have to delay until I could send over to Adelaide for what I wanted, even +supposing I was lucky enough to find a vessel to go across for me. In +walking round Mr. Dutton's farm I found he was ploughing up some land in +the valley for wheat, which appeared to be an excellent soil, and the +garden he had already commenced was looking promising. At night I +obtained the altitude of a Aquilae, by which I placed Mr. Driver's +station in 34 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds S. lat., or about 22 miles of +lat. north of Kirton Point. + +October 2.--Before leaving the station I purchased from Mr. Dutton a +little Timor pony for 25 pounds for one of the native boys to ride, to +replace in some measure the services of the animal I had been obliged to +have shot up to the north. The only objection to my new purchase was that +it was a little mare and already forward in foal. At Port Lincoln, +however, I was not likely to meet with any horses for sale, and did not +therefore deem it prudent to lose the only opportunity that might occur +of getting an animal of some kind. After quitting Mr. Dutton's, I +followed a dray road leading towards Port Lincoln. For the most part we +passed through green valleys with rich soil and luxuriant pasturage, but +occasionally intersected by poor sandy or gravelly soil of a saline +nature; the water was abundant from recent heavy rains, and some of the +pools fresh; others, however, were very brackish. The hills adjoining the +valley were grassy, and lightly wooded on their slopes facing the valley; +towards the summits they became scrubby, and beyond, the scrub almost +invariably made its appearance. Altogether we passed this day through a +considerable tract of country, containing much land that is well adapted +for sheep or cattle, and with a fair proportion suitable for agriculture. +It is by far the best portion of the available country in the Port +Lincoln peninsula, and I could not help regretting it should be so +limited in extent. I had now travelled all the three sides of the +triangle, and had obtained extensive views from various heights along +each of these lines of route; I had crossed from Port Lincoln to Streaky +Bay, from Streaky Bay to the head of Spencer's Gulf, and from the head of +Spencer's Gulf down to Port Lincoln again. In the course of these +journeys, I had spared no toil nor exertion, to make my examination as +complete and as useful as possible, though my labours were not rewarded +by commensurate success. The great mass of the peninsula is barren, arid, +and worthless; and although Port Lincoln possesses a beautiful, secure, +and capacious harbour, with a convenient and pretty site for a town, and +immediately contiguous to which there exists some extent of fine and +fertile soil, with several good grassy patches of country beyond; yet it +can never become a large or important place, in consequence of its +complete isolation, except by water, from every other, and the limited +nature of its own resources. + +For one or two large stock-holders, who wish to secure good grazing +ground, and be apart from others, it might answer well, but even they +would ordinarily labour under difficulties and disadvantages which would +make their situation not at all desirable. The uncertainty and expense of +procuring their supplies--of obtaining labour, and of finding a market +for their surplus stock [Note 12 at end of para.], and the almost total +impossibility of their being able to effect sales in the event of their +wishing to leave, would perhaps more than counterbalance the advantages of +having the country to themselves. Purchased in the days of wild and +foolish speculation, and when a rage existed for buying land and laying +out townships, no place has been more misrepresented or misunderstood than +Port Lincoln. Many gross and glaring misstatements have been put forth of +its character and capabilities, by those who were actuated by interested +motives, and many unintentional misrepresentations have been made and +perpetuated by others, whose judgment or information has led them into +error, so that the public generally, and especially the English public, +have had no means of discriminating between the widely conflicting +accounts that have been given. Amongst the persons from whom this small +settlement has suffered disparagement there are none, perhaps, more +blameable than those who have put forth statements which ascribe to it +advantages and qualities that it does not possess; for just in proportion +as the expectation of intending settlers have been raised by exaggeration +or untruths has been their disappointment and disgust, when the facts +themselves have stared them in the face. + +[Note 12: Pastoral settlers have left Port Lincoln in consequence of these +disadvantages--but it is possible that a comparatively large population +may locate there, hereafter, should mineral resources be found out. +Such discoveries are said to have been made, but Iam not aware upon whose +authority the report has become current.] + +The day of hallucination has now passed away, but out of the reaction +which has succeeded it, has arisen a disposition to deprive Port Lincoln +of even the merits to which it really has a legitimate claim, and which +would have been far more highly appreciated, if the previous +misstatements and consequent disappointments had not induced a feeling of +suspicion and distrust not easily effaced. + +Our stage to-day was twenty-five miles, over a pretty good road, which +brought us towards evening under the range contiguous to the township. In +one of the valleys leading from these hills on their west side we found a +small spring of good water, and as the grass around us was very abundant +and of the most luxuriant growth, I at once decided upon making this our +resting place, until I had completed my arrangements for procuring +supplies, and was again ready to move onwards. + +October 3.--Leaving our horses to enjoy the good quarters we had selected +for them, and a respite from their labours, Mr. Scott and I walked across +the range into Port Lincoln, not a little surprising the good people +there, who had not heard of our coming, and who imagined us to be many +hundreds of miles away to the north. Calling upon Dr. Harvey, the only +Government officer then at the settlement, I learnt with regret that it +was quite impossible for me to procure the supplies I required in the +town, whilst there were no vessels in the port, except foreign whalers, +who were neither likely to have, nor be willing to part with the things I +should require. What to do under such circumstances was rather a +difficult question, and my principal hope was that some small coasting +vessel might arrive in the course of a few days, or if not, I might try +to hire a whale boat from one of the whaling vessels, and send her on to +Adelaide. Dr. Harvey had a small open boat of four or five tons, but he +did not seem willing to let her go; and unless I could communicate with +Adelaide, flour was the only article I could procure, and that not from +the stores in the town, but from a small stock belonging to the +Government, which had been sent over to meet any emergency that might +arise in so isolated a place. This was placed under the charge of Dr. +Harvey, who, on behalf of the Government, kindly offered to let me have +what I required, on condition that I would replace the same quantity, by +the first opportunity. + +Having made arrangements for a supply of fresh meat and a few vegetables +during my stay, I walked out to examine the settlement. I found many neat +cottages and other improvements since I had been here in 1839; and there +were also a few gardens commenced, some of which were in a state of +cultivation and appeared to be doing well. The population, however, had +decreased, and many of the cottages were now unoccupied. Those who +remained were principally persons who had lost everything, and who could +not well get away, or who, on the other hand, had invested their property +in the place, and could not leave it except at the sacrifice of almost +everything they possessed. No one seemed to be doing well but the +inn-keeper, and he owed his success chiefly to the custom or traffic of +the foreign whalers who occasionally resorted here for refreshments. The +stockholders, living a few miles from town, who ought to have succeeded +the best, were getting dissatisfied at the many disadvantages which they +laboured under, and the smallness of the community around them, and every +thing wore a gloomy aspect. + +October 4.--After breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott, I went to Port +Lincoln to attend divine service; prayers were read by Dr. Harvey. The +congregation was small but respectable, and apparently devout. After +church, we accompanied Dr. Harvey home to dinner, and met the Captain and +Surgeon of one of the French whalers in port; both of whom appeared +intelligent, and superior to the class usually met with in such +employments. After dinner we all walked down to the lagoon, west of Port +Lincoln, where the land is of a rich black alluvial character, and well +adapted for cultivation. Returning by our tents, Dr. Harvey and the +Frenchmen took tea with us, and then returned to the settlement. In the +course of our walk this afternoon, Dr. Harvey offered to put a temporary +hatch over his boat, and send her to Adelaide for me for ten pounds, +which offer I at once accepted, and Mr. Scott volunteered to go in her as +supercargo. + +October 5.--To-day I employed myself in writing letters, whilst the dray +went to Port Lincoln for supplies. The few things I could get there were +very dear, meat 1s. per pound, potatoes 9d. per pound, salt butter 2s. +6d., a small bag, with a few old cabbage stumps, five or six shillings, +and other things in proportion. + +October 6.--Went to town, accompanied by Mr. Scott to inspect the +preparations of the little cutter he was to go to Adelaide in;--ordered +all our horses to be shod, and several spare sets of shoes to be made to +take up to the party at Streaky Bay. On our return we were accompanied by +Mr. Smith, who kindly went with Mr. Scott to the station of a Mr. Brown, +[Note 13: Since murdered by the natives.] about ten miles away, to select +sheep to take with us on our journey. Mr. Scott purchased twelve at +2 pounds each, and brought them to the station; they were not very large, +but were in fine condition. + + + + +Chapter IX. + + + +BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THE +ABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'S +RETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKY +BAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITH +BRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONY +COUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE-HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOAT +HARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULAR +SPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS. + + +October 6.--In the course of the afternoon I learnt that a little boy +about twelve years old, a son of Mr. Hawson's, had been speared on the +previous day by the natives, at a station about a mile and a half from my +tent. The poor little fellow had, it seems, been left alone at the +station, and the natives had come to the hut and speared him. The wounds +were of that fatal character, being from barbed spears which had remained +in the flesh, that no hopes could be entertained of his surviving their +removal. The following account of the occurrence is extracted from a +report, on the subject, to the Government by Dr. Harvey, the Colonial +Surgeon at Port Lincoln, who attended the boy in his last sufferings. + + +"The poor boy has borne this heavy affliction with the greatest +fortitude, assuring us "that he is not afraid to die." He says that on +Monday (5th), he was left in the station hut whilst his brother came into +town, and that about ten or eleven natives surrounded his hut, and wished +for something to eat. He gave them bread and rice--all he had, and as +they endeavoured to force themselves into his hut, he went out and +fastened the door, standing on the outside with his gun by his side and a +sword in his hand, which he held for the purpose of fighting them. He did +not make any signs of using them. One of the children gave him a spear to +throw, and while in the act of throwing it, he received the two spears in +his chest--he did not fall. He took up his gun and shot one of the +natives, who fell, but got up again and ran away; they all fled, but +returned and shewed signs of throwing another spear, when he lifted the +gun a second time, upon which they all made off. + +"He remained with the two spears, seven feet long, sticking in his +breast; he tried to cut and saw them without effect; he also tried to +walk home, but could not; he then sat upon the ground and put the ends of +the spears in the fire to try to burn them off, and in this position he +was found at ten o'clock at night, upon the return of his brother Edward +(having been speared eleven hours.) He immediately sawed the ends of the +spears off, and placed him on horseback, and brought him into town, when +I saw him. + +"Mr. Smith (with the police force) has gone in search of the natives, one +of whom can be identified as having thrown a spear at the boy, he having +a piece of red flannel tied round his beard. + +"This circumstance has thrown the settlement into great distress. The +German missionary, Rev. Mr. Schurman, has gone with Mr. Smith. I am told +that the natives have been fired at from some of the stations. I hope +this is not the case. The Rev. Mr. Schurman says that Mr. Edward Hawson +told him he shot after some a short time ago to frighten them, after they +had stolen something from the same hut where they speared his brother. +This is denied by the family, but I will ascertain the truth upon the +return of the party, Mr. E. Hawson having accompanied them." + + +The natives immediately disappeared from the vicinity of the settlement, +and were not heard of again for a long time. Such is the account of this +melancholy affair as given to Dr. Harvey by the boy, who, I believe, also +made depositions before a magistrate to the same effect. Supposing this +account to be true, and that the natives had not received any previous +provocation either from him or from any other settlers in the +neighbourhood, this would appear to be one of the most wanton, cold +blooded, and treacherous murders upon record, and a murder seemingly as +unprovoked as it was without object. Had the case been one in which the +European had been seen for the first time by the aboriginal inhabitants +of the country, it would have been neither surprising nor at variance +with what more civilised nations would probably have done under +circumstances of a similar nature. Could we imagine an extraordinary +looking being, whose presence and attributes were alike unknown to us, +and of a nature to excite our apprehensions, suddenly appearing in any +part of our own country, what would be the reception he would meet with +among ourselves, and especially if by locating himself in any particular +part of the country he prevented us from approaching those haunts to +which we had been accustomed from our infancy to resort, and which we +looked upon as sacred to ourselves? It is not asserting too much to say +that in such a case the country would be raised in a hue and cry, and the +intruder would meet with the fate that has sometimes befallen the +traveller or the colonist when trespassing upon the dominions of the +savage. + +In the present lamentable instance, however, the natives could not have +acted under the influence of an impulse like this. Here the Europeans had +been long located in the neighbourhood, they were known to, and had been +frequently visited by the Aborigines, and the intercourse between them +had in some instances at least been of a friendly character. What then +could have been the inducement to commit so cold and ruthless an act? or +what was the object to be attained by it? Without pausing to seek for +answers to these questions which, in the present case, it must be +difficult, if not impossible, to solve, it may be worth while to take a +view of the conduct of the Aborigines of Australia, generally, towards +the invaders and usurpers of their rights, setting aside altogether any +acts of violence or injury which they may have committed under the +influence of terror, naturally excited by the first presence of strangers +among them, and which arise from an impulse that is only shared by them +in common with mankind generally. I shall be borne out, I think, by facts +when I state that the Aborigines of this country have seldom been guilty +of wanton or unprovoked outrages, or committed acts of rapine or +bloodshed, without some strongly exciting cause, or under the influence +of feelings that would have weighed in the same degree with Europeans in +similar circumstances. The mere fact of such incentives not being clearly +apparent to us, or of our being unable to account for the sanguinary +feelings of natives in particular cases, by no means argues that +incentives do not exist, or that their feelings may not have been justly +excited. + +If we find the Aborigines of Australia ordinarily acting under the +influence of no worse motives or passions than usually actuate man in a +civilised state, we ought in fairness to suppose that sufficient +provocative for retaliation has been given in those few instances of +revenge, which, our imperfect knowledge of the circumstances attending +them does not enable us satisfactorily to account for. In considering +this question honestly, we must take into account many points that we too +often lose sight of altogether when discussing the conduct of the +natives, and more especially when we are doing so under the excitement +and irritation arising from recent hostilities. We should remember:-- + +First, That our being in their country at all is, so far as their ideas +of right and wrong are concerned, altogether an act of intrusion and +aggression. + +Secondly, That for a very long time they cannot comprehend our motives +for coming amongst them, or our object in remaining, and may very +naturally imagine that it can only be for the purpose of dispossessing +them. + +Thirdly, That our presence and settlement, in any particular locality, +do, in point of fact, actually dispossess the aboriginal inhabitants. +[Note 14: Vide, Notes on the Aborigines, chap. I.] + +Fourthly, That the localities selected by Europeans, as best adapted for +the purposes of cultivation, or of grazing, are those that would usually +be equally valued above others, by the natives themselves, as places of +resort, or districts in which they could most easily procure their food. +This would especially be the case in those parts of the country where +water was scarce, as the European always locates himself close to this +grand necessary of life. The injustice, therefore, of the white man's +intrusion upon the territory of the aboriginal inhabitant, is aggravated +greatly by his always occupying the best and most valuable portion of it. + +Fifthly, That as we ourselves have laws, customs, or prejudices, to which +we attach considerable importance, and the infringement of which we +consider either criminal or offensive, so have the natives theirs, +equally, perhaps, dear to them, but which, from our ignorance or +heedlessness, we may be continually violating, and can we wonder that +they should sometimes exact the penalty of infraction? do not we do the +same? or is ignorance a more valid excuse for civilized man than the +savage? + +Sixthly, What are the relations usually subsisting between the Aborigines +and settlers, locating in the more distant, and less populous parts of +the country: those who have placed themselves upon the outskirts of +civilization, and who, as they are in some measure beyond the protection +of the laws, are also free from their restraints? A settler going to +occupy a new station, removes, perhaps, beyond all other Europeans, +taking with him his flocks, and his herds, and his men, and locates +himself wherever he finds water, and a country adapted for his purposes. +At the first, possibly, he may see none of the inhabitants of the country +that he has thus unceremoniously taken possession of; naturally alarmed +at the inexplicable appearance, and daring intrusion of strangers, they +keep aloof, hoping, perhaps, but vainly, that the intruders may soon +retire. Days, weeks, or months pass away, and they see them still +remaining. Compelled at last, it may be by enemies without, by the want +of water in the remoter districts, by the desire to procure certain kinds +of food, which are peculiar to certain localities, and at particular +seasons of the year, or perhaps by a wish to revisit their country and +their homes, they return once more, cautiously and fearfully approaching +what is their own--the spot perhaps where they were born, the patrimony +that has descended to them through many generations;--and what is the +reception that is given them upon their own lands? often they are met by +repulsion, and sometimes by violence, and are compelled to retire again +to strange aud unsuitable localities. Passing over the fearful scenes of +horror and bloodshed, that have but too frequently been perpetrated in +all the Australian colonies upon the natives in the remoter districts, by +the most desperate and abandoned of our countrymen; and overlooking, +also, the recklessness that too generally pervades the shepherds and +stock-keepers of the interior, with regard to the coloured races, a +recklessness that leads them to think as little of firing at a black, as +at a bird, and which makes the number they have killed, or the atrocities +that have attended the deeds, a matter for a tale, a jest or boast at +their pothouse revelries; overlooking these, let us suppose that the +settler is actuated by no bad intentions, and that he is sincerely +anxious to avoid any collision with the natives, or not to do them any +injury, yet under these even comparatively favourable circumstances, what +frequently is the result? The settler finds himself almost alone in the +wilds, with but few men around him, and these, principally occupied in +attending to stock, are dispersed over a considerable extent of country; +he finds himself cut off from assistance, or resources of any kind, +whilst he has heard fearful accounts of the ferocity, or the treachery of +the savage; he therefore comes to the conclusion, that it will be less +trouble, and annoyance, and risk, to keep the natives away from his +station altogether; and as soon as they make their appearance, they are +roughly waved away from their own possessions: should they hesitate, or +appear unwilling to depart, threats are made use of, weapons perhaps +produced, and a show, at least, is made of an offensive character, even +if no stronger measures be resorted to. What must be the natural +impression produced upon the mind of the natives by treatment like this? +Can it engender feelings otherwise than of a hostile and vindictive kind; +or can we wonder that he should take the first opportunity of venting +those feelings upon his aggressor? + +But let us go even a little further, and suppose the case of a settler, +who, actuated by no selfish motives, and blinded by no fears, does not +discourage or repel the natives upon their first approach; suppose that +he treats them with kindness and consideration (and there are happily +many such settlers in Australia), what recompense can he make them for +the injury he has done, by dispossessing them of their lands, by +occupying their waters, and by depriving them of their supply of food? He +neither does nor can replace the loss. They are sometimes allowed, it is +true, to frequent again the localities they once called their own, but +these are now shorn of the attractions which they formerly +possessed--they are no longer of any value to them--and where are they to +procure the food that the wild animals once supplied them with so +abundantly? In the place of the kangaroo, the emu, and the wallabie, they +now see only the flocks and herds of the strangers, and nothing is left +to them but the prospect of dreary banishment, or a life of misery and +privation. Can it then be a matter of wonder, that under such +circumstances as these, and whilst those who dispossessed them, are +revelling in plenty near them, they should sometimes be tempted to +appropriate a portion of the superabundance they see around them, and rob +those who had first robbed them? The only wonder is, that such acts of +reprisal are so seldom committed. Where is the European nation, that thus +situated, and finding themselves, as is often the case with the natives, +numerically and physically stronger than their oppressors, would be +guilty of so little retaliation, of so few excesses? The eye of +compassion, or of philanthropy, will easily discover the anomalous and +unfavourable position of the Aborigines of our colonies, when brought +into contact with the European settlers. They are strangers in their own +land, and possess no longer the usual means of procuring their daily +subsistence; hungry, and famished, they wander about begging among the +scattered stations, where they are treated with a familiarity by the men +living at them, which makes them become familiar in turn, until, at last, +getting impatient and troublesome, they are roughly repulsed, and +feelings of resentment and revenge are kindled. This, I am persuaded, is +the cause and origin of many of the affrays with the natives, which are +apparently inexplicable to us. Nor ought we to wonder, that a slight +insult, or a trifling injury, should sometimes hurry them to an act +apparently not warranted by the provocation. Who can tell how long their +feelings had been rankling in their bosoms; how long, or how much they +had borne; a single drop will make the cup run over, when filled up to +the brim; a single spark will ignite the mine, that, by its explosion, +will scatter destruction around it; and may not one foolish indiscretion, +one thoughtless act of contumely or wrong, arouse to vengeance the +passions that have long been burning, though concealed? With the same +dispositions and tempers as ourselves, they are subject to the same +impulses and infirmities. Little accustomed to restrain their feelings, +it is natural, that when goaded beyond endurance, the effect should be +violent, and fatal to those who roused them;--the smothered fire but +bursts out the stronger from having been pent up; and the rankling +passions are but fanned into wilder fury, from having been repressed. + +Seventhly, There are also other considerations to be taken into the +account, when we form our opinion of the character and conduct of the +natives, to which we do not frequently allow their due weight and +importance, but which will fully account for aggressions having been +committed by natives upon unoffending individuals, and even sometimes +upon those who have treated them kindly. First, that the native considers +it a virtue to revenge an injury. Secondly, if he cannot revenge it upon +the actual individual who injured him, he thinks that the offence is +equally expiated if he can do so upon any other of the same race; he does +not look upon it as the offence of an individual, but as an act of war on +the part of the nation, and he takes the first opportunity of making a +reprisal upon any one of the enemy who may happen to fall in his way; no +matter whether that person injured him or not, or whether he knew of the +offence having been committed, or the war declared. And is not the custom +of civilized powers very similar to this? Admitting that civilization, +and refinement, have modified the horrors of such a system, the principle +is still the same. This is the principle that invariably guides the +native in his relations with other native tribes around him, and it is +generally the same that he acts upon in his intercourse with us. Shall we +then arrogate to ourselves the sole power of acting unjustly, or of +judging of what is expedient? And are we to make no allowance for the +standard of right by which the native is guided in the system of policy +he may adopt? Weighing candidly, then, the points to which reference has +been made, can we wonder, that in the outskirts of the colony, where the +intercourse between the native and the European has been but limited, and +where that intercourse has, perhaps, only generated a mutual distrust; +where the objects, the intentions, or the motives of the white man, can +neither be known nor understood, and where the natural inference from his +acts cannot be favourable, can we wonder, that under such circumstances, +and acting from the impression of some wrong, real or imagined, or goaded +on by hunger, which the white man's presence prevents him from appeasing, +the native should sometimes be tempted to acts of violence or robbery? He +is only doing what his habits and ideas have taught him to think +commendable. He is doing what men in a more civilized state would have +done under the same circumstances, what they daily do under the sanction +of the law of nations--a law that provides not for the safety, +privileges, and protection of the Aborigines, and owners of the soil, but +which merely lays down rules for the direction of the privileged robber +in the distribution of the booty of any newly discovered country. With +reference to the particular case in question, the murder of Master +Hawson, it appears from Dr. Harvey's report (already quoted), that in +addition to any incentives, such as I have described, as likely to arise +in the minds of the natives, there had been the still greater provocation +of their having been fired at, but a short time previously, from the same +station, and by the murdered boy's brother. We may well pause, therefore, +ere we hastily condemn, or unjustly punish, in cases where the +circumstances connected with their occurrence, can only be brought before +us in a partial and imperfect manner. + +The 7th was spent in preparing my despatches for Adelaide. On the 8th I +sent in a dray to Port Lincoln, with Mr. Scott's luggage, and those +things that were to be sent to Adelaide, comprising all the specimens of +geology and botany we had collected, a rough chart of our route, and the +despatches and letters which I had written. The boat was not ready at the +time appointed, and Mr. Scott returned to the tents. In the evening, +however, he again went to the settlement, and about ten, P.M., he, and +the man who was to manage the boat, went on board to sail for Adelaide. I +had been taken very ill during the day, and was unable to accompany him +to the place of embarkation. The following is a copy of my despatch to +the Governor, and to the Chairman of the Northern Expedition Committee, +embodying my reasons for going to the westward. + + +"Port Lincoln, October, 1840. + +"Sir,--Having fallen back upon Port Lincoln for supplies, an opportunity +has occurred to me of writing a brief and hurried report of our +proceedings. I have, therefore, the honour to acquaint you, for the +information of His Excellency, the Governor, and the colonists interested +in the Northern Expedition, with the result of my examination of the +country north of Spencer's Gulf, and of the further steps I contemplate +taking to endeavour to carry out the wishes of the Committee, and +accomplish the object for which the expedition was fitted out. + +"Upon leaving our depot, near Mount Arden, the low, arid, and sandy +nature of the country between the hills and Lake Torrens, compelled us to +follow close under the continuation of Flinders range. Here our progress +was necessarily very slow, from the rugged nature of the country, the +scarcity of water, and the great difficulty both of finding and obtaining +access to it. As we advanced, the hills inclined considerably to the +eastward, gradually becoming less elevated, until, in latitude 29 degrees +20 minutes S., they ceased altogether, and we found ourselves in a very +low and level country, consisting of large stony plains, varied +occasionally by sand; and the whole having evidently been subject to +recent and extensive inundation. These plains are destitute of water, +grass, and timber, and have only a few salsolaceous plants growing upon +them; whilst their surface, whether stony or sandy, is quite smooth and +even, as if washed so by the action of the water. Throughout this level +tract of country were interspersed, in various directions, many small +flat-topped elevations, varying in height from 50 to 300 feet, and almost +invariably exhibiting precipitous banks. These elevations are composed +almost wholly of a chalky substance, coated over on the upper surface by +stones, or a sandy soil, and present the appearance of having formed a +table land that has been washed to pieces by the violent action of water, +and of which these fragments now only remain. Upon forcing a way through +this dreary region, in three different directions, I found that the whole +of the low country round the termination of Flinders range, was +completely surrounded by Lake Torrens, which, commencing not far from the +head of Spencer's Gulf, takes a circuitous course of fully 400 miles, of +an apparent breadth of from twenty to thirty miles, following the sweep +of Flinders range, and almost encircling it in the form of a horse shoe. + +"The greater part of the vast area contained in the bed of this immense +lake, is certainly dry on the surface, and consists of a mixture of sand +and mud, of so soft and yielding a character, as to render perfectly +ineffective all attempts either to cross it, or reach the edge of the +water, which appears to exist at a distance of some miles from the outer +margin. On one occasion only was I able to taste of its waters; in a +small arm of the lake near the most north-westerly part of it, which I +visited, and here the water was as salt as the sea. The lake on its +eastern and southern sides, is bounded by a high sandy ridge, with +salsolae and some brushwood growing upon it, but without any other +vegetation. The other shores presented, as far as I could judge, a very +similar appearance; and when I ascended several of the heights in +Flinders range--from which the views were very extensive, and the +opposite shores of the lake seemed to be distinctly visible--no rise or +hill of any kind could ever be perceived, either to the west, the north, +on the east; the whole region around appeared to be one vast, low, and +dreary waste. One very high and prominent summit in this range, I have +named Mount Serle; it is situated in 30 degrees 30 minutes south +latitude, and about 139 degrees 10 minutes east longitude, and is the +first point from which I obtained a view of Lake Torrens to the eastward +of Flinders range, and discovered that I was hemmed in on every side by a +barrier it was impossible to pass. I had now no alternative left me, but +to conduct my party back to Mount Arden, and then decide what steps I +should adopt to carry out the objects of the expedition. It was evident, +that to avoid Lake Torrens, and the low desert by which it is surrounded, +I must go very far either to the east or to the west before again +attempting to penetrate to the north. + +"My party had already been upwards of three months absent from Adelaide, +and our provisions were too much reduced to admit of our renewing the +expedition in either direction, without first obtaining additional +supplies. The two following were therefore the only plans which appeared +feasible to me, or likely to promote the intentions of the colonists, and +effect the examination of the northern interior:-- + +"First--To move my party to the southward, to endeavour to procure +supplies from the nearest stations north of Adelaide, and then, by +crossing to the Darling, to trace that river up until I found high land +leading to the north-west. + +"Secondly--To cross over to Streaky Bay, send from thence to Port Lincoln +for supplies, and then follow the line of coast to the westward, until I +met with a tract of country practicable to the north. To the first of +these plans were many objections; amongst the principal ones, were, the +very unfavourable accounts given both by Captain Sturt, and Major +Mitchell, of the country to the west of the Darling River--the fact of +Captain Sturt's having found the waters of that river salt during a +continued ride of many days--the numerous tribes of natives likely to be +met with, and the very small party I should have with me; lastly, the +course of the river itself, which trending so much to the eastward, would +take us from, rather than towards the centre of this Continent. On the +other hand, by crossing to the westward, I should have to encounter a +country which I knew to be all but destitute of water, and to consist, +for a very great distance, of barren sandy ridges and low lands, covered +by an almost impenetrable scrub, at a season, too, when but little rain +could be expected, and the heat would, in all probability, be intense; +still, of the two, the latter appeared to me the least objectionable, as +we should at least be going towards the point we wished to reach, and +through a country as yet quite unknown. + +"After mature and anxious consideration, therefore, I decided upon +adopting it, hoping that my decision may meet with the approbation of the +Committee. + +"Previous to our arrival at Mount Arden, we experienced very showery +weather for some days, (otherwise we could not have attempted a passage +to the westward); and as there were no longer any apprehensions of water +being found on the route to Streaky Bay, I sent two of my teams across +upon our old tracks, in charge of my overseer, whilst I conducted the +third myself, in company with Mr. Scott, direct to Port Lincoln, to +procure the supplies we required. In crossing from Mount Arden, towards +Port Lincoln, we travelled generally through a low barren country, +densely covered by brush, among which were scattered, at considerable +intervals, a few small patches of grass, with here and there some rocky +elevations; in the latter, we were usually able to procure water for +ourselves and horses, until we arrived at the districts already explored, +in traversing which we passed (to the N. E. of Port Lincoln) some rich, +well watered valleys, bounded by a considerable extent of grassy hills, +well adopted for sheep or cattle, arriving at Port Lincoln on the 3rd of +October. As a line of route from Adelaide for the emigration of stock, +the course we followed, though it cannot be called a good one, is +perfectly practicable in the winter season; and I have no doubt, when the +country becomes better known, the present track might be considerably +improved upon, and both grass and water obtained in greater abundance. + +"I regret extremely to acquaint you, that on the morning of the 9th +September, one of the police horses (called "Grey Paddy") kindly lent to +the Expedition by His Excellency the Governor, was found with his leg +broken, apparently from the kick of another horse during the night, and I +was obliged to order him to be shot in consequence. With this exception, +no serious accident has occurred, and the whole of the party are in the +enjoyment of good health and spirits. As the Expedition will still be +absent, in all probability, upwards of five months, I have availed myself +of a kind offer from Dr. Harvey, to send his boat over to Adelaide, and +have sent Mr. Scott to receive any instructions his Excellency the +Governor, or the Committee, may wish to give relative to our future +proceedings; and immediately Mr. S. returns, I shall hurry up to Streaky +Bay with the supplies, and at once move on to the westward, my overseer +being now engaged in preparing for our forcing a passage through the +scrub, to the north-west of Streaky Bay, as soon as we arrive there with +the remainder of the party. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, +"Your obedient servant, +"EDW. JOHN EYRE." + +"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + + +From the 9th to the 22nd of October, I was occupied a good deal at the +camp, having only one man and a native boy to attend to the tent, the +horses and the sheep, so that I was in a great measure confined at home, +occasionally only making short excursions to the town to superintend the +preparation of a large supply of horse-shoes, or visiting the stations of +some of the nearest country settlers. I had lately bought a kangaroo dog, +from the captain of an American whaler, and in these rambles had frequent +opportunities of trying my new purchase, both after emus and kangaroos, +but he was quite useless for hunting either, and did little credit to the +honesty of the person who sold him to me, and who had asked and received +a high price, in consideration of the animal being, as he assured me, of +a better description than ordinary. Of the natives of the district I saw +nothing whatever; the death of young Hawson, and the subsequent scouring +of the country by police, had driven them away from the occupied parts, +and forced them to the fastnesses of the hills, or to the scrubs; I was, +however, enabled by the kindness of Mr. Schurman, a German Missionary, +stationed at Port Lincoln, to obtain a limited collection of words and +phrases in the dialect of the district, and which I hoped might be of +some use to me hereafter. Mr. Schurman has since published a copious +vocabulary and grammar, of the language in use in this part of Australia. + +On the 22nd, upon going into the settlement, I found the Government +cutter WATERWITCH at anchor in the harbour, having Mr. Scott on board, +and a most abundant supply of stores and provisions, liberally sent us by +his Excellency the Governor, who had also most kindly placed the cutter +at my disposal, to accompany and co-operate with me along the coast to +the westward. + +Mr. Scott had managed every thing confided to him most admirably; and I +felt very greatly indebted to him for the ready and enterprising manner +in which he had volunteered, to undertake a voyage from Port Lincoln to +Adelaide in a small open boat, and the successful manner in which he had +accomplished it. Among other commissions, I had requested him to bring me +another man to accompany the expedition in the place of the one (R. +M'Robert) who had driven the dray to Port Lincoln, and with whom I was +going to part; as also to bring for me a native, named Wylie, an +aborigine, from King George's Sound, whom I had taken with me to Adelaide +on my return in May last, but who had been too ill to accompany me at the +time the expedition started; the latter he had not been able to +accomplish, as the boy was in the country when he reached Adelaide, and +there was not time to get him down before the WATERWITCH sailed. The man, +however, he had procured, and I was glad to recognize in him an old +servant, who had been with me in several of my former expeditions, and +who was a most excellent carter and tent servant. His name was Thomas +Costelow. + +Having received large packets of papers and many letters, both from +relations in England, and from many warm-hearted friends in Adelaide, I +returned with Mr. Scott and Costelow to the tent, to make immediate +preparations for our departure. The delay, occasioned by my having been +obliged to send to Adelaide for our supplies, had so greatly protracted +the period of my absence from the rest of my party, beyond what I had +anticipated, that I became most anxious to rejoin them: the summer +weather too, was rapidly approaching, and I dreaded the task of forcing a +way through the low level scrubby waste, around Streaky and Smoky Bays, +under a tropical sun. + +From the despatches received, I was glad to find that the Governor and +the Colonists had approved of the step I had taken, in moving to the +westward, which was gratifying and satisfactory, notwithstanding the +disappointments I had experienced. In the course of the day, I sent in a +dray to Port Lincoln, with our heavy baggage to put on board the cutter, +with orders to Mr. Germain the master, to sail immediately for Streaky +Bay, and lose no time in communicating with the party there. Before the +cutter sailed, I purchased an excellent little boat to be sent with her +for use in our coast or inland explorations, should it be found +necessary. + +October 23.--The blacksmith not having finished all the shoes, I was +compelled to remain another day in camp; the man too, who had been left +in charge of the sheep had lost them all; whilst the one, therefore, was +finishing his work and the other looking for his sheep, I employed myself +in writing letters for Adelaide, and in arranging my business in Port +Lincoln, etc. + +October 24.--Having struck the tent, and loaded the dray, Mr. Scott and I +rode into town to breakfast with Dr. Harvey, and take leave of our Port +Lincoln friends. After transacting business matters, I settled with the +man who was going to leave me, deducting the price of the sheep which by +his carelessness he had lost, and which had not been recovered; I then +paid Dr. Harvey for the hire of his boat, etc. and in arranging for it, he +generously refused to receive more than 5 pounds as his boat had not been +used in the return voyage from Adelaide. He also most kindly supplied us +with some few small things, which we yet required, and was altogether +most attentive and courteous. + +Upon returning to our camp, I moved on the party, delighted once more +with the prospect of being actively employed. Whilst I conducted the +dray, I sent Mr. Scott round by Mr. Brown's station, to buy eleven more +sheep in the place of those M'Robert had lost, and at night he rejoined +us with them near Mr. White's station, about ten miles from Port Lincoln; +it was late before the sheep came, and the yard to put them in was made, +and as there were so few of them, they were a good deal alarmed and would +not go into the yard, rushing about violently, breaking away every time +we drove them near it; at last we got ten safely housed, and were obliged +to put up with the loss of the eleventh, the night being quite dark. + +Mr. White and Mr. Poole visited us from their station, and I tried to +purchase from the former a noble dog that he possessed, of the mastiff +breed, but could not prevail upon him to part with it. + +On the 25th I detained the party in camp, that I might get our sheep +shorn, and send to Port Lincoln to inquire if there were any more letters +for me by Dr. Harvey's little boat, which was expected to arrive to-day. +Mr. Scott, who rode into the settlement, returned in the afternoon. + +October 26.--Sending the dray on under the guidance of the native boy, I +rode with Mr. Scott up to Mr. White's station to wish him good bye, and +to make another effort to secure an additional dog or two; finding that +he would not sell the noble mastiff I so much wished to have, I bought +from him two good kangaroo dogs, at rather a high price, with which I +hastened on after the drays, and soon overtook them, but not before my +new dogs had secured two fine kangaroos. For the first few miles we +crossed a low flat country, which afterwards became undulating and +covered with dwarf scrub, after this we passed over barren ridges for +about three miles, with quartz lying exposed on the surface and timbered +by the bastard gum or forest casuarinae. We then descended to a level +sandy region, clothed with small brush, and having very many salt lakes +scattered over its surface; around the hollows in which these waters were +collected, and occasionally around basins that were now dry, we found +large trees of the gum, together with a few casuarinae. A very similar +kind of low country appeared to extend far to the eastward and +north-west. + +Kangaroos were very numerous, especially near those hollows, that were +surrounded by gum-trees, to which they retired for shelter during the +heat of the day. We encamped at night in the midst of many of these salt +lakes, without any water, but the grass was good. Our stage had been 25 +miles upon a course of N. 25 degrees W. After watching the horses for a +few hours, we tied them up for the night, not daring to trust them loose +without water. A few natives had been seen during the day, but they ran +away. + +A singular feature attending the salt lakes, or the hollows where water +had formerly lodged, was the existence of innumerable small stones, +resembling biscuits or cakes in shape, perfectly circular and flat, but a +little convexed in the upper surface, they were of various sizes, and +appeared to consist of lime, being formed into their present shape by the +action of water. Very similar ones have since been found in the volcanic +region near Mount Gambier, on the southern coast of New Holland. From our +present camp were seen before us to the north-west some low green looking +ranges, lightly timbered, and promising a better country than we had +hitherto met with. + +October 27.--Having arrived at the hills, in about three miles, we found +them abundantly grassed, but very rugged and rocky, of an oolitic +limestone formation, with occasionally a light reddish soil covering the +rock in the flats and valleys. Between these ranges and the sea, which +was about a mile beyond them, were rather high sand hills, having a few +stunted trees growing upon them, but otherwise destitute of vegetation. +No water could be found, nor were there any watercourses from the hills, +where we examined them. + +Keeping under the east side of the ranges for a few miles, we crossed the +main ridge to the westward, and after a stage of about thirteen miles, +halted under a high hill, which I named Mount Hope, in my former journey. +In a gorge of the range where the granite cropped out among the +limestone, we found a spring of beautiful water, and encamped for the +day. Mr. Scott and one of the native boys shot several pigeons, which +came to the spring to drink in the evening in great numbers. In the +meantime I had ascended the hill for a view, and to take angles. At a +bearing of W. S. W. I set Point Drummond only a few miles distant from +the camp, and between it and a bearing of S. W. was a considerable salt +water lagoon on the eastern side of the sand hills of the coast; the +surrounding country was low, level and scrubby. To the westward a great +extent of dense scrub was visible, amid which were one or two elevations; +and a salt lake, at a bearing of S. 60 degrees E. I made the latitude of +this camp 34 degrees 7 minutes 16 seconds S. and the variation of the +compass 4 degrees 10 minutes E. + +October 28.--Travelling onwards for four miles, we passed a fine spring, +situated in a swamp to our left, and at two more we came to a sheet of +water, named Lake Hamilton, [Note 15: After my friend George Hamilton, +Esq.] a large and apparently deep lake, with but a few hundred yards +of a steep high bank, intervening between it and the sea; the +latter was rapidly encroaching upon this barrier, and would probably +in the course of a few years more force a way through, and lay +under water a considerable extent of low country in that vicinity. Around +the margin of the lake was abundance of good grass, but the bank between +it and the sea was high and very rocky. + +After leaving the lake we entered upon a succession of low grassy hills +but most dreadfully stony, and at night encamped upon a swamp, after a +stage of about sixteen miles. Here we procured abundance of good water by +digging through the limestone crust, near the surface. The country around +was still of the same character as before, but amidst the never-ceasing +strata of limestone which everywhere protruded, were innumerable large +wombat holes--yet strange to say not one of these was tenanted. The whole +fraternity of these animals appeared to have been cut off altogether in +some unaccountable manner, or to have migrated simultaneously to some +other part. No emus or kangaroos were to be seen anywhere, and the whole +region around wore a singularly wild and deserted aspect. + +October 29.--Our route was again over low stony hills, but with rather +better valleys between them; this kind of country appeared to extend from +five to twelve miles inland from the coast, and then commenced the low +level waste of barren scrubby land, which we so constantly saw to the +eastward of us. + +I had intended to make a short stage to-day to a spring, situated in the +midst of a swamp, in latitude 33 degrees 46 minutes 35 seconds S., but +having kept rather too far away from the coast, I missed it, and had to +push on for twenty-three miles to a rich and very pretty valley, under a +grassy range, lightly wooded with casuarinae. The soil was somewhat +sandy, but clothed with vegetation; in holes in the rocks we procured +abundance of water from a little valley near our camp, and in a swamp +about a mile and a half north-east was a spring. Our stage was a long +one, and the day being excessively hot, our horses, sheep, and dogs were +nearly all knocked up. Of the latter two were unfortunately missing when +we arrived at our halting ground; one came up afterwards, but the other +could nowhere be found, though both had been seen not two miles away. The +missing dog [Note 16 at end of para.], was the best of the two which I had +purchased of Mr. White, and I felt sorry for a loss which it would be +impossible for me to replace. Many native fires were seen to-day, and +especially in the direction of a high bare-looking detached range to the +north-east, named by me from its shape, Mount Wedge; none of these people +were, however, seen, but a fire still burning was found where we encamped +for the night. + +[Note 16: Upon returning to Adelaide in 1841, I learnt that the dog had +gone back all the way to Mr. White's station, and as Mr. White wished to +keep the animal, he returned the money he had received at his sale.] + +On the 30th we remained stationary to rest the horses, and to try and +recover the lost dog, but after a long and fruitless search, we were +obliged to give up the attempt. + +On the 31st, after crossing a ridge under which we were encamped, we +passed through a very pretty grassy and park-like country, and what was +very unusual, not stony on the surface. There were in places a great many +wombat holes, but these were now all occupied by their tenants, and the +whole aspect of the country was more encouraging and cheerful; the extent +of good country was, however, very limited. Towards the coast was a low +scrubby-looking region with salt lakes, and to the east it was bounded by +a dense brush, beyond which were extensive plains of a barren and scrubby +appearance. In the midst of these plains were large fields of a coarse +wiry-kind of grass, growing in enormous tufts, five or six feet high, and +indicating the places where swamps exist in wet seasons; these were now +quite dry, but we had always found the same coarse-tufted grass growing +around the margins of the salt lakes, and in those places also where we +had found water. This description of country seemed to extend to the base +of Wedge Hill, which I intended to have ascended, but the weather was too +cloudy to obtain a view from it. The character of the country to the +north and north-east was equally low and unpromising, with the exception +of two peaks seen at considerable distances apart. + +Our stage to-day was sixteen miles to Lake Newland, [Note 17: Named after +my friend R. F. Newland, Esq.] a large salt-water lake, with numerous +fine and strong springs of excellent water, bubbling up almost +in the midst of the salt. In one place one of these springs was +surrounded by a narrow strip of soil, and the stream emanating from it +took its winding course through the skirts of the salt-water lake itself, +inclosed by a very narrow bank of earth, on either side; this slight +barrier being the only division between the salt and the fresh water. +From the abundance of fresh water at Lake Newland, and the many patches +of tolerably grassy country around, a very fair station might be formed, +either for sheep or cattle. + +November 1.--Leaving Lake Newland we passed through a scrubby country, +which extended close under the coast hummocks for five miles, and then +ascended a high barren range. The view from this was extensive, but only +over a mass of low and desolate scrub, with the exception of one or two +elevations to the north and north-east. Towards the coast, amidst the +waste around, was a large sheet of salt water, with here and there a few +openings near it, studded with casuarinae, to this we bent our steps, and +at twelve miles from our last night's camp took up our position in lat. +33 degrees 14 minutes 36 seconds S. upon the lagoon seen by Flinders from +the masthead. + +The traces of natives and their beaten pathways were here very numerous +(of the latter of which there could not be less than thirty) all leading +to a large deep hole, sunk about eight feet, principally through a soft +limestone rock. This was carefully blocked up with large stones and mud, +but upon clearing it out the water came bubbling up rapidly, and we got +an abundant supply. The entrance from seawards to the sheet of water, or +lagoon, is between two heads, (one of them being a high bluff) little +more than a mile apart. There appeared to be a reef off the entrance +outside, but our being without a boat prevented us from ascertaining how +far this inlet was adapted for a harbour. Inside, the water is shallow +towards the south, but deeper in the northern half of the inlet. + +November 2.--Tracing round the shores, we passed several other holes dug +by the natives in the sand, to procure water; these, however, did not +appear of so permanent a character as the first, for many had fallen in, +and others contained but very little water. The huts of the natives were +numerous, and of a large and substantial description; but we saw none of +their owners. + +After leaving the inlet we pushed on through the scrub to a high bluff of +granitic formation, distant about sixteen miles N. 35 degrees W., and +named by me Mount Hall. [Note 18: After G. Hall, Esq. the Governor's +Private Secretary.] The road being very heavy, it was late when we arrived +there, and both our horses and sheep were much fatigued. We got a +little water from holes in the sheets of granite, and had very good +grass in an opening under the hill. + +From the summit of Mount Hall the view was extensive, and I obtained many +angles. The surrounding country was low, level, and barren, and densely +covered with scrub, among which, to the north-west were seen many +salt-water lakes. At intervals a few elevations were seen amidst this low +waste, apparently similar to the hill we were upon, among them were one +or two very distant at a little N. of E., and nearer, one at E. 16 +degrees N.; the latter I named Mount Cooper. [Note 19: After Charles +Cooper, Esq. the Judge of the colony.] At a bearing of S. 35 degrees W. +another saltwater inlet was seen apparently communicating with the sea; +but this we could not satisfactorily ascertain from its great +distance. The latitude of Mount Hall, deduced from observations of a +Lyrae and a Aquilae, was 33 degrees 2 minutes 40 seconds S. Several +native fires were seen to the east and south-east in the scrub. + +November 3.--After seeing the party ready tomove on, I left Mr. Scott to +conduct the dray, whilst I rode forward in advance to the depot near +Streaky Bay, where I arrived early in the afternoon, and was delighted to +find the party all well, and everything going on prosperously. They had +expected me some time before and were looking out very anxiously for my +arrival. The WATERWITCH had arrived on the 29th of October, but the +master did not communicate with my party before the 31st; so that until +the last three days they had been quite ignorant of our movements, and +uneasy at our so greatly exceeding the time originally fixed for +rejoining them. Having sent back a man, and two fresh and strong horses +to assist the dray, I reconnoitred once more our depot of 1839. Situated +in the middle of some extensive grassy openings among the scrub, is a +solid sheet of limestone of a very hard texture: in the centre of this +rock is a small oblong opening, a foot deep and only just large enough to +admit of a pint pot being dipped in it. This curious little hole +contained water from five to seven inches in depth, the level of which +was maintained as rapidly as a person could bale it out; this was our +sole supply for ourselves and horses, but it was a never-failing one. + +[Note 20: The water had not a pleasant flavour, as it was of a chalybeate +nature; but in a country where water was scarce, it was invaluable. When I +was here in 1839, it had even then this disagreeable taste, but now it was +much worse, in consequence, probably, of the contaminating substance +being washed off more abundantly than formerly from the rocks enclosing +the reservoir by the rapid flow of water necessary to replace the large +consumption of my party.] + +The spring is situated in latitude 32 degrees 49 minutes 0 seconds S. and +about three miles south-east from the most southerly bight of Streaky +Bay. About one mile and a half to the west is another small hole of +better flavoured water, but not so abundant in its supply. + +I found all the horses in excellent condition, and one, a very fine mare +of my own, had foaled about six weeks before. Around the camp were +immense piles of oyster shells, pretty plainly indicating the feasting my +men had enjoyed during my absence, whilst their strong and healthy +appearance shewed how well such fare had agreed with them. The oysters +were procured from the most southerly bight of Streaky Bay, on some mud +banks about two or three hundred yards below low water mark, where they +are found in immense numbers and of different sizes. The flavour of these +oysters was excellent, and the smaller ones were of great delicacy. The +men were in the habit of taking a cart down to the beach frequently, +where, by wading up to their knees in the sea at low water, they were +enabled to fill it. This supply lasted for two or three days. + +Many drays might easily be loaded, one after the other, from these oyster +beds. The natives of the district do not appear to eat them, for I never +could find a single shell at any of their encampments. It is difficult to +account for the taste or prejudice of the native, which guides him in his +selection or rejection of particular kinds of food. What is eaten readily +by the natives in one part of Australia is left untouched by them in +another, thus the oyster is eaten at Sydney, and I believe King George's +Sound, but not at Streaky Bay. The unio or freshwater muscle is eaten in +great numbers by all the natives of New South Wales and South Australia; +but Captain Grey found that a Perth native, who accompanied him on one of +his expeditions, would not touch this kind of food even when almost +starving. Snakes are eaten by some tribes, but not by others; and so with +many other kinds of food which they make use of. + +About three o'clock, Mr. Scott arrived with the dray, after a long and +harassing stage of twenty miles over a low, stony, and scrubby tract of +country, between Mount Hall and Streaky Bay, and which extended beyond +our track to the coast hummocks to the west. These latter appeared +somewhat high, and under them we had seen many salt-water lakes from the +summit of Mount Hall. + +My party were now once more all assembled together, after having been +separated for nearly seven weeks; during which, neither division knew +what had befallen the other, and both were necessarily anxious to be +reunited again, since, in the event of any mischance occurring to either, +the other would have been placed in circumstances of much difficulty, if +not of danger; and the whole object of the undertaking would have been +frustrated. + +The great delay caused by my having been obliged to send over from Port +Lincoln to Adelaide for supplies, had thrown us very late in the season; +the summer was rapidly advancing, the weather even now, being frequently +intensely hot, whilst the grass was gradually drying up and losing its +nourishment. Our sending to Adelaide had, however, obtained for us the +valuable services of the WATERWITCH to assist us in tracing round the +desert line of coast to the north-west, and had enabled us to procure a +larger and more varied supply of stores, than we could possibly have +brought up from Port Lincoln in a single dray. We were now amply +furnished with conveniences of every kind; and both men and horses were +in good plight and ready to enter upon the task before them. + + + + +Chapter X. + + + +COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBY +CHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALT +LAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER HILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVE +VIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE. + + +During the time that I had been occupied in conducting my division of the +party from Baxter's Range to Port Lincoln, the overseer had been engaged +in guiding the other portion across to Streaky Bay, upon my former track +from thence to Mount Arden, in September 1839. The following brief +extracts from my Journal of that period, whilst crossing from Streaky Bay +to Mount Arden, will convey an idea of the character of the country +extending between these two points; and of the great difficulty, indeed +almost the impossibility of forcing a passage, except immediately after +the occurrence of heavy rains. + +1839, Sept. 18.--We left the depot near Streaky Bay, at a course nearly +due east, and passing through alternations of brush and of open grassy +plains, upon the skirts of which grew a few casuarinae; halted after a +stage of eighteen miles, at an opening in the brush, where we had good +grass, but no water; we were consequently obliged to watch the horses +during the night, to prevent their straying. From this camp Mount Hall +bore S. 2 degrees E. and Mount Cooper S. E. the variation of the compass +being 2 degrees 22 minutes E. + +September 19.--Travelling east through the same kind of country for +fifteen miles, we halted upon a high scrubby ridge; having a few grassy +openings at intervals, and with large sheets of granite exposed in some +parts of its surface. In the holes among these rocks we procured a supply +of water that had been deposited by the late rains; but which a few warm +days would have dried up. The latitude of the water was 32 degrees 48 +minutes S. and from it Mount Hall bore S. 38 degrees W., Mount Cooper S. +15 degrees W. Before us to the north-east were visible many peaks of a +range, with a high and broken outline, which I named the Gawler range, +after His Excellency Colonel Gawler, the Governor of South Australia. One +very high peak in this range I named Mount Sturt, after my friend Captain +Sturt; it bore from our present camp E. 10 degrees N. and had been +previously seen from the summit of Mount Hall. + +September 20.--Our route to-day was through a perfect desert, very +scrubby and stony, with much prickly grass growing upon the sand ridges, +which alternated with the hard limestone flats; there were very few clear +intervals of country upon our whole course; and for the last five miles +the heavy sand and dense scrub made it very difficult to get on at all. +After a long stage of twenty-five miles nearly due east, we halted at a +high ridge similar to that upon which we encamped last night, with sheets +of granite exposed on its surface, and rain water lodged in the hollows. +The horses were all completely knocked up with the severe labour of this +day's stage; I ascertained the latitude of the camp to be 32 degrees 47 +minutes 40 seconds S. and the variation of the compass which increased as +we advanced to the eastward, was now 4 degrees 12 minutes E. The Gawler +range was now distinctly visible, extending from N. 15 degrees W. to N. +65 degrees E. and presenting the broken and picturesque outline of a vast +mountain mass rising abruptly out of the low scrubby country around. The +principal elevations in this extensive range, could not be less than two +thousand feet; and they appeared to increase in height as the range +trended to the north-west. To the eastward the ranges decreased somewhat +in elevation, but were still very lofty. + +September 21.--We had another long stage to-day of twenty miles, over, if +possible, a worse road than yesterday, no intermission whatever of the +heavy steep sandy ridges and dense eucalyptus scrub; the horses were +dreadfully jaded, and we were obliged to relieve them by yoking up all +the riding horses that would draw. Even with this aid we did not get the +journey over until an hour and a half after dark. During the day our +course had been more to the northward of east, and brought us close under +the Gawler range. At fourteen miles after starting, we passed a salt lake +on our right, and several salt ponds on our left; but we could find no +permanent fresh water anywhere. In the rocks of the range we had encamped +under, we procured a small quantity left by the rains, but this supply +was rapidly disappearing under the rays of a very hot sun, and had we +been a few days later, we could not have crossed at all. The latitude of +our camp was 32 degrees 41 minutes 40 seconds S. + +September 22.--This morning I ascended one of the heights in the Gawler +range, from which the view is extensive to the southward, over a +generally low level country, with occasional elevations at intervals; to +the north the view is obstructed by the Gawler range, consisting +apparently of a succession of detached ridges high and rocky, and +entirely of a porphoritic granite lying in huge bare masses upon the +surface. The hills [Note 21 at end of para.] were without either timber or +shrubs, and very barren, with their front slopes exceedingly steep, and +covered by small loose stones; several salt lakes were seen in various +directions, but no indications of fresh water or springs. + +[Note 21: Peron's description of the mountains on the South-western coast, +is singularly applicable to the Gawler range--He says, Tom. III. p. 233. +"Sur ces montagnes pelees on ne voit pas un arbre, pas un arbriseau, pas +un arbuste; rien, en un mot, qui puisse faire souponner l'existence de +queque terre vegetale. La durete du roc paroit braver ici tous les +efforts de la nature, et resister a ces memes moyens de decomposition qu' +elle emploie ailleurs avec tant de succes."] + +It was late before the party moved on to-day, but the road was somewhat +better, and there were many intervals of open grassy plains under the +hills along which we travelled, at a course of E. 17 degrees N. for +twenty-five miles. Encamping at night with tolerable grass, but without +water. There had been a considerable pool of rain water here a few days +ago, but it was now nearly dried up by the sun, and I was obliged to +order the horses to be watched during the night. + +To-day I found a most splendid creeping plant in flower, growing in +between the ranges, it was quite new to me, and very beautiful; the leaf +was like that of the vetch but larger, the flower bright scarlet, with a +rich purple centre, shaped like a half globe with the convex side +outwards; it was winged, and something like a sweet pea in shape, the +flowers hung pendent upon long slender stalks, very similar to those of +sweet peas, and in the greatest profusion; altogether it was one of the +prettiest and richest looking flowers I have seen in Australia. + +September 23.--Moving on over a firm road, but with much scrub and +prickly grass, we travelled for fifteen miles under the hills at a course +of E. 20 degrees N., encamping early in the afternoon close under them, +and procuring a little water left in the hollows by the rains. I ascended +another of the heights in the Gawler range to-day, but could obtain no +clear view from it, the weather being hazy. Ridge behind ridge still +appeared to rise to the north, beyond the front one under which we were +travelling; and several salt lakes were seen among the hills at +intervals. The rock of which the hills were composed was now changed from +a porphoritic granite to a reddish quartz, which was scattered all over +the front hills in loose small fragments. The latitude of our camp was 32 +degrees 30 minutes 35 seconds S. + +September 24.--Our road was firmer to-day, over a red gritty soil of +sandy loam and gravel. The hills were still covered with quartz, but +decreasing perceptibly in elevation as we advanced to the east. At about +eight miles we were lucky enough to find a puddle of rain water, and at +once halted for the day to rest and refresh the horses. Having ascended a +high peak near the camp, I found I was surrounded by a mass of hills on +every side; they gradually increased in elevation as they stretched to +the northwest, becoming lower at a bearing of north, and quite detached +to the north-east; resembling so many islands in the level waste around +them. + +September 25.--Moving from our camp early we had an excellent road, and +travelled rapidly for about twenty miles, nearly due east, halting for +the night under a high red hill, where we found some rain water for our +horses; but the grass was very scarce. After dinner I ascended the hill +near the camp and obtained a distant view of Mount Brown, and the range +on the east side of Spencer's Gulf. To the north was one vast sea of +level scrub, and in the midst of it a lake; but seemingly of no very +great size. A few elevations were seen to the south-east, of all of which +I took bearings, and then descended to the camp again. The bearing of +Mount Brown, from this hill, was E. 10 degrees S.; and the latitude of +the camp, under the hill, was 30 degrees 27 minutes 55 seconds S. + +September 26.--Passing up a barren valley between low hills, we had at +first a good road, but afterwards it became very stony. We encamped +early, after a short stage of fifteen miles, having gradually left most +of the hills to the north of us. One that we were encamped under I +ascended, and had a very extensive view, and took many angles. A large +lake (named Lake Gilles) [Note 22: After the first Colonial Treasurer of +the province.] bore nearly due south, and was the same that had been +seen from Baxter's range; the latter was now distinctly visible +at a bearing of E. 20 degrees S. The latitude of our camp was 32 degrees +35 minutes 58 seconds S. There was barely enough rain water found to +supply our horses, but the feed was tolerably good. + +September 27.--We had a very bad stony road to-day, consisting +principally of quartz and iron-stone, of which the ranges had latterly +been entirely composed. Our stage was sixteen miles, passing round the +south end of Baxter's range, and encamping under it, on the eastern +front, upon a gorge, in which was plenty of water and good grass. We had +thus, by taking advantage of the rains that had fallen, been enabled to +force a passage from Streaky Bay to Spencer's Gulf; but we had done so +with much difficulty, and had we been but a few days later, we should +have failed altogether, for though travelling for a great part of the +distance under very high rocky ranges, we never found a drop of permanent +fresh-water nor a single spring near them. There are no watercourses, and +no timber; all is barren rocky and naked in the extreme. The waters that +collected after rains, lodged in the basins of small lakes; but such was +the nature of the soil that these were invariably salt. + +It was through this dreary region I had left my overseer to take his +division of the party when we separated at Baxter's range; but I confided +the task to him with confidence. Rain had at that time fallen very +abundantly; he had already been over the road with me before, and knew +all the places where water or grass was likely to be found; and our +former dray tracks of 1839, which were still distinctly visible, would be +a sufficient guide to prevent his getting off the line of route. The +skill, judgment, and success with which the overseer conducted the task +assigned to him, fully justified the confidence I reposed in him; and +upon my rejoining the party at Streaky Bay, after an absence of seven +weeks, I was much gratified to find that neither the men, animals, or +equipment, were in the least degree the worse for their passage through +the desert. + + + + +Chapter XI. + + + +EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUE--POINT +BROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FOR +WATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'S +NEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORE +NATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBY +COUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORE +NATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVES +LEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. + + +November 4.--To-DAY the party were occupied in sorting and packing +stores, which I intended to send on board the WATERWITCH to Fowler's Bay, +that by lightening the loads upon the drays, we might the more easily +force a passage through the dense scrub which I knew we had to pass +before we reached that point. In the afternoon the men were engaged in +shearing the remainder of our sheep, washing their own clothes and +preparing everything for breaking up the camp, whilst I rode down to +Streaky Bay, and went on board the cutter to give orders relative to the +reception of our stores tomorrow. + +The harbour of Streaky Bay is extensive, but generally open to the +westward. In its most southerly bight, however, is a secure well +sheltered bay, for vessels of moderate draught of water; being protected +by a long sandy shoal which must be rounded before a vessel can enter. + +[Note 23: A plan of this harbour was made by Mr. Cannan, one of the +Government assistant surveyors of South Australia, when sent by the +Government in a cutter to meet my party with provisions in 1839.] + +November 5.--To-day we were engaged in carting down the stores and a +supply of water to the cutter, which we got safely on board, when I gave +written instructions to the master to sail at once, and land a cask of +water, a little higher up the bay, for the use of the horses. In the +evening the drays were loaded and all got ready for our departure +to-morrow. + +November 6.--Having had the horses watched last night we were enabled to +move away early, and about noon arrived at the place I had appointed Mr. +Germain to land the cask of water: it was all ready, and we watered the +horses, took luncheon and moved on again, directing Mr. Germain to +proceed to Smoky Bay, and land water for us again there. The country we +passed through to-day was low, level, and sandy, and covered with prickly +grass, with a few tea-tree swamps, but no fresh water. The shore of +Streaky Bay on its western side was bounded by high steep sandy hummocks, +behind which we travelled, and at night halted on the borders of a dense +scrub, nearly opposite the middle of the bay, after a stage of about +eighteen miles. Our vicinity to the sea enabled Mr. Scott, myself, and +the native boys to enjoy a swim, a luxury highly appreciated by a +traveller after a day's hard work, amidst heat and dust, and one which I +anticipated we should frequently obtain in our course to the westward. + +November 7.--Breakfasted before daylight, and moved on with the earliest +dawn to encounter a scrub which I knew to be of heavier timber, and +growing more closely together than any we had yet attempted. It consisted +of Eucalyptus dumosa and the salt-water tea-tree, (the latter of a very +large growth and very dense,) in a heavy sandy soil. + +By keeping the axes constantly at work in advance of the drays, we +succeeded in slowly forcing a passage through this dreadful country, +emerging in about seventeen miles at an open plain behind Point Brown, +and in the midst of which was a well of water. The entrance to this well +was by a circular opening, through a solid sheet of limestone, about +fifteen inches in diameter, but enlarging a little about a foot below the +surface. The water was at a depth of ten feet, and so choked up with sand +and dirt that we were obliged to clear the hole out effectually before we +could get any for the horses. This was both a difficult and an unpleasant +occupation, as the man engaged in it had to lower himself through the +very narrow aperture at the top and work in a very cramped position +amongst the dirt and wet below, with the mud dripping upon him; it was +drawn up in a bag, for a bucket could not be used in so contracted a +space. As a spade could not be employed a large shell left by the natives +was used for scooping up the dirt, which made the operation both slow and +tiresome. Our horses were dreadfully fagged and very thirsty after the +severe toil they had endured in dragging the drays through so heavy a +scrub, but with all our exertions we could only obtain from the spring +about two buckets of water apiece for them. As this was not nearly enough +to satisfy them, I was obliged to have them watched for the night to +prevent their straying. The men had been kept incessantly at work from +five in the morning until nearly ten at night, and the additional duty of +watching the horses bore very hard upon them; but they knew it to be +necessary, and did it cheerfully. + +We had passed during our route through one or two of the small grassy +openings so constantly met with even in the densest scrubs, and, as +usual, I noticed upon these plains the remains of former scrub, where the +trees were apparently of a larger growth than those now existing around. +The soil too, from a loose sand, had become firmer and more united, and +wherever the scrub had disappeared its place had been supplied by grass. +This strongly confirmed my opinion, long ago formed, that those vast +level wastes in Australia, now covered with low scrub, (and formerly, I +imagine, the bed of the ocean,) are gradually undergoing a process of +amelioration which may one day fit them for the purposes of pasture or +agriculture. The smoke of many native fires was seen during the day +behind and around us, but we did not fall in with any of the natives. + +November 8.--Having given each of the horses a bucket of water from the +well, we moved on again through the same dense scrub we had encountered +yesterday, but, if possible, more harassing, from the increased steepness +of the sandy ridges and the quantity of dead timber lying on the surface, +and causing a great impediment to our progress. We forced our way through +this worse than desert region, for about fourteen miles, and arrived +early in the afternoon, with our horses quite exhausted, upon the shores +of Smoky Bay, at a point where the natives had dug a hole in the sand +hills near the beach to procure water, and from which the south end of +the island of St. Peter bore W. 15 degrees S. + +The WATERWITCH was already here, and supplied us with a cask of water, +until the men had dined and rested a little, before entering upon the +task of digging for water, which proved to be a most arduous undertaking, +and occupied us all the afternoon. We had to sink through a loose sand +for fifteen feet, which from its nature, added to the effect of a strong +wind that was blowing at the time, drifted in almost as fast as it was +thrown out. We were consequently obliged to make a very large opening +before we could get at the water at all; it was then very abundant, but +dreadfully salt, being little better than the sea water itself; the +horses and sheep however drank it greedily, as we had been able to give +them but little of that received from the vessel. + +November 9.--Upon mustering the horses this morning I found they were +looking so exhausted and jaded after the hard toil they had gone through +in the last three days, that I could not venture to put them to work +again to-day. I was consequently obliged to remain in camp, to rest both +them and the men, all of whom were much fatigued. The well in the sand +was even salter to-day than we had found it yesterday, and was quite +unserviceable; the men had sunk the hole rather too deep, that they might +get the water in greater abundance; but when the tide rose it flowed in +under the sand and spoiled the whole. As the water, even at the best, had +been so salt that we could not use it ourselves, and as it was far from +being wholesome for the horses, I did not think it worth while to give +the men the fatigue of digging another hole. I therefore put both horses +and men upon a limited allowance, and got a cask containing sixty gallons +from the cutter for our day's supply. I also took the opportunity of +again lightening our loads by sending on board some more of the baggage +and the light cart. This, by decreasing the number of our teams, would, I +thought, enable me to change the horses occasionally in the others, and +give me an extra man to assist in clearing a road through the scrub, +Having completed my arrangements, I sent on the WATERWITCH to the +north-east part of Denial Bay, to land water there, as I did not expect +to get any until our arrival at Point Peter. Mr. Scott accompanied the +cutter, having expressed a wish to take a trip in her for a few days. + +During the forenoon we were visited by a party of natives, who came to +get water at the hole in the sand. They were not much alarmed, and soon +became very friendly, remaining near us all night; from them I learned +that there was no water inland, and none along the coast for two days' +journey, after which we should come to plenty, at a place called by them +"Beelimah Gaip-pe;." Their language was nearly the same as that of Port +Lincoln, intermixed with a few words in use at King George's Sound, +and I now regretted greatly that I had not the Western Australian native +with me. + +I found a most singular custom prevailing among the natives of this part +of the country, which I had never found to exist anywhere else (except at +Port Lincoln), and the origin of which it would be most difficult to +account for. In various parts of Australia some of the tribes practise +the rite of circumcision, whilst others do not; but in the Port Lincoln +peninsula, and along the coast to the westward, the natives not only are +circumcised, but have in addition another most extraordinary ceremonial. +[Note 24: Finditus usque ad urethram a parte infera penis.] Among the party +of natives at the camp I examined many, and all had been operated upon. +The ceremony with them seemed to have taken place between the ages +of twelve and fourteen years, for several of the boys of that age +had recently undergone the operation, the wounds being still fresh +and inflamed. This extraordinary and inexplicable custom must have a +great tendency to prevent the rapid increase of the population; and its +adoption may perhaps be a wise ordination of Providence, for that +purpose, in a country of so desert and arid a character as that which +these people occupy. + +November 10.--Getting the party away about five o'clock this morning, I +persuaded one of the natives, named "Wilguldy," an intelligent cheerful +old man, to accompany us as a guide, and as an inducement, had him +mounted on a horse, to the great admiration and envy of his fellows, all +of whom followed us on foot, keeping up in a line with the dray through +the scrub, and procuring their food as they went along, which consisted +of snakes, lizards, guanas, bandicoots, rats, wallabies, etc. etc. and it +was surprising to see the apparent ease with which, in merely walking +across the country, they each procured an abundant supply for the day. + +In one place in the scrub we came to a large circular mound of sand, +about two feet high, and several yards in circumference; this they +immediately began to explore, carefully throwing away the sand with their +hands from the centre, until they had worked down to a deep narrow hole, +round the sides of which, and embedded in the sand, were four fine large +eggs of a delicate pink colour, and fully the size of a goose egg. I had +often seen these hills before, but did not know that they were nests, and +that they contained so valuable a prize to a traveller in the desert. The +eggs were presented to me by the natives, and when cooked were of a very +rich and delicate flavour. The nest was that of a wild pheasant, +(Leipoa), a bird of the size of a hen pheasant of England, and greatly +resembling it in appearance and plumage; these birds are very cautious +and shy, and run rapidly through the underwood, rarely flying unless when +closely pursued. The shell of the egg is thin and fragile, and the young +are hatched entirely by the heat of the sun, scratching their way out as +soon as they are born, at which time they are able to shift for +themselves. [Note 25: For a further account of the LEIPOA, vide +CHAPTER III. of Notes on the Aborigines.] + +Our road to-day was through a heavy sandy country, covered for the most +part densely with the eucalyptus and tea-tree. About eleven we struck the +south-east corner of Denial Bay, and proceeded on to the north-east, +where I had appointed the cutter to meet me. To my surprise she was not +to be seen anywhere, and I began to get anxious about our supply of water +for the horses, as we were entirely dependant upon her for it. In the +afternoon I observed the vessel rounding into the south-east bight of the +bay, and was obliged to send my overseer on horseback a long ride round +the bay, to tell the master to send us water to the place of our +encampment. He had been to the island of St. Peter yesterday looking for +birds' eggs, and having neglected to take advantage of a fair wind, was +not now able to get the cutter up to us. The water had consequently to be +brought in the boat a distance of eight miles through a heavy sea, and at +considerable risk. Mr. Scott, who came with the master in the boat, +returned on board again in the evening. Our stage to-day had been +eighteen miles, and the horses were both tired and thirsty. The small +supply of water brought us in the boat being insufficient for them, we +again were obliged to watch them at night. + +November 11.--Guided by our friend "Wilguldy," we cut off all the corners +and bends of the coast, and steering straight for "Beelimah Gaippe," +arrived there about noon, after a stage of twelve miles; the road +was harder and more open, but still in places we had to pass +through a very dense brush. The water to which the native took us was +procured by digging about four feet deep, in a swamp behind the coast +hummocks, which were here high and bare, and composed of white sand. The +water was abundant and good, and the grass tolerable, so that I +determined to remain a day to rest and recruit the horses; it was so +rarely that we had the opportunity of procuring both grass and water. The +dogs killed a kangaroo, which enabled us to give our guide an abundant +feast of food, to which he had been accustomed; but to do the old man +justice, I must say he was not very scrupulous about his diet, for he ate +readily of any thing that we offered him. + +After we had encamped some more natives came up and joined us from the +vicinity of Point Peter, which lay a few miles to the east of us; they +were known to those who had accompanied us, and were very friendly and +well conducted. To many inquiries about water inland, they all assured me +that there was none to be found in that direction; but said that there +was water further along the coast called "Berinyana gaippe," and only one +day's journey from our present encampment. + +November 12.--I sent the overseer this morning to communicate with the +cutter, and to request the master to fill up as much water as he could, +preparatory to our moving onwards to Fowler's Bay. In the evening the +overseer returned, accompanied by Mr. Scott, to acquaint me that the +water near Point Peter was a considerable distance from the vessel; and +that it would be impracticable to fill up all the casks, with no other +means than they had at command. + +I took the sun's altitude, at noon, for latitude; but the day was windy, +and the mercury shook so much that I could not depend upon the +observation within three or four miles. It gave nearly 32 degrees 10 +seconds S. which I thought too much to the northward. The sun set by +compass W. 24 1/2 degrees S. + +November 13.--Guided by the natives, we moved onward through a densely +scrubby country, and were again obliged to keep the men with axes +constantly at work, in advance of the drays to clear the road. Our +progress was necessarily slow, and the work very harassing to the horses; +fortunately the stage was not a very long one, and in fourteen miles we +reached "Berinyana gaippe," a small hole dug by the natives, amongst +the sand hummocks of the coast, a little north of Point Bell. +By enlarging this a little, we procured water in great abundance +and of excellent quality. Our course had been generally west by south; +and from our camp, the eastern extreme of Point Bell, bore S. 28 degrees +W., and the centre of the "Purdies Islands" E. 49 degrees S. + +November 14.--Upon moving on this morning, we were obliged to keep more +to the north to avoid some salt lakes and low swamps near the coast. The +natives still accompanied us through a very sandy and scrubby country to +a watering place among some sand hills, which they called +"Wademar gaippe." Here we encamped early, after a stage of ten miles, +and were enabled to procure abundance of good water, at a depth of about +four feet below the surface. + +There was a large sheet of salt water near our camp which seemed to be an +inlet of the sea, and after a hasty dinner I walked down to examine it. +The water generally appeared shallow, but in some places it was very +deep; after tracing it for five miles, and going round one end of it, I +found no junction with the sea, though the fragments of shells and other +marine remains, clearly shewed that there must have been a junction at no +very remote period. The sand hummocks between the lake and the sea being +very high, I ascended them to take bearings, and then returning to the +lake halted, with the black boy who had accompanied me, to bathe, and +rest ourselves. The weather was most intensely hot, and our walk had been +long and fatiguing, amongst sand hills under a noonday sun. We fully +appreciated the luxury of a swim, and especially as we were lucky enough +to find a hole of fresh water on the edge of the lake, to slake our +parching thirst. Ducks, teal, and pigeons were numerous, and the recent +traces of natives apparent everywhere. It was after sunset when we +returned, tired and weary, to our camp. + +November 15.--In the morning we started as early as possible to get the +stage over before the great heat of the day came on, still accompanied +and guided by the friendly natives, who took us through the best and most +open line of country. At six miles we entered a very dense scrub, leaving +to the north of us, several patches of open plains; to the north-east +were seen the smokes of several fires. The natives had told us that there +was water out in that direction, at a short day's journey; but, as they +did not wish us to go to it, I inferred that they thought there was not +enough to satisfy our party, having now frequently seen how great was the +supply we required at each encampment. I was myself of the opinion that a +hole probably existed to the north-east similar to the one we had found +in the plains behind Point Brown, where the access is difficult, and the +quantity procurable at any one time not very great. The scrub we had +traversed to-day was principally of salt-water tea-tree, growing upon a +succession of steep sandy ridges, which presented a formidable barrier to +the progress of the drays; the distance to be accomplished was not above +fourteen miles; but so difficult was the nature of the country, and so +oppressive the heat, that, notwithstanding our very early start, it was +four o'clock in the afternoon before we arrived at the place of +destination, which was called by the natives, "Mobeela gaippe." +The horses and men were greatly fatigued, but for the latter, +the labours of the day were far from being over, for, upon arriving +at the place where the water was to be procured, I found that +the holes, sunk by the natives, were through ridges of a loose sand to a +depth of fourteen or fifteen feet, at the bottom of which, water was +obtained in very small quantities. There were several of these holes +still open, and the traces of many others in every direction around, +which had either fallen in or been filled up by the drifting of the sand. +These singular wells, although sunk through a loose sand to a depth of +fourteen or fifteen feet, were only about two feet in diameter at the +bore, quite circular, carried straight down, and the work beautifully +executed. To get at the water, the natives placed a long pole against one +side of the well, ascending and descending by it to avoid friction +against the sides, which would have inevitably sent the sand tumbling in +upon them. We, however, who were so much clumsier in all our movements, +could not make use of the same expedient, nor indeed, would the size of +the wells, made by the natives, have enabled us even with their +assistance, to get out a moderate supply for the horses. It became +necessary, therefore, to open a new well, of much larger dimensions, a +task of no easy kind in so loose a sand. + +Having put the overseer and men to their arduous employment, I ascended +the highest of the sand hills, and took a set of angles, among which +Point Fowler bore W. 16 degrees S. and Point Bell, E. 40 degrees S. + +A small lake was visible at W. 40 degrees N. The country still looked +very cheerless in every direction, and no signs of improvement appeared +to relieve the dreary scene around, or to lead me to hope for better +country beyond. + +Upon rejoining the well diggers, I found after great exertions they had +thrown out an immense quantity of sand, and made a large and commodious +well, and were just going to commence watering the horses; at this +juncture and before a single bucket of water could be taken out, the sand +slipped, and the sides of the well tumbled in, nearly burving alive the +man who was at the bottom. The labour of two hours was lost, and tired as +they were, the men had to begin their work afresh. It was eight at night +before the well was cleared out again sufficiently to enable us to water +the horses, for almost as fast as the sand was thrown out other sand fell +in; by nine the whole of them had received two buckets of water each, +when the sides of the well again shot in, and we were obliged to give up +our digging operations altogether, as the men were completely exhausted; +to relieve them Mr. Scott and I watched the horses during the night. + +November 16.--Intending to remain in camp to-day, I set the men to clear +out the well once more. It was a tedious and laborious task, in +consequence of the banks of sand falling in so repeatedly, and +frustrating all their efforts, but at last by sinking a large cask bored +full of auger holes we contrived about one o'clock, to get all the horses +and sheep watered; in the evening, however, the whole again fell in, and +we gave up, in despair, the hopeless attempt to procure any further +supply of water, under such discouraging circumstances. + +For some days past, we had been travelling through a country in which the +Mesembryanthemum grows in the greatest abundance, it was in full fruit, +and constituted a favourite and important article of food among the +native population; all our party partook of it freely, and found it both +a wholesome and an agreeable addition to their fare; when ripe, the fruit +is rich, juicy, and sweet, of about the size of a gooseberry. In hot +weather it is most grateful and refreshing. I had often tasted this fruit +before, but never until now liked it; in fact, I never in any other part +of Australia, saw it growing in such abundance, or in so great +perfection, as along the western coast. During our stay in camp a native +had been sent out to call some of the other natives, and towards evening +a good many came up, and were all regularly introduced to us by +'Wilguldy' and the others, who had been with us so long; I gave them a +feast of rice which they appeared to enjoy greatly. Our more immediate +friends and guides had learnt to drink tea, and eat meat and damper, with +which we supplied them liberally, in return for the valuable services +they rendered us. + +November 17.--Moving on early, we were guided by the natives for about +twelve miles, round the head of Fowler's Bay, crossing through a very +sandy, scrubby, and hilly country, and encamping at a water hole, dug +between the sandy ridges, about two o'clock in the day. I had ridden a +little in advance of the party, and arriving at the water first, +surprised some women and children encamped there, and very busily engaged +in roasting snakes and lizards over a fire. They were much afraid and ran +away on seeing me, leaving their food upon the embers, this our friendly +guides unceremoniously seized upon and devoured, as soon as they came up +with the drays. These few women were the first we had seen for some time, +as the men appeared to keep them studiously out of our way, and it struck +me that this might be in consequence of the conduct of the whalers or +sealers with whom they might have come in contact on the coast. Old +Wilguldy, however, appeared to be less scrupulous on this point, and +frequently made very significant offers on the subject. + +Soon after we had encamped several natives came up and joined those with +us. They were exceedingly polite and orderly--indeed the best conducted, +most obliging natives I ever met with--never troubling or importuning for +any thing, and not crowding around in that unmannerly disagreeable +manner, which savages frequently adopt--nor did I ever find any of them +guilty of theft; on the contrary, several times when we had left some +article behind, they called to us, and pointed it out. To them we were +indebted for the facilities we had enjoyed in obtaining water; for +without their guidance, we could never have removed from any encampment +without previously ascertaining where the next water could be procured; +and to have done this would have caused us great delay, and much +additional toil. By having them with us we were enabled to move with +confidence and celerity; and in following their guidance we knew that we +were taking that line of route which was the shortest, and the best +practicable under the circumstances. Upon arriving at any of the watering +places to which they had conducted us, they always pointed out the water, +and gave it up to us entirely, no longer looking upon it as their own, +and literally not taking a drink from it themselves when thirsty, without +first asking permission from us. Surely this true politeness--this +genuine hospitality of the untutored savage, may well put to the blush, +for their exclusiveness and illiberality, his more civilised brethren. In +how strong a light does such simple kindness of the inhabitant of the +wilds to Europeans travelling through his country (when his fears are not +excited or his prejudices violated,) stand contrasted with the treatment +he experiences from them when they occupy his country, and dispossess him +of his all. + +There were now a considerable number of natives with us, all of whom had +been subjected to the singular ceremony before described. Those we had +recently met with, had, in addition, a curious brand, or mark on the +stomach, extending above and below the navel, and produced by the +application of fire. I had previously noticed a similar mark in use among +one or two tribes high up on the Murray River, (South Australia,) and +which is there called "Renditch." At the latter place, however, the brand +was on the breast, here it was on the stomach. I have never been able to +account in any way for the origin or meaning of this mark; but it is +doubtless used as a feature of distinction, or else why should it only be +found in one or two tribes and so far apart, had it been accidental or +arisen from lying near or upon the fires in cold weather, every +individual of certain tribes would not have been affected, and some +individuals of every tribe would: now, the first, as far as my experience +enabled me to judge, is the case; but the latter most assuredly is not. +Both at the Murray, and near Fowler's Bay, the natives always told me, +that the marks were made by fire, though how, or for what purpose, I +could never learn at either place. + +November 18.--Our horses being all knocked up, and many of them having +their shoulders severely galled by the racking motion of the drays +winding up and down the heavy sandy ridges, or in and out of the dense +scrubs, I determined to remain for some time in depot to recover them, +whilst I reconnoitred the country to the west, as far as the head of the +great Australian Bight. To leave my party in the best position I could, I +sent the overseer round Point Fowler to see if there was any better place +for the horses in that direction, and to communicate with the master of +the WATERWITCH on the subject of landing our stores. Upon the overseer's +return, he reported that there was fresh water under Point Fowler, but +very little grass; that he had not been able to communicate with the +cutter, the wind being unfavourable and violent, and the cutter's boat on +board, but they had noticed him, and shewn their colours; he said, +moreover, that the vessel was lying in a very exposed situation, and did +not appear at all protected by Point Fowler, which, as she was not well +found in ground-tackle, might possibly occasion her being driven ashore, +if a gale came on from the south-east. This news was by no means +satisfactory, and I became anxious to get our things all landed that the +cutter might go to a place of greater safety. + +November 19.--The wind still being unfavourable, the day was spent in +removing the drays, tents, etc. to a more elevated situation. Our camp had +been on the low ground, near the water, in the midst of many scrubby +hills, all of which commanded our position. There were now a great many +well armed natives around us, and though they were very kind and +friendly, I did not like the idea of their occupying the acclivities +immediately above us--at all events, not during my contemplated absence +from the party. I therefore had every thing removed to the hill next +above them, and was a good deal amused at the result of this manoeuvre, +for they seemed equally as uneasy as we had been at the heights above +them being occupied. In a very short time they also broke up camp, and +took possession of the next hill beyond us. This defeated the object I +had in view in our former removal, and I now determined not to be +out-manoeuvred any more, but take up our position on the highest hill we +could find. This was a very scrubby one, but by a vigorous application of +the axes for an hour or two, we completely cleared its summit; and then +taking up the drays, tent, baggage, etc. we occupied the best and most +commanding station in the neighbourhood. The result of this movement was, +that during the day the natives all left, and went in the direction of +where the cutter was. I was not sorry for their departure; for although +they had been very friendly and useful to us, yet now that I contemplated +keeping the party for a long time in camp, and should myself probably be +a considerable time absent, I was more satisfied at the idea of the +natives being away, than otherwise; not that I thought there was the +least danger to be apprehended from them if they were properly treated; +but the time of my men would be much occupied in attending to the horses +and sheep; and they were too few in number, to admit of much of that time +being taken up in watching the camp or the natives who might be near it; +for I always deemed it necessary, as a mere matter of prudence, to keep a +strict look out when any natives were near us, however friendly they +might profess to be. + +Upon walking round the shores of Fowler's Bay, I found them literally +strewed in all directions with the bones and carcases of whales, which +had been taken here by the American ship I saw at Port Lincoln, and had +been washed on shore by the waves. To judge from the great number of +these remains, of which very many were easily recognisable as being those +of distinct animals, the American must have had a most fortunate and +successful season. + +It has often surprised me, that the English having so many colonies and +settlements on the shores of Australia, should never think it worth their +while to send whalers to fish off its coasts, where the whales are in +such great numbers, and where the bays and harbours are so numerous and +convenient, for carrying on this lucrative employment. I believe scarcely +a single vessel fishes any where off these coasts, which are entirely +monopolised by the French and Americans, who come in great numbers; there +cannot, I think, be less than three hundred foreign vessels annually +whaling off the coasts, and in the seas contiguous to our possessions in +the Southern Ocean. I have generally met with a great many French and +American vessels in the few ports or bays that I have occasionally been +at on the southern coast of Australia; and I have no doubt that they all +reap a rich harvest. + +Among the many relics strewed around Fowler's Bay, I found the shell of a +very large turtle laying on the beach; it had been taken by the crew of +the vessel that I met at Port Lincoln, and could not have weighed less +than three to four hundred weight. I was not previously aware that turtle +was ever found so far to the southward, and had never seen the least +trace of them before. + + + + +Chapter XII. + + + +LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINT +FOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST SAND +DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURN +BACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THE +HORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHED +COUNTRY--EALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVE +US--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FOR +WATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAY +SURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSES +ABANDONED--REACH THE SAND DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THE +HORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO N. E.--RECOVER THE +DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN OF +THE CUTTER. + + +November 20.--THE wind being favourable for the boats landing to-day, I +sent the overseer with pack-horses to the west side of Fowler's Bay, to +bring up some flour and other stores for the use of the party; at the +same time I wrote to the master of the cutter, to know whether he +considered his anchorage, at Fowler's Bay, perfectly safe. His reply was, +that the anchorage was good and secure if he had been provided with a +proper cable; but that as he was not, he could not depend upon the vessel +being safe; should a heavy swell set in from the southeast. Upon this +report, I decided upon landing all the stores from the cutter; and +sending her to lay at a secure place on the west side of Denial Bay, +until I returned from exploring the country, near the head of the Great +Bight. On the 22nd, I gave orders to this effect, at the same time +directing the captain to return to Fowler's Bay by the 11th December, at +which time I hoped to have accomplished the journey I contemplated. + +On the same day I gave my overseer instructions for his guidance during +my absence; and after sending the drays on to the water behind Point +Fowler, that they might be nearer to the vessel, I set off on horseback +to the westward, accompanied by a native; and taking with us a pack-horse +to carry provisions. Crossing for about six miles through scrub, at a +west by south course, we entered open grassy plains, among which were +many beds of small dried up salt lakes. This description of country +continued for about six miles, when we again entered a very dense scrub, +and continued in it for eight miles, until we struck the coast. Not +finding any indications of water or grass, I pushed up along the beach +for three miles further, and was then obliged to encamp without either, +as it had become too dark to proceed. + +November 23.--Moving along the coast for ten miles, we came to large high +drifts of pure white sand, from which some red-winged cockatoos and +pigeons flew out, and near which were several native encampments. I now +fully hoped to find water; but after a long and anxious examination, was +obliged to give up the search. I knew that our only hope of finding water +lay in these drifts of sand; but as it was frequently very difficult to +find, and never could be procured without digging, (sometimes to a great +depth,) I began to fear that our attempt to reach the head of the Bight +was almost hopeless. We had no means of digging in the sand to any depth; +whilst, from the constant drift, caused by the winds among these bare +hills, it was exceedingly disagreeable to remain even for a short time to +examine them. The wind was blowing strong, and whirlwinds of sand were +circling around us, with a violence which we could scarcely struggle +against, and during which we could hardly venture either to open our +eyes, or to draw our breath. + +Leaving the sand-drifts we travelled behind the coast ridge through a +more open but still sandy country, making a long stage to some more high +bare sand-drifts, amidst which we again made a long but unsuccessful +search for water; at night we encamped near them, and our unfortunate +horses were again obliged to be tied up for the second time without +either grass or water. + +November 24.--Finding that there was little prospect of procuring water +a-head, and that our horses were scarcely able to move at all, I felt it +necessary to retrace our steps as speedily as possible, to try to save +the lives of the animals we had with us. In order that we might effect +this and be encumbered by no unnecessary articles, I concealed, and left +among some bushes, all our baggage, pack-saddles, etc. After passing about +five miles beyond the sand-drifts where I had seen the cockatoos and +pigeons, one of the horses became completely exhausted and could not +proceed any further; I was necessitated therefore to tie him to a bush +and push on with the other two to save them. + +When I left my party on the 22nd, I had directed them to remove to some +water-holes behind Point Fowler, but, as I had not seen this place +myself, I was obliged to steer in the dark in some measure at random, not +knowing exactly where they were. The greatest part of our route being +through a dense brush, we received many scratches and bruises from the +boughs as we led our horses along, to say nothing of the danger we were +constantly in of having our eyes put out by branches we could not see, +and which frequently brought us to a stand still by painful blows across +the face. At last we arrived at the open plains I had crossed on my +outward track, and following them down came to two deep holes in the +limestone rock, similar to the one behind Point Brown. By descending into +these holes we found a little water, and were enabled to give each of the +horses three pints; we then pushed on again, hoping to reach the camp, +but getting entangled among the scrub, were obliged at midnight to halt +until daylight appeared, being almost as much exhausted as the horses, +and quite as much in want of water, for we had not tasted the little that +had been procured from the hole found in the plains. + +November 25.--At the first streak of daylight we moved on, and in one +mile and a half reached the camp near Point Fowler, before any of the +party were up. We had guessed our course well in the dark last night, and +could not have gone more direct had it been daylight. Having called up +the party and made them get a hasty breakfast, I hurried off a dray +loaded with water, and accompanied by the overseer, one man, and the +black boy, to follow up our tracks to where the tired horse had been +tied. During my absence I found that every thing but the cart had been +landed from the cutter, and safely brought up to the camp, and that as +soon as that was on shore she would be ready to go and lie at anchor at +Denial Bay. + +About noon I was greatly surprised and vexed to see my overseer return +driving the loose horses before him. It seemed that whilst feeding around +the camp they had observed the dray and other horses going away and had +followed upon the tracks, so that the overseer had no alternative but to +drive them back to the camp. This was very unfortunate, as it would +occasion great delay in reaching the one we had left tied in the scrub. I +directed the overseer to hurry back as rapidly as possible, and by +travelling all night to endeavour to make up for lost time, for I greatly +feared that if not relieved before another day passed away, it would be +quite impossible to save the animal alive. + +After resting myself a little I walked about to reconnoitre the +neighbourhood of our camp, not having seen it before. The situation was +at the west side of the upper extreme of Point Fowler, immediately behind +the sand-drifts of the coast, which there were high, bare, and of white +sand. The water was on the inland side, immediately under the sand-hills, +and procured in the greatest abundance and of good quality, by sinking +from one to three feet. It was found in a bed of white pipe-clay. To the +north-west of us were some open grassy plains, among which our horses and +sheep obtained their food, whilst here and there were scattered a few +salt swamps or beds of lakes, generally, however, dry. The whole country +was of fossil formation, and the borders of the lakes and swamps +exhibited indurated masses of marine shells, apparently but a very recent +deposit. Further inland the country was crusted on the surface with an +oolitic limestone, and for the most part covered by brush; a few open +plains being interspersed here and there among the scrubs, as is +generally the case in that description of country. + +The natives still appeared to be in our neighbourhood, but none had been +near us since they first left on the 19th. I would now gladly have got +one of them to accompany me to look for water, but none could be found. +On the 26th and 27th I was occupied in getting up the cart, some casks, +etc. from the cutter, and preparing for another attempt to round the head +of the Great Bight. The vessel then sailed for Denial Bay, where she +could lie in greater safety, until I required her again. + +Early on the 27th the man and black boy returned with the dray from the +westward, they had found the horse very weak and much exhausted, but by +care and attention he was got a little round, and the overseer had +remained to bring him slowly on: he had been four entire days and nights +without food or water, and for the first two days and a half of this time +had been severely worked. In the evening the overseer came up, driving +the jaded animal, somewhat recovered indeed--but miserably reduced in +condition. + +The party with the dray had taken spades with them to dig for water at +the sand hills, where I had seen the pigeons and cockatoos on the 23rd, +and at ten feet they had been lucky enough to procure abundance, which +although of a brackish quality was usable; from the great depth, however, +at which it was obtained, and the precarious nature of the soil, it was +very troublesome to get at it. + +November 28.--This morning I sent away a dray with three horses, carrying +seventy gallons of water to assist me in again endeavouring to get round +the Bight. As the road was very scrubby, and much impeded by fallen +timber, I had previously sent on a man to clear it a little; and about +ten o'clock I followed with the native boy. We got tolerably well through +the scrub, and encamped in a plain about sixteen miles from the depot, +where there was good grass. The weather being cool and showery, our +horses would not drink more than a bucket each from the casks. + +November 29.--Having moved on the dray early over rather a heavy road, we +took up our quarters under the white sand-drifts, after a stage of nine +miles. I then left the boy in charge of the camp, and proceeded myself +with the two men, and provided with spades and buckets, to where the +overseer had obtained water by digging; the place was about two miles +from our camp, between the sand-drifts and the sea, and immediately +behind the front ridges of the coast. By enlarging the hole, and sinking +a tub bored full of holes, we managed to water the horses, and get a +supply for ourselves. In the afternoon an attempt was made to dig a well +nearer the camp, but a stratum of rock put an end to our labours. + +November 30.--Sending back one of the men to the depot, I left the native +boy to guide the dray, whilst I diverged towards the coast to look for +water among the sand-drifts, that were seen occasionally in that +direction; in none of them, however, could I obtain a drop. The country +travelled over consisted of very heavy sand ridges, covered for the most +part with low scrub, and as the stage was a long one (twenty-two miles), +I found upon overtaking the dray that the horses were knocked up, and a +party of fourteen natives surrounding it, who were making vehement +gesticulations to the man not to proceed, and he being only accompanied +by a single black boy was greatly alarmed, and did not know what to do; +indeed, had I not arrived opportunely, I have no doubt that he would have +turned the horses round, and driven back again. Upon coming up with the +natives, I saw at once that none of them had been with us before, but at +the same time they appeared friendly and well-behaved, making signs for +us not to proceed, and pointing to some sand-drifts at the coast which we +had passed, implying, as I understood them, that there was water there. +We were now in an opening among the scrub, consisting of small grassy +undulating plains, and at these I determined to halt for the night, +hoping the natives would remain near us, and guide us to water to-morrow. +To induce them to do this, after giving the horses each two buckets of +water, I gave two gallons among them also, besides some bread. They at +once took possession of an elevation a little above our position, and +formed their camp for the night. As we were so few in number compared to +the natives, we were obliged to keep a watch upon them during the whole +night, and they did the same upon us--but at a much less individual +inconvenience from their number; they appeared to take the duty in +turn--two always being upon guard at once. + +December 1.--After giving the natives some water, and taking breakfast +ourselves, we moved on in the direction they wished us to go, followed by +the whole party; at two miles they brought us to the sea over a dreadful +heavy road, but upon then asking them where the water was, they now told +us to our horror, that there was "mukka gaip-pe," or, no water. +The truth was now evident, we had mutually misunderstood one +another; they seeing strangers suddenly appear, had taken it for granted +they came from the sea, and pointed there, whilst we, intent only upon +procuring water, had fancied they had told us we should find it where +they pointed; upon reaching the coast both were disappointed--they at not +seeing a ship, and we at not finding water. + +It was now a difficult matter to decide what to do: our horses were +greatly jaded, owing to the hilly and sandy character of the country; our +water was reduced to a low ebb in the casks, for relying upon the natives +guiding us to more, we had used it improvidently; whilst the very least +distance we could be away from the water, at the sand-drifts, was +twenty-five miles; if we went back we lost all our previous labour, and +could not do so without leaving the dray behind, and if we went forward, +it was very problematical whether water could be procured within any +distance attainable by our tired horses. + +The natives now asserted there was water to the north-west, but that it +was a long way off. As they still seemed willing to accompany us, I +determined to proceed, and pushed on parallel with the coast behind the +front ridges; at nine miles the horses were quite exhausted, and could +get no further, so that I was obliged to halt for the night, where a few +tufts of withered grass were found under the hummocks. + +Our sable friends had gradually dropped off, one or two at a time, until +only three remained. These I endeavoured to make friends with, by giving +them plenty of water and bread, and after taking a hasty meal, I got them +to go with me and the native boy along the coast, to search for water. +After going about a mile, they would proceed no further, making signs +that they should be very thirsty, and enabling me clearly to comprehend, +that there was no water until the head of the Great Bight was rounded. As +I did not know exactly, what the actual distance might be, I still hoped +I should be able to reach it, and leaving the natives to return, I and +the boy pushed on beyond all the sandy hills and cliffs, to the low sandy +tract bordering upon the head of the Bight, from which we were about +twelve miles distant. The day was hazy, or the cliffs of the Great Bight +would have been distinctly visible. + +We lost a good deal of time in tracking the foot-steps of a party of +native women and children, among some bare sand-drifts, hoping the track +would lead to water; but the party seemed to have been rambling about +without any fixed object, and all our efforts to find water were in vain; +the whole surface of the country, (except where it was hidden by the +sand-drifts) was one sheet of limestone crust, and wherever we attempted +to dig among the sand-drifts, the rock invariably stopped us. + +As it was getting on towards evening, I returned to where I had left the +dray, and giving each of the horses one bucket of water and five pints of +oats, was obliged to have them tied for the night, myself and the man +being too much fatigued to watch them. + +December 2.--We had not moved far upon our return, when one of our most +valuable dray-horses became completely overdone with fatigue, and I was +obliged to take it out of the team and put in a riding horse, to try, if +possible, to reach the plains where the grass was. We just got to the +borders of this open patch of country, when the poor animal (a mare) +could not be got a yard farther, and we were compelled to halt and decide +upon what was best to be done. The water in the cask was nearly all +consumed, the mare could not stir, and the other horses were very weak, +so that no time was to be lost; I immediately decided upon leaving the +man to take care of the mare and the dray, whilst I and the native boy +took the other horses back for more water; having measured out to the +man, water amounting to a quart per day, during our contemplated absence, +I gave all that was left, consisting of about half a bucket full, to the +mare, and then accompanied by the boy, pushed steadily back towards the +water at the sand hills, distant about twenty-five miles. At dark we +arrived there, but the sand had fallen in, and we had to labour hard to +clear out the hole again; it was eleven o'clock at night before we could +get the horses watered, and we then had to take them a mile and a half +before we could get any grass for them. Returning from this duty, we had +to collect and carry on our backs for more than a mile, a few bundles of +sticks and bushes, to make a little fire for ourselves, near the water, +the night being intensely cold. It was past two o'clock in the morning +before we could lay down, and then, tired and harassed as we were, it was +too cold and damp for us to rest. + +December 3.--The scorching rays of the morning sun awoke us early, weary +and unrefreshed, we had no trees to shade us, and were obliged to get up. +After looking at the well, and congratulating ourselves upon its not +having fallen in, we set off to look for the horses, they had wandered +away in search of food, causing us a long and tiresome walk over the +sand-hills in the sun, before we could find them; having at last got them +and driven them to where the water was, we were chagrined to find that +during our absence the well had again fallen in, and we had the labour of +clearing it out to go through again. + +The day was excessively oppressive, with a hot parching wind, and both we +and the horses drank incessantly. Towards night we took the horses away +to the grass, and remained near them ourselves for the sake of the +firewood, which was there more abundant. + +We had thunder towards evening, and a few dops of rain fell, but not +sufficient to moderate the temperature, the heat continuing as oppressive +as before. + +December 4.--After watering the horses, we took ten gallons upon a +pack-horse, and proceeded on our return to the man we had left; the state +in which our own horses were, having made it absolutely necessary to give +them the day's rest they had yesterday enjoyed. We arrived about five in +the afternoon, at the little plain where we had left the man; he was +anxiously looking out for us, having just finished his last quart of +water. The poor mare looked very weak and wretched, but after giving her +at intervals, eight gallons of water, she fed a little, and I fully hoped +we should succeed in saving her life. No natives had been seen during our +absence. + +The night set in very dark and lowering, and I expected a heavy fall of +rain; to catch which we spread our oilskins and tarpaulin, and placed out +the buckets and pannekins, or whatever else would hold water: a few +drops, however, only fell, and the storm passed away, leaving us as much +under a feeling of disappointment, as we had been previously of hope: one +little shower would have relieved us at once from all our difficulties. + +December 5.--Upon getting up early, I thought the horses looked so much +refreshed, that we might attempt to take back the dray, and had some of +the strongest of them yoked up. We proceeded well for two miles and a +half to our encampment of the 30th November; and as there was then a well +defined track, I left the man to proceed alone, whilst I myself went once +more to the coast to make a last effort to procure water among some of +the sand-drifts. In this I was unsuccessful. There were not the slightest +indications of water existing any where. In returning to rejoin the dray, +I struck into our outward track, about three miles below, where I had +left it, and was surprised to find that the dray had not yet passed, +though I had been three hours absent. Hastily riding up the track, I +found the man not half a mile from where I had left him, and surrounded +by natives. They had come up shortly after my departure; and the man, +getting alarmed, was not able to manage his team properly, but by +harassing them had quite knocked up all the horses; the sun was getting +hot, and I saw at once it would be useless to try and take the dray any +further. + +Having turned out the horses to rest a little, I went to the natives to +try to find out, if possible, where they procured water, but in vain. +They insisted that there was none near us, and pointed in the direction +of the head of the Bight to the north-west, and of the sand hills to the +south-east, as being the only places where it could be procured; when I +considered, however, that I had seen these same natives on the 30th +November, and that I found them within half a mile of the same place, +five days afterwards, I could not help thinking that there must be water +not very far away. It is true, the natives require but little water +generally, but they cannot do without it altogether. If there was a small +hole any where near us, why they should refuse to point it out, I could +not imagine. I had never before found the least unwillingness on their +part to give us information of this kind; but on the contrary, they were +ever anxious and ready to conduct us to the waters that they were +acquainted with. I could only conclude, therefore, that what they stated +was true--that there was no water near us, and that they had probably +come out upon a hunting excursion, and carried their own supplies with +them in skins, occasionally, perhaps, renewing this from the small +quantities found in the hollows of the gum scrub, and which is deposited +there by the rains, or procuring a drink, as they required it, from the +long lateral roots of the same tree. [Note 26: Vide Chapter XVI., towards +the close.] I have myself seen water obtained in both these ways. The +principal inducement to the natives to frequent the small plains +where we were encamped, appeared to be, to get the fruit of the +Mesembryanthemum, which grew there in immense quantities, and was +now just ripe; whilst the scrub, by which these plains were surrounded, +seemed to be alive with wallabie, adding variety to abundance in the +article of food. + +We were now on the horns of a very serious dilemma: our horses were +completely fagged out, and could take the dray no further. We were +surrounded by natives, and could not leave it, and the things upon it, +whilst they were present (for many of these things we could not afford to +lose); and on the other hand, we were twenty-two miles from any water, +and our horses were suffering so much from the want of it, that unless we +got them there shortly, we could not hope to save the lives of any one of +them. + +Had the natives been away, we could have buried the baggage, and left the +dray; but as it was, we had only to wait patiently, hoping they would +soon depart. Such, however, was not their intention; there they sat +coolly and calmly, facing and watching us, as if determined to sit us +out. It was most provoking to see the careless indifference with which +they did this, sheltering themselves under the shade of a few shrubs, or +lounging about the slopes near us, to gather the berries of the +Mesembryanthemum. I was vexed and irritated beyond measure, as hour after +hour passed away, and our unconscious tormentors still remained. Every +moment, as it flew, lessened the chance of saving the lives of our +horses; and yet I could not bring myself to abandon so many things that +we could not do without, and which we could not in any way replace. What +made the circumstances, too, so much worse, was, that we had last night +given to our horses every drop of water, except the small quantity put +apart for our breakfasts. + +We had now none, and were suffering greatly from the heat, and from +thirst, the day being calm and clear, and intolerably hot. When we had +first unyoked the horses, I made the man and native boy lay down in the +shade, to sleep, whilst I attended to the animals, and kept an eye on the +natives. About noon I called them up again, and we all made our dinner +off a little bread, and some of the fruit that grew around us, the +moisture of which alone enabled us to eat at all, our mouths were so +thoroughly dry and parched. + +A movement was now observed among the natives; and gathering up their +spears, they all went off. Having placed the native boy upon an eminence +to watch them, the man and I at once set to work to carry our baggage to +the top of a sand-hill, that it might be buried at some distance from the +dray. We had hardly commenced our labours, however, before the boy called +out that the natives were returning, and in a little time they all +occupied their former position; either they had only gone as a ruse to +see what we intended to do, or they had been noticing us, and had seen us +removing our baggage, or else they had observed the boy watching them, +and wished to disappoint him. Whatever the inducement was, there they +were again, and we had as little prospect of being able to accomplish our +object as ever. If any thing could have palliated aggressive measures +towards the aborigines, it would surely be such circumstances as we were +now in; our own safety, and the lives of our horses, depended entirely +upon our getting rid of them. Yet with the full power to compel them (for +we were all armed), I could not admit the necessity of the case as any +excuse for our acting offensively towards those who had been friendly to +us, and who knew not the embarrassment and danger which their presence +caused us. + +Strongly as our patience had been exercised in the morning, it was still +more severely tested in the afternoon--for eight long hours had those +natives sat opposite to us watching. From eight in the morning until four +in the afternoon, we had been doomed to disappointment. About this time, +however, a general movement again took place; once more they collected +their spears, shouldered their wallets, and moved off rapidly and +steadily towards the south-east. It was evident they had many miles to go +to their encampment, and I now knew we should be troubled with them no +more. Leaving the boy to keep guard again upon the hill, the man and I +dug a large hole, and buried all our provisions, harness, pack-saddles, +water-casks, etc. leaving the dray alone exposed in the plains. After +smoothing the surface of the ground, we made a large fire over the place +where the things were concealed, and no trace remained of the earth +having been disturbed. + +We had now no time to lose, and moving away slowly, drove the horses +before us towards the water. The delay, however, had been fatal; the +strength of the poor animals was too far exhausted, and before we had +gone seven miles, one of them could not proceed, and we were obliged to +leave him; at three miles further two more were unable to go on, and +they, too, were abandoned, though within twelve miles of the water. We +had still two left, just able to crawl along, and these, by dint of great +perseverance and care, we at last got to the water about four o'clock in +the morning of the 6th. They were completely exhausted, and it was quite +impossible they could go back the same day, to take water to those we had +left behind. The man, myself, and the boy were in but little better +plight; the anxiety we had gone through, the great heat of the weather, +and the harassing task of travelling over the heavy sandy hills, covered +with scrub, in the dark, and driving jaded animals before us, added to +the want of water we were suffering under, had made us exceedingly weak, +and rendered us almost incapable of further exertion. In the evening I +sent the man, who had been resting all day, to try and bring the two +horses nearest to us a few miles on the road, whilst I was to meet him +with water in the morning. Native fires were seen to the north-east of us +at night, but the people did not seem to have been at the water at the +sand-hills for their supply, no traces of their having recently visited +it being found. + +December 7.--After giving the horses water we put ten gallons upon one of +them, and hurried off to the animals we had left. The state of those with +us necessarily made our progress slow, and it was four o'clock before we +arrived at the place where they were, about eleven miles from the water. +The man had gone on to the furthest of the three, and had brought them +all nearly together; upon joining him we received the melancholy +intelligence, that our best draught mare had just breathed her +last--another lay rolling on the ground in agony--and the third appeared +but little better. After moistening their mouths with water, we made +gruel for them with flour and water, and gave it to them warm: this they +drank readily, and appeared much revived by it, so that I fully hoped we +should save both of them. After a little time we gave each about four +gallons of water, and fed them with all the bread we had. We then let +them rest and crop the withered grass until nine o'clock, hoping, that in +the cool of the evening, we should succeed in getting them to the water, +now so few miles away. At first moving on, both horses travelled very +well for two miles, but at the end of the third, one of them was unable +to go any further, and I left the man to remain, and bring him on again +when rested; the other I took on myself to within six miles of the water, +when he, too, became worn out, and I had to leave him, and go for a fresh +supply of water. + +About four in the morning of the 8th, I arrived with the boy at the +water, just as day was breaking, and quite exhausted. We managed to water +the two horses with us, but were too tired either to make a fire or get +anything to eat ourselves; and lay down for an hour or two on the sand. +At six we got up, watered the horses again, and had breakfast; after +which, I filled the kegs and proceeded once more with ten gallons of +water to the unfortunate animals we had left behind. The black boy was +too tired to accompany me, and I left him to enjoy his rest, after giving +him my rifle for his protection, in the event of natives coming during my +absence. + +Upon arriving at the place where I had left the horse, I found him in a +sad condition, but still alive. The other, left further away, in charge +of the man, had also been brought up to the same place, but died just as +I got up to him; there was but one left now out of the three, and to save +him, all our care and attention were directed. By making gruel, and +giving it to him constantly, we got him round a little, and moved him on +to a grassy plain, about a mile further; here we gave him a hearty drink +of water, and left him to feed and rest for several hours. Towards +evening we again moved on slowly, and as he appeared to travel well, I +left the man to bring him on quietly for the last five miles, whilst I +took back to the water the two noble animals that had gone through so +much and such severe toil in the attempt made to save the others. In the +evening I reached the camp near the water, and found the native boy quite +safe and recruited. For the first time for many nights, I had the +prospect of an undisturbed rest; but about the middle of the night I was +awoke by the return of the man with the woful news, that the last of the +three horses was also dead, after travelling to within four miles of the +water. All our efforts, all our exertions had been in vain; the dreadful +nature of the country, and our unlucky meeting with the natives, had +defeated the incessant toil and anxiety of seven days' unremitting +endeavours to save them; and the expedition had sustained a loss of three +of its best horses, an injury as severe as it was irreparable. + +December 9.--At day-break, this morning, I sent off the man to the depot +at Fowler's Bay, with orders to the overseer to send five fresh horses, +two men, and a supply of provisions; requesting Mr. Scott to accompany +them, for the purpose of taking back the two tired horses we still had +with us at the sand-hills. Upon the man's departure, we took the two +horses to water, and brought up ten gallons to the camp, where the grass +was; after which, whilst the horses were feeding and resting, we tried to +pass away the day in the same manner; the heat, however, was too great, +and the troubles and anxieties of the last few days had created such an +irritation of mind that I could not rest: my slumbers were broken and +unrefreshing; but the boy managed better, he had no unpleasant +anticipations for the future, and already had forgotten the annoyance of +the past. + +December 10.--After an early breakfast, we took the horses to water and +cleared the hole out thoroughly, as I expected five more horses in the +evening. Upon returning to the plain, fires of the natives were again +seen to the north-east; but they did not approach us. Our provisions were +now quite exhausted, and having already lived for many days upon a very +low diet, we looked out anxiously for the expected relay. About four +o'clock, Mr. Scott, two men, and five horses arrived, bringing us +supplies; so that no time had been lost after the arrival of my +messenger. The hole having been previously enlarged and cleared out, no +difficulty was experienced in watering the horses, and about sunset all +encamped together under the sand-hills at the grassy plain. + +December 11.--Leaving directions with Mr. Scott to take back to the +depot, to-morrow, the two horses we had been working so severely, and +which were now recruiting a little; and giving orders to the two men to +follow the dray track to the north-west tomorrow, with the three fresh +horses, I once more set off with the native boy to revisit the scene of +our late disasters; and recover the dray and other things we had +abandoned. We passed by the three dead horses on our route, now lying +stiff and cold; in our situation a melancholy spectacle, and which +awakened gloomy and cheerless anticipations for the future, by reminding +us of the crippled state of our resources, and of the dreadful character +of the inhospitable region we had to penetrate. At dark we came to the +little plain where the dray was, and found both it and our baggage +undisturbed; nor was it apparent that any natives had visited the place +since we left it. During the evening a few slight showers fell, which, +with a heavy dew, moistened the withered grass, and enabled our horses to +feed tolerably well. + +December 12.--I had proceeded a day in advance of the men and horses +coming to recover the dray, in order that I might satisfy myself whether +there was water or not near the plains to the east or north-east, as +there were some grounds for supposing that such might be the case, from +the fact of so many natives having been twice seen there, and the +probability that they had remained for five days in the neighbourhood. +To-day I devoted to a thorough examination of the country around; and, +accompanied by the boy, proceeded early away to the north-east, returning +southerly, and then crossing back westerly to the camp. We travelled over +a great extent of ground, consisting principally of very dense scrub, +with here and there occasional grassy openings; but no where could we +observe the slightest indications of the existence of water, although the +traces of natives were numerous and recent; and we tracked them for +several miles, often seeing places where they had broken down the shrubs +to get a grub, which is generally found there, out of the root; and +observing the fragments of the long lateral roots of the gum-scrub, which +they had dug up to get water from. And this, I am inclined to think, is +what they depend upon principally in these arid regions for the little +water they require. The general direction taken by these wanderers of the +desert, was to the north-east. About four o'clock the men with the +dray-horses arrived, bringing ten gallons of water, which we divided +among the horses, and then took it in turn to watch them during the +night. + +December 13.--Having buried a few things that I might require when I +should come out here again, (for I determined not to give up the attempt +to round the Great Bight,) I had all the rest of our luggage taken up, +and the horses being harnessed, we returned with the dray to the water at +the sand-hills, arriving there early in the afternoon. We had yoked up +three strong fresh horses, that had done no work for some time +previously; and yet, such was the nature of the country, that with an +almost empty dray, they had hardly been able to reach the water, at the +furthest only twenty-two miles distant, and in accomplishing this, they +had been upwards of ten hours in the collar. How then could we expect to +get through such a region with drays heavily loaded, as ours must be, +when we moved on finally. + +On the 14th we remained in camp to refresh the horses, and early on the +following day proceeded through the scrub, on our return to the depot; +first burying our pack-saddle, and a few other things, in the plain near +the sand-hills. Notwithstanding the care we had taken of the horses, and +the little work we had given them, they got fagged in going through the +scrub, and I was obliged to halt the dray at the rocky well in the +plains, five miles short of the depot. I myself went on with the boy to +the camp at Point Fowler, where I found the party feasting upon emus, +four of which they had shot during my absence. + +December 16.--About ten to-day the dray and men arrived safely at the +depot, being the last detachment of the party engaged in this most +unfortunate expedition, which had occupied so much time and caused such +severe and fatal loss, independently of its not accomplishing the object +for which it was undertaken. In the evening I sent Mr. Scott to see if +the cutter had returned, and upon his coming back he reported that she +had just arrived, but that he had not been able to communicate with her. + + + + +Chapter XIII. + + + +FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TO +ADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TO +ANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAIN +ATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND HILLS, AND BURY +FLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TO +THE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITH +PACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THE +BIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN +KAUEE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR. + + +December 17.--HAVING now maturely considered the serious position I was +in, the difficult nature of the country, the reduced condition and +diminished number of my horses, and the very unfavourable season of the +year, I decided upon taking advantage of a considerate clause in the +Governor's letter, authorizing me "to send back the WATERWITCH to +Adelaide for assistance, if required." + +From the experience I had already had, and from the knowledge I had thus +acquired of the character of the country to the westward and to the +north, it was evident that I could never hope to take my whole party, +small as it was, with me in either direction. I had already lost three +horses in an attempt to get round the head of the Bight, and I had also +found that my three best horses now remaining, when strong and fresh +after a long period of rest at the depot, had with difficulty been able +to move along with an empty dray in the heavy sandy country to the +north-west; how could I expect, then, to take drays when loaded with +provisions and other stores? Hitherto we had enjoyed the assistance of +the cutter in passing up the coast--by putting all our heavy baggage on +board of her, the drays were comparatively empty, and we had got on +tolerably well. We could no longer, however, avail ourselves of this +valuable aid, for we were now past all harbours. Fowler's Bay being the +last place of refuge where a vessel could take shelter for many hundred +miles, whilst the fearful nature of the coast and the strong current +setting into the Bight, made it very dangerous for a vessel to approach +the land at all. Upon leaving Fowler's Bay, therefore, it was evident +that we must be dependent entirely upon our own resources; and it became +necessary for me to weigh well and maturely how I might best arrange my +plans so as to meet the necessity of the case. It appeared to me that if +I sent two of my men back to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, a single dray +would carry every necessary for the reduced party remaining, and that by +obtaining a supply of oats and bran for the horses, and giving them a +long rest, they might so far recover strength and spirits as to afford me +reasonable grounds of hope that we might succeed in forcing a passage +through the country to the westward, bad as it evidently was. Acting upon +the opinion I had arrived at, I sent for the master of the cutter and +requested him to get ready at once for sea, and then communicated my +decision to the two men who were to leave us, Corporal Coles, R.S. and M. +and John Houston, requesting them to get ready to embark to-morrow. They +did not appear to experience much surprise, and were I think on the whole +rather pleased than otherwise at the prospect of a return to Adelaide. +Both these men had conducted themselves remarkably well during the whole +time they were in the party, and one of them, John Houston, had been with +me in my late disastrous expedition, during which his obedience and good +conduct had been beyond all praise. We had, however, now been absent for +six months, had traversed a great extent of country, and undergone many +hardships; the country we had met with had unfortunately always been of +the most barren and disheartening character, and that which was yet +before us appeared to be if possible still worse, so that I could not +wonder that my men should appear gratified in the prospect of a +termination to their labours. With so little to cheer and encourage, they +might well perhaps doubt of our final success. + +December 18.--Having once decided upon my plans, I lost no time in +putting them in execution. A dray, three sets of horses' harness, and +some other things were sent on board the WATERWITCH, together with half a +sheep and sixty pounds of biscuit for the crew, who were now running +short of provisions. Several casks were brought on shore for us to bury +stores in, and the boat I had purchased at Port Lincoln was left, at Mr. +Scott's request, for him to fish in during the absence of the cutter. +After I had settled with the two men for their services, both of whom had +large sums to receive, they took leave of us, and went on board. + +My own time had been fully occupied for the last two days, in writing +letters and preparing despatches; by great exertions I got all ready this +evening, and upon Mr. Germain's coming up at night, I delivered them to +him, and directed him to sail as soon as possible. The following copy of +my despatch to his Excellency the Governor, will convey a brief summary +of the result of the expedition; from the time of our leaving Port +Lincoln up to the sailing of the WATERWITCH from Fowler's Bay, and of the +future plans I intended to adopt, to carry out the object of the +undertaking. + + +"POINT FOWLER, 17TH DECEMBER, 1840. + +"SIR,--By the return of the WATERWITCH, I have the honour to furnish you, +for the information of His Excellency the Governor, with a brief account +of our proceedings up to the present date. + +"Upon the return of Mr. Scott from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, I left the +latter place on the 24th October, following my former line of route along +the coast to Streaky Bay, and rejoining my party there on the 3rd +November. + +"The WATERWITCH had already arrived with the stores sent for the use of +the expedition, and I have since detained her to co-operate with my +party, in accordance with the kind permission of his Excellency the +Governor. + +"From previous experience, I was aware, that after leaving Streaky Bay, +we should have obstacles of no ordinary kind to contend with; and as I +advanced, I found the difficulties of the undertaking even greater than I +had anticipated; the heavy sandy nature of the country, its arid +character, the scarcity of grass, and the very dense brushes through +which we had frequently to clear a road with our axes, formed impediments +of no trifling description, and such as, when combined with the very +unfavourable season of the year, we could hardly have overcome without +the assistance of the WATERWITCH. By putting on board the cutter the +greater part of our dead weight, we relieved our jaded horses from loads +they could no longer draw; and by obtaining from her occasional supplies +of water at such points of the coast as we could procure none on shore, +we were enabled to reach Fowler's Bay on the 22nd November. + +"From this point I could no longer avail myself of the valuable services +of the cutter, the wild unprotected character of the coast extending +around the Great Australian Bight, rendering it too dangerous for a +vessel to attempt to approach so fearful a shore, and where there is no +harbour or shelter of any kind to make for in case of need. + +"Under these circumstances, I left my party in camp behind Point Fowler, +whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by a native boy, to examine the +country a-head, and I now only detained the WATERWITCH, in the hopes that +by penetrating on horseback beyond the head of the Great Bight, I might +be able to give his Excellency some idea of our future prospects. + +"For the last twenty-four days I have been engaged in attempting to round +the head of the Bight; but so difficult is the country, that I have not +as yet been able to accomplish it. In my first essay I was driven back by +the want of water and obliged to abandon one of my horses. This animal I +subsequently recovered. + +"In my second attempt, I went, accompanied by one of my native boys, and +a man driving a dray loaded solely with water and our provisions; but +such was the dreadful nature of the country, that after penetrating to +within twelve miles of the head of the Bight, I was again obliged to +abandon three of our horses, a dray, and our provisions. The poor horses +were so exhausted by previous fatigue and privation, that they could not +return, and I was most reluctantly obliged to leave them to obtain relief +for ourselves, and the two remaining horses we had with us. After +reaching the nearest water, we made every effort to save the unfortunate +animals we had left behind; and for seven days, myself, the man, and a +boy, were incessantly and laboriously engaged almost day and night in +carrying water backwards and forwards to them--feeding them with bread, +gruel, etc. I regret to say that all our efforts were in vain, and that +the expedition has sustained a fatal and irreparable injury in the loss +of three of its best draught horses. The dray and the provisions I +subsequently recovered, and on the evening of the 15th December, I +rejoined my party behind Point Fowler, to prepare despatches for the +WATERWITCH, since the weak and unserviceable condition of nearly the +whole of our remaining horses rendered any further attempt to penetrate +so inhospitable a region quite impracticable for the present. In +traversing the country along the coast from Streaky Bay to the limits of +our present exploration, within twelve miles of the head of the Great +Bight, we have found the country of a very uniform description--low flat +lands, or a succession of sandy ridges, densely covered with a brush of +EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA, salt water tea-tree, and other shrubs--whilst here and +there appear a few isolated patches of open grassy plains, scattered at +intervals among the scrub. The surface rock is invariably an oolitic +limestone, mixed with an imperfect freestone, and in some places exhibits +fossil banks, which bear evident marks of being of a very recent +formation. + +"The whole of this extent of country is totally destitute of surface +water--we have never met with a watercourse, or pool of any description, +and all the water we have obtained since we left Streaky Bay has been by +digging, generally in the large drifts of pure white sand close to the +coast. This is a work frequently of much time and labour, as from the +depth we have had to sink, and the looseness of the sand, the hole has +often filled nearly as fast as we could clear it out; the water too thus +obtained has almost always been brackish, occasionally salt. Latterly +even this resource has failed us; after digging a few feet we have been +impeded by rock, which gradually approaching nearer the surface towards +the head of the Great Bight, at last occupies its whole extent, unless +where partially concealed by sand-drifts, or low sandy ridges covered +with brush. We have seen no trees or timber of any kind of larger growth +than the scrub, nor have we met with the Casuarinae since we left Streaky +Bay. + +"The natives along this coast are not very numerous; those we have met +with have been timid, but friendly, and in some instances have rendered +us important assistance in guiding us through the brush, and shewing us +where to dig for water--their language appears to be a good deal similar +to that at King George's Sound. When questioned about the interior +towards the north, they invariably assert that there is no fresh water +inland; nor could we discover that they are acquainted with the existence +of a large body of water of any kind in that direction. + +"Hitherto the reduced condition of my horses, the nature of the country, +and the season of the year, have effectually prevented my examining the +interior beyond a very few miles from the coast. When we have once +rounded the Bight (and I confidently hope to accomplish this), the +country may perhaps alter its character so far as to enable me to +prosecute the main object of the expedition, that of examining the +Northern Interior. Should such unfortunately not be the case, I shall +endeavour to examine the line of coast as far as practicable towards King +George's Sound, occasionally radiating inland whenever circumstances may +admit of it. + +"The very severe loss the expedition has sustained in the death of four +of its best horses since leaving Adelaide in June last, added to the +unfavourable season of the year, and the embarrassing nature of the +country, have rendered it impossible for me to carry provisions for the +whole party for a length of time sufficient to enable me to prosecute the +undertaking I am engaged in with any prospect of success; whilst the wild +and fearful nature of this breaker-beaten coast wholly precludes me from +making use of the assistance and co-operation of the WATERWITCH. I have +consequently been under the necessity of reducing the strength of my +already small party, and have sent two men back in the cutter; retaining +only my overseer and one man, exclusive of Mr. Scott and two native boys. +Upon leaving the depot at Fowler's Bay, it is my intention to proceed +with only a single dray to carry our provisions, instead of (as formerly) +with two drays and a cart. + +"From the reduced state of our horses, it will be absolutely necessary +for us to remain in depot five or six weeks to rest them. Such, however, +is the dry and withered state of the little grass we have, and so +destitute is it of all nutritive qualities, that I much fear that even at +the expiration of this long respite from their labours, our horses will +not have improved much in strength or condition. I have therefore +unhesitatingly taken advantage of the very kind permission of his +Excellency the Governor, to request that a supply of oats and bran may be +sent to us, should his Excellency not require the services of the +WATERWITCH for more important employment. For ourselves we require no +additional provisions, the most liberal and abundant supply we formerly +received being fully sufficient to last us for six months longer. + +"I have much pleasure in recording the continued steadiness and good +conduct of my men, and I regret extremely the necessity which has +compelled me to dispense with the services of two of them before the +termination of the expedition, and after they have taken so considerable +a share in its labours. + +"I have the honor to be, Sir, +"Your very obedient servant, +"EDW. JOHN EYRE. + +"TO GEO. HALL, ESQ., PRIVATE SECRETARY, ETC." + + +After the departure of the cutter, our mode of life was for some time +very monotonous, and our camp bore a gloomy and melancholy aspect; the +loss of two men from our little band, made a sad alteration in its former +cheerful character. Mr. Scott usually employed himself in shooting or +fishing; one of the native boys was always out shepherding the sheep, and +the only remaining man I had was occupied in attending to the horses, so +that there were generally left only myself, the overseer, and one native +boy at the camp, which was desolate and gloomy, as a deserted village. +The overseer was pretty well employed, in making boots for the party, in +shoeing the horses, repairing the harness, and in doing other little odd +jobs of a similar kind; the black boys took their turns in shepherding +the sheep; but I was without active employment, and felt more strongly +than any of them that relaxation of body and depression of spirits, which +inactivity ever produces. + +For a time indeed, the writing up of my journals, the filling up my +charts, and superintending the arranging, packing, and burying of our +surplus stores, amused and occupied me, but as these were soon over, I +began to repine and fret at the life of indolence and inactivity. I was +doomed to suffer. Frequently required at the camp, to give directions +about, or to assist in the daily routine of duty, I did not like to +absent myself long away at once; there were no objects of interest near +me, within the limits of a day's excursion on foot, and the weak state of +the horses, prevented me from making any examinations of the country at a +greater distance on horseback; I felt like a prisoner condemned to drag +out a dull and useless existence through a given number of days or weeks, +and like him too, I sighed for freedom, and looked forward with +impatience, to the time when I might again enter upon more active and +congenial pursuits. Fatigue, privation, disappointment, disasters, and +all the various vicissitudes, incidental to a life of active exploration +had occasionally, it is true, been the source of great anxiety or +annoyance, but all were preferable to that oppressive feeling of listless +apathy, of discontent and dissatisfaction, which resulted from the life I +was now obliged to lead. + +Christmas day came, and made a slight though temporary break in the daily +monotony of our life. The kindness of our friends had supplied us with +many luxuries; and we were enabled even in the wilds, to participate in +the fare of the season: whilst the season itself, and the circumstances +under which it was ushered in to us, called forth feelings and +associations connected with other scenes and with friends, who were far +away; awakening, for a time at least, a train of happier thoughts and +kindlier feelings than we had for a long time experienced. + +On the 26th, I found that our horses and sheep were falling off so much +in condition, from the scarcity of grass, and its dry and sapless +quality, that it became absolutely necessary for us to remove elsewhere; +I had already had all our surplus stores and baggage headed up in casks, +or packed in cases, and carefully buried (previously covered over with a +tarpaulin and with bushes to keep them from damp), near the sand-hills, +and to-day I moved on the party for five miles to the well in the plains; +the grass here was very abundant, but still dry, and without much +nourishment; the water was plentiful, but brackish and awkward to get at, +being through a hole in a solid sheet of limestone, similar to that +behind Point Brown. Upon cleaning it out and deepening it a little, it +tasted even worse than before, but still we were thankful for it. + +The geological character of the country was exactly similar to that we +had been in so long, entirely of fossil formation, with a calcareous +oolitic limestone forming the upper crusts, and though this was +occasionally concealed by sand on the surface, we always were stopped by +it in digging; it was seemingly a very recent deposit, full of marine +shells, in every stage of petrifaction. Granite we had not seen for some +time, though I have no doubt that it occasionally protrudes; a small +piece, found near an encampment of the natives, and evidently brought +there by them, clearly proved the existence of this rock at no very great +distance, probably small elevations of granite may occasionally be found +among the scrubs, similar to those we had so frequently met with in the +same character of country. Another substance found at one of the native +encampments, and more interesting to us, not having been before met with, +was a piece of pure flint, of exactly the same character as the best gun +flint. This probably had been brought from the neighbourhood of the Great +Bight, in the cliffs of which Captain Flinders imagined he saw chalk, and +where I hoped that some change in the geological formation of the country +would lead to an improvement in its general appearance and character. + +The weather had been (with the exception of one or two hot days) +unusually cold and favourable for the time of year. Our horses had +enjoyed a long rest, and though the dry state of the grass had prevented +them from recovering their condition, I hoped they were stronger and in +better spirits, and determined to make one more effort to get round the +head of the Bight;--if unsuccessful this time, I knew it would be final, +as I should no longer have the means of making any future trial, for I +fully made up my mind to take all our best and strongest animals, and +either succeed in the attempt or lose all. + +On the 29th, I commenced making preparations, and on the following day +left the camp, the sheep, and four horses in charge of Mr. Scott and the +youngest of the native boys, whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by +the overseer and eldest native boy on horseback, and a man driving a dray +with three horses, to cross once more through the scrub to the westward. +We took with us three bags of flour, a number of empty casks and kegs, +and two pack-saddles, besides spades and buckets, and such other minor +articles as were likely to be required. It was late in the day when we +arrived at the plains under the sand hills; and though we had brought our +six best and strongest horses, they were greatly fagged with their day's +work. We had still to take them some distance to the water, and back +again to the grass. At the water we found traces of a great many natives +who appeared to have left only in the morning, and who could not be very +far away; none were however seen. + +December 31.--We remained in camp to rest the horses, and took the +opportunity of carrying up all the water we could, every time the animals +went backwards and forwards, to a large cask which had been fixed on the +dray. The taste of the water was much worse than when we had been here +before, being both salter and more bitter; this, probably, might arise +from the well having been dug too deep, or from the tide having been +higher than usual, though I did not notice that such had been the case. +In the afternoon we buried the three bags of flour we had brought headed +up in a cask. + +January 1, 1841.--This morning I went down with the men to assist in +watering the horses, and upon returning to the camp, found my black boy +familiarly seated among a party of natives who had come up during our +absence. Two of them were natives I had seen to the north-west, and had +been among the party whose presence at the plains, on the 5th of +December, when I was surrounded by so many difficulties, had proved so +annoying to us at the time, and so fatal in its consequences to our +horses. They recognised me at once, and apparently described to the other +natives, the circumstances under which they had met me, lamenting most +pathetically the death of the horses; the dead bodies of which they had +probably seen in their route to the water. Upon examining their weapons +they shewed us several that were headed with flint, telling us that they +procured it to the north-west, thus confirming my previous conjectures as +to the existence of flint in that direction. To our inquiries about +water, they still persisted that there was none inland, and that it took +them five days, from where we were, to travel to that at the head of the +Bight. No other, they said, existed in any direction near us, except a +small hole to the north-west, among some sand hills, about two miles off; +these they pointed out, and offered to go with me and shew me the place +where the water was. I accepted the offer, and proceeded to the +sand-drifts, accompanied by one of them. On our arrival he shewed me the +remains of a large deep hole that had been dug in one of the sandy flats; +but in which the water was now inaccessible, from the great quantity of +sand that had drifted in and choked it up. By forcing a spear down to a +considerable depth, the native brought it out moist, and shewed it me to +prove that he had not been deceiving me. I now returned to the camp, more +than ever disposed to credit what I had been told relative to the +interior. I had never found the natives attempt to hide from us any +waters that they knew of, on the contrary, they had always been eager and +ready to point them out, frequently accompanying us for miles, through +the heat and amongst scrub, to shew us where they were. I had, therefore, +no reason to doubt the accuracy of their statements when they informed me +that there was none inland! Many different natives, and at considerable +intervals of country apart, had all united in the same statement, and as +far as I had yet been able to examine so arid a country personally, my +own observations tended to confirm the truth of what they had told me. + +In the evening several of the natives went down with the men to water the +horses, and when there drank a quantity of water that was absolutely +incredible, each man taking from three to four quarts, and this in +addition to what they got at the camp during the earlier part of the day. +Strange that a people who appear to do with so little water, when +traversing the deserts, should use it in such excess when the opportunity +of indulgence occurs to them, yet such have I frequently observed to be +the case, and especially on those occasions where they have least food. +It would seem that, accustomed generally to have the stomach distended +after meals, they endeavour to produce this effect with water, when +deprived of the opportunity of doing so with more solid substances. At +night the natives all encamped with us in the plain. + +January 2.--Having watered the horses early, we left the encampment, +accompanied by some of the natives, to push once more to the north-west. +On the dray we had eighty-five gallons of water; but as we had left all +our flour, and some other articles, I hoped we should get on well. The +heavy nature of the road, however, again told severely upon the horses: +twice we had to unload the dray, and at last, after travelling only +fourteen miles, the horses could go no further; I was obliged, therefore, +to come to a halt, and decide what was best to be done. There appeared to +be a disastrous fatality attending all our movements in this wretched +region, which was quite inexplicable. Every time that we had attempted to +force a passage through it, we had been baffled and driven back. Twice I +had been obliged to abandon our horses before; and on the last of these +occasions had incurred a loss of the three best of them; now, after +giving them a long period of rest, and respite from labour, and after +taking every precaution which prudence or experience could suggest, I had +the mortification of finding that we were in the same predicament we had +been in before, and with as little prospect of accomplishing our object. +Having but little time for deliberation, I at once ordered the overseer +and man to take the horses back to the water, and give them two days rest +there, and then to rejoin us again on the third, whilst I and the native +boy would remain with the dray, until their return. The natives also +remained with us for the first night; but finding we still continued in +camp, they left on the following morning, which I was sorry for, as I +hoped one would have been induced to go with us to the Great Bight. + +On the fifth of January, the overseer and man returned with the horses; +but so little had they benefited by their two days rest, that upon being +yoked up, and put to the dray, they would not move it. We were obliged, +therefore, to unload once more, and lighten the load by burying a cask of +water, and giving another to the horses. After this, we succeeded in +getting them along, with the remainder, to the undulating plains; and +here we halted for the night, after a stage of only seven miles, but one, +which, short as it was, had nearly worn out the draught horses. Here we +dug a large hole, and buried twenty-two gallons of water, for my own +horse, and that of the black boy, on our return; and as I determined to +take a man with me, with a pack-horse, nine gallons more were buried +apart from the other, for them, so that when the man got his cask of +water, he might not disturb ours, or leave traces by which the natives +could discover it. + +January 6.--Sending back the dray with the overseer, at the first dawn of +day, I and the native boy proceeded to the north-west, accompanied by the +man leading a pack-horse with twelve gallons of water. The day turned out +hot, and the road was over a very heavy sandy country; but by eleven +o'clock we had accomplished a distance of seventeen miles, and had +reached the furthest point from which I turned back on the 1st December. +I walked alternately with the boy, so as not to oppress the riding +horses, but the man walked all the way. + +The weather was most intensely hot, a strong wind blowing from the +north-east, throwing upon us an oppressive and scorching current of +heated air, like the hot blast of a furnace. There was no +misunderstanding the nature of the country from which such a wind came; +often as I had been annoyed by the heat, I had never experienced any +thing like it before. Had anything been wanting to confirm my previous +opinion of the arid and desert character of the great mass of the +interior of Australia, this wind would have been quite sufficient for +that purpose. From those who differ from me in opinion (and some there +are who do so whose intelligence and judgment entitle their opinion to +great respect), I would ask, could such a wind be be wafted over an +inland sea? or could it have passed over the supposed high, and perhaps +snowcapped mountains of the interior. + +We were all now suffering greatly from the heat; the man who was with me +was quite exhausted: under the annoyances of the moment, his spirits +failed him, and giving way to his feelings of fatigue and thirst, he lay +rolling on the ground, and groaning in despair; all my efforts to rouse +him were for a long time in vain, and I could not even induce him to get +up to boil a little tea for himself. We had halted about eleven in the +midst of a low sandy flat, not far from the sea, thinking, that by a +careful examination, we might find a place where water could be procured +by digging. There were, however, no trees or bushes near us; and the heat +of the sun, and the glare of the sand, were so intolerable, that I was +obliged to get up the horses, and compel the man to go on a little +further to seek for shelter. + +Proceeding one mile towards the sea, we came to a projecting rock upon +its shores; and as there was no hope of a better place being found, I +tied up my horses near it; the rock was not large enough to protect them +entirely from the sun, but by standing close under it, their heads and +necks were tolerably shaded. For ourselves, a recess of the rock afforded +a delightful retreat, whilst the immediate vicinity of the sea enabled us +every now and then to take a run, and plunge amidst its breakers, and +again return to the shelter of the cavern. For two or three hours we +remained in, under the protection of the rock, without clothes, and +occasionally bathing to cool ourselves. The native boy and I derived +great advantage from thus dipping in the sea, but it was a long time +before I could induce the man to follow our example, either by persuasion +or threats; his courage had failed him, and he lay moaning like a child. +At last I succeeded in getting him to strip and bathe, and he at once +found the benefit of it, becoming in a short time comparatively cool and +comfortable. We then each had a little more tea, and afterwards attempted +to dig for water among the sand-hills. The sand, however, was so loose, +that it ran in faster than we could throw it out, and we were obliged to +give up the attempt. + +As the afternoon was far advanced, we saddled the horses, and pushed on +again for five miles, hoping, but in vain, to find a little grass. At +night we halted among the sandy ridges behind the seashore, and after +giving the horses four quarts of oats and a bucket of water a-piece, we +were obliged to tie them up, there not being a blade of grass anywhere +about. The wind at night changed to the south-west, and was very cold, +chilling us almost as much as the previous heat had oppressed us. These +sudden and excessive changes in temperature induce great susceptibility +in the system, and expose the traveller to frequent heats and chills that +cannot be otherwise than injurious to the constitution. + +January 7.--Having concealed some water, provisions, and the pack-saddle +at the camp, I sent the man back with the pack-horse to encamp at the +undulating plains, where nine gallons of water had been left for him and +his horse, and the following day he was to rejoin the overseer at the +sand hills. + +To the latter I sent a note, requesting him to send two fresh horses to +meet me at the plains on the 15th of January, for, from the weak +condition of the animals we had with us, and from the almost total +absence of grass for them, I could not but dread lest we might be obliged +to abandon them too, and in this case, if we did not succeed in finding +water, we should perhaps have great difficulty in returning ourselves. + +As soon as the man was gone, we once more moved on to the north-west, +through the same barren region of heavy sandy ridges, entirely destitute +of grass or timber. After travelling through this for ten miles, we came +upon a native pathway, and following it under the hummocks of the coast +for eight miles, lost it at some bare sand-drifts, close to the head of +the Great Bight, where we had at last arrived, after our many former +ineffectual attempts. + +Following the general direction the native pathway had taken, we ascended +the sand-drifts, and finding the recent tracks of natives, we followed +them from one sand-hill to another, until we suddenly came upon four +persons encamped by a hole dug for water in the sand. We had so +completely taken them by surprise, that they were a good deal alarmed, +and seizing their spears, assumed an offensive attitude. Finding that we +did not wish to injure them, they became friendly in their manner, and +offered us some fruit, of which they had a few quarts on a piece of bark. +This fruit grows upon a low brambly-looking bush, upon the sand-hills or +in the flats, where the soil is of a saline nature. It is found also in +the plains bordering upon the lower parts of the Murrumbidgee, but in +much greater abundance along the whole line of coast to the westward. The +berry is oblong, about the shape and size of an English sloe, is very +pulpy and juicy, and has a small pyramidal stone in the centre, which is +very hard and somewhat indented. When ripe it is a dark purple, a clear +red, or a bright yellow, for there are varieties. The purple is the best +flavoured, but all are somewhat saline in taste. To the natives these +berries are an important article of food at this season of the year, and +to obtain them and the fruit of the mesembryanthemum, they go to a great +distance, and far away from water. In eating the berries, the natives +make use of them whole, never taking the trouble to get rid of the +stones, nor do they seem to experience any ill results from so doing. + +Having unsaddled the horses, we set to work to dig holes to water them; +the sand, however, was very loose, and hindered us greatly. The natives, +who were sitting at no great distance, observed the difficulty under +which we were labouring, and one of them who appeared the most +influential among them, said something to two of the others, upon which +they got up and came towards us, making signs to us to get out of the +hole, and let them in; having done so, one of them jumped in, and dug, in +an incredibly short time, a deep narrow hole with his hands; then sitting +so as to prevent the sand running in, he ladled out the water with a pint +pot, emptying it into our bucket, which was held by the other native. As +our horses drank a great deal, and the position of the man in the hole +was a very cramped one, the two natives kept changing places with each +other, until we had got all the water we required. + +In this instance we were indebted solely to the good nature and kindness +of these children of the wilds for the means of watering our horses: +unsolicited they had offered us their aid, without which we never could +have accomplished our purpose. Having given the principal native a knife +as a reward for the assistance afforded us, we offered the others a +portion of our food, being the only way in which we could shew our +gratitude to them; they seemed pleased with this attention, and though +they could not value the gift, they appeared to appreciate the motives +which induced it. + +Having rested for a time, and enjoyed a little tea, we inquired of the +natives for grass for our horses, as there was none to be seen anywhere. +They told us that there was none at all where we were, but they would +take us to some further along the coast, where we could also procure +water, without difficulty, as the sand was firm and hard, and the water +at no great depth. Guided by our new friends, we crossed the sand-hills +to the beach, and following round the head of the Great Bight for five +miles, we arrived at some more high drifts of white sand; turning in +among these, they took us to a flat where some small holes were dug in +the sand, which was hard and firm; none of them were two feet deep, and +the water was excellent and abundant: the name of the place was +Yeer-kumban-kauwe. + +Whilst I was employed in digging a large square hole, to enable us to dip +the bucket when watering the horses, the native boy went, accompanied by +one of the natives as a guide, to look for grass. Upon his return, he +said he had been taken to a small plain about a mile away, behind the +sand hills, where there was plenty of grass, though of a dry character; +to this we sent the horses for the night. In returning, a few sea fowl +were shot as a present for our friends, with whom we encamped, gratified +that we had at last surmounted the difficulty of rounding the Great +Bight, and that once more we had a point where grass and water could be +procured, and from which we might again make another push still further +to the westward. + +In the evening, we made many inquiries of the natives, as to the nature +of the country inland, the existence of timber, rocks, water, etc. and +though we were far from being able to understand all that they said, or +to acquire half the information that they wished to convey to us, we +still comprehended them sufficiently to gather many useful and important +particulars. In the interior, they assured us, most positively, there was +no water, either fresh or salt, nor anything like a sea or lake of any +description. + +They did not misunderstand us, nor did we misapprehend them upon this +point, for to our repeated inquiries for salt water, they invariably +pointed to a salt lake, some distance behind the sand-hills, as the only +one they knew of, and which at this time we had not seen. + +With respect to hills or timber, they said, that neither existed inland, +but that further along the coast to the westward, we should find trees of +a larger growth, and among the branches of which lived a large animal, +which by their description, I readily recognized as being the Sloth of +New South Wales; an animal whose habits exactly agreed with their +description, and which I knew to be an inhabitant of a barren country, +where the scrub was of a larger growth than ordinary. One of the natives +had a belt round his waist, made of the fur of the animal they described, +and on inspecting it, the colour and length of the hair bore out my +previous impression. + +The next water along the coast we were informed, was ten days journey +from Yeerkumban kauwe, and was situated among sand-drifts, similar to +those we were at, but beyond the termination of the line of cliffs, +extending westward from the head of the Bight, and which were distinctly +visible from the shore near our camp. These cliffs they called, +"Bundah," and at two days' journey from their commencement, they +told us were procured the specimens of flints (Jula) we had seen +upon their weapons, and of which one or two small pieces had been picked +up by us among the sand-drifts, having probably been dropped there by the +natives. + +January 8.--To-day we remained in camp to recruit the horses, and the +natives remained with us; soon after breakfast one of them lit a signal +fire upon a sand-hill, and not long afterwards we were joined by three +more of the tribe, but the women kept out of sight. I now sent the native +boy out with one to shoot birds for them, but he came back with only a +single crow, and I was obliged to go myself, to try whether I could not +succeed better. Being lucky enough to procure four, I gave them to the +natives, and returning to the camp we all dined, and afterwards lay down +to rest for an hour. + +Upon getting up, I missed a knife I had been using, and which had been +lying beside me. One of the strange natives who had come to the camp this +morning, had been sitting near me, and I at once suspected him to be the +thief, but he was now gone, and I had no prospect of recovering the lost +article. In the afternoon, the stranger came up to the camp again, and I +at once taxed him with the theft; this he vehemently denied, telling me +it was lost in the sand, and pretending to look anxiously for it; he +appeared, however, restless and uneasy, and soon after taking up his +spears went away with two others. My own native boy happened to be coming +over the sand-hills at the time, but unobserved by them, and as they +crossed the ridge he saw the man I had accused stop to pick something up, +and immediately called out to me; upon this I took my gun, and ascending +the hill, saw the native throw down the knife, which my own boy then +picked up; the other natives had now come up, and seemed very anxious to +prevent any hostilities, and to the chief of those who had been so +friendly with us, I explained as well as I could the nature of the +misunderstanding, and requested him to order the dishonest native away, +upon which he spoke to them in his own language, and all took up their +spears and went away, except himself and one other. These two men +remained with us until dark, but as the evening appeared likely to be +wet, they left us also, when we lay down for the night. + +January 9.--The morning set in cold, dark and rainy, and as much wet had +fallen during the night, we had been thoroughly drenched through, our +fire had been extinguished, and it was long before we could get it lit +again, and even then we could hardly keep it in; the few bushes among the +sand hills were generally small, and being for the most part green as +well as wet, it required our utmost efforts to prevent the fire from +going out; so far indeed were we from being either cheered or warmed by +the few sparks we were able to keep together, that the chill and +comfortless aspect of its feeble rays, made us only shiver the more, as +the rain fell coldly and heavily upon our already saturated garments. +About noon the weather cleared up a little, and after getting up and +watering the horses, we collected a large quantity of firewood and made +waterproof huts for ourselves. The rain, however, was over, and we no +longer required them. + + + + +Chapter XIV. + + + +PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THE +INTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME +TO THE CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO +DEPOT--BAD WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE GUTTER +HERO--JOINED BY THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO +THE HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE +EXPEDITION AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE +HERO SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVE +JOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THE +DEPOT. + + +January 10.--WE left Yeer-kumban-kauwe early, and proceeding to the +westward, passed through an open level tract of country, of from three to +four hundred feet in elevation, and terminating seawards abruptly, in +bold and overhanging cliffs, which had been remarked by Captain Flinders, +but which upon our nearer approach, presented nothing very remarkable in +appearance, being only the sudden termination of a perfectly level +country, with its outer face washed, steep and precipitous, by the +unceasing lash of the southern ocean. The upper surface of this country, +like that of all we had passed through lately, consisted of a calcareous +oolitic limestone, below which was a hard concrete substance of sand or +of reddish soil, mixed with shells and pebbles; below this again, the +principal portion of the cliff consisted of a very hard and coarse grey +limestone, and under this a narrow belt of a whitish or cream-coloured +substance, lying in horizontal strata; but what this was we could not yet +determine, being unable to get down to it any where. The cliffs were +frightfully undermined in many places, enormous masses lay dissevered +from the main land by deep fissures, and appearing to require but a touch +to plunge them headlong into the abyss below. Back from the sea, the +country was level, tolerably open, and covered with salsolae, or low, +prickly shrubs, with here and there belts of the eucalyptus dumosa. In +places two or three miles back from the coast there was a great deal of +grass, that at a better season of the year would have been valuable; now +it was dry and sapless. No timber was visible any where, nor the +slightest rise of any kind. The whole of this level region, elevated as +it was above the sea, was completely coated over with small fresh water +spiral shells, of two different kinds. + +After travelling about twenty-five miles along the cliffs, we came all at +once to innumerable pieces of beautiful flint, lying on the surface, +about two hundred yards inland. This was the place at which the natives +had told us they procured the flint; but how it attained so elevated a +position, or by what means it became scattered over the surface in such +great quantities in that particular place, could only be a matter of +conjecture. There was no change whatever in the character or appearance +of the country, or of the cliffs, and the latter were as steep and +impracticable as ever. + +Five miles beyond the flint district we turned a little inland and halted +for the night upon a patch of withered grass. During the day we had been +fortunate enough to find a puddle of water in a hollow of the rock left +by yesterday's rain, at which we watered the horses, and then lading out +the remainder into our bucket carefully covered it up with a stone slab +until our return, as I well knew, if exposed to the sun and wind, there +would not be a drop left in a very few hours. Kangaroos had been seen in +great numbers during the day, but we had not been able to get a shot at +one. Our provisions were now nearly exhausted, and for some days we had +been upon very reduced allowances, so that it was not without some degree +of chagrin that we saw so many fine animals bounding unscathed around us. + +January 11.--Having travelled fifteen miles further along the cliffs, I +found them still continue unchanged, with the same level uninteresting +country behind. I had now accomplished all that I expected to do on this +excursion, by ascertaining the character of the country around the Great +Bight; and as our horses were too weak to attempt to push beyond the +cliffs to the next water, and as we ourselves were without provisions, I +turned homewards, and by making a late and forced march, arrived at the +place where we had left the bucket of water, after a day's ride of +forty-five miles. Our precaution as we had gone out proved of inestimable +value to us now. The bucket of water was full and uninjured, and we were +enabled thus to give our horses a gallon and a half each, and allow them +to feed upon the withered grass instead of tying them up to bushes, which +we must have done if we had had no water. + +January 12.--In our route back to "Yeer-kumban-kauwe" we were lucky +enough to add to our fare a rat and a bandicoot, we might also have had a +large brown snake, but neither the boy nor I felt inclined to +experimentalise upon so uninviting an article of food; after all it was +probably mere prejudice, and the animal might have been as good eating as +an eel. We arrived at the water about noon, and the remainder of the day +afforded a grateful rest both to ourselves and to the horses. + +January 13.--Our fire had gone out during the night, and all our matches +being wet, we could not relight it until noon, when the rays of a hot sun +had dried them again. Having eaten our slender dinner, I walked out to +water the horses, leaving the boy in charge of the camp. Upon my return I +found him comfortably seated between two of our friends the natives, who +had just returned from a hunting excursion, bringing with them the half +roasted carcass of a very fine kangaroo. They had already bestowed upon +the boy two very large pieces, and as soon as I made my appearance they +were equally liberal to me, getting up the moment I arrived at the camp, +and bringing it over to me of their own accord. The supply was a most +acceptable one, and we felt very grateful for it. Having received as much +of the kangaroo as would fully last for two days, I gave a knife in +return to the eldest of the men, with which he seemed highly delighted. I +would gladly have given one to the other also, but I had only one left, +and could not spare it. The natives remained in camp with us for the +night, and seemed a good deal surprised when they saw us re-roasting the +kangaroo; frequently intimating to us that it had already been cooked, +and evidently pitying the want of taste which prevented us from +appreciating their skill in the culinary art. + +January 14.--Upon our leaving this morning the natives buried in the sand +the remains of their kangaroo, and accompanied us a mile or two on our +road, then turning in among the sand-hills they returned to renew their +feast. They had been eating almost incessantly ever since they arrived at +the water yesterday, and during the night they had repeatedly got up for +the same purpose. The appetites of these people know no restraint when +they have the means of gratifying them; they have no idea of temperance +or prudence, and are equally regardless of the evil resulting from excess +as they are improvident in preparing for the necessities of the +morrow--"sufficient (literally so to them) for the day is the evil +thereof." + +In our route to-day instead of following round the sea-shore, we struck +across behind the sand-hills, from "Yeerkumban-kauwe" to the water we had +first found on the 7th of January, and in doing so we passed along a +large but shallow salt-water lake, which the natives had pointed to on +the evening of the 7th, when I made inquiries relative to the existence +of salt water inland. The margin of this lake was soft and boggy, and we +were nearly losing one of our horses which sank unexpectedly in the mud. +About noon we arrived at the camp, from which I had sent the man back on +the 6th, and having picked up the water and other things left there, +proceeded to the sand-hills near which we had halted during the intense +heat of that day. We now rested for several hours, and again moved +onwards about eleven at night to avoid the great heat of the day whilst +crossing the sandy country before us. + +January 15.--At sunrise we arrived at the undulating plains, where twenty +gallons of water had been left buried for us. Here I found the overseer +with two fresh horses, according to the instructions I had sent him on +the 6th, by the man who returned. After resting for an hour or two, I set +off with the native boy upon the fresh horses, and rode to the water at +the sand-drifts, leaving the overseer to bring on the tired animals the +next day. It was nearly dark when we arrived at the plain under the +sand-hills, and very late before we had watered the horses and brought +them back to the grass. + +January 16.--After breakfast, in returning from the water, we had a feast +upon some berries, growing on the briary bushes behind the sand-hills; +they were similar to those the natives had offered to us, at the head of +the Bight, on the 7th, were very abundant, and just becoming ripe. About +eight o'clock we set off for the depot, and arrived there at two, glad to +reach our temporary home once more, after eighteen days absence, and +heartily welcomed by Mr. Scott, who complained bitterly of having been +left alone so long. Under the circumstances of the case, however, it had +been quite unavoidable. Upon tasting the water at the well, I found, that +from so much having been taken out, it had now become so very brackish, +that it was scarcely usable, and I decided upon returning again to +Fowler's Bay, where the water was good, as soon as the overseer came +back. + +January 17.--Spent the day in writing, and in meditating upon my future +plans and prospects. I had now been forty-five miles beyond the head of +the Great Bight, that point to which I had looked with interest and hope; +now, I had ascertained that no improvement took place there, in the +appearance or character of the country, but, if any thing, that it became +less inviting, and more arid. The account of the natives fully satisfied +me that there was no possibility of getting inland, and my own experience +told me that I could never hope to take a loaded dray through the +dreadful country I had already traversed on horseback. What then was I to +do? or how proceed for the future? The following brief abstract of the +labours of the party, and the work performed by the horses in the three +attempts made to get round the head of the Great Bight, may perhaps seem +incredible to those who know nothing of the difficulty of forcing a +passage through such a country as we were in, and amidst all the +disadvantages we were under, from the season of the year and other causes. + + +ABSTRACT OF LABOURS OF THE PARTY IN ROUNDING THE GREAT BIGHT. + +Names. Distances ridden. No. of days employed. +Mr Eyre 643 miles 40 +Mr. Scott 50 miles 4 +The Overseer 230 miles 22 +Costelow 22 +Houston 12 +Corporal Coles 8 +Eldest native boy 270 miles 19 +Youngest native boy 395 miles 23 + + +A dray loaded with water was drawn backwards and forwards 238 miles; many +of the horses, in addition to the distances they were ridden, or worked +in the dray, were driven loose, in going or returning, for about eighty +miles. Most of the party walked considerable distances in addition to +those ridden. All the party were engaged, more or less, in connection +with the three attempts to round the Bight, as were also all the horses, +and of the latter, three perished from over fatigue and want of water. +Yet, after all, the distance examined did not exceed 135 miles, and might +have been done easily in ten days, and without any loss, had the +situation of the watering places, or the nature of the country, been +previously known. + +None but a person who has been similarly circumstanced, can at all +conceive the incessant toil and harassing anxiety of the explorer; when +baffled and defeated, he has to traverse over and over again the same +dreary wastes, gaining but a few miles of ground at each fresh attempt, +whilst each renewal of the effort but exhausts still more the strength +and condition of his animals, or the energy and spirits of his men. + +Upon maturely considering our circumstances and position, I decided to +attempt to force a passage round the Great Bight, with pack-horses only, +sending, upon the return of the cutter, all our heavy stores and drays in +her to Cape Arid, if I found, upon her arrival, the instructions I might +receive, would justify me in taking her so far beyond the boundaries of +South Australia. This was the only plan that appeared to me at all +feasible, and I determined to adopt it as soon as our horses were +sufficiently recruited to commence their labours again. + +On the 18th, the overseer returned with the two jaded horses we had used +on our last excursion, looking very wretched and weak. The day was +intensely hot, with the wind due north: the thermometer in the shade, in +a well lined tent, being 105 degrees at 11 A.M.--a strong corroboration, +if such were required, of the statement of the natives, that there was no +large body of inland water. At 2, P.M. the wind changed to west, and the +thermometer suddenly fell to 95 degrees; a little afterwards, it veered +to south-west, and again fell to 80 degrees; the afternoon then became +comparatively cool and pleasant. + +The quality of the water at the well, was now beginning to affect the +health of the whole party; and on the 19th and 20th I put into execution +my resolution of removing to Fowler's Bay, where we again enjoyed the +luxury of good water. Upon digging up the things we had left buried, we +found them perfectly dry. On the 21st, I sent Mr. Scott down to the bay, +to see if the cutter had come back, but she had not. On his return, he +brought up a few fish he had caught, which, added to ten pigeons, shot by +himself and the native boys, at the sand-hills, gave a little variety to +our fare; indeed, for several days, after taking up our old position at +Point Fowler, we were well supplied both with fish and pigeons. + +Time passed gradually away until the evening of the 25th, when a party of +natives once more came up, and took up their abode near us--three were of +those who had accompanied us all the way from Denial Bay, and some others +had also been with us before. On the 26th, I went down myself to Fowler's +Bay to look out for the cutter, which we now daily expected. Just as I +arrived at the beach she came rounding into the bay, and Mr. Scott and +myself got into our little boat, and pulled off to her, though with great +difficulty, the wind blowing very fresh and dead against us, with the sea +running high. We had three miles to go, and for a long time it was very +doubtful whether we should succeed in reaching the vessel; our utmost +efforts appearing barely to enable us to keep our ground. I was myself, +at the best, not very skilful in using an oar, and neither of us had had +much practice in pulling in a heavy sea. However, we got on board after a +good deal of fatigue, and were rewarded by receiving many letters, both +English and Colonial. I found that in returning to Adelaide the +Water-witch had proved so leaky as to be deemed unsafe for further +service on so wild a coast, and that the Governor had, in consequence, +with the promptness and consideration which so eminently distinguished +him, chartered the "HERO," a fine cutter, a little larger than the +WATERWITCH, and placing her under the command of Mr. Germain, had sent +him to our assistance. On board the HERO I was pleased to find the native +from King George's Sound, named Wylie, whom I had sent for, and who was +almost wild with delight at meeting us, having been much disappointed at +being out of the way when I sent for him from Port Lincoln. + +After receiving our despatches, and taking Wylie with us, we set sail for +the shore, and then walked up in the evening to our depot; my other two +native boys were greatly rejoiced to find their old friend once more with +them; they had much to tell to, and much to hear from each other, and all +sat up to a late hour. For myself, the many letters I had received, gave +me ample enjoyment and occupation for the night, whilst the large pile of +newspapers from Adelaide, Swan River, and Sydney, promised a fund of +interest for some time to come. Nothing could exceed the kindness and +attention of our friends in Adelaide, who had literally inundated us with +presents of every kind, each appearing to vie with the other in their +endeavours to console us under our disappointments, to cheer us in our +future efforts, and if possible, to make us almost forget that we were in +the wilds. Among other presents I received a fine and valuable +kangaroo-dog from my friend, Captain Sturt, and which had fortunately +arrived safely, and in excellent condition. + +The bran and oats which I had applied for had been most liberally +provided, so that by remaining in depot for a few weeks longer, we might +again hope to get our horses into good condition. From his Excellency the +Governor I received a kind and friendly letter, acquainting me that the +HERO was entirely at my disposal within the limits of South Australia, +but that being under charter I could not take her to Cape Arid, or beyond +the boundaries of the province, and requesting, that if I desired further +aid, or to be met any where, at a future time, that I would communicate +with the Government to that effect by the HERO'S return. The whole tenor +of his Excellency's letter evinced a degree of consideration and kindness +that I could hardly have expected amidst the many anxious duties and +onerous responsibilities devolving upon him at this time; and if any +thing could have added to the feelings of gratitude and respect I +entertained towards him, it would be the knowledge, that with the +disinterested generosity of a noble mind, he was giving up a portion of +his valuable time and attention to our plans, our wants, and our safety, +at a time when the circumstances of the colony over which he presided had +beset his own path with many difficulties, and when every day but added +to the annoyances and embarrassments which a sudden reaction in the +progress and prospects of the province necessarily produced. + +In the instructions I received relative to the cutter, I have mentioned +that I was restricted to employing her within the limits of the colony of +South Australia, and thus, the plan I had formed of sending our drays and +heavy stores in her to Cape Arid, whilst we proceeded overland ourselves +with pack-horses, was completely overturned, and it became now a matter +of very serious consideration to decide what I should do under the +circumstances. It was impossible for me to take my whole party and the +drays overland through the dreadful country verging upon the Great Bight; +whilst if I took the party, and left the drays, it was equally hopeless +that I could carry upon pack-horses a sufficiency of provisions to last +us to King George's Sound. There remained, then, but two alternatives, +either to break through the instructions I had received with regard to +the HERO, or to reduce my party still further, and attempt to force a +passage almost alone. The first I did not, for many reasons, think myself +justified in doing--the second, therefore, became my DERNIER RESORT, and +I reluctantly decided upon adopting it. + +It now became my duty to determine without delay who were to be my +companions in the perilous attempt before me. The first and most painful +necessity impressed upon me by the step I contemplated, was that of +parting with my young friend, Mr. Scott, who had been with me from the +commencement of the undertaking, and who had always been zealous and +active in promoting its interests as far as lay in his power. I knew +that, on an occasion like this, the spirit and enterprise of his +character would prompt in him a wish to remain and share the difficulties +and dangers to which I might be exposed: but I felt that I ought not to +allow him to do so; I had no right to lead a young enthusiastic friend +into a peril from which escape seemed to be all but hopeless; and painful +as it would be to us both to separate under such circumstances, there was +now no other alternative; the path of duty was plain and imperative, and +I was bound to follow it. + +On the 28th, I took the opportunity, whilst walking down to the beach +with Mr. Scott, of explaining the circumstances in which I was placed, +and the decision to which I had been forced. He was much affected at the +intelligence, and would fain have remained to share with me the result of +the expedition, whatever that might be; but I dared not consent to it. + +The only man left, belonging to the party, was the one who had +accompanied me towards the head of the Great Bight, and suffered so much +from the heat on the 6th January. His experience on that occasion of the +nature of the country, and the climate we were advancing into, had, in a +great measure, damped his ardour for exploring; so that when told that +the expedition, as far as he was concerned, had terminated, and that he +would have to go back to Adelaide with Mr. Scott, he did not express any +regret. I had ever found him a useful and obedient man, and with the +exception of his losing courage under the heat, upon the occasion alluded +to, he had been a hardy and industrious man, and capable of enduring much +fatigue. + +The native boys I intended to accompany me in my journey, as they would +be better able to put up with the fatigues and privations we should have +to go through, than Europeans; whilst their quickness of sight, habit of +observation, and skill in tracking, might occasionally be of essential +service to me. The native who had lately joined me from Adelaide, and +whose country was around King George's Sound, would, I hoped, be able to +interpret to any tribes we might meet with, as it appeared to me that +some of the words we had heard in use among the natives of this part of +the coast were very similar to some I had heard among the natives of King +George's Sound. Three natives, however, were more than I required, and I +would gladly have sent the youngest of them back to Adelaide, but he had +been with me several years, and I did not like to send him away whilst he +was willing to remain; besides, he was so young and so light in weight, +that if we were able to get on at all, his presence could cause but +little extra difficulty. I therefore decided upon taking him also. + +There remained now only the overseer; a man who had been in my service +for many years, and whose energy, activity, and many useful qualities, +had made him an invaluable servant to me at all times; whilst his +courage, prudence, good conduct, and fidelity, made me very desirous to +have him with me in this last effort to cross to the westward. Having +sent for him, I explained to him most fully the circumstances in which I +was placed, the utter impossibility of taking on the whole party through +so inhospitable a region as that before us, my own firm determination +never to return unsuccessful, but either to accomplish the object I had +in view, or perish in the attempt. I pointed out to him that there were +still eight hundred and fifty miles of an unknown country yet to be +traversed and explored; that, in all probability, this would consist +principally, if not wholly, of an all but impracticable desert. I +reminded him of the fatigues, difficulties, and losses we had already +experienced in attempting to reconnoitre the country only as far as the +head of the Great Bight; and stated to him my own conviction, that from +the knowledge and experience we had already acquired of the nature of the +country; the journey before us must of necessity be a long and harassing +one--one of unceasing toil, privation, and anxiety, whilst, from the +smallness of our party, the probable want of water, and other causes, it +would be one, also, of more than ordinary risk and danger. I then left +him to determine whether he would return to Adelaide, in the cutter, or +remain and accompany me. His reply was, that although he had become tired +of remaining so long away in the wilds, and should be glad when the +expedition had terminated, yet he would willingly remain with me to the +last; and would accompany me to the westward at every hazard. + +Our future movements being now arranged, and the division of the party +decided upon, it remained only for me to put my plans into execution. The +prospect of the approaching separation, had cast a gloom over the whole +party, and now that all was finally determined, I felt that the sooner it +was over the better. I lost no time, therefore, in getting up all the +bran and oats from the cutter, and in putting on board of her our drays, +and such stores as we did not require, directing the master to hold +himself in readiness to return to Adelaide immediately. + +By the 31st January, every thing was ready; my farewell letters were +written to the kind friends in Adelaide, to whom I owed so much; and my +final report to the Chairman of the Committee, for promoting the +expedition--that expedition being now brought to a close, and its members +disbanded. + +In the evening the man and Mr. Scott went on board the cutter, taking +with them our three kangaroo dogs, which the arid nature of the country +rendered it impossible for me to keep. I regretted exceedingly being +compelled to part with the dogs, but it would have been certain +destruction to them to have attempted to take them with me. + +The following is a copy of my final report to the Chairman of the +Northern Expedition Committee:-- + + +"Fowler's Bay, 30th Jan., 1841. + +"Sir,--By the return of the HERO from Fowler's Bay, I have the honour to +acquaint you, for the information of his Excellency the Governor, and the +colonists interested, with the unsuccessful termination of the expedition +placed under my command, for the purpose of exploring the northern +interior. Since my last report to his Excellency the Governor, containing +an account of two most disastrous attempts to head the Great Australian +Bight, I have, accompanied by one of my native boys, made a third and +more successful one. On this occasion, I with some difficulty advanced +about fifty miles beyond the head of the Great Bight, along the line of +high cliffs described by Flinders, and which have hitherto been supposed +to be composed principally of chalk. I found the country between the head +of Fowler's Bay and the head of the Great Bight to consist of a +succession of sandy ridges, all of which were more or less covered by a +low scrub, and without either grass or water for the last sixty miles. +This tract is of so uneven and heavy a nature that it would be quite +impossible for me to take a loaded dray across it at this very +unfavourable season of the year, and with horses so spiritless and jaded +as ours have become, from the incessant and laborious work they have gone +through during the last seven months. Upon rounding the head of the +Bight, I met with a few friendly natives, who shewed me where both grass +and water was to be procured, at the same time assuring me that there was +no more along the coast for ten of their days' journeys, (probably 100 +miles) or where the first break takes place in the long and continuous +line of cliffs which extend so far to the westward of the head of the +Great Bight. Upon reaching these cliffs I felt much disappointed, as I +had long looked forward to some considerable and important change in the +character of the country. There was, however, nothing very remarkable in +their appearance, nor did the features of the country around undergo any +material change. The cliffs themselves struck me as merely exhibiting the +precipitous banks of an almost level country of moderate elevation (three +or four hundred feet) which the violent lash of the whole of the Southern +Ocean was always acting upon and undermining. Their rock formation +consisted of various strata, the upper crust or surface being an oolitic +limestone; below this is an indented concrete mixture of sand, soil, +small pebbles, and shells; beneath this appear immense masses of a coarse +greyish limestone, of which by far the greater portion of the cliffs are +composed; and immediately below these again is a narrow stripe of a +whitish, or rather a cream-coloured substance, lying in horizontal +strata, but which the impracticable nature of the cliffs did not permit +me to examine. After riding for forty-five miles along their summits, I +was in no instance able to descend; their brinks were perfectly steep and +overhanging, and in many places enormous masses appeared severed by deep +cracks from the main land, and requiring but a slight touch to plunge +them into the abyss below. As far as I have yet been along these cliffs, +I have seen nothing in their appearance to lead me to suppose that any +portion of them is composed of chalk. Immediately along their summits, +and for a few hundred yards back, very numerous pieces of pure flint are +lying loosely scattered upon the surface of the limestone. How they +obtained so elevated a position, or whence they are from, may admit, +perhaps, of some speculation. Back from the sea, and as far as the eye +could reach, the country was level and generally open, with some low +prickly bushes and salsolaceous plants growing upon it; here and there +patches of the gum scrub shewed themselves, and among which a few small +grassy openings were interspersed. The whole of this tract was thickly +covered by small land shells, about the size of snail shells--and some of +them somewhat resembling those in shape. There were no sudden depressions +or abrupt elevations anywhere; neither hills, trees, or water were to be +observed; nor was there the least indication of improvement or change in +the general character of this desolate and forbidding region. The natives +we met with at the head of the Bight were very friendly, and readily +afforded us every information we required--as far as we could make them +comprehend our wishes. + +"We most distinctly understood from them, that there was no water along +the coast, westerly, for ten of their days' journeys; and that inland, +there was neither fresh nor salt water, hills or timber, as far as they +had ever been; an account which but too well agreed with the opinion I +had myself formed, upon ascertaining that the same dreary, barren region +I had been traversing so long, still continued at a point where I had +ever looked forward to some great and important change taking place in +the features of the country, and from which I had hoped I might +eventually have accomplished the object for which the expedition was +fitted out. Such, however, was not the case; there was not any +improvement in the appearance of the country, or the least indication +that there might be a change for the better, within any practicable +distance. I had already examined the tract of country from the longitude +of Adelaide, to the parallel of almost 130 degrees E. longitude; an +extent comprising nearly 8 1/2 degrees of longitude; without my having +found a single point from which it was possible to penetrate for into the +interior; and I now find myself in circumstances of so embarrassing and +hopeless a character, that I have most reluctantly been compelled to give +up all further idea of contending with obstacles which there is no +reasonable hope of ever overcoming. I have now, therefore, with much +regret completely broken up my small but devoted party. Two of my men +returned to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, five weeks ago. + +"Mr. Scott and another of my men proceed on Monday in the HERO; whilst +myself, my native boys, and the overseer (who has chosen to accompany me) +proceed hence overland to King George's Sound, as soon as our horses are +a little recruited by the abundant supply of forage we received by the +HERO. + +"In this undertaking, my young friend Mr. Scott--with his usual spirit +and perseverance--was most anxious to have joined me; but painful as it +has been to refuse, I have felt it my duty, from the nature of the +service, not to comply with his request. It now only remains for me to +return my most sincere thanks to the many friends to whose kindness I +have been so much indebted during the continuance of this long and +anxious undertaking. To his Excellency the Governor I feel that I can +never be sufficiently grateful for the very kind, prompt, and liberal +support and encouragement which I have invariably experienced, and to +which I have been mainly indebted for the means of accomplishing even the +little I have done. To yourself, as chairman, the committee, and the +colonists, by whom the expedition was fitted out, I return my most +sincere acknowledgments for the very great honour done me in appointing +me to the command of an undertaking at once so interesting and +important--for the liberal and kind way in which I have been supported, +and my wishes complied with; and, above all, for the flattering and +encouraging confidence expressed in my abilities and perseverance. To a +conviction of the existence of this confidence in the minds of those by +whom I was appointed, I feel that I owe much of the stimulus that has +sustained and encouraged me under difficulties and disappointments of no +ordinary kind. Deeply as I lament the unsuccessful and unsatisfactory +result of an undertaking from which so much was expected, I have the +cheering consciousness of having endeavoured faithfully to discharge the +trust confided to me; and although from a concurrence of most unfortunate +circumstances which no human prudence could foresee or guard against, and +which the most untiring perseverance has been unable to surmount, I have +not succeeded in effecting the great objects for which this expedition +was fitted out, I would fain hope that our labours have not been +altogether in vain, but that hereafter, some future and more fortunate +traveller, judging from the considerable extent of country we have +examined, and the features it has developed, may, by knowing where the +interior is not practicable, be directed to where it is. + +"In concluding my report of our endeavours to penetrate the northern +interior, I beg to express to all who have been connected with the +expedition, my sincere thanks for their zeal and good conduct. In my +young friend, Mr. Scott, I have had a cheerful companion and useful +assistant; whilst in my overseer and men, I have met with a most +praiseworthy readiness and steadiness of conduct, under circumstances and +disappointments that have at once been trying and disheartening. + +"I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, + +"EDWARD JOHN EYRE. + +"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition." + + +We were now alone, myself, my overseer, and three native boys, with a +fearful task before us, the bridge was broken down behind us, and we must +succeed in reaching King George's Sound, or perish; no middle course +remained. It was impossible for us to be insensible to the isolated and +hazardous position we were in; but this very feeling only nerved and +stimulated us the more in our exertions, to accomplish the duty we had +engaged in; the result we humbly left to that Almighty Being who had +guided and guarded us hitherto, amidst all our difficulties, and in all +our wanderings, and who, whatever he might ordain, would undoubtedly +order every thing for the best. + +Our time was now entirely taken up, in the daily routine of the camp, +attending to the sheep and horses, and in making preparations for our +journey. We had a large supply of corn and bran sent for our horses, and +as long as any of this remained, I determined to continue in depot. + +In the mean time, the overseer was thoroughly occupied in preparing +pack-saddles, (all of which we had to make) extra bridles, new hobbles, +and in shoeing all the horses. I undertook the duty of new stuffing and +repairing the various saddles, making what extra clothes were required +for myself and the native boys for our journey; weighing out and packing +in small linen bags, all the rations of tea, sugar, etc. which would be +required weekly, preparing strong canvas saddle-bags, making light +oilskins to protect our things from the wet, etc. etc. These many necessary +and important preparations kept us all very busy, and the time passed +rapidly away. On one occasion, I attempted with one of my native boys, to +explore the country due north of Fowler's Bay, but the weather turned out +unfavourable, the wind being from the north-east, and scorchingly hot; I +succeeded, however, in penetrating fully twenty miles in the direction I +had taken, the first ten of which was through a dense heavy scrub, of the +Eucalyptus dumosa, or the tea-tree. Emerging from this, we entered an +open pretty looking country, consisting of grassy plains of great extent, +divided by belts of shrubs and bush; as we advanced the shrubs became +less numerous, the country more open, and salsolaceous plants began to +occupy the place of the grass. Had we been able to continue our +exploration for another day's journey, I have no doubt, from the change +which appeared gradually to be taking place as we advanced north, that +the whole country around would have been one vast level open waste, +without bush or shrub of any kind, and covered by salsolae. I felt +strongly convinced, we were gradually approaching a similar kind of +country to that I had been in between Lake Torrens and Flinders range; +the only difference was that as far as we had yet gone from Fowler's Bay, +the elevation of the country did not appear to have been diminished; its +average height above the level of the sea, I judged to be about 300 feet, +and forming doubtless a continuation of the table land, I had found +existing at the head of the Great Bight. The weather, however, was as +unfavourable as the country, for such researches, at this season of the +year, and the horses I had taken out with me suffered a good deal, even +in the short space of two days, during which I was engaged in this +attempt. + +On some occasions the thermometer was 113 degrees in the shade, and +whenever the wind was from the north-east, it was hot and oppressive +beyond all conception. The natives, though occasionally seen, generally +kept away from us during the time we were in depot. One old man alone +(called Mumma) came up to our camp, and remained with us for +several days; he was one of the few who had accompanied us so far from +the neighbourhood of Denial Bay, and seemed to have taken a great fancy +to us. We now endeavoured to reward him for his former services, by +giving him a red shirt, a blanket, and a tomahawk, and whenever we got +our meals he joined us, eating and drinking readily any thing we gave +him--tea, broth, pease soup, mutton, salt pork, rice, damper, sugar, +dried fruits, were all alike to him, nothing came amiss, and he appeared +to grow better in condition every day. + +At last he too got tired of remaining so long in one place; the novelty +had worn away, and packing up his things he left us. During the time this +man had been with us, I took the opportunity of ascertaining whether the +King George's Sound native, Wylie, could understand him, but I found he +could not. There were one or two words common to both, but the general +character, meaning, and sound of the two languages were so very different +upon comparison, that I could myself understand the old man much better +than Wylie could. + +Whilst remaining in depot, the whole party were one day suddenly seized +with a severe attack of illness, accompanied with vomiting and violent +pain in the stomach, and I began to fear that we had unknowingly taken +some deleterious ingredient in our food, as all were seized in the same +way; this attack continued for several days, without our being able to +discover the cause of it, but at last by changing the sugar we were +using, we again got well. It appeared that a new bag of sugar had been +broached about the time we were first attacked, and upon inspecting it, +we found the bag quite wet--something or other of a deleterious character +having been spilled over it, and which had doubtless caused us the +inconvenience we experienced. Fortunately we had other sugar that had not +been so injured, and the loss of the damaged bag was not of great +consequence to us. + +By the 23rd of February our preparations for entering upon our journey +were nearly all completed, the horses had eaten up all their bran and +corn, and were now in good condition; all our pack-saddles, saddles, and +harness were ready, our provisions were all packed, and every thing in +order for commencing the undertaking; there remained but to bury our +surplus stores, and for this the hole was already dug. On the afternoon +of the 24th I intended finally to evacuate the depot, and on the evening +of the 23rd, to amuse my natives, I had all the rockets and blue-lights +we had, fired off, since we could not take them with us, our pack-horses +being barely able to carry for us the mere necessaries of life. + + + + +Chapter XV. + + + +RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FOR +ADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THE +SAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THE +HORSES--REACH YEERKUMBAN KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIES +AGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THE +HORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THE +CLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OF +THE CLIFFS--FIND WATER. + + +February 24.--THIS being the day I had appointed to enter upon the +arduous task before me, I had the party up at a very early hour. Our +loads were all arranged for each of the horses; our blankets and coats +were all packed up, and we were in the act of burying in a hole under +ground the few stores we could not take with us, when to our surprise a +shot was heard in the direction of Fowler's Bay, and shortly after a +second; we then observed two people in the distance following up the dray +tracks leading to the depot. Imagining that some whaler had anchored in +the bay, and being anxious to prevent our underground store from being +noticed, we hastily spread the tarpaulins over the hole, so that what we +were about could not be observed, and then fired shots in reply. + +As the parties we had seen gradually approached nearer I recognised one +of them with the telescope as being Mr. Germain, the master of the HERO; +the other I could not make out at first from his being enveloped in heavy +pilot clothes; a little time however enabled me to distinguish under this +guise my young friend Mr. Scott, and I went anxiously to meet him, and +learn what had brought him back. Our greeting over, he informed me that +the Governor had sent him back with letters to me, and desired me to +return in the HERO to Adelaide. As Mr. Scott had not brought the letters +up, I walked down with him after luncheon, and went on board the cutter, +where I received many friendly letters, all urging me to return and give +up the attempt I meditated to the westward, and which every one appeared +to consider as little less than madness. From the Governor I received a +kind letter to the same effect, offering to assist me in any further +attempts I might wish to make round Lake Torrens, or to explore the +Northern Interior, and placing absolutely at my disposal, within the +colony, the services of the HERO, to enable me either to take my party +back overland, or to follow out any examinations I might wish to make +from the coast northerly. As a further inducement, and with a view to +lessen the feelings of disappointment I might experience at the +unsuccessful termination of an expedition from which such great results +had been expected, the assistant commissioner had been instructed to +write to me officially, communicating the approbation of His Excellency +and of the Colonists of the way in which I had discharged the trust +confided to me, and directing me to relinquish all further attempts to +the westward, and to return in the HERO to Adelaide. + +Added to the numerous letters I received, were many friendly messages to +the same effect, sent to me through Mr. Scott. I felt deeply sensible of +the lively interest expressed in my welfare, and most grateful for the +kind feeling manifested towards me on the part of the Governor and the +Colonists; it was with much pain and regret, therefore, that I found +myself unable to comply with their requests, and felt compelled by duty +to adopt a course at variance with their wishes. When I first broke up my +party and sent Mr. Scott back to Adelaide, on the 31st January, 1841, I +had well and maturely considered the step I felt myself called upon to +adopt; after giving my best and serious attention to the arguments of my +friends, and carefully reconsidering the subject now, I saw nothing to +induce me to change the opinion I had then arrived at. + +It will be remembered, that in stating the origin and commencement of the +Northern expedition, it was remarked, that a previously contemplated +expedition to the Westward, was made to give way to it, and that I had +myself been principally instrumental in changing the direction of public +attention from the one to the other; it will be remembered also, what +publicity had been given to our departure, how great was the interest +felt in the progress of our labours, and how sanguine were the +expectations formed as to the results; alas, how signally had these hopes +been dashed to the ground, after the toils, anxieties, and privations of +eight months, neither useful nor valuable discoveries had been made; +hemmed in by an impracticable desert, or the bed of an impassable lake, I +had been baffled and defeated in every direction, and to have returned +now, would have been, to have rendered of no avail the great expenses +that had been incurred in the outfit of the expedition, to have thrown +away the only opportunity presented to me of making some amends for past +failure, and of endeavouring to justify the confidence that had been +reposed in me, by carrying through the exploration which had been +originally contemplated to the westward, now it was no longer possible to +accomplish that to the north, for which it had given place; I considered +myself in duty and in honour bound, not to turn back from this attempt, +as long as there was the remotest possibility of success, without any +regard to considerations of a personal or private nature. Under these +feelings, therefore, I resolved to remain only another day in depot, to +reply to the letters I had received, and return my best thanks to the +many friends who had expressed such kind interest on my behalf. + +February 25.--Having finished my letters, and buried all the spare +stores, I sent the native boys away early with the sheep, that they might +travel more slowly than we should do with the horses. About two we loaded +the pack animals, and wishing Mr. Scott a final adieu, set off upon our +route. The party consisted of myself, the overseer, three native boys, +nine horses, one Timor pony, one foal, born at Streaky Bay, and six +sheep; our flour which was buried at the sand-hills to the north-west, +was calculated for nine weeks, at an allowance of six pounds of flour +each weekly, with a proportionate quantity of tea and sugar. The long +rest our horses had enjoyed, and the large supply of oats and bran we had +received for them, had brought them round wonderfully, they were now in +good condition, and strong, and could not have commenced the journey +under more favourable circumstances, had it been the winter instead of +the summer season. + +Two of the native boys having gone on early in the morning with the +sheep, there remained only myself, the overseer, and one native, to +manage ten horses, and we were consequently obliged to drive some of the +pack-horses loose; at first they went well and quietly, but something +having unluckily startled one of them, he frightened the others, and four +out of the number set off at full gallop, and never stopped for five +miles, by which time they had got rid of all their loads except the +saddles. Sending the black boy back to the depot with the four horses +that had not got away, I and the overseer went on horseback after the +others, picking up the baggage they had been carrying, scattered about in +every direction; luckily no great damage was done, and at sunset we were +all assembled again at the depot, and the animals reloaded. Leaving a +short note for Mr. Scott, who had gone on board the cutter, we again +recommenced our journey, and, travelling for five miles, halted at the +well in the plains. I intended to have made a long stage, but the night +set in so dark that I did not like to venture amongst the scrub with the +pack-horses now they were so fresh, and where, if they did get frightened +and gallop off, they would cause us much greater trouble and delay than +they had done in the daytime. + +February 26.--Moving on very early, we arrived at the grassy plain under +the sand-hills, a little after three in the afternoon, just in time to +save the gun and clothes of the black boys, which they had imprudently +left there whilst they took the sheep to water, a mile and a half away. +At the very instant of our arrival, a native was prowling about the camp, +and would, doubtless, soon have carried off every thing. Upon examining +the place at which we had buried our flour on the 31st December, and upon +which we were now dependent for our supply, I found that we had only just +arrived in time to save it from the depredations of the natives; it +seems, that having found where the cask containing it was buried, and +being unable, from its weight, to get it out of the ground, they had +broken a square hole in one of the staves (by what means I could not +discover), and though, as yet, every thing was safe and uninjured inside, +I have no doubt, that, had we been one day later in coming, they would +have enlarged the opening in the cask, and scattered or destroyed the +contents, and we should have then had the unpleasant and laborious task +of returning to that we had buried at Fowler's Bay for a fresh supply. A +bucket, which we had also left buried, was broken to pieces, a two gallon +keg carried off, and a twenty-five gallon cask full of water had been dug +up, and the water drank or emptied, so that we were very fortunate in +arriving when we did to prevent further loss. + +The black boys, who had gone a-head with the sheep, returned soon after +our arrival, tired and hungry, having only had one meal since they left +us on the 25th. They had been over the sandhills to fetch water, and were +now coming to try and find the flour which they knew we had left buried +at these plains. After dark, accompanied by the overseer, I took the +horses down to the water, but the sand had slipped in, and we could not +get them watered to-night. + +February 27.--Sending the overseer and two boys down with the horses to +the well this morning, I and the other boy set to work, and dug out the +cask with the flour, which we then weighed out, and subdivided into +packages of fifty pounds each, for the convenience of carrying. The +native I had seen about the camp, on our approach, yesterday, had +returned, and slept near us at night; but upon inquiring from him this +morning, where our two-gallon keg was, he took the very earliest +opportunity of decamping, being probably afraid that we should charge him +with the robbery, or punish him for it. The natives, generally, are a +strange and singular race of people, and their customs and habits are +often quite inexplicable to us. Sometimes, in barely passing through a +country, we have them gathering from all quarters, and surrounding us, +anxious and curious to observe our persons, or actions; at other times, +we may remain in camp for weeks together without seeing a single native, +though many may be in the neighbourhood; when they do come, too, they +usually depart as suddenly as their visit had been unexpected. Among all +who had come under my observation, hitherto, along this coast, I found +that every male had undergone the singular ceremony I have described as +prevailing in the Port Lincoln peninsula; each, too, had the cartilage of +the nose perforated, but none had lost the front teeth, nor did I see any +(with one exception) having scars raised on the back, breast, or arms, as +is frequently the case with many tribes in Australia. + +For the last few days, the weather had been tolerably cool, and we had +not been much troubled with musquitoes; instead, however, we were +persecuted severely by a very large greyish kind of horsefly, with a huge +proboscis for sucking up the blood. These pests were in great numbers, +and proved a sad annoyance, lighting upon us in every direction, and +inflicting very irritating wounds even through clothes of considerable +thickness. + +February 28.--As we had a long distance to travel to the next water, and +the sheep could not keep pace with the horses, I left the overseer and +two natives to bring the latter after us, whilst I and the younger boy +set off with the sheep. At fifteen miles, we passed the place where the +nine-gallon keg of water had been buried on the 5th January. Upon digging +it up, and taking out the bung, the water appeared discoloured and +offensive in smell. It was still clear, however, and the sheep drank +hastily of it, and we did the same ourselves, but the horses would not +touch it. Leaving the cask out in the air with the bung out that it might +sweeten a little against the overseer came up, we went on with the sheep +to the undulating plains, arriving there between ten and eleven at night. +After hobbling the horses, and making a brush-yard for the sheep, we laid +down, tired with the labours of the day. + +March 1.--Travelling through the plains for a mile, we came to our former +encampment, where we had left some stores, and a large cask of water; the +latter had dried up to about two quarts, and was very horrible, both in +smell and flavour; but still we were glad to take it, for, calculating +upon finding an abundance in this cask, we had imprudently brought but +little with us. After breakfast, I dug up some of the provisions buried +here; and leaving a note for the overseer, proceeded onwards with the +boy, and the sheep, for twenty-four miles. The stage was a long one, and +over heavy ground, so that the sheep began to get tired, as we did +ourselves also, one of us being always obliged to walk whilst the other +was riding. We had two horses with us, but required one exclusively to +carry our coats, blankets, and provisions, the other one we rode in turn. + +March 2.--A hot day, with the wind north-east. Between eleven and twelve +we arrived at the first water, at the head of the Bight, and had a long +and arduous task to get the sheep and horses watered, no natives being +here to help us now, and the sand rushing in as fast as we could throw it +out. By great exertion we effected our object, and then getting some tea, +and leaving a note to tell the overseer not to halt at this difficult +watering-place, if he could possibly avoid it, we pushed on again, and +took up our position at Yeerkumban kauwe, in time to dig holes, and water +the sheep, before dark. + +March 3.--Having got up and watered the horses and sheep, I sent the boy +out to tend them at grass, whilst I commenced digging two large holes to +water the pack-horses, that there might be no delay when the overseer +came up with them. I had nothing but a shell to dig with, and, as a very +large excavation was required to enable a bucket to be dipped, my +occupation was neither a light nor a short one. Having completed my work, +I killed a sheep, well knowing the party would be fatigued and hungry, +when they came up. About three they made their appearance, and thus, upon +the whole, we had very successfully got over this our first push, and +were soon very comfortably established at "Yeerkumban kauwe." The holes I +had dug enabled us easily and speedily to water the horses, and the sheep +I had killed afforded a refreshing meal to the overseer and boys, after +their harassing journey. In the afternoon the sand blew about in a most +annoying manner, covering us from head to foot, and filling everything we +put down, if but for an instant. This sand had been our constant torment +for many weeks past; condemned to live among the sand-hills for the sake +of procuring water, we were never free from irritation and inconvenience. +It floated on the surface of the water, penetrated into our clothes, +hair, eyes, and ears, our provisions were covered over with it, and our +blankets half buried when we lay down at nights,--it was a perpetual and +never-ceasing torment, and as if to increase our miseries we were again +afflicted with swarms of large horse-flies, which bit us dreadfully. On +the 4th, we remained in camp to rest the horses, and I walked round to +reconnoitre. Upon the beach I found the fragments of a wreck, consisting +of part of a mast, a tiller wheel, and some copper sheathings, the last +sad records of the fate of some unfortunate vessel on this wild and +breaker-beaten shore. There was nothing to indicate its size, or name, or +the period when the wreck occurred. + +No recent traces of natives having been either at Yeerkumban kauwe, or +the more distant water, were visible anywhere, and I imagined they might +perhaps have made an excursion to the westward. A large flight of +red-winged cockatoos were seen today hovering around the sand-hills, and +appearing quite disconcerted at finding us in possession of the water; we +had not before seen them in the neighbourhood, and I can hardly +conjecture where they go to from this place, for generally they are birds +fond of water. + +Knowing from the accounts of the natives that upon leaving Yeerkumban +kauwe, I should have a task before me of no ordinary difficulty to get +either the sheep or the horses to the next water, I determined to proceed +myself in advance, with the sheep, that by travelling slowly, at the same +time that we kept steadily advancing, every chance might be given to them +of accomplishing the journey in safety. I was anxious too to precede my +party, in order that by finding out where the water was, I might be on +the look out for them, to guide them to it, and that thus when in their +greatest difficulty, no time should be lost in searching for water. +Having given the overseer orders to keep the tracks of my horses, when he +had travelled about seventy miles along the coast, I set off on the 7th +March, with the youngest of the natives to assist me in driving the +sheep, leaving the two elder ones with the overseer, to aid in managing +the pack-horses. As before we took two horses with us, one to carry our +provisions and water, and the other to ride upon in turn, the boy +however, being young, and incapable of much fatigue, the greater portion +of the walking naturally fell to my share. The day was cool and +favourable, and we accomplished a stage of twenty-four miles; the +afternoon became dark and lowering, and I fully expected rain, but +towards sunset two or three drops fell, and the clouds cleared away. Our +horses fed tolerably upon the little withered grass that we found, but +the sheep were too tired to eat, and lay down; we put them therefore into +a yard we had made for them for the night. + +March 8.--Having turned the sheep out of the yard three hours before +daylight, I was in hopes they would have fed a little before we moved on, +but they would not touch such food as we had for them, and at six I was +obliged to proceed onwards; the morning was dark and looked like rain, +but as was the case yesterday, a drop or two only fell. We made a stage +to-day of twenty-six miles, through a level country, generally open, but +near the sea covered with a very low dwarf tea-tree, small prickly +bushes, and salsolae, and having the surface almost every where sprinkled +over with fresh-water shells; further from the coast the plains extending +to the north were very extensive, level, and divided by belts of scrub or +shrubs. There was no perceptible inclination of the country in any +direction, the level land ran to the very borders of the sea, where it +abruptly terminated, forming the steep and precipitous cliffs, observed +by Captain Flinders, and which it was quite impossible to descend +anywhere. The general elevation of this table land, was from three to +four hundred feet. + +The day turned out fine and clear, and the effect produced by refraction +in these vast plains was singular and deceptive: more than once we turned +considerably out of our way to examine some large timber, as we thought +it to be, to the north of us, but which, upon our approach, proved to be +low scrubby bushes. At another time we imagined we saw two natives in the +distance, and went towards them as carefully and cautiously as we could; +instead, however, of our having seen the heads of natives, as we +supposed, above the bushes, it turned out to be only crows. Yet the +native boy, whose quickness and accuracy of vision had often before +surprised me, was equally deceived with myself. Upon halting in the +evening our sheep again were very tired, and refused to eat. The horses +too were now beginning to feel the want of water, and fed but little. I +therefore sat up and watched them until half past eight, after which I +tied them up to some bushes. At one o'clock I again got up and let them +loose, hoping they might feed a little better in the cool of the night. +The scud was rapidly passing the moon, and I watched for hours the clouds +gathering to the south and passing to the north, but no rain fell. + +March 9.--Moving on early we passed through a similar country to that we +had before traversed; but there was more of the tea-tree scrub, which +made our travelling more difficult and fatiguing. This kind of scrub, +which is different from any I had seen before, is a low bush running +along the ground, with very thick and crooked roots and branches, and +forming a close matted and harassing obstacle to the traveller. The sheep +and horses got very tired, from having to lift their legs so high to +clear it every step they took. To the westward we found the country +rising as we advanced, and the cliffs becoming higher; they now answered +fully, where we could obtain a view of any projecting parts, to the +description given by Flinders--"the upper part brown and the lower part +white;" but as yet we could not find any place where we could descend to +examine them. The lower, or white part, appeared soft and crumbling, and +its decay had left the upper, or harder rock, fearfully overhanging the +ocean. Upon the summits we again found flints in the greatest abundance +lying loosely scattered over the surface. + +The day was cloudy and gathering for rain, but none fell. After +travelling twenty-five miles we halted for an hour or two to rest the +sheep and horses, feeding was out of the question, for they were too much +in want of water to attempt to cat the dry and withered grass around us. +We now lay down to rest ourselves, and the boy soon fell asleep; I was +however feverish and restless, and could not close my eyes. In an hour +and a half I arose, got up the horses and saddled them, and then, awaking +my companion, we again pushed on by moonlight. At ten miles we crossed a +well beaten native pathway, plainly discernible even then, and this we +followed down towards the cliffs, fully hoping it would lead to water. +Our hopes however had been excited but to render our disappointment the +greater, for upon tracing it onwards we found it terminate abruptly at a +large circular hole of limestone rock, which would retain a considerable +quantity of water after rains, but was now without a single drop. +Gloomily turning away we again pushed on for eight miles further, and at +three in the morning of the 10th were compelled to halt from downright +exhaustion and fatigue. The horses and sheep were knocked up. The poor +boy was so tired and sleepy that he could scarcely sit upon his horse, +and I found myself actually dosing as I walked: mechanically my legs kept +moving forwards, but my eyes were every now and then closed in +forgetfulness of all around me, until I was suddenly thrown down by +getting entangled amongst the scrub, or aroused by a severe blow across +the face from the recoil of a bough after the passage of the boy's horse. +I now judged we had come about ninety-three miles from Yeerkumban-kauwe, +and hoped that we could not be very far from water. Having tied up the +horses for an hour or two, and without making a fire, or even unrolling +our cloaks to cover us, we stretched ourselves on the ground, and were in +a few moments fast asleep. + +March 10.--At five we were again on our route, every moment expecting to +see a break in the line of cliffs along which we had now travelled so +far. Alas! they still continued stretching as far as the eye could see to +the westward, and as fast as we arrived at one point which had bounded +our vision (and beyond which we hoped a change might occur), it was but +to be met with the view of another beyond. Distressing and fatal as the +continuance of these cliffs might prove to us, there was a grandeur and +sublimity in their appearance that was most imposing, and which struck me +with admiration. Stretching out before us in lofty unbroken outline, they +presented the singular and romantic appearance of massy battlements of +masonry, supported by huge buttresses, and glittering in the morning sun +which had now risen upon them, and made the scene beautiful even amidst +the dangers and anxieties of our situation. It was indeed a rich and +gorgeous view for a painter, and I never felt so much regret at my +inability to sketch as I did at this moment. + +Still we kept moving onwards and still the cliffs continued. Hour after +hour passed away, mile after mile was traversed, and yet no change was +observable. My anxiety for the party who were to follow behind with the +pack-horses became very great; the state of doubt and uncertainty I was +in was almost insupportable, and I began to fear that neither sheep nor +horses would ever reach the water, even should we suceeed in doing so +ourselves, which now appeared to be very doubtful. At noon I considered +we had come one hundred and ten miles from the last water, and still the +country remained the same. The cliffs indeed appeared to be gradually +declining a little in elevation to the westward, but there was nothing to +indicate their speedy termination. Our sheep still travelled, but they +were getting so tired, and their pace was so slow, that I thought it +would be better to leave them behind, and by moving more rapidly with the +horses endeavour at least to save their lives. Foreseeing that such a +contingency as this might occur, I had given the overseer strict orders +to keep the tracks of my horses, that if I should be compelled to abandon +the sheep he might find them and bring them on with his party. + +Having decided upon this plan we set to work and made a strong high yard +of such shrubs as we could find, and in this we shut up the sheep. I then +wrote a note for the overseer, directing him to bury the loads of the +horses, and hastening on with the animals alone endeavour to save their +lives. To attract attention I raised a long stick above the sheep-yard, +and tied to it a red handkerchief, which could be seen a long way off. At +one we again proceeded, and were able to advance more rapidly than we +could whilst the sheep were with us. In a few miles we came to a +well-beaten native road, and again our hopes were raised of speedily +terminating the anxiety and suspense we were in. Following the road for +ten miles it conducted us to where the cliffs receded a little from the +sea, leaving a small barren valley between them and the ocean, of low, +sandy ground; the road ceased here at a deep rocky gorge of the cliffs, +where there was a breach leading down to the valley. There were several +deep holes among the rocks where water would be procurable after rains, +but they were now all dry. The state of mind in which we passed on may be +better imagined than described. We had now been four days without a drop +of water for our horses, and we had no longer any for ourselves, whilst +there appeared as little probability of our shortly procuring it as there +had been two days ago. A break, it is true, had occurred in the line of +the cliffs, but this appeared of a very temporary character, for we could +see beyond them the valley again abutting upon the ocean. + +At dark we were fifteen miles from where we left the sheep, and were +again upon a native pathway, which we twice tried to follow down the +steep and rugged slopes of the table land into the valley below. We were +only, however, fagging our poor horses and bewildering ourselves to no +purpose, for we invariably lost all track at the bottom, and I at last +became convinced that it was useless to try and trace the natives' +roadway further, since it always appeared to stop at rocky holes where +there was no water now. Keeping, therefore, the high ground, we travelled +near the top of the cliffs, bounding the sandy valley, but here again a +new obstacle impeded our progress. The country, which had heretofore been +tolerably open was now become very scrubby, and we found it almost +impossible either to keep a straight course, or to make any progress +through it in the dark. Still we kept perseveringly onwards, leading our +horses and forcing our way through in the best way we could. It was, +however, all in vain; we made so little headway, and were so completely +exhausting the little strength we had left, that I felt compelled to +desist. The poor boy was quite worn out, and could scarcely move. I was +myself but little better, and we were both suffering from a parching +thirst; under such obstacles labour and perseverance were but thrown +away, and I determined to await the day-light. After tying up the horses +the boy lay down, and was soon asleep, happy in his ignorance of the +dangers which threatened him. I lay down, too, but not to sleep; my own +distresses were lost in the apprehensions which I entertained for those +who were behind. We were now about one hundred and twenty-eight miles +from the last water; we had been four whole days and nights without a +drop for our horses, and almost without food also, (for parched as they +were they could not feed upon the dry and withered grass we found.) The +state the poor animals were in was truly pitiable, what then was likely +to be the condition of those that were coming after us, and carrying +heavy packs. It was questionable, even, if they would reach the distance +we had already attained in safety; and it was clear, that unless I +discovered water early in the morning, the whole of our horses must +perish, whilst it would be very doubtful if we could succeed even in +saving our own lives. + +March 11.--Early this morning we moved on, leading slowly our jaded +animals through the scrub. The night had been one of painful suspense and +gloomy forebodings; and the day set in dark and cloudy, as if to +tantalise us with the hope of rain which was not destined to fall. In a +few miles we reached the edge of the cliffs, from which we had a good +view of the sandy valley we had been travelling round, but which the +thick scrub had prevented our scrutinising sooner. I now noticed some +hillocks of bare sand in the midst of it. These I had not seen before, as +the only previous point from which they could have been visible had been +passed by us in the dark. It now struck me, that the water spoken of by +the natives at Yeerkumban-kauwe might be situated among these sand-hills, +and that we were going away from instead of approaching it. The bare idea +of such a possibility was almost maddening, and as the dreadful thought +flashed across my mind I stood for a moment undecided and irresolute as +to what I ought to do. We were now many miles past these hills, and if we +went back to examine them for water, and did not find it, we could never +hope that our horses would be able to return again to search elsewhere; +whilst if there was water there, and we did not return, every step we +took would but carry us further from it, and lead to our certain +destruction. + +For a few minutes I carefully scanned the line of coast before me. In the +distance beyond a projecting point of the cliffs, I fancied I discerned a +low sandy shore, and my mind was made up at once, to advance in the line +we were pursuing. After a little while, we again came to a well beaten +native pathway, and following this along the summit of the cliffs, were +brought by it, in seven miles, to the point where they receded from the +sea-shore; as they inclined inland, leaving a low sandy country between +them and some high bare sand-hills near the sea. The road now led us down +a very rocky steep part of the cliffs, near the angle where they broke +away from the beach, but upon reaching the bottom we lost it altogether +on the sandy shore; following along by the water's edge, we felt cooled +and refreshed by the sea air, and in one mile and a half from where we +had descended the cliffs, we reached the white sand-drifts. Upon turning +into these to search for water, we were fortunate enough to strike the +very place where the natives had dug little wells; and thus on the fifth +day of our sufferings, we were again blessed with abundance of +water,--nor could I help considering it as a special instance of the +goodness of Providence, that we had passed the sandy valley in the dark, +and had thereby been deterred from descending to examine the sand-hills +it contained; had we done so, the extra fatigue to our horses and the +great length of time it would have taken up, would probably have +prevented the horses from ever reaching the water we were now at. It took +us about two hours to water the animals, and get a little tea for +ourselves, after which the boy laid down to sleep, and I walked round to +search for grass. A little grew between the sand-drifts and the cliffs, +and though dry and withered, I was most thankful to find it. I then +returned to the camp and laid down, but could not sleep, for although +relieved myself, my anxiety became but the greater, for the party behind, +and the more so, because at present I could do nothing to aid them; it +was impossible that either the horses, or ourselves, could go back to +meet them without a few hours' rest, and yet the loss of a few hours +might be of the utmost consequence; I determined, however, to return and +meet them as early as possible in the morning, and in the mean time, as I +knew that the overseer and natives would, when they came, be greatly +fatigued, and unable to dig holes to water the horses, I called up the +boy, and with his assistance dug two large holes about five feet deep, +from which the horses could readily and without delay be watered upon +their arrival. As we had only some shells left by the natives to work +with, our wells progressed slowly, and we were occupied to a late hour. +In the evening we watered the horses, and before laying down ourselves, +drove them to the grass I had discovered. For the first time for many +nights, I enjoyed a sound and refreshing sleep. + + + + +Chapter XVI. + + + +GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONG +ENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FOR +WATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDS +FROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDON +BAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OF +PROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS. + + +March 12.--THE first streak of daylight found us on our way to meet the +party, carrying with us three gallons of water upon one of the horses, +the other was ridden by the boy. Upon passing the sandy valley, where I +had been in such a state of suspense and doubt at seeing the sand-hills +behind me, I determined to descend and examine them; but before doing so, +I wrote a note for the overseer (in case he should pass whilst I was in +the valley,) and hoisted a red handkerchief to attract his attention to +it. + +I was unsuccessful in my search for water; but whilst among the +sand-hills, I saw the party slowly filing along the cliffs above the +valley, and leaving the boy to look about a little longer, I struck +across to meet them. Both horses and people I found greatly fatigued, but +upon the whole, they had got through the difficulty better than I had +anticipated; after leaving a great part of the loads of the pack-horses +about seventeen miles back, according to the written instructions I had +left. The sheep, it seemed, had broken out of the yard and travelled +backwards, and were picked up by the overseer, twelve miles away from +where we had left them; as they had got very tired and were delaying the +horses, he left one of the natives, this morning, to follow slowly with +them, whilst he pushed on with the pack-horses as rapidly as they could +go. After giving him the pleasing intelligence that his toil was nearly +over for the present, and leaving some few directions, I pushed on again +with the boy, who had not found the least sign of water in the valley, to +meet the native with the sheep. In about three miles we saw him coming on +alone without them, he said they were a mile further back, and so tired +they could not travel. Halting our horses, I sent him to bring them on, +and during his absence, had some tea made and dinner prepared for him. +When the sheep came up they were in sad condition, but by giving them +water and a few hours rest, they recovered sufficiently to travel on in +the evening to the water. + +At night, the whole party were, by God's blessing, once more together, +and in safety, after having passed over one hundred and thirty-five miles +of desert country, without a drop of water in its whole extent, and at a +season of the year the most unfavourable for such an undertaking. In +accomplishing this distance, the sheep had been six and the horses five +days without water, and both had been almost wholly without food for the +greater part of the time. The little grass we found was so dry and +withered, that the parched and thirsty animals could not eat it after the +second day. The day following our arrival at the water was one of intense +heat, and had we experienced such on our journey, neither men nor horses +could ever have accomplished it; most grateful did we feel, therefore, to +that merciful Being who had shrouded us from a semi-tropical sun, at a +time when our exposure to it would have ensured our destruction. + +From the 12th to the 18th we remained at the sand-drifts, during which +time we were engaged in attending to the horses, in sending back to +recover the stores that had been left by the overseer, and in examining +the country around. The natives had told me that there were two watering +places at the termination of the cliffs to the eastward, and that these +were situated in a somewhat similar manner to those at the head of the +Great Bight. We were encamped at one, and I made several ineffectual +attempts to find the other during the time the horses were recruiting. +The traces of natives near us were numerous, and once we saw their fires, +but they did not shew themselves at all. The line of cliffs which had so +suddenly turned away from the sea, receded inland from eight to ten +miles, but still running parallel with the coast; between it and the sea +the country was low and scrubby, with many beds of dried up salt lakes; +but neither timber nor grass, except the little patch we were encamped +at. Above the cliffs the appearance of the country was the same as we had +previously found upon their summits, with, perhaps, rather more scrub; +pigeons were numerous at the sand-hills, and several flocks of +red-crested and red-winged cockatoos were hovering about, watching for an +opportunity to feast upon the red berries I have before spoken of, and +which were here found in very great abundance, and of an excellent +quality. The sand, as usual at our encampments, was a most dreadful +annoyance, and from which we had rarely any respite. The large flies were +also very numerous, troublesome and irritating tormentors. They literally +assailed us by hundreds at a time, biting through our clothes, and +causing us constant employment in endeavouring to keep them off. I have +counted twenty-three of these blood-suckers at one time upon a patch of +my trousers eight inches square. + +Being now at a part of the cliffs where they receded from the sea, and +where they had a last become accessible, I devoted some time to an +examination of their geological character. The part that I selected was +high, steep, and bluff towards the sea, which washed its base; presenting +the appearance described by Captain Flinders, as noted before. By +crawling and scrambling among the crags, I managed, at some risk, to get +at these singular cliffs. The brown or upper portion consisted of an +exceedingly hard, coarse grey limestone, among which some few shells were +embedded, but which, from the hard nature of the rock, I could not break +out; the lower or white part consisted of a gritty chalk, full of broken +shells and marine productions, and having a somewhat saline taste: parts +of it exactly resembled the formation that I had found up to the north, +among the fragments of table-land; the chalk was soft and friable at the +surface, and easily cut out with a tomahawk, it was traversed +horizontally by strata of flint, ranging in depth from six to eighteen +inches, and having varying thicknesses of chalk between the several +strata. The chalk had worn away from beneath the harder rock above, +leaving the latter most frightfully overhanging and threatening instant +annihilation to the intruder. Huge mis-shapen masses were lying with +their rugged pinnacles above the water, in every direction at the foot of +the cliffs, plainly indicated the frequency of a falling crag, and I felt +quite a relief when my examination was completed, and I got away from so +dangerous a post. + +I have remarked that the natives at the head of the Great Bight had +intimated to us, that there were two places where water might be found in +this neighbourhood, not far apart, and as with all our efforts we had +only succeeded in discovering one, I concluded that the other must be a +little further along the coast to the westward; in this supposition I was +strengthened, by observing that all the native tracks we had met with +apparently took this direction. Under this impression I determined to +move slowly along the coast until we came to it, and in order that our +horses might carry no unnecessary loads, to take but a few quarts of +water in our kegs. + +On the 18th we moved on, making a short stage of fourteen miles, through +a heavy, sandy, and scrubby country. At first I tried the beach, but +finding the sand very loose and unsuitable for travelling, I was again +compelled to enter the scrub behind the sea-shore ridge, travelling +through a succession of low scrubby undulations, with here and there the +beds of dried up lakes The traces of natives were now more recent and +numerous, but found principally near the bushes bearing the red berries, +and which grew behind the front ridge of the coast in the greatest +abundance. From this circumstance, and from our having now travelled a +considerable distance beyond the first water, I began to fear that the +second which had been spoken of by the natives must, if it existed at +all, be behind us instead of in advance, and that in reality the fruit we +saw, and not water, was the object for which the natives, whose tracks +were around us, were travelling to the westward. The day was cloudy, and +likely for rain, but after a few drops had fallen, the clouds passed +away. In the afternoon the overseer dug behind the sand-ridge, and at six +feet came to water, but perfectly salt. + +March 19.--To-day we travelled onwards for twenty-six miles, through a +country exactly similar to that we had passed through yesterday. At three +in the afternoon we halted at an opening when there was abundance of +grass, though dry and withered. The indications of natives having +recently passed still continued, and confirmed me in my impression, that +they were on a journey to the westward, and from one distant water to +another, and principally for the purpose of gathering the fruit. We were +now forty miles from the last water, and I became assured that we had +very far to go to the next; I had for some time given over any hope of +finding the second water spoken of by the natives at the head of the +Bight, and considered that we must have passed it if it existed, long +ago, perhaps even in that very valley, or among those very sandhills +where we had searched so unsuccessfully on the 12th. There was now the +prospect of a long journey before us without water, as we had brought +only a little with us for ourselves, and which was nearly exhausted, +whilst our horses had been quite without, and were already suffering from +thirst. Consulting with the overseer, I resolved to leave our baggage +where we were, whilst the horses were sent back to the water (forty +miles) to rest and recruit for three or four days; by this means I +expected they would gather strength, and as they would have but little +weight to carry until they reached our present position, when they +returned we should be better able to force a passage through the waste +before us, at the same time that we should be able to procure a fresh and +larger stock of water for ourselves. At midnight I sent the whole party +back to the last water, but remained myself to take care of the baggage +and sheep. I retained an allowance of a pint of water per day for six +days, this being the contemplated period of the overseer's absence. My +situation was not at all enviable, but circumstances rendered it +unavoidable. + +From the departure of my party, until their return, I spent a miserable +time, being unable to leave the camp at all. Shortly after the party +left, the sheep broke out of the yard, and missing the horses with which +they had been accustomed to travel and to feed, set off as rapidly as +they could after them; I succeeded in getting them back, but they were +exceedingly troublesome and restless, attempting to start off, or to get +down to the sea whenever my eye was off them for an instant, and never +feeding quietly for ten minutes together; finding at last that they would +be quite unmanageable, I made a very strong and high yard, and putting +them in, kept them generally shut up, letting them out only to feed for +two or three hours at once. This gave me a little time to examine my +maps, and to reflect upon my position and prospects, which involved the +welfare of others, as well as my own. We had still 600 miles of country +to traverse, measured in straight lines across the chart; but taking into +account the inequalities of the ground, and the circuit we were +frequently obliged to make, we could not hope to accomplish this in less +than 800 miles of distance. With every thing in our favour we could not +expect to accomplish this in less than eight weeks; but with all the +impediment and embarrassments we were likely to meet with, it would +probably take us twelve. Our sheep were reduced to three in number, and +our sole stock of flour now amounted to 142 pounds, to be shared out +amongst five persons, added to which the aspect of the country before us +was disheartening in the extreme; the places at which there was any +likelihood of finding water were probably few and far apart, and the +strength of our horses was already greatly reduced by the hardships they +had undergone. Ever since we had left Fowler's Bay, the whole party, +excepting the youngest boys, had been obliged chiefly to walk, and yet +every care and precaution we could adopt were unable to counteract the +evil effects of a barren country, and an unfavourable season of the year. +The task before us was indeed a fearful one, but I firmly hoped by +patience and perseverance, safely and successfully to accomplish it at +last. + +During nearly the whole time that my party were away the weather was cool +and cloudy. Occasionally there was a great deal of thunder and lightning, +accompanied by a few drops of rain, but it always cleared away without +heavy showers. The storms came up from seawards, and generally passed +inland to the north-east; which struck me as being somewhat singular, +especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that on one or two +occasions, when the wind was from the north-east, it was comparatively +cool, and so unlike any of those scorching blasts we had experienced from +the same quarter when on the western side of the Great Bight. There was +another thing connected with my present position which equally surprised +me, and was quite as inexplicable: whilst engaged one morning rambling +about the encampment as far as I could venture away, I met with several +flights of a very large description of parrot, quite unknown to me, +coming apparently from the north-east, and settling among the shrubs and +bushes around. They had evidently come to eat the fruit growing behind +the sand-hills, but being scared by my following them about, to try and +shoot one, they took wing and went off again in the direction they had +come from. + +Several days had now elapsed since the departure of the overseer with the +horses, and as the time for their return drew nigh I became anxious and +restless. The little stock of water left me was quite exhausted. It had +originally been very limited, but was reduced still further by the +necessity I was under of keeping it in a wooden keg, where it evaporated, +and once or twice by my spilling some. At last, on the 25th, I was +gratified by seeing my party approach. They had successfully accomplished +their mission, and brought a good supply of water for ourselves, but the +horses looked weary and weak, although they had only travelled fourteen +miles that day. After they had rested a few hours I broke up the +encampment, and travelling for fourteen miles further over a scrubby +country, came to a patch of grass, at which we halted early. From the +nature of the country, and the consequent embarrassment it entailed upon +us, it was impossible for any of the party to have any longer even the +slight advantage formerly enjoyed of occasionally riding for a few miles +in turn; all were now obliged to walk, except the two youngest boys, who +were still permitted to ride at intervals. The weather was cloudy, and +showers were passing to the north-east. + +March 26.--Upon moving on this morning we passed through the same +wretched kind of country for eighteen miles, to an opening in the scrub +where was a little grass, and at which we halted to rest. There was so +much scrub, and the sandy ridges were so heavy and harassing to the +horses, that I began to doubt almost if we should get them along at all. +We were now seventy-two miles from the water, and had, in all +probability, as much further to go before we came to any more, and I saw +that unless something was done to lighten the loads of the pack-animals +(trifling as were the burdens they carried) we never could hope to get +them on. Leaving the natives to enjoy a sleep, the overseer and I opened +and re-sorted all our baggage, throwing away every thing that we could at +all dispense with; our great coats, jackets, and other articles of dress +were thrown away; a single spare shirt and pair of boots and socks being +all that were kept for each, besides our blankets and the things we stood +in, and which consisted only of trowsers, shirt, and shoes. Most of our +pack-saddles, all our horse-shoes, most of our kegs for holding water, +all our buckets but one, our medicines, some of our fire-arms, a quantity +of ammunition, and a variety of other things, were here abandoned. Among +the many things that we were compelled to leave behind there was none +that I regretted parting with more than a copy of Captain Sturt's +Expeditions, which had been sent to me by the author to Fowler's Bay to +amuse and cheer me on the solitary task I had engaged in; it was the last +kind offering of friendship from a highly esteemed friend, and nothing +but necessity would have induced me to part with it. Could the donor, +however, have seen the miserable plight we were reduced to, he would have +pitied and forgiven an act that circumstances alone compelled me to. + +After all our arrangements were made, and every thing rejected that we +could do without, I found that the loads of the horses were reduced in +the aggregate about two hundred pounds; but this being divided among ten, +relieved each only a little. Myself, the overseer, and the King George's +Sound native invariably walked the whole way, but the two younger natives +were still permitted to ride alternately upon one of the strongest +horses. As our allowance of flour was very small, and the fatigue and +exertion we were all obliged to undergo very great, I ordered a sheep to +be killed before we moved on again. We had been upon short allowance for +some time, and were getting weak and hardly able to go through the toils +that devolved upon us. Now, I knew that our safety depended upon that of +our horses, and that their lives again were contingent upon the amount of +fatigue we were ourselves able to endure, and the degree of exertion we +were capable of making to relieve them in extremity. I did not therefore +hesitate to make use of one of our three remaining sheep to strengthen us +for coming trials, instead of retaining them until perhaps they might be +of little use to us. The whole party had a hearty meal, and then, +watching the horses until midnight, we moved on when the moon rose. + +During the morning we had passed along an extensive dried-up salt swamp +behind the coast ridge, which was soft for the horses in some places, but +free from that high brush which fatigued them so much, and which now +appeared to come close in to the sea, forming upon the high sandy ridges +a dense scrub. The level bank of the higher ground, or continuation of +the cliffs of the Bight, which had heretofore been distinctly visible at +a distance of ten or twelve miles inland, could no longer be seen: it had +either merged in the scrubby and sandy elevations around us, or was hid +by them from our view. + +March 27.--During the night we travelled slowly over densely scrubby and +sandy ridges, occasionally crossing large sheets of oolitic limestone, in +which were deep holes that would most likely retain water after rains, +but which were now quite dry. As the daylight dawned the dreadful nature +of the scrub drove us to the sea beach; fortunately it was low water, and +we obtained a firm hard sand to travel over, though occasionally +obstructed by enormous masses of sea-weed, thrown into heaps of very many +feet in thickness and several hundreds of yards in length, looking +exactly like hay cut and pressed ready for packing. + +To-day we overtook the natives, whose tracks we had seen so frequently on +our route. There was a large party of them, all busily engaged in eating +the red berries which grew behind the coast ridge in such vast +quantities; they did not appear so much afraid of us as of our horses, at +which they were dreadfully alarmed, so that all our efforts to +communicate with them were fruitless; they would not come near us, nor +would they give us the opportunity of getting near them, but ran away +whenever I advanced towards them, though alone and unarmed. During the +route I frequently ascended high scrubby ridges to reconnoitre the +country inland, but never could obtain a view of any extent, the whole +region around appeared one mass of dense impenetrable scrub running down +to the very borders of the ocean. + +After travelling twenty miles I found that our horses needed rest, and +halted for an hour or two during the heat of the day, though without +grass, save the coarse wiry vegetation that binds the loose sands +together, and without even bushes to afford them shade from the heat, for +had we gone into the scrub for shelter we should have lost even the +wretched kind of grass we had. + +At half past two we again moved onwards, keeping along the beach, but +frequently forced by the masses of sea-weed to travel above high water +mark in the heavy loose sand. After advancing ten miles the tide became +too high for us to continue on the shore, and the scrub prevented our +travelling to the back, we were compelled therefore to halt for the night +with hardly a blade of grass for our horses. I considered we were now one +hundred and two miles from the last water, and expected we had about +fifty more to go to the next; the poor animals were almost exhausted, but +as the dew was heavy they were disposed to eat had there been grass of +any kind for them. The overseer and I as usual watched them alternately, +each taking the duty for four hours and sleeping the other four; to me +this was the first sleep I had had for the last three nights. + +Whilst in camp, during the heat of the day, the native boys shewed me the +way in which natives procure water for themselves, when wandering among +the scrubs, and by means of which they are enabled to remain out almost +any length of time, in a country quite destitute of surface water. I had +often heard of the natives procuring water from the roots of trees, and +had frequently seen indications of their having so obtained it, but I had +never before seen the process actually gone through. Selecting a large +healthy looking tree out of the gum-scrub, and growing in a hollow, or +flat between two ridges, the native digs round at a few feet from the +trunk, to find the lateral roots; to one unaccustomed to the work, it is +a difficult and laborious thing frequently to find these roots, but to +the practised eye of the native, some slight inequality of the surface, +or some other mark, points out to him their exact position at once, and +he rarely digs in the wrong place. Upon breaking the end next to the +tree, the root is lifted, and run out for twenty or thirty feet; the bark +is then peeled off, and the root broken into pieces, six or eight inches +long, and these again, if thick, are split into thinner pieces; they are +then sucked, or shaken over a piece of bark, or stuck up together in the +bark upon their ends, and water is slowly discharged from them; if +shaken, it comes out like a shower of very fine rain. The roots vary in +diameter from one inch to three; the best are those from one to two and a +half inches, and of great length. The quantity of water contained in a +good root, would probably fill two-thirds of a pint. I saw my own boys +get one-third of a pint out in this way in about a quarter of an hour, +and they were by no means adepts at the practice, having never been +compelled to resort to it from necessity. + +Natives who, from infancy, have been accustomed to travel through arid +regions, can remain any length of time out in a country where there are +no indications of water. The circumstance of natives being seen, in +travelling through an unknown district, is therefore no proof of the +existence of water in their vicinity. I have myself observed, that no +part of the country is so utterly worthless, as not to have attractions +sufficient occasionally to tempt the wandering savage into its recesses. +In the arid, barren, naked plains of the north, with not a shrub to +shelter him from the heat, not a stick to burn for his fire (except what +he carried with him), the native is found, and where, as far as I could +ascertain, the whole country around appeared equally devoid of either +animal or vegetable life. In other cases, the very regions, which, in the +eyes of the European, are most barren and worthless, are to the native +the most valuable and productive. Such are dense brushes, or sandy tracts +of country, covered with shrubs, for here the wallabie, the opossum, the +kangaroo rat, the bandicoot, the leipoa, snakes, lizards, iguanas, and +many other animals, reptiles, birds, etc., abound; whilst the kangaroo, +the emu, and the native dog, are found upon their borders, or in the +vicinity of those small, grassy plains, which are occasionally met with +amidst the closest brushes. + + + + +Chapter XVII. + + + +HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TINOR PONY +UNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MORE +HORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECT +DEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVE +AND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUS +TERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY. + + +March 28.--AT daylight we moved on, every one walking, even the youngest +boy could not ride now, as the horses were so weak and jaded. Soon after +leaving the camp, one of them laid down, although the weight upon his +back was very light; we were consequently obliged to distribute the few +things he carried among the others, and let him follow loose. Our route +lay along the beach, as the dense scrub inland prevented us from +following any other course; we had, therefore, to go far out of our way, +tracing round every point, and following along every bay, whilst the +sea-weed frequently obstructed our path, and drove us again to the loose +sands, above high water mark, causing extra fatigue to our unfortunate +horses. At other times we were forced to go between these banks of +sea-weed and the sea, into the sea itself, on which occasions it required +our utmost vigilance to prevent the wretched horses from drinking the +salt water, which would inevitably have destroyed them. In order to +prevent this we were obliged to walk ourselves in the water, on the +sea-side of them, one of the party being in advance, leading one horse, +another being behind to keep up the rear, and the other three being at +intervals along the outside of the line, to keep them from stopping for +an instant until the danger was past. + +We had scarcely advanced six miles from our last night's camp when the +little Timor pony I had purchased at Port Lincoln broke down completely; +for some time it had been weak, and we were obliged to drive it loose, +but it was now unable to proceed further, and we were compelled to +abandon it to a miserable and certain death, that by pushing on, we might +use every exertion in our power to relieve the others, though scarcely +daring to hope that we could save even one of them. It was, indeed, a +fearful and heart-rending scene to behold the noble animals which had +served us so long and so faithfully, suffering the extremity of thirst +and hunger, without having it in our power to relieve them. Five days of +misery had passed over their heads since the last water had been left, +and one hundred and twelve miles of country had been traversed without +the possibility of procuring food for them, other than the dry and +sapless remains of last year's grass, and this but rarely to be met with. +No rains had fallen to refresh them, and they were reduced to a most +pitiable condition, still they travelled onwards, with a spirit and +endurance truly surprising. Whenever we halted, they followed us about +like dogs wherever we went, appearing to look to us only for aid, and +exhibiting that confidence in us which I trust we all reposed in the +Almighty, for most truly did we feel, that in His mercy and protection +alone our safety could now ever be hoped for. + +About ten o'clock the tide became too high for us to keep the beach, and +we were compelled to halt for some hours. Our horses were nearly all +exhausted, and I dreaded that when we next moved on many of them would be +unable to proceed far, and that, one by one, they would all perish, +overcome by sufferings which those, who have not witnessed such scenes, +can have no conception of. We should then have been entirely dependent +upon our own strength and exertions, nearly midway between Adelaide and +King George's Sound, with a fearful country on either side of us, with a +very small supply of provisions, and without water. + +The position we were in, frequently forced sad forebodings with respect +to the future, and though I by no means contemplated with apathy the +probable fate that might await us, yet I was never for a moment undecided +as to the plan it would be necessary to adopt, in such a desperate +extremity--at all hazards, I was determined to proceed onwards. + +The country we had already passed through, precluded all hope of our +recrossing it without the horses to carry water for us, and without +provisions to enable us to endure the dreadful fatigue of forced marches, +across the desert. The country before us was, it is true, quite unknown, +but it could hardly be worse than that we had traversed, and the chance +was that it might be better. We were now pushing on for some sand-hills, +marked down in Captain Flinders' chart at about 126 1/2 degrees of east +longitude; I did not expect to procure water until we reached these, but +I felt sure we should obtain it on our arrival there. After this point +was passed, there appeared to be one more long push without any +likelihood of procuring water, as the cliffs again became the boundary of +the ocean; but beyond Cape Arid, the change in the character and +appearance of the country, as described by Flinders, indicated the +existence of a better and more practicable line of country than we had +yet fallen in with. + +My overseer, however, was now unfortunately beginning to take up an +opposite opinion, and though he still went through the duty devolving +upon him with assiduity and cheerfulness, it was evident that his mind +was ill at ease, and that he had many gloomy anticipations of the future. +He fancied there were no sand-hills ahead, that we should never reach any +water in that direction, and that there was little hope of saving any of +the horses. In this latter idea I rather encouraged him than otherwise, +deeming it advisable to contemplate the darker side of the picture, and +by accustoming ourselves to look forward to being left entirely dependent +upon our own strength and efforts, in some measure to prepare ourselves +for such an event, should it unfortunately befal us. In conversing with +him upon our prospects, and the position we should be in if we lost all +our horses, I regretted extremely to find that his mind was continually +occupied with thoughts of returning, and that he seemed to think the only +chance of saving our lives, would be to push on to the water ourselves, +and then endeavour again to return to Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a +large quantity of provisions. Still it was a gratification to find that +the only European with me, did not altogether give way to despondency, +and could even calmly contemplate the prospect before us, considering and +reasoning upon the plan it might be best to adopt, in the event of our +worst forebodings being realized. In discussing these subjects, I +carefully avoiding irritating or alarming him, by a declaration of my own +opinions and resolutions, rather agreeing with him than otherwise, at the +same time, that I pointed out the certain risk that would attend any +attempt to go back to Fowler's Bay, and the probability there was of much +less danger attending the effort to advance to King George's Sound. With +respect to the native boys, they appeared to think or care but little +about the future; they were not sensible of their danger, and having +something still to eat and drink, they played and laughed and joked with +each other as much as ever. + +Whilst waiting for the tide to fall, to enable us to proceed, the +overseer dug a hole, and we buried nearly every thing we had with us, +saddles, fire-arms, ammunition, provisions; all things were here +abandoned except two guns, the keg with the little water we had left, and +a very little flour, tea and sugar. I determined to relieve our horses +altogether from every weight (trifling as was the weight of all we had), +and by pushing, if possible, on to the water, endeavour to save their +lives; after which we could return for the things we had abandoned. Our +arrangements being completed, we all bathed in the sea, ate a scanty +meal, and again moved onwards at half past two o'clock. + +The poor horses started better than could have been expected, but it was +soon evident that all were fast failing, and many already quite +exhausted. At six miles my favourite mare could no longer keep up with +the rest, and we were obliged to let her drop behind. Her foal, now six +months old, we got away with some difficulty from her, and kept it with +the other horses; at four miles further another of the horses failed, and +I had him tied up, in the hope that if we reached water during the +evening, I might send back and recover him. + +Towards dark we all imagined we saw a long point stretching to the S. W. +and backed by high sandy looking cones. We hoped that these might be the +sand-hills we were pushing for, and our hearts beat high with hope once +more. It, however, soon become too dark to discern anything, and at +fourteen miles from where we had halted in the morning, we were again +obliged by the tide to encamp for the night, as the country behind the +shore was densely scrubby, and quite impracticable as a line of route. It +was nine o'clock when we halted, and we were all very tired, and our feet +somewhat inflamed, from getting so frequently wet with the salt water, +whilst endeavouring to keep the horses from it; there was no grass but +the coarse wiry kind that bound the sand together, of this the poor +animals cropped a little, as a very heavy dew fell, and served to moisten +it. As usual, the overseer and myself kept watch upon the horses at +night, whilst the natives enjoyed their undisturbed repose. Two of the +boys were young, and none of the three had their frame and muscles +sufficiently developed to enable them to undergo the fatigue of walking +during the day if deprived of their rest at night; still the duty became +very hard upon two persons, where it was of constant occurrence, and +superadded to the ordinary day's labour. + +March 29.--After calling up the party, I ascended the highest sand-hill +near me, from which the prospect was cheerless and gloomy, and the point +and sandy cones we imagined we had seen last night had vanished. Indeed, +upon examining the chart, and considering that as yet we had advanced +only one hundred and twenty-six miles from the last water, I felt +convinced that we had still very far to go before we could expect to +reach the sand-drifts. The supply of water we had brought for ourselves +was nearly exhausted, and we could afford none for breakfast to-day; the +night, however, had been cool, and we did not feel the want of it so +much. Upon moving, I sent one of the natives back to the horse I had tied +up, about four miles from our camp to try to bring him on to where we +should halt in the middle of the day. + +For ten miles we continued along the beach until we came to a bluff rocky +ridge, running close into the sea; here we rested until the tide fell, +and to give the native boy an opportunity of rejoining us, which he did +soon after, but without the horse; the poor animal had travelled about +eight miles with him from the place where we had left him, but had then +been unable to come any further, and he abandoned him. + +Whilst the party were in camp, I sent the overseer to a distant point of +land to try and get a view of the coast beyond; but upon his return, +after a long walk, he told me his view to the west was obstructed by a +point similar to the one I had sent him to. During the day, we had passed +a rather recent native encampment, where were left some vessels of bark +for holding water, or for collecting it from the roots of trees, or the +grass. Near where we halted in the middle of the day, the foot-prints of +the natives were quite fresh, and shewed that they were travelling the +same way as ourselves. + +For the last two or three days, we had passed many pieces of wreck upon +the beach, oars, thwarts of boats, fragments of masts, spars, etc. strewed +about in every direction; none of them, however, appeared to have been +recently deposited there, and many of the oars, and lighter spars, were +stuck up on their ends in the sand above high water mark, probably so +placed by the natives, but with what object I know not. One oar was stuck +up upon a high sand ridge, some distance from the shore, and I spent some +time in examining the place, in the vain hope that it might be an +indication of our vicinity to water. + +In the afternoon we all had a little tea; and after a bathe in the sea, +again moved onwards; fortunately the beach was firm and hard, and the +evening cool; the horses advanced slowly and steadily, and in a way that +quite surprised me. After travelling for thirteen miles, we encamped +under the coast ridge late in the evening, all very much exhausted, +having made several ineffectual searches for water, among the sandy +ridges, as we passed along. + +In our route along the shore, we had seen immense numbers of fish in the +shallow waters, and among the reefs lying off the coast; several dead +ones had been picked up, and of these the boys made a feast at night. Our +last drop of water was consumed this evening, and we then all lay down to +rest, after turning the horses behind the first ridge of the coast, as we +could find no grass; and neither the overseer nor I were able to watch +them, being both too much worn out with the labours of the day, and our +exertions, in searching for water. + +March 30.--Getting up as soon as the day dawned, I found that some of the +horses had crossed the sand ridge to the beach, and rambled some distance +backwards. I found, too, that in the dark, we had missed a patch of +tolerable grass among the scrub, not far from our camp. I regretted this +the more, as during the night a very heavy dew had fallen, and the horses +might perhaps have fed a little. + +Leaving the overseer to search for those that had strayed, I took a +sponge, and went to try to collect some of the dew which was hanging in +spangles upon the grass and shrubs; brushing these with the sponge, I +squeezed it, when saturated, into a quart pot, which, in an hour's time, +I filled with water. The native boys were occupied in the same way; and +by using a handful of fine grass, instead of a sponge, they collected +about a quart among them. Having taken the water to the camp, and made it +into tea, we divided it amongst the party, and never was a meal more +truly relished, although we all ate the last morsel of bread we had with +us, and none knew when we might again enjoy either a drink of water, or a +mouthful of bread. We had now demonstrated the practicability of +collecting water from the dew. I had often heard from the natives that +they were in the habit of practising this plan, but had never before +actually witnessed its adoption. It was, however, very cold work, and +completely wet me through from head to foot, a greater quantity of water +by far having been shaken over me, from the bushes, than I was able to +collect with my sponge. The natives make use of a large oblong vessel of +bark, which they hold under the branches, whilst they brush them with a +little grass, as I did with the sponge; the water thus falls into the +trough held for it, and which, in consequence of the surface being so +much larger than the orifice of a quart pot, is proportionably sooner +filled. After the sun once rises, the spangles fall from the boughs, and +no more water can be collected; it is therefore necessary to be at work +very early, if success is an object of importance. + +The morning was very hazy, and at first nothing could be seen of the +country before us; but as the mist gradually cleared away a long point +was seen to the south-west, but so very distant that I felt certain our +horses never would get there if it lay between us and the water. To our +astonishment they kept moving steadily along the beach, which was +tolerably firm near the sea, in which were many reefs and shelves of +rocks, covered with muscles below low water mark. As we progressed, it +was evident that the country was undergoing a considerable change; the +sea shore dunes and the ridges immediately behind them were now of a pure +white sand, and steep, whilst those further back were very high and +covered with low bushes. Upon ascending one of the latter I had a good +view around, and to my inexpressible pleasure and relief saw the high +drifts of sand we were looking for so anxiously, in the corner between us +and the more distant point of land first seen. The height of the +intervening ridges and the sand-drifts being in the angle prevented us +from noticing them sooner. + +We had now travelled ten miles, and the sand-hills were about five miles +further. The horses were, however, becoming exhausted, and the day was so +hot that I was compelled to halt, and even now, in sight of our +long-expected goal, I feared we might be too late to save them. Leaving +the boys to attend to the animals, I took the overseer up one of the +ridges to reconnoitre the country for the purpose of ascertaining whether +there was no place near us where water might be procured by digging. +After a careful examination a hollow was selected between the two front +ridges of white sand, where the overseer thought it likely we might be +successful. The boys were called up to assist in digging, and the work +was anxiously commenced; our suspense increasing every moment as the well +was deepened. At about five feet the sand was observed to be quite moist, +and upon its being tasted was pronounced quite free from any saline +qualities. This was joyous news, but too good to be implicitly believed, +and though we all tasted it over and over again, we could scarcely +believe that such really was the case. By sinking another foot the +question was put beyond all doubt, and to our great relief fresh water +was obtained at a depth of six feet from the surface, on the seventh day +of our distress, and after we had travelled one hundred and sixty miles +since we had left the last water. Words would be inadequate to express +the joy and thankfulness of my little party at once more finding +ourselves in safety, and with abundance of water near us. A few hours +before hope itself seemed almost extinguished, and those only who have +been subjeet to a similar extremity of distress can have any just idea of +the relief we experienced. The mind seemed to have been weighed down by +intense anxiety and over-wrought feelings. At first the gloomy +restlessness of disappointment or the feverish impatience of hope had +operated upon our minds alternately, but these had long since given way +to that calm settled determination of purpose, and cool steady vigour of +action which desperate circumstances can alone inspire. Day by day our +prospects of success had gradually diminished; our horses had become +reduced to so dreadful a state that many had died, and all were likely to +do so soon; we ourselves were weak and exhausted by fatigue, and it +appeared impossible that either could have gone many miles further. In +this last extremity we had been relieved. That gracious God, without +whose assistance all hope of safety had been in vain, had heard our +earnest prayers for his aid, and I trust that in our deliverance we +recognized and acknowledged with sincerity and thankfulness his guiding +and protecting hand. It is in circumstances only such as we had lately +been placed in that the utter hopelessness of all human efforts is truly +felt, and it is when relieved from such a situation that the hand of a +directing and beneficent Being appears most plainly discernible, +fulfilling those gracious promises which he has made, to hear them that +call upon him in the day of trouble. + +[Note 27: "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and +their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of +Israel will not forsake them." + +"I will open rivers in high places, and fountains +in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, +and the dry land springs of water."--Isa. xli. 17, 18. + +"I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the +desert."--Isa. xliii. 19.] + +As soon as each had satisfied his thirst the pots were filled and boiled +for tea, and some bread was baked, whilst the overseer and natives were +still increasing the size of the well to enable us to water the horses. +We then got a hasty meal that we might the better go through the fatigue +of attending to the suffering animals. Our utmost caution now became +necessary in their management; they had been seven days without a drop of +water, and almost without food also, and had suffered so much that with +abundance of water near us, and whilst they were suffering agonies from +the want of it, we dared not give it to them freely. Having tied them up +to some low bushes, we gave each in turn about four gallons, and then +driving them away for half a mile to where there was a little withered +grass, we watched them until the evening, and again gave each about four +gallons more of water. + +Whilst thus engaged, a very fine looking native with his wife and family, +passed us and halted for a few moments to observe us, and procure a drink +from the well we had made. This man did not seem at all alarmed, and made +signs that he was going to sleep, a little further along the coast, where +there was also water, pointing to the white sandhills about five miles +from us. The language he spoke seemed to be the same as that of the other +natives we had met with along the Great Bight, nor did the King George's +Sound native understand him a bit better than he had done the others. + +At night one of our two remaining sheep was killed, and the overseer and +myself proceeded to watch the horses for the night. The poor creatures +were scarcely able to crawl, yet were restless and uneasy, and fed but +little, they had tasted water and they were almost mad for it, so that it +was a severe task to both myself and the overseer to keep them from +returning to the well. The single sheep now left had also given us a good +deal of trouble, it was frightened at being alone, and frustrated all our +efforts to yard it, preferring to accompany and remain with the +horses,--an arrangement we were obliged to acquiesce in. + +March 31.--The morning broke wild and lowering, and the sand blew +fearfully about from the drifts among which the water was. Our well had +tumbled in during the night, and we had to undergo considerable labour +before we could water the horses. After clearing it out, we gave each of +them seven gallons, and again sent them away to the grass, letting the +native boys watch them during the day, whilst we rested for a few hours, +shifted our camp to a more sheltered place, weighed out a week's +allowance of flour at half a pound each per day, and made sundry other +necessary arrangements. + +Fearful of losing our only remaining sheep, if left to wander about, we +made a strong yard to put it into at nights, for a long time, however, we +could not get it to go near the yard, and only succeeded at last by +leading in a horse first, behind which it walked quite orderly. + +April 1.--The last night had been bitterly cold and frosty, and as we +were badly clad, and without the means of making a large or permanent +fire, we all felt acutely the severity of the weather. After breakfast, I +left the overseer and natives to clear out the well, which had again +fallen in, and water the horses, whilst I walked five miles along the +beach to the westward, and then turned inland to examine the sand-drifts +there and search for grass. Behind the drifts I found some open sandy +plains, with a coarse kind of dry grass upon them, and as they were not +far from where the natives had dug wells for water, I thought the place +might suit us to encamp at for a time when we left our present position. +In returning to the camp, through the scrub behind the coast, I shot a +fine wallabie, and saw several others; but having only cartridges with +me, I did not like to cut up the balls for ammunition. + +April 2.--Another severe cold frosty night made us fully sensible that +the winter was rapidly closing in upon us, notwithstanding the +ill-provided and unprotected state we were in to encounter its +inclemencies. Our well had again tumbled in, and gave us a good deal of +trouble, besides, each successive clearing out deepened it considerably, +and this took us to a level where the brackish water mixed with the +fresh; from this cause the water was now too brackish to be palatable, +and we sunk another well apart from that used for the horses, at which to +procure any water we required for our own use. During the afternoon I +shot a wallabie behind the camp, but the place being densely scrubby, and +the animal not quite dead, I did not get it. + +On the 3rd, I sent the overseer out in one direction and I went myself +out in another, to examine the country and try to procure wallabies for +food. We both returned late, greatly fatigued with walking through dense +scrubs and over steep heavy sand ridges, but without having fired a shot. + +Our mutton (excepting the last sheep) being all used on the 4th, we were +reduced to our daily allowance of half a pound of flour each, without any +meat. + +On the 5th, the overseer and one of the native boys got ready to go back +for some of the stores and other things we had abandoned, forty-seven +miles away. As they were likely to have severe exercise, and to be away +for four days, I gave them five pounds extra of flour above their daily +allowance, together with the wallabie which I had shot, and which had not +yet been used; they drove before them three horses to carry their supply +of water, and bring back the things sent for. + +As soon as they were gone, with the assistance of the two native boys who +were left, I removed the camp to the white sand-drifts, five miles +further west. Being anxious to keep as near to the grass as I could, I +commenced digging at some distance away from where the natives procured +their water, but at a place where there were a great many rushes. After +sinking to about seven feet, I found the soil as dry as ever, and +removing to the native wells, with some little trouble opened a hole +large enough to water all the horses. The single sheep gave us a great +deal of trouble and kept us running about from one sand hill to another, +until we were tired out, before we could capture it; at last we +succeeded, and I tied him up for the night, resolved never to let him +loose again. + +In the evening I noticed the native boys looking more woe-begone and +hungry than usual. Heretofore, since our mutton was consumed, they had +helped out their daily half-pound of flour, with the roasted roots of the +gum-scrub, but to-day they had been too busy to get any, and I was +obliged to give to each a piece of bread beyond the regular allowance. It +was pitiable to see them craving for food, and not to have the power of +satisfying them; they were young and had large appetites, and never +having been accustomed to any restraint of this nature, scarcity of food +was the more sensibly felt, especially as they could not comprehend the +necessity that compelled us to hoard with greater care than a miser does +his gold, the little stock of provisions which we yet had left. + +April 6.--The severe frost and intense cold of last night entirely +deprived me of sleep, and I was glad when the daylight broke, though +still weary and unrefreshed. After clearing out the well, and watering +the horses, I sent one of the boys out to watch them, and gave the other +the gun to try and shoot a wallabie, but after expending the only two +charges of slugs I had left, he returned unsuccessful. At night we all +made up our supper with the bark of the young roots of the gum-scrub. It +appears to be extensively used for food by the natives in this district, +judging from the remnants left at their encamping places. The bark is +peeled off the young roots of the eucalyptus dumosa, put into hot ashes +until nearly crisp, and then the dust being shaken off, it is pounded +between two stones and ready for use. Upon being chewed, a farinaceous +powder is imbibed from between the fibres of the bark, by no means +unpleasant in flavour, but rather sweet, and resembling the taste of +malt; how far a person could live upon this diet alone, I have no means +of judging, but it certainly appeases the appetite, and is, I should +suppose, nutritious. + +April 7.--Another sleepless night from the intense cold. Upon getting up +I put a mark upon the beach to guide the overseer to our camp on his +return, then weighed out flour and baked bread for the party, as I found +it lasted much better when used stale than fresh. I tried to shoot some +pigeons with small gravel, having plenty of powder but no shot. My +efforts were, however, in vain, for though I several times knocked them +over, and tore feathers out, I killed none. The day being very clear, I +ascended the highest sand-hill to obtain a view of what had appeared to +us to be a long point of land, stretching to the south-west. It was now +clearly recognisable as the high level line of cliffs forming the western +boundary of the Great Bight, and I at once knew, that when we left our +present position, we could hope for no water for at least 140 or 150 +miles beyond. + +The weather on the 8th and 9th suddenly became mild and soft, with the +appearance of rain, but none fell. I was becoming anxious about the +return of my overseer and native boy, who had been absent nine tides, +when they ought to have returned in eight, and I could not help fearing +some mischance had befallen them, and frequently went back wards and +forwards to the beach, to look for them. The tenth tide found me +anxiously at my post on the look out, and after watching for a long time +I thought I discerned some dark objects in the distance, slowly +advancing; gradually I made out a single horse, driven by two people, and +at once descended to meet them. Their dismal tale was soon told. After +leaving us on the 5th, they reached their destination on the 7th; but in +returning one of the horses became blind, and was too weak to advance +further, when they had barely advanced thirteen miles; they were +consequently obliged to abandon him, and leave behind the things he had +been carrying. With the other two horses they got to within five miles of +the place we first procured water at on the 30th March. Here a second +horse had become unable to proceed, and the things he had carried were +also obliged to be left behind. They then got both horses to the first +well at the sand-hills and watered them, and after resting a couple of +hours came on to join me. Short as this distance was, the jaded horse +could not travel it, and was left behind a mile and a half back. Having +shewn the overseer and boy the camp, I sent the other two natives to +fetch up the tired horse, whilst I attended to the other, and put the +solitary sheep in for the night. By a little after dark all was arranged, +and the horse that had been left behind once more with the others. + +From the overseer I learnt, that during the fifty miles he had retraced +our route to obtain the provisions we had left, he had five times dug for +water: four times he had found salt water, and once he had been stopped +by rock. The last effort of this kind he had made not far from where we +found water on the 30th of March, and I could not but be struck with the +singular and providential circumstance of our first halting and +attempting to dig for water on that day in all our distress, at the very +first place, and at the only place, within the 160 miles we had +traversed, where water could have been procured. It will be remembered, +that in our advance, we had travelled a great part of the latter portion +of this distance by night, and that thus there was a probability of our +having passed unknowingly some place where water might have been +procured. The overseer had now travelled over the same ground in +daylight, with renovated strength, and in a condition comparatively +strong, and fresh for exertion. He had dug wherever he thought there was +a chance of procuring water, but without success in any one single +instance. + +After learning all the particulars of the late unlucky journey, I found +that a great part of the things I had sent for were still thirty-eight +miles back, having only been brought twelve miles from where they had +originally been left; the rest of the things were ten miles away, and as +nearly all our provisions, and many other indispensable articles were +among them, it became absolutely necessary that they should be recovered +in some way or other, but how that was to be accomplished was a question +which we could not so easily determine. Our horses were quite unfit for +service of any kind, and the late unfortunate attempt had but added to +the difficulties by which we were surrounded, and inflicted upon us the +additional loss of another valuable animal. Many and anxious were the +hours I spent in contemplating the circumstances we were in, and in +revolving in my mind the best means at our command to extricate ourselves +from so perilous a situation. We were still 650 miles from King George's +Sound, with an entirely unknown country before us. Our provisions, when +again recovered, would be barely sufficient to last us for three weeks +and a half, at a very reduced rate of allowance. Our horses were jaded +and miserable beyond all conception; they could literally scarcely crawl, +and it was evident they would be unable to move on again at all without +many days' rest where we were. On the other hand we had still the +prospect of another of those fearful pushes without water to encounter, +as soon as we left our present encampment, and had first to recover the +provisions and other things yet so far away. Nothing could be more +disheartening than our situation, and it was also one in which it was +difficult to decide what was best to be done. Aware that a single false +step would now be fatal to us all, I saw that our circumstances required +promptness and decision. With every thing depending upon my sole +judgment, and the determination I arrived at, I felt deeply and anxiously +the over-whelming responsibility that devolved upon me. + +We were now about half way between Fowler's Bay and King George's Sound, +located among barren sand-drifts, and without a drop of water beyond us +on either side, within a less distance than 150 miles. Our provisions +were rapidly decreasing, whilst we were lying idle and inactive in camp; +and yet it would be absolutely necessary for us thus to remain for some +time longer, or at once abandon the horses, and endeavour to make our way +without them. To the latter, however, there were many objections, one of +which was, that I well knew from the experience we had already had, that +if we abandoned the horses, and had those fearful long distances to +travel without water, we never could accomplish them on foot, if +compelled at the same time to live upon a very low diet, to carry our +arms, ammunition, and provisions, and in addition to these, a stock of +water, sufficient to last six or seven days. The only thing that had +enabled us to get through so far on our journey in safety, had been the +having the horses with us, for though weak and jaded, they had yet +carried the few things, which were indispensable to us, and which we +never could have carried ourselves under the circumstances. + +There was another inducement to continue with the horses, which had +considerable weight with me, and however revolting the idea might be at +first, it was a resource which I foresaw the desperate circumstances we +were in must soon compel us to adopt. It was certainly horrible to +contemplate the destruction of the noble animals that had accompanied us +so far, but ere long I well knew that such would be the only chance of +saving our own lives, and I hoped that by accustoming the mind to dwell +upon the subject beforehand, when the evil hour did arrive, the horror +and disgust would be in some degree lessened. Upon consulting the +overseer, I was glad to find that he agreed with me fully in the +expediency of not abandoning the horses until it became unavoidable, and +that he had himself already contemplated the probability of our being +very shortly reduced to the alternative of using them for food. + +It remained now only to decide, which way we would go when we agan moved +on, whether to prosecute our journey to the Sound, or try to retrace our +steps to Fowler's Bay. On this point my own opinion never wavered for an +instant. My conviction of the utter impossibility of our ever being able +to recross the fearful country we had passed through with such +difficulty, under circumstances so much more favourable than we were now +in, was so strong that I never for a moment entertained the idea myself. +I knew the many and frightful pushes without water we should have to make +in any such attempt, and though the country before us was unknown, it +could not well be worse than that we had passed through, whilst the +probability was, that after the first long stage was accomplished, and +which would take us beyond the western boundary of the Great Bight, we +should experience a change in the character of the country, and be able +to advance with comparative ease and facility. Unhappily my overseer +differed from me in opinion upon this point. + +The last desperate march we had made, had produced so strong an +impression upon his mind, that he could not divest himself of the idea +that the further we went to the westward the more arid the country would +be found, and that eventually we should all perish from want of water; on +the other hand, the very reduced allowance of food we were compelled to +limit ourselves to, made his thoughts always turn to the depot at +Fowler's Bay, where we had buried a large supply of provisions of all +kinds. In vain I pointed out to him the certain difficulties we must +encounter in any attempt to return, the little probability there was of a +single horse surviving even the first of those dreadful stages we should +have to make, and the utter impossibility of our getting successfully +through without the horses; and, on the other hand, the very cheering +prospect there was of all our most serious difficulties being terminated +as soon as we had turned the western extremity of the Bight (to +accomplish which, would not occupy more than six or seven days at the +furthest when we moved on,) and the strong hopes that we might then +reasonably entertain of falling in with some vessel, sealing or whaling +upon the coast, and from which we might obtain a fresh supply of +provisions. All my arguments were fruitless. With the characteristic +obedience and fidelity with which he had ever served me, he readily +acquiesced in any plan I might decide upon adopting; but I perceived, +with pain, that I could not convince him that the view I took was the +proper one, and that the plan I intended to follow was the only one which +held out to us even the remotest hopes of eventual safety and success. + +Finding that I made little progress in removing his doubts on the +question of our advance, I resolved to pursue the subject no further, +until the time for decision came, hoping that in the interim, his +opinions and feelings might in some degree be modified, and that he might +then accompany me cheerfully. The important and pressing duty of +recovering at once the stores we had left behind, now claimed my +attention. The overseer, with his usual anxiety to save me from any extra +labour, kindly offered to attempt this object again; but as he had just +returned from a severe, though unfortunately unsuccessful journey for the +same purpose, I decided upon doing it myself, and at once made my +preparations for leaving the camp. + + + + +Chapter XVIII. + + + +GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLD +WEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLE +REPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL A +HORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOME +DISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEY +RETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF +THE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THE +OVERSEER. + + +April 10.--FOUR days' provisions having been given to each of the party, +I took the King George's Sound native with me to retrace, on foot, our +route to the eastward. For the first ten miles I was accompanied by one +of the other native boys, leading a horse to carry a little water for us, +and take back the stores the overseer had buried at that point, when the +second horse knocked up with him on the morning of the 9th. Having found +the things, and put them on the horse, I sent the boy with them back to +the camp, together with a large sting-ray fish which he had speared in +the surf near the shore. It was a large, coarse, ugly-looking thing, but +as it seemed to be of the same family as the skate, I did not imagine we +should run any risk in eating it. In other respects, circumstances had +broken through many scruples and prejudices, and we were by no means +particular as to what the fish might be, if it were eatable. + +Having buried our little keg of water until our return, the King George's +Sound native and myself pushed on for five miles further, and then halted +for the night, after a day's journey of fifteen miles. We now cooked some +sting-ray fish (for the native with me had speared a second one,) and +though it was coarse and dry, our appetites had been sharpened by our +walk, and we thought it far from being unpalatable. + +April 11.--Moving away long before daylight, we pushed steadily on, and +about dusk arrived, after a stage of twenty-three miles, at the place +where our stores were. I found a much greater weight here than I +expected, and feared it would be quite impossible for us to carry the +whole away. By the light of the fire, I threw out saddles, clothes, +oil-skins, etc. that we did not absolutely require, and packing up the +remainder, weighed a bundle of thirty-two pounds for myself to carry, and +one of twenty-two for the native, who also had a gun to take. Our +arrangements being completed for the morrow, we enjoyed our supper of +sting-ray, and lay down for the night. + +April 12.--To-day the weather was cloudy and sultry, and we found it very +oppressive carrying the weight we had with us, especially as we had no +water. By steady perseverance, we gained the place where our little keg +had been buried; and having refreshed ourselves with a little tea, again +pushed on for a few miles to a place where I had appointed the overseer +to send a native to meet us with water. He was already there, and we all +encamped together for the night, soon forgetting, in refreshing sleep, +the fatigues and labours of the day. + +The 13th was a dark cloudy day, with light rains in the morning. About +noon we arrived at the camp, after having walked seventy-six miles in the +last three days and a half, during great part of which, we had carried +heavy weights. We had, however, successfully accomplished the object for +which we had gone, and had now anxieties only for our future progress, +the provisions and other stores being all safely recovered. + +During my absence, I had requested the overseer to bake some bread, in +order that it might be tolerably stale before we used it. To my regret +and annoyance, I found that he had baked one third of our whole supply, +so that it would be necessary to use more than our stated allowance, or +else to let it spoil. It was the more vexing, to think that in this case +the provisions had been so improvidently expended, from the fact of our +having plenty of the sting-ray fish, and not requiring so much bread. + +April 14.--Early this morning I sent the overseer, and one of the native +boys, with three days' provision to the commencement of the cliffs to the +westward, visible from the sand-hills near our camp, in order that they +might ascertain the exact distance they were from us, and whether any +grass or water could be procured nearer to their base than where we were. +After their departure, I attended to the horses, and then amused myself +preparing some fishing lines to set off the shore, with a large stone as +an anchor, and a small keg for a buoy. The day was, however, wild and +boisterous; and in my attempts to get through the surf, to set the lines, +I was thrown down, together with the large stone I was carrying, and my +leg severely cut and bruised. The weather was extremely cold, too, and +being without coat or jacket of any kind, I suffered severely from it. + +The 15th was another cold day, with the wind at south-west, and we could +neither set the lines, nor spear sting-ray, whilst the supply we had +before obtained was now nearly exhausted. One of the horses was taken +ill, and unable to rise, from the effects of the cold; his limbs were +cramped and stiff, and apparently unable to sustain the weight of his +body. After plucking dry grass, and making a bed for him, placing a +breakwind of boughs round, and making a fire near him, we left him for +the night. + +Late in the evening, the overseer and boy returned from the westward, and +reported, that the cliffs were sixteen miles away; that they had dug for +water, but that none could be found, and that there was hardly a blade of +grass any where, whilst the whole region around was becoming densely +scrubby; through much of which we should have to pass before we reached +the cliffs. Altogether, the overseer seemed quite discouraged by the +appearance of the country, and to dread the idea of moving on in that +direction, often saying, that he wished he was back, and that he thought +he could retrace his steps to Fowler's Bay, where a supply of provisions +had been buried. I was vexed at these remarks, because I felt that I +could not coincide in them, and because I knew that when the moment for +decision came, my past experience, and the strong reasons which had +produced in my own mind quite a different conviction, would compel me to +act in opposition to the wishes of the only European with me, and he a +person, too, whom I sincerely respected for the fidelity and devotion +with which he had followed me through all my wanderings. I was afraid, +too, that the native boys, hearing his remarks, and perceiving that he +had no confidence in our future movements, would catch up the same idea, +and that, in addition to the other difficulties and anxieties I had to +cope with, would be the still more frightful one of disaffection and +discontent. Another subject of uneasiness arose from the nature of our +diet;--for some few days we had all been using a good deal of the +sting-ray fish, and though at first we had found it palatable, either +from confining ourselves too exclusively to it, or from eating too much, +it had latterly disagreed with us. The overseer declared it made him ill +and weak, and that he could do nothing whilst living upon it. The boys +said the same; and yet we had nothing else to supply its place, and the +small quantity of flour left would not admit of our using more than was +barely necessary to sustain life. At this time we had hardly any fish +left, and the whole party were ravenously hungry. In this dilemma, I +determined to have the sick horse killed for food. It was impossible he +could ever recover, and by depriving him of life a few hours sooner than +the natural course of events would have done, we should be enabled to get +a supply of food to last us over a few days more, by which time I hoped +we might again be able to venture on, and attempt another push to the +westward. + +Early on the morning of the 16th, I sent the overseer to kill the +unfortunate horse, which was still alive, but unable to rise from the +ground, having never moved from the place where he had first been found +lying yesterday morning. The miserable animal was in the most wretched +state possible, thin and emaciated by dreadful and long continued +sufferings, and labouring under some complaint, that in a very few hours +at the farthest, must have terminated its life. + +After a great portion of the meat had been cut off from the carcase, in +thin slices, they were dipped in salt water and hung up upon strings to +dry in the sun. I could not bring myself to eat any to-day, so horrible +and revolting did it appear to me, but the overseer made a hearty dinner, +and the native boys gorged themselves to excess, remaining the whole +afternoon by the carcase, where they made a fire, cutting off and +roasting such portions as had been left. They looked like ravenous wolves +about their prey, and when they returned to the camp at night, they were +loaded with as much cooked meat as they could carry, and which they were +continually eating during the night; I made a meal upon some of the +sting-ray that was still left, but it made me dreadfully sick, and I was +obliged to lie down, seriously ill. + +April 17.--Being rather better to-day, I was obliged to overcome my +repugnance to the disagreeable food we were compelled to resort to, and +the ice once broken, I found that although it was far from being +palatable, I could gradually reconcile myself to it. The boys after +breakfast again went down to the carcase, and spent the whole day +roasting and eating, and at night they again returned to the camp loaded. +We turned all the meat upon the strings and redipped it in sea water +again to-day, but the weather was unfavourable for drying it, being cold +and damp. Both yesterday and to-day light showers fell sufficient to +moisten the grass. + +April 18.--The day being much warmer, many large flies were about, and I +was obliged to have a fire kept constantly around the meat, to keep them +away by the smoke. I now put the natives upon an allowance of five pounds +of flesh each per day, myself and the overseer using about half that +quantity. + +On the 19th, I sent out one of the boys to try and get a sting-ray to +vary our diet, but he returned unsuccessful. During the forenoon I was +seized with a violent attack of dysentery, accompanied with diabetes, +from which I suffered extremely. The overseer was affected also, but in a +less violent degree. The origin of this complaint was plainly traceable +to the food we had used for the last day or two; it rendered us both +incapable of the least exertion of any kind, whilst the disorder +continued, and afterwards left us very languid and weak. In the evening +upon examining the meat, a great deal of it was found to be getting +putrid, or fly-blown, and we were obliged to pick it over, and throw what +was tainted away. + +April 20.--To-day I had all the meat boiled, as I thought it would keep +better cooked than raw, we had only a small tin saucepan without a +handle, to effect our cooking operations with, and the preparation of the +meat therefore occupied the whole of the day. The overseer was again +attacked with dysentery. At night the clouds gathered heavily around, and +the weather being mild and soft, I fully expected rain; after dark, +however, the wind rose high and the threatened storm passed away. + +On the 21st, I was seized again with illness. The overseer continued to +be affected also, and we were quite unable to make the necessary +preparations for our journey to the westward, which I fully intended to +have commenced to-morrow. For several hours we were in the greatest +agony, and could neither lie down, sit up, nor stand, except with extreme +pain. Towards the afternoon the violence of the symptoms abated a little, +but we were exceedingly weak. + +April 22.--Upon weighing the meat this morning, which as usual was left +out upon the strings at night, I discovered that four pounds had been +stolen by some of the boys, whilst we were sleeping. I had suspected that +our stock was diminishing rapidly for a day or two past, and had weighed +it overnight that I might ascertain this point, and if it were so, take +some means to prevent it for the future. With so little food to depend +upon, and where it was so completely in the power of any one of the +party, to gratify his own appetite at the expense of the others, during +their absence, or when they slept, it became highly necessary to enforce +strict honesty towards each other; I was much grieved to find that the +meat had been taken by the natives, more particularly as their daily +allowance had been so great. We had, moreover, only two days' supply of +the meat left for the party, and being about to commence the long journey +before us, it was important to economise our provisions to support us +under the fatigue and labours we should then have to undergo. + +Having deducted the four pounds stolen during the night, from the daily +rations of the three boys, I gave them the remainder, (eight pounds) +telling them the reason why their quantity was less to-day than usual, +and asking them to point out the thief, who alone should be punished and +the others would receive their usual rations. The youngest of the three +boys, and the King George's Sound native, resolutely denied being +concerned in the robbery; but the other native doggedly refused to answer +any questions about it, only telling me that he and the native from King +George's Sound would leave me and make their way by themselves. I pointed +out to them the folly, in fact the impossibility almost, of their +succeeding in any attempt of the kind; advised them to remain quietly +where they were, and behave well for the future, but concluded by telling +them that if they were bent upon going they might do so, as I would not +attempt to stop them. + +For some time past the two eldest of the boys, both of whom were now +nearly grown up to manhood, had been far from obedient in their general +conduct. Ever since we had been reduced to a low scale of diet they had +been sulky and discontented, never assisting in the routine of the day, +or doing what they were requested to do with that cheerfulness and +alacrity that they had previously exhibited. Unaccustomed to impose the +least restraint upon their appetites or passions, they considered it a +hardship to be obliged to walk as long as any horses were left alive, +though they saw those horses falling behind and perishing from fatigue; +they considered it a hardship, too, to be curtailed in their allowance of +food, as long as a mouthful was left unconsumed; and in addition to this, +they had imbibed the overseer's idea that we never should succeed in our +attempt to get to the westward, and got daily more dissatisfied at +remaining idle in camp, whilst the horses were recruiting. + +The excess of animal food they had had at their command for some few days +after the horse was killed, made them forget their former scarcity, and +in their folly they imagined that they could supply their own wants, and +get on better and more rapidly than we did, and they determined to +attempt it. Vexed as I had been at finding out they had not scrupled to +plunder the small stock of provisions we had left, I was loth to let them +leave me foolishly without making an effort to prevent it. One of them +had been with me a great length of time, and the other I had brought from +his country and his friends, and to both I felt bound by ties of humanity +to prevent if possible their taking the rash step they meditated; my +remonstrances and expostulations were however in vain, and after getting +their breakfasts, they took up some spears they had been carefully +preparing for the last two days, and walked sulkily from the camp in a +westerly direction. The youngest boy had, it seemed, also been enticed to +join them, for he was getting up with the intention of following, when I +called him back and detained him in the camp, as he was too young to know +what he was doing, and had only been led astray by the others. I had +intended to have moved on myself to-day, but the departure of the natives +made me change my intention, for I deemed it desirable that they should +have at least three or four days start of us. Finding that the single +sheep we had left would now be the cause of a good deal of trouble, I had +it killed this afternoon, that we might have the full advantage of it +whilst we had plenty of water, and might be enabled to hoard our bread a +little. We had still a little of the horse-flesh left, and made a point +of using it all up before the mutton was allowed to be touched. + +The morning of the 23rd broke cool and cloudy, with showers gathering +from seawards; the wind was south-west, and the sky wild and lowering in +that direction. During the forenoon light rain fell, but scarcely more +than sufficient to moisten the grass; it would, however, probably afford +our deserters a drink upon the cliffs. Towards evening the sky cleared, +and the weather became frosty. + +On the following day we still remained in camp, hoping for rain;--a +single heavy shower would so completely have freed us from the danger of +attempting to force a passage through the great extent of arid country +before us, that I was unwilling to move on until the very last moment. +Our rations were however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling in +camp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day we had commenced upon +the mutton, so that soon we should be compelled to go, whether it rained +or not. Month after month however had passed away without any fall of +rain, and the season had now arrived when, under ordinary circumstances, +much wet might be expected; and though each day, as it passed without +gratifying our hopes, but added to our disappointment, yet did every hour +we lingered give us a better chance of being relieved by showers in our +route round the last cliffs of the Bight. The evening set in mild but +close, with the wind at north-east, and I had great hopes that showers +would fall. + +April 25.--During the night dense clouds, accompanied by gusts of wind +and forked lightning, passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morning +the wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms gathered to seawards with +much thunder and lightning, but no rain fell near us; the sea appearing +to attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very large eagle to-day +and made a stew of it, which was excellent. I sent the boy out to try and +shoot a wallabie, but he returned without one. + +In the evening, a little before dark, and just as we had finished our +tea, to my great astonishment our two runaway natives made their +appearance, the King George's Sound native being first. He came frankly +up, and said that they were both sorry for what they had done, and were +anxious to be received again, as they found they could get nothing to eat +for themselves. The other boy sat silently and sullenly at the fire, +apparently more chagrined at being compelled by necessity to come back to +us than sorry for having gone away. Having given them a lecture, for they +both now admitted having stolen meat, not only on the night they were +detected but previously, I gave each some tea and some bread and meat, +and told them if they behaved well they would be treated in every respect +as before, and share with us our little stock of provisions as long as it +lasted. + +I now learnt that they had fared in the bush but little better than I +should have done myself. They had been absent four days, and had come +home nearly starved. For the first two days they got only two small +bandicoots and found no water; they then turned back, and obtaining a +little water in a hollow of the cliffs, left by the shower which had +passed over, they halted under them to fish, and speared a sting-ray; +this they had feasted on yesterday, and to-day came from the cliffs to +look for us without any thing to eat at all. + +During the night some heavy clouds passed over our heads, and once a drop +or two of rain fell. The 26th broke wild and stormy to the east and west, +and I determined to remain one day longer in camp, in the hope of rain +falling, but principally to rest the two natives a little after the long +walk from which they had returned. Breakfast being over, I sent the +overseer and one native to the beach, to try to get a sting-ray, and to +the other I gave my gun to shoot wallabie: no fish was procured, but one +wallabie was got, half of which I gave to the native who killed it, for +his dinner. + +Being determined to break up camp on the 27th, I sent the King George's +Sound native on a-head, as soon as he had breakfasted, that, by preceding +the party, he might have time to spear a sting-ray against we overtook +him. The day was dull, cloudy, and warm, and still looking likely for +rain, with the wind at north-east. At eleven we were ready, and moved +away from a place where we had experienced so much relief in our +extremity, and at which our necessities had compelled us to remain so +long. For twenty-eight days we had been encamped at the sand-drifts, or +at the first water we had found, five miles from them. Daily, almost +hourly, had the sky threatened rain, and yet none fell. We had now +entered upon the last fearful push, which was to decide our fate. This +one stretch of bad country crossed, I felt a conviction we should be +safe. That we had at least 150 miles to go to the next water I was fully +assured of; I was equally satisfied that our horses were by no means in a +condition to encounter the hardships and privations they must meet with +in such a journey; for though they had had a long rest, and in some +degree recovered from their former tired-out condition, they had not +picked up in flesh or regained their spirits; the sapless, withered state +of the grass and the severe cold of the nights had prevented them from +deriving the advantage that they ought to have done from so long a +respite from labour. Still I hoped we might be successful. We had +lingered day by day, until it would have been folly to have waited +longer; the rubicon was, however, now passed, and we had nothing to rely +upon but our own exertions and perseverance, humbly trusting that the +great and merciful God who had hitherto guarded and guidedus in safety +would not desert us now. + +Upon leaving the camp we left behind one carbine, a spade, some horse +hobbles, and a few small articles, to diminish as much as possible the +weight we had to carry. For eight miles we traced round the beach to the +most north-westerly angle of the Bight, and for two miles down its +south-west shore, but were then compelled by the rocks to travel to the +back, through heavy scrubby ridges for four miles; after which we again +got in to the beach, and at one mile along its shore, or fifteen miles +from our camp, we halted for the night, at a patch of old grass. The +afternoon had been hot, but the night set in cold and clear, and all +appearance of rain was gone. The native I had sent on before had not +succeeded in getting a fish, though he had broken one or two spears in +his attempts. + +April 28.--After travelling along the beach for two miles we ascended +behind the cliffs, which now came in bluff to the sea, and then keeping +along their summits, nearly parallel with the coast, and passing through +much scrub, low brushwood, and dwarf tea-tree growing upon the rocky +surface, we made a stage of twenty miles; both ourselves and the horses +greatly tired with walking through the matted scrub of tea-tree every +where covering the ground. The cliffs did not appear so high as those we +had formerly passed along, and probably did not exceed from two to three +hundred feet in elevation. They appeared to be of the same geological +formation; the upper crust an oolitic limestone, with many shells +embedded, below that a coarse, hard, grey limestone, and then alternate +streaks of white and yellow in horizontal strata, but which the steepness +of the cliffs prevented my going down to examine. + +Back from the sea, the country was rugged and stony, and every where +covered with scrub or dwarf tea-tree. There was very little grass for the +horses, and that old and withered. In the morning one of the natives shot +a large wallabie, and this evening the three had it amongst them for +supper; after which they took charge of the horses for the night, this +being the first time they had ever watched them on the journey, myself +and the overseer having exclusively performed this duty heretofore; but, +as I was now expecting a longer and almost more arduous push than any we +had yet made, and in order that we might be able to discharge efficiently +the duties devolving upon us, and make those exertions which our +exigences might require, I deemed it only right that we should sometimes +be assisted by the two elder boys, in a task which we had before always +found to be the most disagreeable and fagging of any, that of watching +the horses at night, after a long and tiring day's journey. + +On the morning of the 29th we moved away very early, passing over a rocky +level country, covered with low brush, and very fatiguing to both +ourselves and our horses. The morning was gloomy and close, and the day +turned out intensely hot. After travelling only fifteen miles we were +compelled to halt until the greatest heat was passed. Our stock of water +and provisions only admitted of our making two meals in the day, +breakfast and supper; but as I intended this evening to travel great part +of the night, we each made our meal now instead of later in the day, that +we might not be delayed when the cool of the evening set in. We had been +travelling along the summit of the cliffs parallel with the coast line, +and had found the country level and uniform in its character; the cliffs +still being from two to three hundred feet in elevation, and of the same +formation as I noticed before. There were patches of grass scattered +among the scrub at intervals, but all were old and withered. + +At four in the afternoon we again proceeded on our journey, but had not +gone far before the sky unexpectedly became overcast with clouds, and the +whole heavens assumed a menacing and threatening appearance. To the east +and to the west, thunderclouds gathered heavily around, every indication +of sudden and violent rain was present to cheer us as we advanced, and +all were rejoicing in the prospects of a speedy termination to our +difficulties. The wind had in the morning been north-east, gradually +veering round to north and north-west, at which point it was stationary +when the clouds began to gather. Towards sunset a heavy storm passed over +our heads, with the rapidity almost of lightning; the wind suddenly +shifted from north-west to south-west, blowing a perfect hurricane, and +rendering it almost impossible for us to advance against it. A few +moments before we had confidently expected a heavy fall of rain; the dark +and lowering sky had gradually gathered and concentrated above and around +us, until the very heavens seemed overweighted and ready every instant to +burst. A briefer interval of time, accompanied by the sudden and violent +change of wind, had dashed our hopes to the ground, and the prospect of +rain was now over, although a few heavy clouds still hung around us. + +Three miles from where we had halted during the heat of the day, we +passed some tolerable grass, though dry, scattered at intervals among the +scrub, which grew here in dense belts, but with occasional openings +between. The character of the ground was very rocky, of an oolitic +limestone, and having many hollows on its surface. Although we had only +travelled eighteen miles during the day, the overseer requested I would +stop here, as he said he thought the clouds would again gather, and that +rain might fall to-night; that here we had large sheets of rock, and many +hollows in which the rain-water could be collected; but that if we +proceeded onwards we might again advance into a sandy country, and be +unable to derive any advantage from the rain, even should it fall. I +intended to have travelled nearly the whole of this night to make up for +the time we had lost in the heat of the day, and I was the more inclined +to do this, now that the violence of the storm had in some measure +abated, and the appearance of rain had almost disappeared. The overseer +was so earnest, however, and so anxious for me to stop for the night, +that greatly against my own wishes, and in opposition to my better +judgment, I gave way to him and yielded. The native boys too had made the +same request, seconding the overseer's application, and stating, that the +violence of the wind made it difficult for them to walk against it. + +The horses having been all hobbled and turned out to feed, the whole +party proceeded to make break-winds of boughs to form a shelter from the +wind, preparatory to laying down for the night. We had taken a meal in +the middle of the day, which ought to have been deferred until night, and +our circumstances did not admit of our having another now, so that there +remained only to arrange the watching of the horses, before going to +sleep. The native boys had watched them last night, and this duty of +course fell to myself and the overseer this evening. The first watch was +from six o'clock P. M. to eleven, the second from eleven until four A. +M., at which hour the whole party usually arose and made preparations for +moving on with the first streak of daylight. + +To-night the overseer asked me which of the watches I would keep, and as +I was not sleepy, though tired, I chose the first. At a quarter before +six, I went to take charge of the horses, having previously seen the +overseer and the natives lay down to sleep, at their respective +break-winds, ten or twelve yards apart from one another. The arms and +provisions, as was our custom, were piled up under an oilskin, between my +break-wind and that of the overseer, with the exception of one gun, which +I always kept at my own sleeping place. I have been thus minute in +detailing the position and arrangement of our encampment this evening, +because of the fearful consequences that followed, and to shew the very +slight circumstances upon which the destinies of life sometimes hinge. +Trifling as the arrangement of the watches might seem, and unimportant as +I thought it at the time, whether I undertook the first or the second, +yet was my choice, in this respect, the means under God's providence of +my life being saved, and the cause of the loss of that of my overseer. + +The night was cold, and the wind blowing hard from the south-west, whilst +scud and nimbus were passing very rapidly by the moon. The horses fed +tolerably well, but rambled a good deal, threading in and out among the +many belts of scrub which intersected the grassy openings, until at last +I hardly knew exactly where our camp was, the fires having apparently +expired some time ago. It was now half past ten, and I headed the horses +back, in the direction in which I thought the camp lay, that I might be +ready to call the overseer to relieve me at eleven. Whilst thus engaged, +and looking steadfastly around among the scrub, to see if I could +anywhere detect the embers of our fires, I was startled by a sudden +flash, followed by the report of a gun, not a quarter of a mile away from +me. Imagining that the overseer had mistaken the hour of the night, and +not being able to find me or the horses, had taken that method to attract +my attention, I immediately called out, but as no answer was returned, I +got alarmed, and leaving the horses, hurried up towards the camp as +rapidly as I could. About a hundred yards from it, I met the King +George's Sound native (Wylie), running towards me, and in great alarm, +crying out, "Oh Massa, oh Massa, come here,"--but could gain no +information from him, as to what had occurred. Upon reaching the +encampment, which I did in about five minutes after the shot was fired, I +was horror-struck to find my poor overseer lying on the ground, weltering +in his blood, and in the last agonies of death. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS. +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S. + + +I. It was formerly believed, that all the Mammalia inhabiting the +Australian continent, but the wild dog, were marsupial; but as the +natural history of the country is better known, we are becoming +acquainted with nearly as many native non-marsupial beasts as there are +marsupial; but they are certainly, generally, of a small size, such as +bats, mice, etc., as compared to the kangaroos and other marsupial genera. + +Some years ago, in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, (iii. 52.) +I described a species of RHINOLOPHUS, from Moreton Bay, which was +peculiar for the large size of its ears, hence named R. MEGAPHYLLUS; the +one now about to be described, which was found flying near the hospital +at Port Essington, by Dr. Sibbald, R.N., is as peculiar for the +brightness and beauty of its colour, the male being nearly as bright an +orange as the Cock of the rock (RUPICOLA) of South America. + +THE ORANGE HORSE-SHOE BAT, (RHINOLOPHUS AURANTIUS.) t. 1. f. 1.--Ears +moderate, naked, rather pointed at the end; nose-leaf large, central +process small, scarcely lobed, blunt at the top; fur elongate, soft, +bright orange, the hairs of the back with short brown tips, of the under +side rather paler, of the face rather darker; female pale yellow, with +brown tips to the hair of the upper parts. + +Inhab. Port Essington, near the Hospital, Dr. Sibbald, R.N. + +The membranes are brown, nakedish; the tail is rather produced beyond the +membrane at the tip; the feet are small, and quite free from the wings. + + + Male. Female. +The length of the body and head 1.10 1.10 +The length of the fore-arm bone 1.11 1.10 +The length of the shin-bone 8 8 +The length of the ankle and foot 4 4 + + +II. In Captain Grey's Travels in Western Australia I gave a list of the +different species of Reptiles and Amphibia found in Australia. Since that +period the British Museum has received from the different travellers +various other species from that country. The lizards have been described +in the catalogue of the Museum collection, recently published, and are +being figured in the zoology of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror. Two of the most +interesting specimens lately received, belong to a new genus of frogs +which appear to be peculiar to Australia, which I shall now proceed to +describe:-- + +GENUS PERIALIA. FAM. RANIDAE.--Tongue nearly circular, entire; palate +concave, with two groups of palatine teeth between the orifices of the +internal nostrils; jaw toothed; head smooth, high on the side; mouth +large; eyes convex, swollen above, tympanum scarcely visible; back rather +convex, high on the sides; skin smooth, not porous; limbs rather short; +toes 4.5, tapering to a point, nearly free, the palms with roundish +tubercles beneath; the fourth hind toe elongate, the rest rather short; +the ankle with an oblong, compressed, horny, sharp-edged tubercle on the +inner side at the base of the inner toe; the male with an internal vocal +sac under the throat. + +This genus agrees with SCIAPHOS, PYXICEPHALUS, and PELOLATES, in having a +large, sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of the ankle, but it +differs from them at first sight, by the head and body being compressed +and high, the mouth very large, and the eyes convex on the side of the +forehead. + +PERIALIA EYREI, t. 2. f. 3.--Olive, sides of the face, and body blackish +brown; face varies with white streak; the sides of body marbled with +unequal white spots; limbs brown and white marbled; under side of the +body whitish. + +Inhab. Australia, on the banks of the river Murray. + +PERIALIA? ORNATA, t. 2. f. 2.--Pale grey, back and sides, marbled with +symmetrical dark-edged spots, those of the middle of the back being +generally confluent, of the face elongate, band-like; the legs +dark-banded, beneath white. + +Inhab. Port Essington. + +Somewhat like DISCOGLOSUS PICTUS in appearance. The internal nostrils are +far apart, with an elongate group of palatine teeth level with their +hinder edges. + +Taking advantage of the space of the plate, figures of the following +species from the same country, which have not hitherto been illustrated +have been added. They were described or noticed in the list before +referred to. + +1. Cystignathus dorsalis, t. 1. f. 2. GRAY, ANN. NAT. HIST. 1841. + +2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. f. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. viii. 725. +Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57. + +III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species of +cray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the natives +UKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci in +the British Museum collection, which have been received at various times +from Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it. + +As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been described +or figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, I +shall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures of +their more characteristic features. + +The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearly +resembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times larger +than any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and the +figure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front of +the head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australian +species described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUS +AUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about two +inches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is said +not to be taken from a large specimen. It differs from Mr. Milne Edwards' +figures, in having only one spine on the wrist, so that probably there +are still two more species of the genus to be found in Australia. + +Mr. Eyre in his notes states--"The Fresh water cray-fish, of the smaller +variety; native names, cu-kod-ko, or koon-go-la, is found in the alluvial +flats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subject +to a periodical flooding by the river; it burrows deep below the +surface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, and +remains dormant, until the next flooding recals it to the surface; +at first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and gets +plump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousands +are procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundreds +of natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for many +weeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not recur +every year, and in this case the eu-kod-ko lie dormant until the next, +and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I have +often seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by the men +engaged in digging ditches for irrigation. The floods usually overflow +the river flats in August or September, and recede again in February or +March. For further particulars respecting the modes of catching the +eu-kod-kos, vide vol. ii. pages 252 and 267." + +"I have spoken of this cray-fish as the SMALLER variety as respects the +Murray. It is LARGER than the one found in the ponds of the river Torrens +at Adelaide; but in the river Murray one is procured of a size ranging to +4 1/2 lbs., and which is QUITE EQUAL in flavour to the FINEST lobster." + +These latter have not yet been received in any of our collections, so +that we are unable to state how it differs from those now described: they +must be the giants of the genus. + +1. The Van Diemen's Land Cray-fish. ASTACUS FRANKLINII, t. 3. f. +1.--Carapace convex on the sides, rather rugose on the sides behind, the +front only slightly produced and edged with a toothed raised margin not +reaching beyond the front edge of the lower orbit, and with a very short +ridge at the middle of each orbit behind; the hands compressed, rather +rugose, edge thick and toothed: wrist with four or five conical spines on +the inner side, the front the largest: the central caudal lobe, broad, +continuous, calcareous to the tip, lateral lobes, with a very slight +central keel; the sides of the second abdominal rings spinose. + +Inhab. Van Diemen's Land. + +Mr. Milne Edwards, (Archives du Museum, ii. 35. t. 3.) has recently +described a species of this genus from Madagascar, under the name of A. +MADAGASCARIENSIS, which is nearly allied to the Van Diemen's Land +species, in the shortness of the frontal process, the spines on the sides +of the second abdominal segment, and in the lobes of the tail; but it +differs from it in the length of the claws, and other particulars. +Madagascar appears to be the tropical confines of the genus. + +2. The Western Australia Cray-fish. ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, t. 3. f. +3.--Carapace smooth, rather convex, and with three keels above; the beak, +longly produced, ending in a spine, simple on the side and produced into +a keel on each side behind; the central caudal lobe rather narrow, +indistinctly divided in half, and like the other lobes flexile at the +end, the lateral lobes with a central keel ending a slight spine; the +hands elongated, compressed, smooth, with a thickened, toothed, inner +margin, which is ciliated above; wrist with two conical spines on the +inner side. + +Inhab. Western Australia, near Swan River. + +3. The Port Essington Cray-fish. ASTACUS BICARINATUS, t. 3.f. +2.--Carapace smooth, rather flattened, with a keel on each side above in +front; the beak longly produced, flattened, three toothed at the top; +hands rather compressed, smooth, thinner and slightly toothed on the +inner edge; the wrist triangular, angularly produced in front; the +central caudal lobes with two slightly diverging keels continued, and +like the others thin and flexible at the end, the inner lateral lobes +with two keels, each ending with a spine. + +Inhab. Port Essington, Mr. Gilbert. + +The A. AUSTRALASIENSIS, Milne Edwards, Crust ii. 332. t. 24. f. 1--5. +agrees with this species in the form of the beak, but the keels on the +thorax are not noticed either in the description or in the figure; and +the caudal lobes in the figure appear most to resemble A. FRANKLINII. + +As the genus ASTACUS is now becoming more numerous in species, it may be +divided, with advantage, into three sections, according to the form of +the caudal lobes; thus:-- + +A. The central caudal lobes divided by a transverse suture into two +parts, both being hard and calcareous, and with a small spine at the +outer angle of the suture (PATAMOBIUS, LEACH) as A. FLUVIATILIS of +Europe, and A. AFFINIS of North America, with an elongated rostrum, and +A. BARTONII of North America, with a short rostrum. + +B. The central caudal lobe continued hard and calcareous to the end, as +ASTACUS FRANKLINII of Van Diemen's Land, and A. MADAGASCARIENSIS of +Madagascar; both have a very short beak, and the second abdominal ring +spinose. + +C. The central caudal lobe continued or only slightly divided on the +middle of each side; but it and all the lateral lobes are thin and +flexible at the hinder parts, as ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, and A. +BICARINATUS of Australia, and A. CHILIENSIS of Chili. + + + +CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, +FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, +BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY-GENERAL NEILL, + +IN A LETTER TO J. E. GRAY, ESQ. BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON. + +* * * * * + +"Sir,--Although in the course of my life, I have had little opportunity +to pay attention to the study of Ichthyology, it occurred to me, as now +and then a leisure moment was afforded from official duties, that it +would perhaps be useful, as well as amusing, to collect and make drawings +of the fish about King George's Sound; and I have been in a great degree +stimulated to do so, from an accidental visit of my friend, His +Excellency Captain Grey, Governor of South Australia, who advised me to +forward the drawings to you for the purpose of being placed with others +of a similar kind in the British Museum, where ultimately sufficient +material may be collected to give some account of the New Holland fish. + +"Nothing is assumed as to the execution of the drawings; in fact it often +occurred when I set off in my little skiff, (especially in the outset) +that seven or eight species were procured in the course of the excursion, +which compelled me to make drawings of all when I came home tired in the +evening; forwarding them to ensure, as far as possible, their colours +before they became extinct--a sort of forced effort in respect to the +execution has, therefore, only been effected. The outline of nearly every +specimen was taken from ACTUAL PROFILE, by laying the fish upon the +paper--in this way I defied error in outline--of course, afterwards +carefully drawing and correcting various parts which required it, in a +free or rough manner, time not admitting of much pains. + +"In naming the fish, I have merely attempted to give the aboriginal and +popular names known to the sealers and settlers. In obtaining the former, +no little difficulty has been experienced. The younger natives generally +giving different names to those of the elder; but finding the fish named +by the latter more descriptive, I have, of course, in most instances, +adopted them. + +"For instance, No. 1, KOJETUCK means the fish with the bones; which is +very descriptive, from Koje the bones, [Note 28: This was noticed by +Governor Grey.] having very singular bones placed vertically in the neck, +connecting the dorsal spines to the back, resembling small tobacco pipes. + +"Also the KYNARNOCH, No 13, the bearded, etc. In many other instances the +savages of this province are equally clear in naming their animals; and +it is curious, even this applies to their children, who commonly receive +their name from some extraordinary circumstance at, or about the time of +their birth. I find, also, the old men are more minute in SPECIES; the +younger often call very different fish by the same name, as the MEMON, +Nos. 17, and 43, etc. but as this is curious, merely for the sake of fact, +it is otherwise of little importance to the naturalist,--the native name +being only useful to enable the collector to obtain any particular +species hereafter. As regards the fidelity of the drawings, it may be +worth while to mention a singular mistake made by my friend +TOOLEGETWALEE; one of the oldest and most friendly savages we have of the +King George tribe; who, in looking over my collection to assist me in +naming them, observed that the drawings were a little raised off the +paper; and like a monkey, began to touch them with his long talons; of +course I flew to their rescue, and asked what he meant? + +"'INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!' which literally +means--'Ah! I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!' From want of +paper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand, +cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; which +circumstance gave rise to the poor savage's mistake, and it was not until +I actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he was +in error--a compliment I could hardly help smiling at. I have only to add +in conclusion, that no attempt has been made at ARRANGEMENT, having drawn +and numbered the fish as they were caught. Most have been taken by my own +hook; some by the native's spear, and some by the seine net. + +"The natural SCALE of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and when +remarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considered +a more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, in +objects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be depended +on. + +"A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number to +that on the drawing, is also added. + +"The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still more +agreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge of +the subject. + +"I remain, Sir, +"Your most obedient servant, +"J. NEILL. +"Albany, King George's Sound, +"Western Australia." + + +On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referred +the part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson of +Haslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindly +arranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as he +was able, the modern scientific names. I have done the same to the +Reptiles myself. I have retained the original numbers as they refer to +the drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of the +British Museum.--J. E. GRAY. + +* * * * * + +REPTILES. + +Fam. Lialisidae. +LIALIS BURTONII. Native name KERRY-GURA. Considered by the natives as +harmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken is +sometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided and +rounded. + +LIALIS BICATENATA. Native name WILLIAM LUNGER. Tongue not forked, broad, +and rounded off at the point. Not poisonous or at all dreaded by the +natives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equal +marks; has a lappel on each side of the vent. + +Killed 10th of October, 1841. + + + FAM. COLUBRIDAE. + +NAJA,--? Native name TORN-OCK or TOOKYTE. Colour dirty olive over the +whole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat down +to the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears as +if faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those of +the NOON; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and rather +blunt; scuta, 223. + +Although the natives assert, if a person is bitten by this make, and +"gets down," i.e. lays in bed three days, he will recover, yet I am very +doubtful of this account, more particularly from the women differing from +the men, as well as the whole subject being hidden in superstition. +Another ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in Van +Diemen's Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very similar to +this; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes after the bite, although +the piece was almost instantaneously cut out. + +The women of King George's Sound declare the bite of the Torn-ock mortal; +but the men laugh at that, and maintain the three days' "couple," (sleep) +will restore the patients. + +The specimen was 4 ft. 9 in. long, but they have been seen 6 or 7 feet +long. This is a favourite food of the natives of King George's Sound. + +COLUBER? Native name BARDICK. Dirty olive green over the whole back; +belly dirty white; scuta 130. + +The natives state that the bite produces great swelling of the part for a +day or two, and goes off. + +Never grows above 14 or 15 inches long. Caught October 1841. + +COLUBER. Native name TORKITE or TORKYTE. Back, from the point of the tail +to the point of the nose, dark sepia brown; under the head yellow; and +towards the middle of the belly orange; scales minute; scuta 140; tongue +forked; teeth very minute; no fangs observable. Caught August 30th, 1844. + +Not at all dreaded by the natives; venomous, but not deadly, the bite +merely producing a bad ulcer for a day or two. + +ELAPS MELANOCEPHALUS. Native name WERR. Dirty olive green on the back, +from the neck to the tail; scuta 147, dirty reddish orange; head black +from the nose to neck; sides of the head white; tongue forked. + +Doubtful if poisonous; little dreaded by the natives. Killed October +12th, 1845. + +ELAPS. Native name NORN or NORNE. Whole body covered with spear shaped +scales; head shining black; the ground colours of the back rich umber, +almost black; scuta 161, of a dirty red orange; fangs two on each side of +the upper jaw near the lios, small, and bent inwards; tongue forked + +This is the most fatal of the New Holland snakes; the animal bitten +seldom recovers. The Aborigines have a great dread of this reptile; they +however eat of it if they kill it themselves, but there is a superstition +amongst them about snakes, which prevents their eating them if killed by +a European. + +The specimen I figured was a small one, 3 ft. 9 in. long; they are often +seen by the natives much larger. I have endeavoured to represent it as it +generally sleeps or lies in wait for its prey, small birds, frogs, +lizards, etc. It delights in swamps and marshes. + +Killed October, 1844. + + + FAM. BOIDAE + +PYTHON. Native name WAKEL or WA-A-KEL. This snake is considered by the +natives a great delicacy, and by their account resembles mutton in +flavour, being also remarkably fat. I requested them to let me taste the +specimen from which the drawing was made; but they devoured every atom +themselves, pretending they did not understand me. The WAKEL differs from +the NORN in its habits; although both ascend trees in pursuit of small +birds and the young of the opossums. The WAKEL delights in rocky, dry +places, near salt water; they are very sluggish, and easily caught by the +women, who seize them behind the head and wring their necks. They are +described to have been seen 9 or 10 feet long. My specimen, a young male, +was exactly 5 feet long. The scales of this species are firmly fixed to +the skin, in plates all over the back and belly. The colour is beautiful, +dark greenish brown, finely variegated with yellowish white spots. + +It was killed by Paddy, a native constable, near Albany, October, 1841. + +* * * * * + +FISHES. + + + GOBIIDAE. + +No. 58.--PATOECUS FRONTO. Rich. Ann. Nat. Hist. Oct. 1844, vol. xiv.p. +280, Ichth. Ereb. and Terr. p. 20, pl. 13, f. 1, 2. + +Native name KARRACK. Colour, a rich dragon's blood, or mahogany; found by +a Danish boatman, named Byornsan, 80 miles off the east coast from King +George's Sound, December 11th, 1841. Anal rays imperfectly counted, and +there is a typographical error in the Zool. of Ereb. and Terr. The true +numbers of the rays follow: B. 6; D. 24-16; A. 11-5; C. 10; P. 8. + + + TRIGLIDAE. + +No. 53.--SCORPOENA, or SEBASTES.--Native name, TYLYUCK, or TELUCK +(BIG-HEAD). "Rays, D. 12, 1-8; A. 3-5; P. 21; V. 1-5." + +Uncommon. Inhabits rocky shores. Flesh firm and well-flavoured. Caught by +hook, 16th Aug. 1841. + +No. 34.--SEBASTES?--Native name, CUMBEUK. + +A common inhabitant of rocky shores. Good eating. The specimen was +speared by Munglewert, 17th May, 1841. "Rays, D. 14-17; A. 3-8; P. 14; V. +1-5." + +No. 14.--APISTES. Apparently scaleless, and without free pectoral rays. +Does not correspond well with A. MARMORATUS. "Rays, D. 12," etc. Caught by +Seine, 18th March, 1841. + +The fishermen dread wounds made by the species of this fish, as they +always fester. + +Native name BOORA-POKEY, or POKY. SERGEANT of the settlers. + +No. 36.--PLATYCEPHALUS.--Native name CUMBEL. Common Flat-head of the +settlers. Seems to differ from described species in the two dark bars of +the tail, being directly transverse, and followed by five large dark +purple round spots. + +Inhabits sandy shores very commonly, all round the coast of New Holland. +A variety occurs at Maria Island, Van Diemen's Land. Caught by hook, 15th +May, 1841. Good eating. + + + MULLIDAE. + +No. 13.--UPENEUS.--Native name, MINAME, or KGNARNUCK (the bearded); "Red +mullet" of the settlers. + + + PERCIDAE. + +No. 46.--ENOPLOSUS ARMATUS. Cuv. et Val. 2, p. 133, pl. 20.--Native name, +KARLOCK. Speared by a native, June 1841. Inhabits rocky shores. + + + BERYCIDAE. + +No. 2.--BERYX LINEATUS, C. and V. 3, p. 226.--Native name, CHETONG. Red +Snapper, or Tide-fisher of the sealers. Very common in the bays of rocky +shores. "Rays, D. 5-14; A. 4-13; P. 12; V. 1-7." + + + SPHYRAENIDAE. + +No. 59.--SPHYROENA.--Native name, KORDONG. "Rays, D. 5, 1-9; A. 11; P. +13; V. 1-5." + +The "Common Baracoota" is found off the whole coast of New Holland, but +the KORDONG seems to be peculiar to Western Australia. It comes into the +shallow bays in summer; and being a sluggish fish, is easily speared by +the natives, who esteem it to be excellent food. It will lay for a minute +looking with indifference at its enemy, while he poises the fatal and +unerring spear. Specimen caught in a net, December, 1841. + + + SILLAGINIDAE. + +No. 25.--SILLAGO.--Native name, MURDAR. "Rock whiting" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 10-23; A. 18; P. 13; A. 5." + +Inhabits rocky shores and deep water. Caught by the seine, 3rd April, +1841. Good eating. + +No. 11.--SILLAGO PUNCTATA, C. et V 3, P. 413.--Native name MURDAR. +"Common whiting" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 12, 1-26; A. 22; P. 11; V. +5." + +Inhabits shallow sandy bays abundantly, and is much admired for the +delicacy of its flesh, but it is dryer eating than the whiting of Europe. + + + SCIAENIDAE. + +No. 55.--CORVINA?--Native name T'CHARK or T'CHYARK. King-fish of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 9--1-27; A. 1-7; P. 15; V. 1-5." + +Teeth strong and sharp. Grows to a great size; as I am informed by the +natives, that they often spear individuals weighing sixty or seventy +pounds. This fish enters the fresh-water periodically, like the Salmon of +Europe, to spawn, and it is the only fish in this country which I have +distinctly made out to do so. It is tolerably good eating. The specimen +was caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour by a hook, on the 30th August, +1841. (This may be the adult of the CORVINA KUHLII of the HISTOIRE DES +POISSONS, 5. p. 121.) + + + SERRANIDAE. + +No. 19.--CENTROPRISTES TRUTTA. SCIAENA TRUTTA, G. Foster, Icon. 210. +(vide Ichth. of Ereb. and Terror, p. 30.)--Native name KING-NURRIE, or +IINAGUR. "Salmon" of the sealers. Pectorals yellow or orange coloured, +with dark bases; scales faintly fan-streaked; last rays of dorsal and +anal elongated. Faint oblong, orange-coloured spots on the sides, not in +vertical rows. "Rays, D. 9-16; A. 2-10; P. 16." Eye remarkably brilliant. +Good eating in the summer time, but far inferior to the SALMO SALAR. It +congregates in vast shoals, and pursues the fry of other fishes in +shallow bays, but never enters fresh-water. It is often taken of from +seven to ten pounds weight. It affords excellent sport to the angler. The +specimen was caught by the hook from my own door on the 4th May, 1841. + +No. 3.--CENTROPRISTES (CIRRIPIS) GEORGIANUS. C. et V. 7. p. 451. Jenyn's +Zool. of Beagle, p. 13.--Native name WARRAGUIT. "Herring" of the +settlers. Rays, D. 9-14; A. 3-10; etc. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is taken in the summer, by net on sandy +beaches. Specimen caught by the hook, on the 27th March, 1841. + +No. 23.--SERRANUS? vel CAPRODON (Schlegel.) aut PLECTROPOMA.--Native name +TANG or TAA (It bites.) The "Perch" of the Sealers. "Rays, D. 10-24; A. +2-9; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +Eye fine crimson: pupil deep blue-black. Tail slightly rounded. +Remarkably strong canines, from which peculiarity it has obtained its +native name of TAA, as it bites severely when taken, if the fisher be not +on the alert. It is good to eat, but is not common. Caught by the hook on +9th of April, 1841. + +No. 4.--PLECTROPOMA NIGRO-RUBRUM. C. et V. 2. p. 403.--Native name +BUNDEL. "Crab-eyed soldier" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-17; A. 3-9." + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is not common. Specimen caught by the hook, on +the 4th April, 1841. Good eating. + +No. 21.--HELOTES?--Native names, BOORA, BOWRU, also CHARLUP. The "Pokey," +or "small Trumpeter" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 11--1-11; A. 2-11; etc." + +Inhabits rocky places. Good to eat. Caught by the seine, on the 3rd +March, 1841. + + + CIRRHITIDAE. + +No. 24.--CHEILODACTYLUS GIBBOSUS. Solander. Icon. Ined. Banks. No. +23.--Richardson Zool. Trans. 3, p. 102.--Native name KNELOCK (not +certain). + +Inhabits sandy beaches; is little known to the sealers. Caught in a net, +3rd March, 1841. + +No. 39. CHEILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS.--C. et V. 5. p. 362.--Native name +CHETTANG. "Jew-fish" of the sealers (the name "Jew-fish" is applied +otherwise by the colonists). + +Inhabits rocky shores. Some specimens weigh upwards of sixteen pounds. +Caught by hook, 17th May, 1841. + +No. 42.--CHEILODACTYLUS. Native name TOORJENONG. "Black Jew-fish" of the +sealers. "Rays, D. 16-26; A. 2-10; P. 13; V. 5." + +Inhabits rocky points of sandy bays, where they love to run in and root +up the sand with their fleshy mouths. They are sluggish, and easily +speared by the Aborigines, whose chief food it constitutes at certain +seasons. The specimen was speared in my presence by Wallup, on the 8th of +June, 1841. The TOORJENONG grows to a large size, exceeding twenty pounds +in weight. It is a gross feeder, and its flesh is hard and dry, but the +head and sides are much prized by the natives, and the head of a large +one makes tolerable soup. + +No. 45.--LATRIS? (vix. GERRES?)--Native name QUIKE or QUIK, (horned). +"Rays, 9-16; A. 3-16; P. 14; V. 1-5." + +Caught by the hook, off Rocky Point, on the 17th of August, 1844. Good to +eat. (A spine before each nostril, probably springing from the heads of +the maxillaries). + + + SPARIDAE. + +No. 1.--PAGRUS GUTTULATUS. C. et V. 6, p. 160.--Native name KOJETUCK. +"Common Snapper" of the sealers, "Rays, D. 12-9; A. 3-8; P. 1-5." + +The Snapper grows to a large size, attaining from thirty to forty pounds +weight, and is very voracious. It devours crabs and shell fish, crushing +them with its strong teeth. It is common on all the rocky inlets of the +coast of New Holland, extending down the eastern shores to Sidney. + + +CHAETODONTIDAE. + +No. 41.--CHAETODON SEXFASCIUTUS. Richardson Ann. of Nat. Hist.--Native +name KNELOCK. + +Inhabits rocky places. Not common. + +No. 40.--CHAETODON.--Native name MITCHEBULLER or METYEBULLAR. Teeth very +minute. + +Inhabits rocky places. Speared by Warrawar, on the 27th of May, 1841. + +No. 27.2.--CHAETODON.--Native name WAMEL or WAMLE. "Rays, D. 10-20; A. +3-17." + +No. 6.--PLATAX?--Native names, TEUTUEK or KARLOCK, from the shape of the +fins, also MUDEUR. "Striped sweep" of the sealers, and Pomfret of the +settlers. D. 10; A. 2. Teeth small. Very common on rocky shores. Is a +gross feeder; but good to eat. Caught by a hook on the 12th of March, +1841. + +No. 8--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS?--Native names, KGNMMUL or KARRAWAY. +The striped zebra fish of the settlers. "Rays, D. 14-12; A. 3 11; V. +1-5." Mouth, small; tail rather concave. + +Inhabits rocky shores, is a gross feeder, bad eating, and is not common. +Caught by the hook on the 6th of April 1841. + +No. 10.--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS? Schlegel.--Native names, KOWELANY, +KARRAWAY, or MEMON. Tail a little forked. "Rays, D. 14-13; A.3-11; P. 17; +V. 1-5." Eye, grey. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is not very common. Caught by a hook, on the +6th of April, 1841. + +No. 17.--MELANICHTHYS.--Native name MEMON or MUDDIER. "Rays, D. 14-13; A. +3-11; P. 17; V. 1-5." + +Eye greyish yellow; teeth in a trenchant series on the edge of the upper +and lower jaw, and also on the maxillaries. Is a gross feeder, and its +flesh has a strong disagreeable smell, but is much relished by the +Aborigines. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is rare. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 33. Genus unknown.--Native name, TOOBETOET or TOOBITOO-IT. Rays, D. +17-11; A. 11; P. 11; V. 4. + +Is a rare inhabitant of rocky places. Speared by Mooriane, 14th of May, +1841. This seems to be a new generic form, nearly allied to HOPLEGNATHUS, +Richardson; or SCARODON, Schlegel. + +No. 43.--SCORPIS?--Native name, MEMON or MEEMON. "Sweep" of the sealers. +"Rays, D.; A. 1." Teeth minute. It is a gross feeder and poor eating. +Very common on rocky shores. Being a bold voracious fish, it is easily +speared or taken with a hook. The Aborigines generally select a rock +which jutts out into the sea, and sitting on their hams, beat crabs into +fragments with a little stone, and throw them into the sea to attract +this fish. The instant a fish comes to feed on the bait, the native, +whose spear is ready, suddenly darts it, and rarely fails in bringing up +the fish on its barbed point. Specimen caught by the hook, 15th of June, +1841. + +No. 44.--KURTUS?--Native name, TELYUA, or TELLYA, "Rays, D. 13; A. 2-19; +V.5." + +Thrown up on Albany beach, 14th of August, 1841. + + + PLATESSIDEAE. + +No. 50.--PLATESSA? vel. HIPPOGLOSSUS? CHUNDELA.--Native name, CHONDELAR, +or CHUNDELA. The "Spotted sole" of the settlers. Very common in all the +shallow bays in the summer time, where it may be taken by the seine. The +natives detect it when its body is buried in the sand, by the glistening +of its eyes, and spear it. When fishing with the torch, in the night +time, the natives feel for this fish with their naked feet. Specimen +caught by seine, August, 1841. This fish is delicate eating. + + + SCOMBERIDAE. + +No. 32.--CARANX MICANS, Solander, Icon. Parkinson, Bib. Banks, No. +89.--Native name, MADAWICK, "Skip-jack" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 8-28; +A. 2-23; P. 15." Very common in shallow sandy bays, and forming the +staple food of the natives, who assemble in fine calm days, and drive +shoals of this fish into weirs that they have constructed of shrubs and +branches of trees. Specimen caught by hook on the 12th of May, 1841. + +No. 16.--TRACHURUS LUTESCENS. Solander (SCOMBER) Pisees Austr. p. 38. +Richard. Ann. Nat. Hist. x. p. 14.--Native name, WARAWITE and +MADIWICK. "Yellow tail" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 6; A. 2." Eye very +large. + +Inhabits the edges of sandy banks. Good eating. Caught by hook 5th of +March, 1841. + + + MUGILIDAE. + +No. 29. MUGIL vel. DAJAUS DIEMENSIS. Richardson, Ichth. of the Erebus and +Terror, p. 37, pl. 26, f. 1.--Native name, KNAMLER or KNAMALER. "Common +mullet" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 4-9; A. 1-13." + +Frequents shores with sandy beaches, and forms a principal article of +food to the native youths, who are continually practising throwing their +spears at this fish. It is very common, and is good eating. Caught by the +seine, 12th April, 1841. + +No. 57.--MUGIL.--Native name, MERRONG, or MIRRONG. "The flut-nosed mullet" +of the settlers. + +This is the finest fish of New Holland that I am acquainted with. In +Wilson's Inlet, about forty miles west of King George's Sound, it abounds +in the winter months; and the different tribes, from all parts of the +coast, assemble there, by invitation of the proprietors of the ground, +(the MURRYMIN,) who make great feasts on the occasion. The fish attains a +weight of three and a-half pounds, and a fat one yields about three +quarters of a pound of oil, which the natives use for greasing their +heads and persons. This fish runs up the rivers during the floods, and so +becomes very fat. In summer it retires to the ocean. Caught in September, +1841. + + + LABRIDAE. + +No. 47.--LABRUS LATICLAVIUS. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 139.--Native +name, KANUP, or PARILL, (Green-fish.) + +Is a rare inhabitant of rocky shores. Caught by hook, 17th August, 1841. +Poor eating. + +No. 20.--LABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICK, KIELMICK, or KIELNMICK. +"Rock-cod" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 22; A. 14." + +Tail square. Very common on rocky coasts. Soft, indifferent eating. +Caught by the hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 9.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL. "Common rock-fish of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-11; A. 2-11, etc." + +Mouth furnished with small sharp teeth. Caught by hook, 12th March, 1841. + +No. 37.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL, KUHOUL, or BOMBURN. "Black +rock-fish" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-11; A. 3-10 seconds, etc." + +Inhabits rocky shores, and grows to the size of fifteen or twenty pounds +weight. Poor, soft eating. Speared by Warrawar, 12th May, 1841. + +No. 7.--LABRUS?--Native name, POKONG. "Brown rock-fish" of the sealers. +"Rays, D. 9-12; A. 3-10," etc. + +Flesh soft and poor. Inhabitants rocky shores; very common. Caught by +hook, 12th March, 1841. + +No. 18.--CRENILABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICH, MINAME, or MINAMEN. Common +"rock-fish" or "Parrot" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 8-11; A. 2-10," etc. + +Poor and soft. Inhabits bold rocky shores, where it is troublesome to the +fisher by carrying off his bait. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. + +No. 12.--LABRUS?--Native name IANON'T, WOROGUT, or CUMBEAK. "Rays, D. 30; +A. 12." Tail rounded, teeth very small. + +Inhabits weedy places in deep water, and along sandy bays. Sometimes +taken by the natives on the edge of banks. Excellent eating. Caught by +hook, 18th March, 1841. + +No. 30.--COSSYPHUS? CRENILABRUS?--Native name MOOLET or CHETON. +"Red rock-fish" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 11-10; A. 3-11; P. 15." +etc.--Teeth very strong; tail rounded; its rays oblong. + +Inhabits rocky shores. Bites eagerly, and is a gross feeder. Indifferent +eating. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + +No. 35.------? Genus not ascertained.--Native name KOOGENUCK, QUEJUIMUCK, +or KNOWL. Little known to the sealers. "Rays, 11-12; A. 2 or 3; P. 16 or +18." Dorsal spines remarkable; scales large; grows to a large size; the +flank scales of one weighing twenty-eight pounds, measure an inch and a +half in length, and an inch and a quarter in breadth. (They are +cycloid.--J. R.) + +Inhabits rocky shores. The specimen was speared by Warrawar, 12th May, +1841. + + + CYPRINIDAE. + +No. 5.--RYNCHANA GREYI. Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Erebus and Terror, +p. 44 pl. 29. f. 1. 6.--Native name, PINING or WAUNUGUR, not certain. Not +known to the sealers. Pupil like that of the shark elliptical, with the +long axis vertical. + +When the skin was removed the flesh was very fat, resembling that of the +eel, had an unpleasant smell, and could not be eaten. The natives also +were averse to eating it, and only one man acknowledged to have seen it +before. Caught by seine, by Corporal Emms of the 51st regiment, 7th +April, 1841. (This fish is also an inhabitant of Queen Charlotte's Sound, +New Zealand.--J. R.) + + + SALMONIDAE. + +No. 48.--AULOPUS PURPURISSATUS. Richardson, Icones Piscium, p. 6, pl. 2, +f. 3.--Native name, KARDAR. "Rays, D. 19; A. 14; V. 9; P. 10." + +Very rare. Caught by hook, on a rocky shore, by Mr. Sholl of Albany, 14th +July, 1841. (Mr. Niell's figure differs slightly from that of Lieutenant +Emery, published in the ICONES PISCIUM above quoted, and chiefly in the +dorsal occupying rather more space, by commencing before the ventrals, +and extending back to opposite the beginning of the anal. The anus is +under the fourteenth dorsal ray. Mr. Niell's drawing also shews a series +of six large roseate spots on the sides below the lateral line, and a +more depressed head, with a prominent arch at the orbit.--J. R.) + + + ESOCIDAE. + +No. 22.--HEMIRAMPHUS.--Native name, IIMEN. "Guardfish" of the settlers. +"Rays, D. 16, delicate black rays; A. 15, do; P. 12; V. 6." Lower jaw +equal to the head in length. Caught by the seine, 3rd March, 1841. + +Inhabits sandy bays, but approaches the shore only in summer. It is very +delicate eating. + + + MURAENIDAE. + +No. 52.--MURAENA? vel SPHAGEBRANCHUS.--Native name KALET. The eel figure, +nat. size. Dorsal fin continuous for about three and a half inches behind +the snout to the point of the tail: its rays very delicate; anal like the +dorsal, but commencing behind the vent. One small lobe in the gills, +about the size of a pin's head; no other perceptible opening. + +Caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour, 16th August, 1841. + + +LOPHOBRANCHI. + +No. 56.--OSTRACIAN FLAVIGASTER, Gray. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 164, +p. 11, f. 1.--Native name, CONDE or KOODE. "Rays, D. 10; A. 9; P. 11, +etc." + +This fish is not eaten by the natives, who abhor it. It is seen only in +the summer, and in shallow sandy bays, Caught in a net in October, 1841. + +No 51.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, TABADUCK. Rays, D. 28; A. 26; P. 12; +C. 12. + +Very rare, scarcely ever seen by the Aborigines. Caught by hook, August, +1841. + +No. 49.--MONACANTHUS.--Not known to the Aborigines. Rays, D. 32; A. 30; +C. 12; P. 11. Eye yellow; dorsal spine short. + +Taken in deep water by Mr. Johnson, off the Commissariat stores, near a +sunken rock, in deep water. + +No. 15.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, CAUDIEY. "Small leather-jacket" of +the sealers. + +Inhabits deep water, with a rocky bottom; is good to eat. Caught by a +net, 18th March, 1841. Dorsal spine toothed behind. + +No. 31.--MONACANTHUS, or (ALEUTERES, no spinous point of the pelvis +visible in figure.--J. R.)--Native name, TABEDUCK. The "yellow +leather-jacket" of the sealers. Dorsal spine toothed. D. 33; A. 32; P. +13. Caudal rounded, its rays very strong. + +Inhabits deep water in rocky places, and is very common. It is esteemed +for food by the Aborigines; is much infested by an Isopode named NETTONG, +or TOORT, by the natives. This insect inserts its whole body into a +pocket by the side of the anus, separated from the gut by a thin +membrane. The fish to which the insect adheres are yellow; those which +are free from it are of a beautiful purple colour. Caught by hook, 12th +May, 1841. + + + CARCHARIDAE. + +No. 54.--CARCHARIAS (PRIONODON) MELANOPTERUS, Muller and Henle.--Native +name, MATCHET. "Common blue shark" of the settlers. Specimen four feet +and a half long; have been seen longer. A female had four young alive +when taken. Spiracles behind the eyes. Caught by hook, 16th August, 1841. + +No. 26--CESTRACION PHILIPPI, Mull. and Henle.--Native names, MATCHET, +KORLUCK, or QUORLUCK. "Bull-dog-shark" of the sealers. Specimen two feet +and a half long. + +Inhabits rocky shores, and is very sluggish; it does not grow to a very +large size. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. + + + TRYGONES. + +No. 38.--UROLOPHUS.--Native name, KEGETUCK or BEBIL. "Young sting-ray" of +the sealers. Caught by seine, 4th May, 1841. + +No. 28.--Near PLATYRHINA.--Native name, PARETT. "Fiddler" of the sealers; +Green skate of the settlers. Eye dullish yellow; pupil sea-green, glaring +in some lights; teeth transverse, like a file; spiracles two, large, +behind the eye, in the same cavity; belly white, terminating at the +caudal fin. + +Very common in the sheltered bays, close in shore among the weeds. Not +eaten by the Aborigines, who greatly abhor them, as they do also the +sting-ray. Specimen two feet nine inches and a half long. + +* * * * * + + + +(D.) DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. +BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S. + + +The four insects here figured and described are, as far as I am aware, +new. Petasida, and Tettigarcta are interesting in the shape of the +Thorax, differing widely from that in any of the allied genera, while the +new species of Eurybrachys and Chrysopa are striking from their colouring +and marks. + + +PETASIDA EPHIPPIGERA, pl. 4. fig. 1. + +Thorax much dilated behind, depressed and rounded at the end; the side +deeply sinuated behind; head pointed, antennae long; of a yellowish +orange; antennae with a few greenish rings, cheek below the eye with a +greenish line, head above with a longitudinal greenish line. Thorax with +a slight keel down the middle, wrinkled behind of a dusky blueish green, +a large patch of an orange colour on each side in front, and a small spot +of the same colour on each edge of the produced part at base; elytra +orange with numerous black spots, and black at the tip, lower wings pale +orange at the base, clouded with black at the tip; abdomen orange, +slightly ringed with green; legs orange, with three greenish spots on the +outside of the femora of hind legs. + +Length 1 inch 9 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +CHRYSOPA MACULIPENNIS, pl. 4. fig. 2. + +Head red, with a black spot on the crown; antennae short brownish black; +thorax hairy; thorax, abdomen, and legs, brownish black. Wings brown, +with iridescent hues, the upper with transverse yellowish lines and spots +at the base; a long yellowish line parallel to the outer edge at the end, +and emitting a whitish spot which reaches the edge, three spots on the +apical portion, the two on the outer edge large; basal half lower wings +pale, some of the areolets yellowish; a few clouded with brown, tip of +the wing yellowish. + +Expanse of wings 1 inch 4 1/2 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +EURYBRACHYS LAETA, pl. 4, fig. 3. + +Head thorax and upper wings of a rich brown colour, the outer edge of the +last is deep black, with a transverse yellowish spot just before the +middle, the remainder of the edge slightly spotted with black, upper side +covered with short blackish hairs; lower wings deep black; abdomen of a +bright red, with a round white tuft on the upper side near the end; first +two pairs of legs of a deep brown, with some reddish lines; hind legs +ferruginous with blackish spines. + +Expanse of wings 7 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + + +TETTIGARCTA, n. genus, WHITE. Fam. CICADIDAE. + +Head very small in front, blunt; lateral ocelli close to the eyes, space +between them with long hairs. + +Prothorax very large, extending back in a rounded form beyond the base of +hind wings, the sides sharp pointed, the back very convex and wrinkled. + +Body and under parts densely clothed with hair. + +This very singular genus differs from all the Stridulantes in the size +and shape of the prothorax; in the neuration of the elytra it is allied +to PLATYPLEURA (Amyst and Serville) in the size of head and hairiness of +body it approaches CARINETA of the same authors. The Pupa, (fig. 5.) +differs in the form of fore legs from those of the other Cicada. + + +TETTIGARCTA TOMENTOSA, pl. 4, fig. 4, and 5 its pupa. + +Of a brownish ash colour, the hairs on upper part of body short and deep +brown, on the sides and under parts long and grey; prothorax varied with +black, in front, two large patches covered with grey hairs, mixed with +longer; elytra spotted and varied with brown, wings clear, somewhat +ferruginous at the base. + +Expanse of wings 3 inches 4 lines. + +Hab. Australia. + +* * * * * + + + +DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, +BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S. + + +Lamarck separated the mother-of-pearls shell (MARGARITA) from the +swallow-tail muscles (AVICULA) on account of its more orbicular shape. +Other Conchologists have been inclined to unite them, as some of the +species of AVICULA approach to the shape of the other genus. The new one +just received from Australia, which I am now about to describe, in this +respect more resembles the Margarita than any before noticed; yet I am +inclined to think that the pearl-shells deserved to be kept separate, as +the cardinal teeth are quite obliterated in the adult shells, which is +not the case with any AVICULAE I am acquainted with; and the young +pearl-shells are furnished with a broad serrated distant leafy fringe, +while the AVICULAE are only covered with very closely applied short +concentric slightly raised minutely denticulated lamina, forming an +epidermal coat on the surface. + + +1. AVICULA LATA, pl. 6. f. 1. + +Shell dark brown; half ovate; broad obliquely truncated, and scarcely +notched behind; covered with close regular very thin denticulated +concentric lamina, forming a paler external coat. The front ear rather +produced, with a distant inferior notch; internally pearly, with a broad +brown margin on the lower-edge. + +Inhab. North and West coasts of Australia. + + +2. SPATANGUS ELONGATUS, pl. 6. f. 2. + +Body elongate, cordate, with a deep anterior grove and notch; covered +above with minute hair-like spines, with scattered very elongated tubular +minutely striated spines on the sides; the anterior groves and +circumference of the vent with larger equal hair-like spines on each +side; the under surface with a triangular disk of similar spines beneath +the vent, and with elongated larger tubular spines. + +Inhab. Western Australia. + +Having only a single specimen completely covered with spines, it is +impossible to describe the form of the ambulacra or the disposition of +the tubercles. The lower figures represent the mouth and vent of the +animal in detail. + +* * * * * + + + +DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS +BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ., F.L.S., etc. + + +THYRIDOPTERYX NIGRESCENS, pl. 5. f. 1. + +Head densely clothed with long whitish hairs; thorax and abdomen with +black hairs; wings hyaline, the nervures and nervules brown, with a few +black scales: base of the anterior and abdominal fold of the posterior +more or less covered with black hairs; antennae and legs fuscous brown. + +Exp. 10--12 lines. + +The larva of this species forms a dwelling for itself, similar in form +and structure to that of its American congener, the EPHEMERAEFORMIS, +Steph. + + +CALLIMORPHA SELENAEA, pl. 5. f. 2. + +Wings of a brilliant silvery white; the anterior traversed by a fulvous +band commencing at the base on the costa, which it follows for about +one-third of its length, then crossing the wings directly to the anal +angle, where it unites with a vitta of the same colour, extending from +the angle nearly to the base along the inner margin; this vitta is +bordered interiorly with thickly placed black dots; the transverse +portion of the fulvous band is bordered on both sides with black, and has +a sinus about the middle; cilia fulvous; posterior wing with a black spot +near the outer angle: below, the wings are white, except the cilia of the +anterior, and a large blotch, red anteriorly, black posteriorly, near the +outer angle; head rufous; antennae fuscous; thorax and abdomen white, the +former with the shoulders rufous. + +Exp. 2 1/2 inches. + + +CHELONIA PALLIDA, pl. 5. f. 3. + +Anterior wings pale brown, with white nervures and nervules, and marked +with several whitish spots, of which four are on the costa, two +longitudinal before, two transverse beyond the middle of the wing, and on +the inner margin are three irregular patches, sometimes confluent, beyond +which is a band parallel with the outer margin, commencing above the +upper median nervule, and terminating on the inner margin; posterior +wings white, with a discoidal spot, a macular band near the outer margin, +and a less distinct marginal one, all brownish; head white; thorax white, +with three black vittae; abdomen above rufous, with six transverse black +spots, the sides varied with black and white; antennae black; femora red; +tibiae and tarsi black. + +Exp. 2 1/4 inches. + + +CHELONIA FUSCINULA, pl. 5. f. 4. + +Anterior wings fuscous, with a pale vitta commencing near the base on the +subcostal nervure, reaching the costa before the middle, and extending +along it to the apex, where it joins a flexuous submarginal band, +connected with a vitta occupying the whole inner margin; beyond the cell +is an abbreviated flexuous striga; followed by a subquadrate dot; +posterior wings pale dull red, with a broad submarginal fuscous band, and +a discoidal spot of the same colour; head and anterior part of thorax +pale, posterior black; abdomen above red, with a black dorsal line; +antennae fuscous; femora red; tibiae and tarsi fuscous. + +Exp. 1 1/4 inch. + + +ACONTIA? PULCHRA, pl. 5. f. 5. + +Wings of a somewhat chalky white, the anterior with three rufous dots on +the costa before the middle, of which the third is the largest, and near +the apex a large brown spot, fulvous towards the costa, clouded with +bluish white, connected with the inner margin by four indistinct yellow +dots; forehead red; head, thorax, and abdomen, white; palpi red at the +apex; feet white first and second pairs spotted with red. + +Exp. 2 inches. + +* * * * * + + + +LIST OF BIRDS, KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, +BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.R.S. + + + ORDER RAPTORES. + +Aquila fucosa, CUV. +Ichthyiaetus leucogaster, GOULD. +Pandion leucocephalus, GOULD. +Haliastur sphenurus. +Falco melanogenys, GOULD. +----- sub-niger, G. R. GRAY. +----- frontatus, GOULD. +Ieracidea Occidentalis, GOULD. +--------- Berigora. +Tinnunculus Cencroides. +Astur approximans, VIG. and HORSF. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Accipiter torquatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Buteo melanosternon, GOULD. +Milvus isurus, GOULD. +------ affinis, GOULD. +Elanus axillaris. +------ scripta, GOULD. +Circus assimilis, JARD. +------ Jardinii, GOULD. +Strix personata, VIG. +----- delicatulis, GOULD. +Athene connivens. +------ Boobook + + + ORDER INSESSORES. + +Hirundo neoxena, GOULD. +Cotyle pyrrhonota. +Acanthylis caudacuta. +Eurostopodus guttatus. +Podargus humeralis, VIG. and HORSF. +Aegotheles Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.? +Merops ornatus, LATH. +Dacelo gigas, BODD. +Halcyon sanctus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- pyrrhopygia, GOULD. +Alcyone azurea. +Falcunculus frontatus, VIG. and HORSF. +Oreoica gutturalis. +Xerophila leucopsis, GOULD. +Colluricincla cinerea, VIG. and HORSF.? +Pachycephala gutturalis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ inornata, GOULD.? +------------ pectoralis, VIG. and HORSF. +------------ rufogularis, GOULD. +Artamus sordidus. +------- personatus, GOULD. +Cracticus destructor, TEMM. +Gymnorhina leuconota, GOULD. +Grallina melanoleuca, VIEILL. +Strepera ----------? +Campephaga humeralis, GOULD.? +Graucalus melanops, VIG. and HORSF. +Cinclosoma punctatum, VIG. and HORSF. +---------- castanotus, GOULD. +Malurus cyaneus, VIEILL. +------- melanotus, GOULD. +------- leucopterus, QUOY AND GAIM. +------- Lamberti, VIG. and HORSF. +Stipiturus malachurus, LESS. +Cysticola exilis? +Hylacola pyrrhopygia. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +Acanthiza pusilla, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- uropygialis, GOULD. +--------- inornata, GOULD. +--------- lineata, GOULD. +--------- chrysorrhoea. +Epthianura aurifrons, GOULD. +---------- tricolor, GOULD. +Sericornis frontalis. +Pyrrholaemus brunneus, GOULD. +Calamanthus campestris. +Anthus pallescens, VIG. and HORSF. +Cincloramphus cantillans, GOULD. +Petroica multicolor, SWAINS. +-------- phoenicea, GOULD. +-------- Goodenovii, JARD. AND SELB. +-------- rosea, GOULD. +-------- bicolor, SWAINS. +Drymodes brunneopygia, GOULD. +Zosterops dorsalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Pardalotus punctatus, TEMM. +---------- striatus, TEMM. +Dicaeum hirundinaceum +Estrelda bella. +-------- temporalis. +Amadina Lathami. +------- castanotus, GOULD. +Rhipidura albiscapa, GOULD. +--------- Motacilloides. +Seisura volitans, VIG. and HORSF. +Microeca macroptera, GOULD. +Smicrornis brevirostris, GOULD. +Corvus Coronoides, VIG. and HORSF. +Chlamydera maculata, GOULD. +Corcorax leucopterus, LESS. +Pomatorhinus trivirgatus, Temm. +------------ temporalis, VIG. and HORSF. +Cacatua galerita, Vieill. +------- Leadbeateri. +Licmetis nasicus, Wagl. +Calyptorhynchus Banksii, VIG. and HORSF. +--------------- Leachii +--------------- xanthonotus, GOULD. +Polytelis melanura. +Platycercus Baueri, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Barnardi, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- Adelaidiae, GOULD. +----------- flaveolus, GOULD. +Psephotus multicolor. +--------- haematonotus, GOULD. +Melopsittacus undulatus. +Euphema aurantia, GOULD. +------- elegans, GOULD. +Pezoporus formosus. +Trichoglossus Swainsonii, JARD. and SELB. +Trichoglossus concinnus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- pusillus, VIG. and HORSF. +------------- porphyrocephalus. +Climacteris scandens, TEMM. +----------- picumnus, TEMM. +Sittella melanocephala, GOULD. +Cuculus inornatus, VIG. and HORSF. +------- cineraceus, VIG. and HORSF. +Chalcites lucidus, VIG. and HORSF. +Meliphaga Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF. +--------- Australasiana, VIG. and HORSF. +Glyciphila fulvifrons, SWAINS. +---------- albifrons, GOULD. +---------- ocularis, GOULD. +Ptilotis sonora, GOULD. +-------- cratitia, GOULD. +-------- ornata, GOULD. +-------- penicillata, GOULD. +Zanthomyza Phrygia, SWAINS. +Melicophila picata, GOULD. +Acanthogenys rufogularis, GOULD. +Anthochaera carunculata, VIG. and HORSF. +----------- mellivora, VIG. and HORSF. +Acanthorynchus tenuirostris. +Melithreptus gularis, GOULD. +------------ lunulata, VIEILL. +Myzantha garrula, VIG. and HORSF. + + +ORDER RASORES. + +Phaps chalcoptera. +----- elegans. +Ocyphaps Lophotes. +Geopelia cuneata. +Dromeceius Novae-Hollandiae, VIEILL. +Otis Australasianus, GOULD. +OEdicnemus longipes, VIEILL. +Haematopus fuliginosus, GOULD. +---------- longirostris, VIEILL. +Eudromias Australis, GOULD. +Lobivanellus lobatus. +Sarciophorus pectoralis. +Charadrius Virginianus? +Hiaticula monacha. +--------- nigrifrons. +--------- ruficapilla. +Erythrogonys cinctus, GOULD. +Leipoa ocellata, GOULD. +Pedionomus torquatus, GOULD. +Turnix varius. +------ velox, GOULD. +Coturnix pectoralis, GOULD. +Synoicus Australis. +-------- Sinensis. + + +ORDER GRALLATORES. + +Grus Antigone? +Platalea regia, GOULD. +-------- flavipes, GOULD. +Ardea cinerea? +----- pacifica, LATH. +----- Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Nycticorax Caledonicus, LESS. +Botaurus Australis, GOULD. +Ibis Falcinellus, LINN. +Numenius Australasianus. +Numenius uropygialis, GOULD. +Recurvirostra rubricollis, TEMM. +Chladorhynchus pectoralis. +Himantopus leucocephalus, GOULD. +Limosa ----------? +Glottis Glottoides. +Pelidna ----------? like P. MINUTA. +Scolopax Australis, LATH. +Rhynchaea Australis, GOULD. +Porphyrio melanotus, TEMM. +Tribonyx ventralis, GOULD. +Gallinula immaculata. +Rallus Philipensis? LINN. + + +ORDER NATATORES. + +Cygnus atratus. +Anseranas melanoleuca. +Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD. +Cereopsis Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +Casarka Tadornoides. +Biziura lobata, SHAW. +Bernicla jubata. +Anas Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. +---- naevosa, GOULD. +---- castanea. +Nyroca Australis, Eyton. +Rhynchapsis Rhynchotis, STEPH. +Malacorhynchus membranaceus, SWAINS. +Podiceps Australis, GOULD. +-------- poliocephalus, JARD. and SELB. +-------- gularis, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax pica. +------------- leucogaster, GOULD. +Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. +------------- melanoleucus. +Plotus Le Vaillantii? +Pelecanus spectabilis, TEMM. +Sula Australis, GOULD. +Spheniscus minor. +Lestris catarrhactes. +Laras leucomelas. +Xema Jamesonii, WILS. +Sterna poliocerca, GOULD. +------ velox, GOULD. +Sternella nereis, GOULD. +Hydrochelidon fluviatilis. +Diomedea exulans, LINN. +-------- cauta, GOULD. +-------- melanophrys, TEMM. +-------- chlororhyncha, LATH. +-------- fuliginosa. +Procellaria gigantea, GMEL. +----------- perspicillata, GOULD. +----------- hasitata, FORST. +----------- leucocephala. +----------- Solandri, GOULD. +Daption Capensis, STEPH. +Prion vittata, CUV. +----- Banksii. +----- Turtur. +----- Ariel, GOULD. +Puffinus brevicaudus, GOULD. +Puffinuria urinatrix, LESS. +Thalassidroma Wilsoni. +------------- nereis, GOULD. +------------- melanogaster, GOULD. + + +The preceding list comprises the birds inhabiting the settled districts +of South Australia: viz. the Murray, from the great bend to the sea, the +fertile districts sixty miles northward and southward of Adelaide, +Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, etc. When the remote parts of the colony +have been explored, it will doubtless become necessary to add to it many +other species common to New South Wales and Western Australia.--J. G. + + + + + + +VOLUME II + + + + + +JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1840-1. + + + + +Chapter I. + + + +THE CAMP PLUNDERED--NIGHT OF HORRORS--PROCEED ON TO THE WESTWARD--THE +BOYS FOLLOW US--THEY ARE LEFT BEHIND--FORCED MARCHES--DESERT +COUNTRY--BANKSIAS MET WITH--TRACES OF NATIVES--TERMINATION OF THE +CLIFFS--FIND WATER. + + +Glancing hastily around the camp I found it deserted by the two younger +native boys, whilst the scattered fragments of our baggage, which I left +carefully piled under the oilskin, lay thrown about in wild disorder, and +at once revealed the cause of the harrowing scene before me. + +Upon raising the body of my faithful, but illfated follower, I found that +he was beyond all human aid; he had been shot through the left breast +with a ball, the last convulsions of death were upon him, and he expired +almost immediately after our arrival. The frightful, the appalling truth +now burst upon me, that I was alone in the desert. He who had faithfully +served me for many years, who had followed my fortunes in adversity and +in prosperity, who had accompanied me in all my wanderings, and whose +attachment to me had been his sole inducement to remain with me in this +last, and to him alas, fatal journey, was now no more. For an instant, I +was almost tempted to wish that it had been my own fate instead of his. +The horrors of my situation glared upon me in such startling reality, as +for an instant almost to paralyse the mind. At the dead hour of night, in +the wildest and most inhospitable wastes of Australia, with the fierce +wind raging in unison with the scene of violence before me, I was left, +with a single native, whose fidelity I could not rely upon, and who for +aught I knew might be in league with the other two, who perhaps were even +now, lurking about with the view of taking away my life as they had done +that of the overseer. Three days had passed away since we left the last +water, and it was very doubtful when we might find any more. Six hundred +miles of country had to be traversed, before I could hope to obtain the +slightest aid or assistance of any kind, whilst I knew not that a single +drop of water or an ounce of flour had been left by these murderers, from +a stock that had previously been so small. + +With such thoughts rapidly passing through my mind, I turned to search +for my double-barelled gun, which I had left covered with an oilskin at +the head of my own break wind. It was gone, as was also the +double-barelled gun that had belonged to the overseer. These were the +only weapons at the time that were in serviceable condition, for though +there were a brace of pistols they had been packed away, as there were no +cartridges for them, and my rifle was useless, from having a ball +sticking fast in the breech, and which we had in vain endeavoured to +extract. A few days' previous to our leaving the last water, the overseer +had attempted to wash out the rifle not knowing it was loaded, and the +consequence was, that the powder became wetted and partly washed away, so +that we could neither fire it off, nor get out the ball; I was, +therefore, temporarily defenceless, and quite at the mercy of the +natives, had they at this time come upon me. Having hastily ripped open +the bag in which the pistols had been sewn up, I got them out, together +with my powder flask, and a bag containing a little shot and some large +balls. The rifle I found where it had been left, but the ramrod had been +taken out by the boys to load my double-barelled gun with, its own ramrod +being too short for that purpose; I found it, however, together with +several loose cartridges, lying about near the place where the boys had +slept, so that it was evident they had deliberately loaded the fire-arms +before they tried to move away with the things they had stolen; one +barrel only of my gun had been previously loaded, and I believe neither +barrels in that of the overseer. + +After obtaining possession of all the remaining arms, useless as they +were at the moment, with some ammunition, I made no further examination +then, but hurried away from the fearful scene, accompanied by the King +George's Sound native, to search for the horses, knowing that if they got +away now, no chance whatever would remain of saving our lives. Already +the wretched animals had wandered to a considerable distance; and +although the night was moonlight, yet the belts of scrub, intersecting +the plains, were so numerous and dense, that for a long time we could not +find them; having succeeded in doing so at last, Wylie and I remained +with them, watching them during the remainder of the night; but they were +very restless, and gave us a great deal of trouble. With an aching heart, +and in most painful reflections, I passed this dreadful night. Every +moment appeared to be protracted to an hour, and it seemed as if the +daylight would never appear. About midnight the wind ceased, and the +weather became bitterly cold and frosty. I had nothing on but a shirt and +a pair of trowsers, and suffered most acutely from the cold; to mental +anguish was now added intense bodily pain. Suffering and distress had +well nigh overwhelmed me, and life seemed hardly worth the effort +necessary to prolong it. Ages can never efface the horrors of this single +night, nor would the wealth of the world ever tempt me to go through +similar ones again. + +April 30.--At last, by God's blessing, daylight dawned once more, but sad +and heart-rending was the scene it presented to my view, upon driving the +horses to what had been our last night's camp. The corpse of my poor +companion lay extended on the ground, with the eyes open, but cold and +glazed in death. The same stern resolution, and fearless open look, which +had characterized him when living, stamped the expression of his +countenance even now. He had fallen upon his breast four or five yards +from where he had been sleeping, and was dressed only in his shirt. In +all probability, the noise made by the natives, in plundering the camp, +had awoke him; and upon his jumping up, with a view of stopping them, +they had fired upon and killed him. + +Around the camp lay scattered the harness of the horses, and the remains +of the stores that had been the temptation to this fatal deed. + +As soon as the horses were caught, and secured, I left Wylie to make a +fire, whilst I proceeded to examine into the state of our baggage, that I +might decide upon our future proceedings. Among the principal things +carried off by the natives, were, the whole of our baked bread, amounting +to twenty pounds weight, some mutton, tea and sugar, the overseer's +tobacco and pipes, a one gallon keg full of water, some clothes, two +double-barrelled guns, some ammunition, and a few other small articles. + +There were still left forty pounds of flour, a little tea and sugar, and +four gallons of water, besides the arms and ammunition I had secured last +night. + +From the state of our horses, and the dreadful circumstances we were +placed in, I was now obliged to abandon every thing but the bare +necessaries of life. The few books and instruments I had still left, with +many of the specimens I had collected, a saddle, and some other things, +were thrown aside to lighten somewhat more the trifling loads our animals +had to carry. A little bread was then baked, and I endeavoured once more +to put the rifle in serviceable condition, as it was the only weapon we +should have to depend upon in any dangers that might beset us. Unable in +any way to take out the breech, or to extract the ball, I determined to +melt it out, and for that purpose took the barrel off the stock, and put +the breech in the fire, holding the muzzle in my hand. Whilst thus +engaged, the rifle went off, the ball whizzing close past my head; the +fire, it seems, had dried the powder, which had been wetted, not washed +out; and when the barrel was sufficiently heated, the piece had gone off, +to the imminent danger of my life, from the incautious way in which I +held it. The gun, however, was again serviceable; and after carefully +loading it, I felt a degree of confidence and security I had before been +a stranger to. + +At eight o'clock we were ready to proceed; there remained but to perform +the last sad offices of humanity towards him, whose career had been cut +short in so untimely a manner. This duty was rendered even more than +ordinarily painful, by the nature of the country, where we happened to +have been encamped. One vast unbroken surface of sheet rock extended for +miles in every direction, and rendered it impossible to make a grave. We +were some miles away from the sea-shore, and even had we been nearer, +could not have got down the cliffs to bury the corpse in the sand. I +could only, therefore, wrap a blanket around the body of the overseer, +and leaving it enshrouded where he fell, escape from the melancholy +scene, accompanied by Wylie, under the influence of feelings which +neither time nor circumstances will ever obliterate. Though years have +now passed away since the enactment of this tragedy, the dreadful horrors +of that time and scene, are recalled before me with frightful vividness, +and make me shudder even now, when I think of them. A life time was +crowded into those few short hours, and death alone may blot out the +impressions they produced. + +For some time we travelled slowly and silently onwards. Wylie preceding, +leading one of the horses, myself following behind and driving the others +after him, through a country consisting still of the same alternations of +scrub and open intervals as before. The day became very warm, and at +eleven, after travelling ten miles to the west, I determined to halt +until the cool of the evening. After baking some bread and getting our +dinners, I questioned Wylie as to what he knew of the sad occurrence of +yesterday. He positively denied all knowledge of it--said he had been +asleep, and was awoke by the report of the gun, and that upon seeing the +overseer lying on the ground he ran off to meet me. He admitted, however, +that, after the unsuccessful attempt to leave us, and proceed alone to +King George's Sound, the elder of the other two natives had proposed to +him again to quit the party, and try to go back to Fowler's Bay, to the +provisions buried there. But he had heard or knew nothing, he said, of +either robbery or murder being first contemplated. + +My own impression was, that Wylie had agreed with the other two to rob +the camp and leave us;--that he had been cognisant of all their +proceedings and preparations, but that when, upon the eve of their +departure, the overseer had unexpectedly awoke and been murdered, he was +shocked and frightened at the deed, and instead of accompanying them, had +run down to meet me. My opinion upon this point received additional +confirmation from the subsequent events of this day; but I never could +get Wylie to admit even the slightest knowledge of the fatal occurrence, +or that he had even intended to have united with them in plundering the +camp and deserting. He had now become truly alarmed; and independently of +the fear of the consequences which would attach to the crime, should we +ever reach a civilized community again, he had become very apprehensive +that the other natives, who belonged to quite a different part of +Australia to himself, and who spoke a totally different language, would +murder him as unhesitatingly as they had done the white man. + +We remained in camp until four o'clock, and were again preparing to +advance, when my attention was called by Wylie to two white objects among +the scrub, at no great distance from us, and I at once recognized the +native boys, covered with their blankets only, and advancing towards us. +From Wylie's account of their proposal to go back towards Fowler's Bay, I +fully hoped that they had taken that direction, and left us to pursue our +way to the Sound unmolested. I was therefore surprised, and somewhat +alarmed, at finding them so near us. With my rifle and pistols I felt +myself sufficiently a match for them in an open country, or by daylight. +Yet I knew that as long as they followed like bloodhounds on our tracks +our lives would be in their power at any moment that they chose to take +them, whilst we were passing through a scrubby country, or by night. +Whatever their intention might be, I knew, that if we travelled in the +same direction with them, our lives could only be safe by their +destruction. Although they had taken fully one-third of the whole stock +of our provisions, their appetites were so ravenous, and their habits so +improvident, that this would soon be consumed, and then they must either +starve or plunder us; for they had already tried to subsist themselves in +the bush, and had failed. + +As these impressions rapidly passed through my mind, there appeared to me +but one resource left, to save my own life and that of the native with +me: that was, to shoot the elder of the two. Painful as this would be, I +saw no other alternative, if they still persisted in following us. After +packing up our few things, and putting them upon the horses, I gave the +bridles to Wylie to hold, whilst I advanced alone with my rifle towards +the two natives. They were now tolerably near, each carrying a +double-barrelled gun, which was pointed towards me, elevated across the +left arm and held by the right hand. As I attempted to approach nearer +they gradually retreated. + +Finding that I was not likely to gain ground upon them in this way, I +threw down my weapons, and advanced unarmed, hoping that if they let me +near them I might suddenly close with the eldest and wrest his gun from +him. After advancing about sixty or seventy yards towards them, I found +that they again began to retreat, evidently determined not to let me +approach any nearer, either armed or unarmed. Upon this I halted, and +endeavoured to enter into parley with them, with a view to persuading +them to return towards Fowler's Bay, and thus obviate the painful +necessity I should have been under of endeavouring, for my own security, +to take away the life of the eldest whenever I met with him, should they +still persist in going the same road as myself. The distance we were +apart was almost too great for parley, and I know not whether they heard +me or not; though they halted, and appeared to listen, they did not reply +to what I said, and plainly wished to avoid all closer contact. They now +began to call incessantly to Wylie, and in answer to my repeated efforts +to get them to speak to me, only would say, "Oh massa, we don't want you, +we want Wylie." Thus fully confirming me in the opinion I had formed, +that Wylie had agreed to go with them before the deed of violence was +committed. It was now apparent to me that their only present object in +following us had been to look for Wylie, and get him to join them. In +this they were unsuccessful; for he still remained quietly where I left +him holding the horses, and evidently afraid to go near them. There was +no use wasting further time, as I could not get them to listen to me. The +sun, too, was fast sinking in the horizon, we had been four days without +finding water, and the probability was we had very far still to go before +we could hope to procure any; every moment, therefore, was precious. + +Having returned to Wylie, I made him lead one of the horses in advance, +and I followed behind, driving the rest after him, according to the +system of march I had adopted in the morning. As soon as the two natives +saw us moving on, and found Wylie did not join them, they set up a wild +and plaintive cry, still following along the brush parallel to our line +of route, and never ceasing in their importunities to Wylie, until the +denseness of the scrub, and the closing in of night, concealed us from +each other. + +I was now resolved to make the most of the opportunity afforded me, and +by travelling steadily onwards, to gain so much distance in advance of +the two natives as to preclude the possibility of their again overtaking +us until we had reached the water, if indeed we were ever destined to +reach water again. I knew that they would never travel more than a few +miles before lying down, especially if carrying all the bread they had +taken, the keg of water, guns, and other articles. We had, however, seen +none of these things with them, except the fire-arms. + +Our road was over scrubby and stony undulations, with patches of dry +grass here and there; in other parts, we passed over a very sandy soil of +a red colour, and overrun by immense tufts of prickly grass (spinifex), +many of which were three and four yards in diameter. After pushing on for +eighteen miles, I felt satisfied we had left the natives far behind, and +finding a patch of grass for the horses, halted for the remainder of the +night. It was quite impossible, after all we had gone through, to think +of watching the horses, and my only means of preventing from them +straying, was to close the chains of their hobbles so tight, that they +could not go far; having thus secured them, we lay down, and for a few +hours enjoyed uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. + +Moving on again on the 1st of May, as the sun was above the horizon, we +passed through a continuation of the same kind of country, for sixteen +miles, and then halted for a few hours during the heat of the day. We had +passed many recent traces of natives both yesterday and to-day, who +appeared to be travelling to the westward. After dividing a pot of tea +between us, we again pushed on for twelve miles, completing a stage of +twenty-eight miles, and halting, with a little dry grass for the horses. + +It was impossible they could endure this much longer, they had already +been five days without water, and I did not expect to meet with any for +two days more, a period which I did not think they could survive. As yet +no very great change had taken place in the country; it was still scrubby +and rocky, but the surface stone now consisted of a cream-coloured +limestone of a fine compact character, and full of shells. The cliffs, +parallel with which we were travelling, were still of about the same +height, appearance, and formation as before, whilst the inland country +increased in elevation, forming scrubby ridges to the back, with a few +open grassy patches here and there. One circumstance in our route to-day +cheered me greatly, and led me shortly to expect some important and +decisive change in the character and formation of the country. It was the +appearance for the first time of the Banksia, a shrub which I had never +before found to the westward of Spencer's Gulf, but which I knew to +abound in the vicinity of King George's Sound, and that description of +country generally. Those only who have looked out with the eagerness and +anxiety of a person in my situation, to note any change in the vegetation +or physical appearance of a country, can appreciate the degree of +satisfaction with which I recognised and welcomed the first appearance of +the Banksia. Isolated as it was amidst the scrub, and insignificant as +the stunted specimens were that I first met with, they led to an +inference that I could not be mistaken in, and added, in a tenfold +degree, to the interest and expectation with which every mile of our +route had now become invested. During the day the weather had been again +cloudy, with the appearance of rain; but the night turned out cold and +frosty, and both I and the native suffered extremely. We had little to +protect us from the severity of the season, never being able to procure +firewood of a description that would keep burning long at once, so that +between cold and fatigue, we were rarely able to get more than a few +moments rest at a time; and were always glad when daylight dawned to +cheer us, although it only aroused us to the renewal of our unceasing +toil. + +May 2.--We again moved away at dawn, through a country which gradually +become more scrubby, hilly, and sandy. The horses crawled on for +twenty-one miles, when I halted for an hour to rest, and to have a little +tea from our now scanty stock of water. The change which I had noticed +yesterday in the vegetation of the country, was greater and more cheering +every mile we went, although as yet the country itself was as desolate +and inhospitable as ever. The smaller Banksias now abounded, whilst the +Banksia grandis, and many other shrubs common at King George's Sound, +were frequently met with. The natives, whose tracks we had so frequently +met with, taking the same course as ourselves to the westward, seemed now +to be behind us; during the morning we had passed many freshly lit fires, +but the people themselves remained concealed; we had now lost all traces +of them, and the country seemed untrodden and untenanted. In the course +of our journey this morning, we met with many holes in the sheets of +limestone, which occasionally coated the surface of the ground; in these +holes the natives appeared to procure an abundance of water after rains, +but it was so long since any had fallen, that all were dry and empty now. +In one deep hole only, did we find the least trace of moisture; this had +at the bottom of it, perhaps a couple of wine glasses full of mud and +water, and was most carefully blocked up from the birds with huge stones: +it had evidently been visited by natives, not an hour before we arrived +at it, but I suspect they were as much disappointed as we were, upon +rolling away all the stones to find nothing in it. + +After our scanty meal, we again moved onwards, but the road became so +scrubby and rocky, or so sandy and hilly, that we could make no progress +at all by night, and at eight miles from where we dined, we were +compelled to halt, after a day's journey of twenty-nine miles; but +without a blade even of withered grass for our horses, which was the more +grievous, because for the first time since we left the last water, a very +heavy dew fell, and would have enabled them to feed a little, had there +been grass. We had now traversed 138 miles of country from the last +water, and according to my estimate of the distance we had to go, ought +to be within a few miles of the termination of the cliffs of the Great +Bight. + +May 3.--The seventh day's dawn found us early commencing our journey. The +poor horses still crawled on, though slowly. I was surprised that they +were still alive, after the continued sufferings and privations they had +been subject to. As for ourselves, we were both getting very weak and +worn out, as well as lame, and it was with the greatest difficulty I +could get Wylie to move, if he once sat down. I had myself the same kind +of apathetic feeling, and would gladly have laid down and slept for ever. +Nothing but a strong sense of duty prevented me from giving way to this +pleasing but fatal indulgence. + +The road to-day became worse than ever, being one continued succession of +sandy, scrubby and rocky ridges, and hollows formed on the top of the +cliffs along which our course lay. After travelling two and a half miles, +however, we were cheered and encouraged by the sight of sandy hills, and +a low coast stretching beyond the cliffs to the south-west, though they +were still some distance from us. At ten miles from where we had slept, a +native road led us down a very steep part of the cliffs, and we descended +to the beach. The wretched horses could scarcely move, it was with the +greatest difficulty we got them down the hill, and now, although within +sight of our goal, I feared two of them would never reach it. By +perseverance we still got them slowly along, for two miles from the base +of the cliffs, and then turning in among the sand-drifts, to our great +joy and relief, found a place where the natives had dug for water; thus +at twelve o'clock on the seventh day since leaving the last depot, we +were again encamped at water, after having crossed 150 miles of a rocky, +barren, and scrubby table land. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + +REFLECTIONS UPON SITUATION--WATCH FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NATIVE +BOYS--THEIR PROBABLE FATE--PROCEED ON THE JOURNEY--FACILITY OF OBTAINING +WATER--KILL A HORSE FOR FOOD--SILVER-BARK TEA-TREE--INTENSE COLD--FIRST +HILLS SEEN--GOOD GRASS--APPETITE OF A NATIVE--INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF +UNWHOLESOME DIET--CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--GRANITE FORMS +THE LOW WATER LEVEL--TREE WASHED ON SHORE--INDISPOSITION. + + +Having at last got fairly beyond all the cliffs bounding the Great Bight, +I fully trusted that we had now overcome the greatest difficulties of the +undertaking, and confidently hoped that there would be no more of those +fearful long journeys through the desert without water, but that the +character of the country would be changed, and so far improved as to +enable us to procure it, once at least every thirty or forty miles, if +not more frequently. + +Relieved from the pressure of immediate toil, and from the anxiety and +suspense I had been in on the subject of water, my mind wandered to the +gap created in my little party since we had last been at water; more than +ever, almost, did I feel the loss of my overseer, now that the last and +most difficult of our forced marches had been successfully accomplished, +and that there was every hope of our progress for the future, being both +less difficult and more expeditious. How delighted he would have been had +he been with us to participate in the successful termination of a stage, +which he had ever dreaded more than any other during the whole of our +journey, and with what confidence and cheerfulness he would have gone on +for the future. Out of five two only were now present; our little band +had been severed never to be reunited; and I could not but blame myself +for yielding to the overseer's solicitation to halt on the evening of the +29th April, instead of travelling on all night as I had originally +intended: had I adhered to my own judgment all might yet have been well. +Vain and bootless, however, now were all regrets for the irrecoverable +past; but the present was so fraught with circumstances calculated to +recal and to make me feel more bitterly the loss I had sustained, that +painful as the subject was, the mind could not help reverting to and +dwelling upon it. + +Having given each of the horses a bucket of water, Wylie watched them +whilst I cooked our dinner and made some tea, after getting which we +again gave the horses another bucket of water a-piece, hobbled them out +for the night, and then lay down ourselves, feeling perfectly secure from +being overtaken by the native boys. We were obliged to place ourselves +close to the hole of water to keep the horses from getting into it, as +they were thirsty and restless, and kept walking round the well nearly +the whole night, and feeding very little. We ourselves, too, although +dreadfully tired and weak, were so cold and restless, that we slept but +little. I had also a large swelling on two of the joints of the second +finger of the right hand, which gave me very great pain. + +May 4.--After an early breakfast we gave the horses as much water as they +chose to drink, and removing their hobbles gave them full liberty to +range where they liked. I then left Wylie to continue his slumbers, and +taking my rifle, walked about three miles among the sand-drifts to search +for grass, but could find none, except the coarse vegetation that grew +amongst the sand-drifts. I found two other places where the natives got +water by digging, and have no doubt that it may be procured almost +anywhere in these drifts, which extend for some miles, along the coast. +Some black cockatoos made their appearance near the sand-hills, +indicating, in connection with the change I had noticed in the +vegetation, that we were now about entering a different and less +difficult country than any we had yet traversed. These birds I knew never +inhabited that description of country we had been so long travelling +through. We had not seen one before, during our whole journey, and poor +Wylie was quite delighted at the idea of our vicinity to a better region. + +During the day a strict look out was kept for the other two natives, and +at night, after watering the horses and concealing the saddles, we took +our provisions and arms up among the sand-hills, and slept there at some +distance from the water: that if they travelled onwards by moon-light, +they might not come upon us unawares whilst sleeping. If they had +continued their route to the westward, they would, I knew, both have a +severe task to reach the water, and be unable to go to it without our +knowledge; the youngest boy I did not think would prove equal to so +arduous a task, but the elder one I thought might, if his courage and +perseverance did not fail him in travelling so far, without any +indications to lead him to hope for final success, save the fact of our +having gone on before. Upon the whole, however, I thought it more than +probable that on finding they could not get Wylie to join them, and that +they could not keep pace with us, they would turn back, and endeavour to +put in practice their original intention of trying to reach Fowler's Bay. +Still it was necessary to be cautious and vigilant. A few days at most +would decide whether they were advancing this way or not, and until +satisfied upon this point, I determined to take every precaution in my +power to guard against a surprise. My hand was dreadfully painful at +night, and quite deprived me of all rest. + +May 5.--Up before day-break, and moved down to the water to breakfast, +then examined carefully round the wells, and between the sand-drifts and +the sea, to see if any foot-prints had been made during the night, but +none had. There were many pigeons about, and as I had still some +ammunition left, I felt the loss of my gun severely. During the morning a +very large eagle came and settled near us, and I sent Wylie with the +rifle to try to shoot it; he crept within a very few yards of it, and +being a good shot, I felt sure of a hearty meal, but unfortunately the +rifle missed fire, having got damp during the heavy fall of dew a few +evenings before. We lost our dinner, but I received a useful lesson on +the necessity of taking better care of the only gun I had left, and being +always certain that it was in a fit and serviceable state; I immediately +set to work, cleaned and oiled it, and in the afternoon made some +oil-skin covers for the lock and muzzle to keep the damp from it at +nights. For the last day or two I had been far from well, whilst my +inflamed hand, which was daily getting worse, caused me most excruciating +pain, and quite destroyed my rest at nights. In the evening we again +retired among the sand-hills to sleep. + +May 6.--After breakfast we carefully examined the sand-drifts and the +sea-shore, to see if the two boys had passed, but there were no traces of +them to be found, and I now felt that we were secure from all further +interruption from them. Three days we had been in camp at the water, +making altogether a period of six since we last saw them. Had they +continued their course to the westward, they must have arrived long +before this, and I now felt satisfied that they had turned back to +Fowler's Bay for the sake of the provisions buried there, or else they +had fallen in with the natives, whose traces we had so repeatedly seen, +and either joined them, or been killed by them. + +It was now apparent to me beyond all doubt, that in following us on the +30th of April, so far out of the direction they ought to have taken if +they intended to go to the eastward, their only object had been to get +Wylie to accompany them. As he was the eldest of the three, and a strong +full grown man, they would have found him a protection to them from his +superior age, strength and skill. As it was they had but little chance of +making their way safely either to the east or west. At the time I last +saw them they were sixty-three miles from the nearest water in the former +direction, and eighty-seven miles from that in the latter. They were +tired and exhausted from previous walking, and in this state would have +to carry the guns, the provisions, and other things they had taken. This +would necessarily retard their progress, and lengthen out the period +which must elapse before they could obtain water in any direction. On the +night of the 29th April they must have had one gallon of water with them, +but when we saw them on the 30th, I have no doubt, that with their usual +improvidence, they had consumed the whole, and would thus have to undergo +the fatigue of carrying heavy weights, as well as walking for a +protracted period, without any thing to relieve their thirst. Their +difficulties and distress would gradually but certainly increase upon +them, and they would then, in all likelihood, throw away their guns or +their provisions, and be left in the desert unarmed, without food or +water, and without skill or energy to direct them successfully to search +for either. A dreadful and lingering death would in all probability +terminate the scene, aggravated in all its horrors by the consciousness +that they had brought it entirely upon themselves. Painfully as I had +felt the loss of my unfortunate overseer, and shocked as I was at the +ruthless deed having been committed by these two boys, yet I could not +help feeling for their sad condition, the miseries and sufferings they +would have to encounter, and the probable fate that awaited them. + +The youngest of the two had been with me for four years, the eldest for +two years and a half, and both had accompanied me in all my travels +during these respective periods. Now that the first and strong +impressions naturally resulting from a shock so sudden and violent as +that produced by the occurrences of the 29th April, had yielded, in some +measure, to calmer reflections, I was able maturely to weigh the whole of +what had taken place, and to indulge in some considerations in +extenuation of their offence. The two boys knew themselves to be as far +from King George's Sound, as they had already travelled from Fowler's +Bay. They were hungry, thirsty, and tired, and without the prospect of +satisfying fully their appetites, or obtaining rest for a long period of +time, they probably thought, that bad and inhospitable as had been the +country we had already traversed, we were daily advancing into one still +more so, and that we never could succeed in forcing a passage through it; +and they might have been strengthened in this belief by the unlucky and +incautiously-expressed opinions of the overseer. It was natural enough, +under such circumstances, that they should wish to leave the party. +Having come to that determination, and knowing from previous experience, +that they could not subsist upon what they could procure for themselves +in the bush, they had resolved to take with them a portion of the +provisions we had remaining, and which they might look upon, perhaps, as +their share by right. Nor would Europeans, perhaps, have acted better. In +desperate circumstances men are ever apt to become discontented and +impatient of restraint, each throwing off the discipline and control he +had been subject to before, and each conceiving himself to have a right +to act independently when the question becomes one of life and death. + +Having decided upon leaving the party, and stealing a portion of the +provisions, their object would be to accomplish this as effectually and +as safely as they could; and in doing this, they might, without having +had the slightest intention originally, of injuring either myself or the +overseer, have taken such precautions, and made such previous +arrangements as led to the fatal tragedy which occurred. All three of the +natives were well aware, that as long as they were willing to accompany +us, they would share with us whatever we had left; or that, if resolutely +bent upon leaving us, no restriction, save that of friendly advice, would +be imposed to prevent their doing so; but at the same time they were +aware that we would not have consented to divide our little stock of food +for the purpose of enabling any one portion of the party to separate from +the other, but rather that we would forcibly resist any attempts to +effect such a division, either openly or by stealth. They knew that they +never could succeed in their plans openly, and that to do so by stealth +effectually and safely, it would first be necessary to secure all the +fire-arms, that they might incur no risk from our being alarmed before +their purpose was completed. No opportunity had occurred to bring their +intentions into operation until the evening in question, when the scrubby +nature of the country, the wildness of the night, the overseer's sound +sleeping, and my own protracted absence, at a distance with the horses, +had all conspired to favour them. I have no doubt, that they first +extinguished the fires, and then possessing themselves of the fire-arms, +proceeded to plunder the baggage and select such things as they required. +In doing this they must have come across the ammunition, and loaded the +guns preparatory to their departure, but this might have been without any +premeditated intention of making use of them in the way they did. At this +unhappy juncture it would seem that the overseer must have awoke, and +advanced towards them to see what was the matter, or to put a stop to +their proceedings, when they fired on him, to save themselves from being +caught in their act of plunder. That either of the two should have +contemplated the committal of a wilful, barbarous, cold-blooded murder, I +cannot bring myself to believe--no object was to be attained by it; and +the fact of the overseer having been pierced through the breast, and many +yards in advance of where he had been sleeping, in a direction towards +the sleeping-place of the natives, clearly indicated that it was not +until he had arisen from his sleep, and had been closely pressing upon +them, that they had fired the fatal shot. Such appeared to me to be the +most plausible and rational explanation of this melancholy affair--I +would willingly believe it to be the true one. + +Wylie and I moved on in the evening, with the horses for two miles, and +again pitched our camp among the sand-drifts, at a place where the +natives were in the habit of digging wells for water, and where we +procured it at a very moderate depth below the surface. Pigeons were here +in great numbers, and Wylie tried several times with the rifle to shoot +them, but only killed one, the grooved barrel not being adapted for +throwing shot with effect. + +At midnight we arose and moved onwards, following along the beach. I +intended to have made a long stage, as I no longer had any fears about +not finding water; but at nine miles one of the horses knocked up, and +could proceed no farther, I was compelled, therefore, to turn in among +the sand-drifts, and halt at five in the morning of the 7th. We were +again fortunate in procuring water by digging only two feet under the +sand-hills, which were here very high, and were a continuation of those +in which we had first found water on the 3rd. In the afternoon, I again +tried to advance upon our journey, but after proceeding only four miles, +the jaded horse was again unable to move further, and there was no +alternative but to halt and search for water. This was found among the +sand-hills, but we could procure nothing but the coarse grass growing +upon the drifts for the animals to eat. + +May 8.--About two hours before daylight, rain began to fall, and +continued steadily though lightly for three hours, so that enough had +fallen to deposit water in the ledges or holes of the rocks. The day was +wild and stormy, and we did not start until late. Even then we could only +get the tired horse along for three miles, and were again compelled to +halt. Water was still procured, by digging under the sand-hills, but we +had to sink much deeper than we had lately found occasion to do. It was +now plain, that the tired horse would never be able to keep pace with the +others, and that we must either abandon him, or proceed at a rate too +slow for the present state of our commissariat. Taking all things into +consideration, it appeared to me that it would be better to kill him at +once for food, and then remain here in camp for a time, living upon the +flesh, whilst the other horses were recruiting, after which I hoped we +might again be able to advance more expeditiously. Upon making this +proposal to Wylie, he was quite delighted at the idea, and told me +emphatically that he would sit up and eat the whole night. Our decision +arrived at, the sentence was soon executed. The poor animal was shot, and +Wylie and myself were soon busily employed in skinning him. Leaving me to +continue this operation, Wylie made a fire close to the carcase, and as +soon as he could get at a piece of the flesh he commenced roasting some, +and continued alternately, eating, working and cooking. After cutting off +about 100 pounds of the best of the meat, and hanging it in strips upon +the trees until our departure, I handed over to Wylie the residue of the +carcase, feet, entrails, flesh, skeleton, and all, to cook and consume as +he pleased, whilst we were in the neighbourhood. Before dark he had made +an oven, and roasted about twenty pounds, to feast upon during the night. +The evening set in stormy, and threatened heavy rain, but a few drops +only fell. The wind then rose very high, and raged fiercely from the +south-west. At midnight it lulled, and the night became intensely cold +and frosty, and both Wylie and myself suffered severely, we could only +get small sticks for our fire, which burned out in a few minutes, and +required so frequently renewing, that we were obliged to give it up in +despair, and bear the cold in the best way we could. Wylie, during the +night, made a sad and dismal groaning, and complained of being very ill, +from pain in his throat, the effect he said of having to work too hard. I +did not find that his indisposition interfered very greatly with his +appetite, for nearly every time I awoke during the night, I found him up +and gnawing away at his meat, he was literally fulfilling the promise he +had made me in the evening, "By and bye, you see, Massa, me 'pta' (eat) +all night." + +May 9.--The day was cold and cloudy, and we remained in camp to rest the +horses, and diminish the weight of meat, which was greater than our +horses could well carry in their present state. On getting up the horses +to water them at noon, I was grieved to find the foal of my favourite +mare (which died on the 28th March) missing; how we had lost it I could +not make out, but as its tracks were not any where visible near the camp, +it was evident that it had never come there at all. In leaving our last +halting place my time and attention had been so taken up with getting the +weak horse along, that I had left it entirely to Wylie to bring up the +others, and had neglected my usual precaution of counting to see if all +were there before we moved away. The little creature must have been lying +down behind the sand-hills asleep, when we left, or otherwise it would +never have remained behind the others. Being very desirous not to lose +this foal, which had now accompanied me so far and got through all the +worst difficulties, I saddled the strongest of the horses, and mounting +Wylie, I set off myself on foot with him to search for it. We had not +gone far from the camp, when Wylie wished me to go back, offering to go +on by himself; and as I was loth to leave our provisions and ammunition +to the mercy of any native that might chance to go that way, I acceded to +his request, and delivering to him the rifle, returned to the encampment. +Wylie had pledged himself to the due execution of this errand, and I had +some confidence that he would not deceive me. Hour after hour passed away +without his return, and I began to be uneasy at his long delay, and half +repented that I had been so foolish as to trust the rifle in his hands. +At last, a little after dark, I was delighted to see him return, followed +by the foal, which he had found six miles away and still travelling +backwards in search of the horses. Having given him an extra allowance of +bread as a reward for his good conduct, we took our tea and lay down for +the night. + +During the day, whilst Wylie was absent, I had employed my time in +collecting firewood from the back of the sand-hills. In this occupation I +was pleased to meet with the silver-bark tea-tree, another change in the +vegetation, which still further convinced me that we were rapidly +advancing into a more practicable country. + +May 10.--The morning was spent in washing my clothes, cooking meat, and +preparing to move on in the afternoon. Wylie, who knew that this was his +last opportunity, was busy with the skeleton of the horse, and never +ceased eating until we moved on in the afternoon. As we took away with us +nearly a hundred pounds of the flesh, the poor horses were heavily laden +for the condition they were in. The scrubby and swampy nature of the +country behind the shore compelled us too to keep the beach, where the +sands were loose and heavy. Our progress was slow, and at eight miles I +halted. Here we found a little dry grass not far from the sea, and as the +horses did not require water, they fared tolerably well. This was the +first grass we had met with since we descended the cliffs on the 3rd +instant. The horses having entirely subsisted since then on the wiry +vegetation which binds the sand-drifts together. Although we had water in +the canteens for ourselves, and the horses did not require any, I was +curious to know whether fresh water could be procured where we were +encamped--a long, low and narrow tongue of sandy land, lying between the +sea on one side and extensive salt swamps on the other, and in no part +elevated more than a few feet above the level of the sea itself. After +tea I took the spade and commenced digging, and to my great surprise at +six feet I obtained water, which though brackish was very palatable. This +was very extraordinary, considering the nature of the position we were +in, and that there were not any hills from which the fresh water could +drain. + +The night was again bitterly cold and frosty, and we suffered severely. +Now the winter had set in, and we were sadly unprepared to meet its +inclemency, the cold at nights became so intense as to occasion me +agonies of pain; and the poor native was in the same predicament. + +May 11.--Upon moving away this morning, I kept behind the sea shore along +the borders of the salt swamp, steering for some sand-hills which were +seen a-head of us. A hill was now visible in the distance, a little south +of west, rising above the level bank behind the shore,--this was the +first hill, properly so called, that we had met with for many hundreds of +miles, and it tended not a little to cheer us and confirm all previous +impressions relative to the change and improvement in the character of +the country. Our horses were dreadfully fatigued and moved along with +difficulty, and it was as much as we could do to reach the sand-hills we +had seen, though only seven miles away. In our approach to them we passed +through a fine plain full of grass, and of a much better description than +we had met with since leaving Fowler's Bay. Not only was it long and in +the greatest abundance, but there were also mixed with the old grass many +stalks of new and green, the whole forming a rich and luxurious feast for +our horses, such as they had not enjoyed for many a long day. Nearer to +the sand-hills we obtained excellent water by digging, at a depth of five +feet, and only half a mile away from the grass. This place was too +favourable not to be made the most of, and I determined to halt for a day +or two to give our horses the benefit of it, and to enable us to diminish +the weight of meat they had to carry. Whilst here I gave Wylie free +permission to eat as much as he could,--a privilege which he was not long +in turning to account. Between last night's supper and this morning's +breakfast he had got through six-and-a-half pounds of solid cooked flesh, +weighed out and free from bone, and he then complained, that as he had so +little water (the well had fallen in and he did not like the trouble of +cleaning it out again), he could hardly eat at all. On an average he +would consume nine pounds of meat per day. I used myself from two to +three when undergoing very great exertions. After dinner I ascended one +of the sand-hills, and set the hill I had seen in the morning at W. 17 +degrees S. + +May 12.--I intended this morning to have walked down to the beach, but +was suddenly taken ill with similar symptoms to those I had experienced +on the 19th, and 21st of April; and, as formerly, I attributed the +illness entirely to the unwholesome nature of the meat diet. Wylie was +ill too, but not to so great a degree; nor was I surprised at his +complaining; indeed, it would have been wonderful if he had not, +considering the enormous quantity of horse flesh that he daily devoured. +After his feasts, he would lie down, and roll and groan, and say he was +"mendyt" (ill) and nothing would induce him to get up, or to do any +thing. There were now plenty of sting-ray fish along the beach again, and +I was desirous, if possible, to get one for a change of diet; my friend, +however, had so much to eat, that though he said he should like fish too, +I could not get him to go about a mile to the back of the sand-hills, to +cut a stick from the scrub, to make a spear for catching them. + +May 13.--After breakfast, Wylie said he thought he could catch some +bandicoots, by firing the scrub near the sand-hills, and went out for an +hour or two to try, but came back as he went. During his absence, I was +employed in repairing my only two pair of socks now left, which were +sadly dilapidated, but of which I was obliged to be very careful, as they +were the only security I had against getting lame. In the afternoon I +walked down to the beach, to try to spear sting-ray, but the sea was +rough, and I saw none. In my ramble, I found plenty of the beautiful +white clematis, so common both to the north and south of Sydney. + +May 14.--I was again seized with illness, though I had been particularly +careful in the quantity of flesh which I had used. For many hours I +suffered most excruciating pains; and after the violence of the attack +was over, I was left very weak, and incapable of exertion. Wylie was also +affected. It was evident that the food we were now living upon, was not +wholesome or nutritious. Day after day we felt ourselves getting weaker +and more relaxed, whilst the least change of weather, or the slightest +degree of cold, was most painfully felt by both of us. What we were to do +in the wet weather, which might daily be expected, I knew not, suffering +as we did from the frosts and dews only. In the state we now were in, I +do not think that we could have survived many days' exposure to wet. + +May 15.--I intended to have proceeded early on our journey this morning, +but was so ill again, that for some hours I could not stir. The boy was +similarly situated. About ten we got a little better, and packing up our +things, moved away, but had scarcely gone more than a couple of miles +along the beach, when I discovered that the horse-hobbles had been left +behind. It was Wylie's duty always to take these off, and strap them +round the horses necks, whilst I was arranging the saddles, and fixing on +them our arms, provisions, etc.; he had forgotten to do this, and had left +them lying on the ground. As we could not possibly do without the +hobbles, I sent Wylie back for them, telling him I would drive on the +horses slowly for a few miles, and then halt to wait for him. + +After proceeding eleven miles along the coast, I halted, and Wylie came +up a little before dark, bringing the hobbles with him. We were both very +hungry; and as we had suffered so much lately from eating the horse +flesh, we indulged to-night in a piece of bread, and a spoonful of flour +boiled into a paste, an extravagance which I knew we should have to make +up for by and bye. I had dug for water, and procured it at a depth of +five feet; but it was too brackish either to drink, or give to our +horses; we used it, however, in boiling up our flour into paste. The +afternoon was exceedingly dark and stormy looking, but only a few light +showers fell. The night then set in cold, with a heavy dew. + +May 16.--We commenced our journey at daylight, travelling along the +beach, which was very heavy for nine miles, and then halting, at a very +low part of the coast, to rest the horses. Whilst here, I dug for water, +and getting it of very fair quality, though with an effluvia very like +Harrowgate water, I decided upon remaining for the day. We were very much +fatigued, being weak and languid, and like our horses, scarcely able to +put one foot before the other. From our present encampment, some islands +were visible at a bearing of S. 18 degrees E. The tops of the hills, +also, to the back, were visible above the level bank, which formed the +continuation of the singular table land extending round the Bight, but +which was now gradually declining in elevation, and appeared as if it +would very shortly cease altogether, so that we might hope to have an +unobstructed view of the country inland. + +A jagged peak, which I named Mount Ragged, bore W. 10 degrees N., and a +round topped one W. 30 degrees N. We were now actually beyond those +hills; but the level bank, under which we had been travelling, prevented +our seeing more of them than the bare outline of their lofty summits. The +whole of the intervening country, between the level bank and the hills, +consisted of heavy sandy ridges, a good deal covered with scrub; but we +now found more grass than we had seen during the whole journey before. In +the night I was taken ill again, with violent pains, accompanied by cold +clammy sweats; and as the air was cold and raw, and a heavy dew falling, +I suffered a great deal. + +May 17.--This morning I felt rather better, but very weak, and wishing to +give the horses an opportunity of drinking, which they would not do very +early on a cold morning, I did not break up the camp until late. Upon +laying down last night Wylie had left the meat on the ground at some +distance from our fire, instead of putting it up on a bush as I had +directed him, the consequence was that a wild dog had stolen about +fourteen pounds of it whilst we slept, and we were now again reduced to a +very limited allowance. + +After travelling about five miles we found a great and important change +in the basis rock of the country; it was now a coarse imperfect kind of +grey granite, and in many places the low-water line was occupied by +immense sheets of it. Other symptoms of improvement also gradually +developed themselves. Mountain ducks were now, for the first time, seen +upon the shore, and the trunk of a very large tree was found washed up on +the beach: it was the only one we had met with during the whole course of +our journey to the westward, and I hailed it with a pleasure which was +only equalled by finding, not far beyond, a few drops of water trickling +down a huge graniterock abutting on the sea-shore. This was the only +approximation to running water which we had found since leaving Streaky +Bay, and though it hardly deserved that name, yet it imparted to me as +much hope, and almost as much satisfaction, as if I had found a river. +Continuing our course around a small bay for about five miles, we turned +into some sand-drifts behind a rocky point of the coast. from which the +islands we had seen yesterday bore E. 47 degrees S., Cape Pasley, S. W., +Point Malcolm, S. 33 degrees W., and Mount Ragged W. 32 degrees N. +Several reefs and breakers were also seen at no great distance from the +shore. + +Our stage to-day was only twelve miles, yet some of our horses were +nearly knocked up, and we ourselves in but little better condition. The +incessant walking we were subject to, the low and unwholesome diet we had +lived upon, the severe and weakening attacks of illness caused by that +diet, having daily, and sometimes twice a day, to dig for water, to carry +all our fire-wood from a distance upon our backs, to harness, unharness, +water, and attend to the horses, besides other trifling occupations, +making up our daily routine, usually so completely exhausted us, that we +had neither spirit nor energy left. Added to all other evils, the nature +of the country behind the sea-coast was as yet so sandy and scrubby that +we were still compelled to follow the beach, frequently travelling on +loose heavy sands, that rendered our stages doubly fatiguing: whilst at +nights, after the labours of the day were over, and we stood so much in +need of repose, the intense cold, and the little protection we had +against it, more frequently made it a season of most painful suffering +than of rest, and we were glad when the daylight relieved us once more. +On our march we felt generally weak and languid--it was an effort to put +one foot before the other, and there was an indisposition to exertion +that it was often very difficult to overcome. After sitting for a few +moments to rest--and we often had to do this--it was always with the +greatest unwillingness we ever moved on again. I felt, on such occasions, +that I could have sat quietly and contentedly, and let the glass of life +glide away to its last sand. There was a dreamy kind of pleasure, which +made me forgetful or careless of the circumstances and difficulties by +which I was surrounded, and which I was always indisposed to break in +upon. Wylie was even worse than myself, I had often much difficulty in +getting him to move at all, and not unfrequently was compelled almost +forcibly to get him up. Fortunately he was very good tempered, and on the +whole had behaved extremely well under all our troubles since we had been +travelling together alone. + + + + +Chapter III. + + + +HEAVY ROAD--A YOUNG KANGAROO SHOT--GRASSY COUNTRY--POINT MALCOLM--TRACES +OF ITS HAVING BEEN VISITED BY EUROPEANS--GRASS TREES MET WITH--A KANGAROO +KILLED--CATCH FISH--GET ANOTHER KANGAROO--CRAB HUNTING--RENEW THE +JOURNEY--CASUARINAE MET WITH--CROSS THE LEVEL BANK--LOW COUNTRY BEHIND +IT--CAPE ARID--SALT WATER CREEK--XAMIA SEEN--CABBAGE TREE OF THE +SOUND--FRESH WATER LAKE--MORE SALT STREAMS--OPOSSUMS CAUGHT--FLAG REEDS +FOUND--FRESH WATER STREAMS--BOATS SEEN--MEET WITH A WHALER. + + +May 18.--THIS morning we had to travel upon a soft heavy beach, and moved +slowly and with difficulty along, and three of the horses were +continually attempting to lie down on the road. At twelve miles, we found +some nice green grass, and although we could not procure water here, I +determined to halt for the sake of the horses. The weather was cool and +pleasant. From our camp Mount Ragged bore N. 35 degrees W., and the +island we had seen for the last two days, E. 18 degrees S. Having seen +some large kangaroos near our camp, I sent Wylie with the rifle to try +and get one. At dark he returned bringing home a young one, large enough +for two good meals; upon this we feasted at night, and for once Wylie +admitted that his belly was full. He commenced by eating a pound and a +half of horse-flesh, and a little bread, he then ate the entrails, +paunch, liver, lights, tail, and two hind legs of the young kangaroo, +next followed a penguin, that he had found dead upon the beach, upon this +he forced down the whole of the hide of the kangaroo after singeing the +hair off, and wound up this meal by swallowing the tough skin of the +penguin; he then made a little fire, and laid down to sleep, and dream of +the pleasures of eating, nor do I think he was ever happier in his life +than at that moment. + +May 19.--The morning set in very cold and showery, with the wind from the +southward, making us shiver terribly as we went along; luckily the +country behind the sea-shore was at this place tolerably open, and we +were for once enabled to leave the beach, and keep a little inland. The +soil was light and sandy, but tolerably fertile. In places we found low +brush, in others very handsome clumps of tea-tree scattered at intervals +over some grassy tracts of country, giving a pleasing and park-like +appearance we had long been strangers to. The grass was green, and +afforded a most grateful relief to the eye, accustomed heretofore to rest +only upon the naked sands or the gloomy scrubs we had so long been +travelling amongst. Anxious if possible to give our horses a day or two's +rest, at such a grassy place, and especially as the many kangaroos we +saw, gave us hope of obtaining food for ourselves also, I twice dug for +water, but did not find any of such quality as we could use. I was +compelled therefore to turn in among the sand-hills of Point Malcolm, +where I found excellent water at three and a half feet, and halted for +the day, after a stage of five miles. Unfortunately we were now beyond +all grass, and had to send the horses by a long and difficult road to it, +over steep sandy ridges, densely covered by scrub. Upon halting, one of +our horses lay down, appearing to be very ill, for two hours I could not +get him to rise, and was sadly afraid he would die, which would have been +a serious loss to us, for he was the strongest one we had left. A little +inside Point Malcolm, I found traces of Europeans who had slept on shore +near the beach, and upon one of the tea-trees, I found cut "Ship Julian, +1840," "Haws, 1840," "C. W." and some few other letters, which I did not +copy. The forenoon continued very wild and stormy, with occasional +showers of rain, and as we could get neither firewood nor shelter at our +camp, and the sand eddied around us in showers, we were very miserable. +After dinner, I sent Wylie out with the rifle, to try to shoot a +kangaroo, whilst I took a walk round, to look for grass, and to ascertain +whether water could not be procured in some place nearer the horses, and +better provided with firewood and shelter. My efforts were without +success, nor did I meet with better fortune, in examining Point Malcolm, +to see if there was any place where we could fish from the shore, the +point itself was of granite, but on the sheltered side the water was very +shoal, close to the shore, whilst on the outer side the waves were +breaking with frightful violence, and the spray curling and rising from +the rocks in one perpetual and lofty jet. In the evening Wylie returned +without a kangaroo. + +The night turned out showery, wild, and cold, making us keenly alive to +the bleak, shelterless position we were encamped in. + +May 20.--The sick horse was better to-day, and as they had all found +their way back to the best grass, I determined to remain in camp. Wylie +took the rifle, and again went out kangarooing, whilst I took a long walk +to examine the country, and look out for a line of road to proceed by, +when we left our present position. I was anxious, if possible, to give +over travelling along the beach where the sands were so loose and heavy, +not only causing great extra fatigue to the horses, but adding also +considerably to the distance we should otherwise have to travel. For some +distance I passed over steep ridges, densely covered with large tea-trees +or with other scrub, after which I emerged upon open sandy downs, covered +with low shrubs or bushes, and frequently having patches of good grass +interspersed; the grass-tree was here met with for the first time, but +not very abundantly. This description of country continued between the +coast and the low level bank which still shut out all view of the +interior, though it had greatly decreased in elevation as we advanced to +the west, and appeared as if it would soon merge in the level of the +country around. The day was tolerably fine, but windy, and a few slight +showers fell at intervals. At dusk I got up the horses, watered them, and +was preparing to remove the baggage to a more sheltered place, when Wylie +made his appearance, with the gratifying intelligence that he had shot +one kangaroo, and wounded another; the dead one he said was too far away +for us to get it to-night, and we, therefore, (very unwillingly,) left it +until the morning, and at present only removed our baggage nearer to the +grass, and among thick clumps of tea-trees where we had shelter and +firewood in abundance. The only inconvenience being that we were obliged +to be economical of water, having to bring it all from the sand-drifts, +and our kegs only carrying a few quarts at a time. In the prospect of a +supply of kangaroo, we finished the last of our horse-flesh to-night. It +had lasted us tolerably well, and though we had not gained above +sixty-five miles of distance, since we commenced it, yet we had +accomplished this so gradually, that the horses had not suffered so much +as might have been expected, and were improving somewhat in strength and +appearance every day. It was much to have got them to advance at all, +considering the dreadful sufferings they had endured previous to our +arrival at water on the 3rd of May. + +Getting up one of the horses early on the 21st, we took some water with +us and proceeded to where Wylie had left the kangaroo, to breakfast. +Fortunately it had not been molested by the wild dogs during the night. +Though not of a large species, it was a full grown animal, and furnished +us with a grateful supply of wholesome food. Once more Wylie enjoyed as +much as he could eat, and after breakfast, I took the horse back to the +camp, carrying with me about thirty-two pounds weight of the best and +most fleshy parts of the kangaroo. Wylie remained behind with the rifle, +to return leisurely and try to shoot another; but early in the afternoon +he returned, not having seen one. The truth, I suspect was, that he had +eaten too much to breakfast, and laid down to sleep when I was gone, +coming back to the camp as soon as he felt hungry again. The rest of the +day was taken up in attending to the horses and bringing a supply of +water up for ourselves. The weather was mild and pleasant, and a few +slight showers fell at night, but we were now so well protected among the +tea-trees, and had so much firewood, that we were not inconvenienced by +the rain. + +As I still intended to remain in camp to recruit the horses, I wished +Wylie to go out again on the 22nd, to try for another kangaroo; but the +other not being yet all used, he was very unwilling to do so, and it was +only upon my threatening to move on if he did not, that I could get him +out. As soon as he was gone, I went down to Point Malcolm to try to fish, +as the weather was now so much more moderate. Unfortunately, my tackling +was not strong, and after catching three rock-fish, weighing together +three pounds and a half; a large fish got hooked, and took great part of +my line, hook and all, away. + +It was very vexing to lose a line when I had not many, but still more so +to miss a fine fish that would have weighed fifteen or sixteen pounds. +Being obliged to come back, I spent the remainder of the afternoon in +preparing lines for the morrow. + +Towards evening Wylie returned gloomy and sulky, and without having fired +a shot; neither had he brought the horses up with him to water as I had +requested him to do, and now it was too late to go for them, and they +would have to be without water for the night. I was vexed at this, and +gave him a good scolding for his negligence, after which I endeavoured to +ascertain what had so thoroughly put him out of humour, for ordinarily he +was one of the best tempered natives I had met with: a single sentence +revealed the whole--"The----dogs had eaten the skin." + +This observation came from the very bottom of his soul, and at once gave +me an idea of the magnitude of the disappointment he had sustained; the +fact was, upon leaving the camp in the morning he had taken a firestick +in his hand, and gone straight back to where we skinned the kangaroo on +the 21st, with the intention of singeing off the hair and eating the +skin, which had been left hanging over a bush. Upon his arrival he found +it gone: the wild dogs had been beforehand with him and deprived him of +the meal he expected; hence his gloomy, discontented look upon his +return. As yet I had not told him that I had been fishing; but upon +showing him what I had brought home, and giving him the two largest for +supper, his brow again cleared, and he voluntarily offered to go out +again to try to get a kangaroo to-morrow. + +May 23.--Leaving Wylie asleep at the camp, I set off early to fish at +Point Malcolm. After catching four rock-fish, weighing five pounds, and +losing several hooks, I commenced hunting about among the rocks for +crabs, of which I procured about a dozen They were quite different from +the English crab, being very small, not more than three or four inches in +diameter, and without any meat in the inside of the shell; but the chine +and claws afforded very fair pickings. Upon returning to the camp, I +learnt from Wylie with great satisfaction that he had shot another +kangaroo as he went to bring up the horses. The latter were now at the +camp; so sending him to water them, I remained behind to dry my clothes, +which had got thoroughly wetted in catching the crabs. + +Upon Wylie's return I mounted him on one of the horses, and accompanying +him on foot, proceeded to where he had left the kangaroo; as it was only +one mile and a half away we brought it back upon the horse, entire, that +we might skin it more leisurely at the camp. It was a larger one than the +last, and promised an abundant supply of food for some days; added to +this we had five pounds of fish and a dozen crabs, so that our larder was +well and variously stocked. Upon skinning the kangaroo, Wylie carefully +singed, folded up, and put away the skin for another day, fully +determined that this time he would lose no part of the precious prize. +Having taken the paunch and emptied it, he proceeded to make a kind of +haggis (rather a dirty one to be sure), by putting into it the liver, +lights, heart, and small intestines, and then tying it up, thrust it into +the fire to be roasted whole. This seemed to be a favourite dish with +him, and he was now as happy as a king, sleeping and eating alternately +the whole night long; his only complaint now being that the water was so +far off, and that as we had to carry it all up from the sand-hills to our +camp, he could not drink so much as he should like, and in consequence, +could not eat so much either, for it required no small quantity of liquid +to wash down the enormous masses of meat that he consumed whenever he had +an opportunity. + +May 24.--Leaving Wylie to continue his feast and attend to the horses, I +went down to the beach to hunt again for crabs, of which I procured about +three dozen, but still of the same small size as before; a few larger +ones were seen in the deeper clefts of the rocks, but I could not get at +them; indeed, as it was, I was very nearly terminating my crab hunting +and expedition at the same time. The places where these animals were +obtained, were the clefts and holes among large masses and sheets of rock +close to the sea, and which were covered by it at high water; many of +these were like platforms, shelving to the sea, and terminating abruptly +in deep water. Whilst busily engaged upon one of them, in trying to get +some crabs out from its clefts, I did not notice that the surf sometimes +washed over where I stood, until whilst stooping, and in the act of +fishing out a crab, a roller came further than usual and dashing over me, +threw me down and took both me and my crabs to some distance, nearly +carrying us down the steep into the sea, from which nothing could have +rescued me, as I should soon have been dashed to pieces by the breakers +against the rocks. Having gathered up the crabs I had collected, I set +off homewards in a sad cold uncomfortable plight, with the skin scraped +off my hands and one of my heels, and with my shoes in such a state from +scrambling about among the rocks and in the wet, as strongly to indicate +to me the propriety of never attempting to go crab hunting again with my +shoes on, unless I wished to be placed altogether "hors du combat" for +walking. Wylie I found had got up the horses and watered them, and had +brought up a supply of water for the camp, so that we had nothing to do +in the afternoon but boil crabs and eat them, at which occupation I found +him wonderfully more skilful than I was, readily getting through two to +my one. + +On the 25th we still remained in camp to take advantage of the abundant +supply of food we had for ourselves, and by giving the horses a long +rest, enable them also to recruit a little upon the excellent grass which +grew in this neighbourhood. Wylie took the rifle out to try to get +another kangaroo, but did not succeed. I remained at home to mend my +boots, and prepare for advancing again to-morrow. In the afternoon we +filled our kegs, and brought away the bucket and spade from the +sand-hills, that we might be ready to move without going again to the +water. For the first time since we left Fowler's Bay we were troubled +with musquitoes. + +May 26.--Up early, and Wylie, who had been eating the whole night, was so +thirsty, that he actually walked all the way through the dew and cold of +the morning to the water to drink, as I could only afford him one pint +out of the kegs. We had now been in camp six clear days, at this most +favourable position; we had got an abundant and wholesome supply of +provisions for ourselves, and had been enabled to allow our horses to +enjoy a long unbroken interval of rest, amidst the best of pasturage, and +where there was excellent water. Now that we were again going to continue +our route, I found that the horses were so much improved in appearance +and in strength, that I thought we might once again venture, without +oppression to the animals, occasionally to ride; I selected therefore, +the strongest from among them for this purpose, and Wylie and myself +walked and rode alternately; after passing the scrubby sand-ridges, and +descending to the open downs behind them, I steered direct for Cape Arid, +cutting off Cape Pasley, and encamping after a stage of eighteen miles, +where it bore south-east of us. We halted for the night upon a ridge +timbered with casuarinae, and abounding in grass. Once more we were in a +country where trees were found, and again we were able at night to make +our fires of large logs, which did not incessantly require renewing to +prevent their going out. We had now crossed the level bank which had so +long shut out the interior from us; gradually it had declined in +elevation, until at last it had merged in the surrounding country, and we +hardly knew where it commenced, or how it ended. The high bluff and +craggy hills, whose tops we had formerly seen, stood out now in bold +relief, with a low level tract of country stretching to their base, +covered with dwarf brush, heathy plants and grass-tree, with many +intervals of open grassy land, and abounding in kangaroos. I named these +lofty and abrupt mountain masses the "Russell Range," after the Right +Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies--Lord John Russell. +They constitute the first great break in the character and appearance of +the country for many hundreds of miles, and they offer a point of great +interest, from which future researches may hereafter be made towards the +interior. Nearer to the coast, and on either side of Cape Pasley were +sand-drifts, in which I have no doubt that water might have been +procured. We found none where we were encamped, but had sufficient in the +kegs for our own use, and the horses were not thirsty; many and recent +tracks of natives were observed, but the people themselves were not seen. + +The morning of the 27th was exceedingly cold; and as we left our +encampments early, neither I nor Wylie were inclined to ride for the +first few miles; it was as much as we could do to keep ourselves from +shivering whilst walking; the dews were so heavy, that we were soon wet +through by the spangles from the shrubs and grass, whilst the pace at +which we travelled was not sufficiently rapid to promote a quick +circulation, and enable us to keep ourselves warm. + +At six miles we passed some sand hills, where there was every indication +of water, but I did not think it worth while delaying to try the +experiment in digging, and pushed on for four miles further, round a +bight of the coast, encamping on the east side of Cape Arid, where a +small salt water creek entered the bight. The mouth of this was closed by +a bar of sand, quite dry; nor did the salt water continue for any great +distance inland. Following it up, in the hope of finding fresh water near +its source, I found that there was none now, but that after rains +considerable streams must be poured into it from the gorges of Cape Arid. +The rocks here were all of granite; and in some of the ledges we were +fortunate enough to find abundance of water deposited by the rains, at +which we watered our horses. This being the first time we had ever been +able to do so on our whole journey without making use of the spade and +bucket. After putting the horses out upon the best grass we could find, +Wylie and I went to try our luck at fishing; the sea was boisterous, and +we caught none; but in returning, got about eight or nine crabs a-piece, +which, with some of the kangaroo that was still left, enabled us to make +our fare out tolerably. + +May 26.--In the latter part of the night the rain set in moderately, but +steadily, and both Wylie and myself were very wet and miserable. The +morning still continued showery, and I was anxious to have remained in +camp for the sake of the horses; but as we had consumed at breakfast the +last of our kangaroo, it became necessary to find some means of renewing +our resources, or else lose no time in making the best of our way +onwards. Having sent Wylie to try and get crabs, I went out with the +rifle, but could see nothing to shoot; and upon returning to the camp, I +found Wylie had been equally unsuccessful among the rocks, the sea being +too rough; there was no alternative, therefore, but to move on, and +having got up the horses, we proceeded behind Cape Arid for ten miles, at +a course of W. 15 degrees N., and encamped at night amid a clump of +tea-trees, and bastard gums, where we got good grass for our horses, but +no water. The day had been intensely cold, and I could not persuade Wylie +to ride at all. At night we had abundance of firewood, and a few of the +long narrow yams were also found at this encampment, the first vegetable +food we had yet procured. Grass trees had been abundant on our line of +route to-day, and for the first time we met with the Xamia. In the +evening, the kangaroo fly (a small brown fly) became very troublesome, +annoying us in great numbers, and warning us that rain was about to fall. +At night it came in frequent though moderate showers. We got very much +wetted, but our fire was good, and we did not suffer so much from the +cold as the damp, which affected me with cramp in the limbs, and +rheumatism. + +May 29.--After breakfasting upon a spoonful of flour a-piece, mixed with +a little water and boiled into a paste, we again proceeded. At ten miles +we came to a small salt water stream, running seawards; in passing up it +to look for a crossing place, Wylie caught two opossums, in the tops of +some tea-trees, which grew on the banks. As I hoped more might be +procured, and perhaps fresh water, by tracing it higher up, I took the +first opportunity of crossing to the opposite side, and there encamped; +Wylie now went out to search for opossums, and I traced the stream +upwards. In my route I passed several very rich patches of land in the +valleys, and on the slopes of the hills enclosing the watercourse. These +were very grassy and verdant, but I could find no fresh water, nor did I +observe any timber except the tea-tree. After tracing the stream until it +had ceased running, and merely became a chain of ponds of salt water, I +returned to the camp a good deal fatigued; Wylie came in soon after, but +had got nothing but a few yams. The general character of the country on +either side the watercourse, was undulating, of moderate elevation, and +affording a considerable extent of sheep pasturage. The cockatoos of King +George's Sound, (without the yellow crest) were here in great numbers. +Kangaroos also abounded; but the country had not brush enough to enable +us to get sufficiently near to shoot them. + +During the day Wylie had caught two opossums, and as these were entirely +the fruit of his own labour and skill, I did not interfere in their +disposal; I was curious, moreover, to see how far I could rely upon his +kindness and generosity, should circumstances ever compel me to depend +upon him for a share of what he might procure. At night, therefore, I sat +philosophically watching him whilst he proceeded to get supper ready, as +yet ignorant whether I was to partake of it or not. After selecting the +largest of the two animals, he prepared and cooked it, and then put away +the other where he intended to sleep. I now saw that he had not the +remotest intention of giving any to me, and asked him what he intended to +do with the other one. He replied that he should be hungry in the +morning, and meant to keep it until then. Upon hearing this I told him +that his arrangements were very good, and that for the future I would +follow the same system also; and that each should depend upon his own +exertions in procuring food; hinting to him that as he was so much more +skilful than I was, and as we had so very little flour left, I should be +obliged to reserve this entirely for myself, but that I hoped he would +have no difficulty in procuring as much food as he required. I was then +about to open the flour-bag and take a little out for my supper, when he +became alarmed at the idea of getting no more, and stopped me, offering +the other opossum, and volunteering to cook it properly for me. Trifling +as this little occurrence was, it read me a lesson of caution, and taught +me what value was to be placed upon the assistance or kindness of my +companion, should circumstances ever place me in a situation to be +dependent upon him; I felt a little hurt too, at experiencing so little +consideration from one whom I had treated with the greatest kindness, and +who had been clothed and fed upon my bounty, for the last fifteen months. + +May 30.--In commencing our journey this morning, our route took us over +undulating hills, devoid of timber, but having occasionally small patches +of very rich land in the valleys and upon some of the slopes. This +continued to a salt-water river, broad, and apparently deep near the sea. +As I was doubtful whether it would have a bar-mouth to seawards, I +thought it more prudent to trace it upwards, for the purpose of crossing. +At no very great distance it contracted sufficiently to enable me to get +over to the other side. But in doing so the ground proved soft and boggy, +and I nearly lost one of the horses. Four miles beyond this river we came +to another channel of salt water, but not so large as the last. In +valleys sloping down to this watercourse we met, for the first time, +clumps of a tree called by the residents of King George's Sound the +cabbage-tree, and not far from which were native wells of fresh water; +there were also several patches of rich land bordering upon the +watercourse. + +Travelling for two miles further, we came to a very pretty fresh-water +lake, of moderate size, and surrounded by clumps of tea-tree. It was the +first permanent fresh water we had found on the surface since we +commenced our journey from Fowler's Bay--a distance of nearly seven +hundred miles. I would gladly have encamped here for the night, but the +country surrounding the lake was sandy and barren, and destitute of +grass. We had only made good a distance of eleven miles from our last +camp, and I felt anxious to get on to Lucky Bay as quickly as I could, in +order that I might again give our horses a rest for a few days, which +they now began to require. From Captain Flinders' account of Lucky Bay I +knew we should find fresh water and wood in abundance. I hoped there +would also be grass, and in this case I had made up my mind to remain a +week or ten days, during which I intended to have killed the foal we had +with us, now about nine months old, could we procure food in no other +way. After leaving Lucky Bay, as we should only be about three hundred +miles from the Sound, and our horses would be in comparatively fresh +condition, I anticipated we should be able to progress more rapidly. +Indeed I fully expected it would be absolutely necessary for us to do so, +through a region which, from Flinders' description as seen from sea, and +from his having named three different hills in it Mount Barrens, we +should find neither very practicable nor fertile. + +Six miles beyond the fresh-water lake we came to another salt-water +stream, and finding, upon following up a little way, that it was only +brackish, we crossed and halted for the night. Wylie went out to search +for food, but got nothing, whilst I unharnessed and attended to the +horses, which were a good deal fagged, and then prepared the camp and +made the fires for the night: I could get nothing but grass-tree for this +purpose, but it was both abundant and dry. Owing to its very resinous +nature, this tree burns with great heat and brilliancy, emitting a +grateful aromatic odour. It is easily lit up, makes a most cheerful fire, +and notwithstanding the fervency with which it burns, does not often +require renewing, if the tree be large. Our whole journey to-day had been +over undulations of about three hundred feet in elevation; the country +rose a little inland, and a few occasional bluffs of granite were +observed in the distance, but no timber was seen any where. At night the +flies and mosquitoes were very troublesome to us. + +May 31.--The morning showery, and bitterly cold, so that, for the first +two hours after starting, we suffered considerably, After travelling for +seven miles and a half, through an undulating and bare country, we came +to a salt-water river, with some patches of good land about it. Having +crossed the river a little way up where it became narrower, we again +proceeded for five miles farther, through the same character of country, +and were then stopped by another salt stream, which gave us a great deal +of trouble to effect a crossing. We had traced it up to where the channel +was narrow, but the bed was very deep, and the water running strongly +between banks of rich black soil. Our horses would not face this at +first, and in forcing them over we were nearly losing two of them. After +travelling only a quarter of a mile beyond this stream I was chagrined to +find we had crossed it just above the junction of two branches, and that +we had still one of them to get over; the second was even more difficult +to pass than the first, and whilst I was on the far side, holding one of +the horses by a rope, with Wylie behind driving him on, the animal made a +sudden and violent leap, and coming full upon me, knocked me down and +bruised me considerably. One of his fore legs struck me on the thigh, and +I narrowly escaped having it broken, whilst a hind leg caught me on the +shin, and cut me severely. + +As soon as we were fairly over I halted for the night, to rest myself and +give Wylie an opportunity of looking for food. The water in both branches +of this river was only brackish where we crossed, and at that which we +encamped upon but slightly so. + +There were many grass-trees in the vicinity, and as several of these had +been broken down and were dead they were full of the white grubs of which +the natives are so fond. From these Wylie enjoyed a plentiful, and to +him, luxurious supper. I could not bring myself to try them, preferring +the root of the broad flag-reed, which, for the first time, we met with +at this stream, and which is an excellent and nutritious article of food. +This root being dug up, and roasted in hot ashes, yields a great quantity +of a mealy farinaceous powder interspersed among the fibres; it is of an +agreeable flavour, wholesome, and satisfying to the appetite. In all +parts of Australia, even where other food abounds, the root of this reed +is a favourite and staple article of diet among the aborigines. The +proper season of the year for procuring it in full perfection, is after +the floods have receded, and the leaves have died away and been burnt +off. It is that species of reed of which the leaves are used by coopers +for closing up crevices between the staves of their casks. + +June 1.--Upon getting up this morning I found myself very stiff and sore +from the bruises I had received yesterday, yet I felt thankful that I had +escaped so well; had any of my limbs been broken, I should have been in a +dreadful position, and in all probability must have perished. After Wylie +had dug up some of the flag-roots for breakfast, and a few to take with +us, we proceeded on our journey. I was anxious to have made a long stage, +and if possible, to have reached Thistle Cove by night; but the country +we had to pass over was heavy and sandy, and after travelling fifteen +miles, the horses became so jaded, that I was obliged to turn in among +some sand-drifts near the coast, and halt for the night. The course we +had been steering for the last few days towards Lucky Bay, had gradually +brought us close to the coast again, and during a part of our journey +this afternoon we were travelling upon the sea-shore. At ten miles after +starting, we crossed a strong stream of fresh water running through some +sandy flats into the sea; a mile and a half beyond this we crossed a +second stream; and half a mile further a third, all running strongly, +with narrow channels, into the sea, and quite fresh. Fresh water was also +laying about every where on our road in large pools; a proof of the very +heavy rains that had lately fallen. We were, therefore, enjoying the +advantages of a wet season without having been subject to its inclemency, +and which, in our present weak, unprotected state, we could hardly have +endured. The country to the back was sandy and undulating, covered +principally with low shrubs, and rising inland; there were also several +granite bluffs at intervals, from among which, the streams I had crossed, +probably took their rise; but there were no trees to be seen any where, +except a few of the tea of cabbage-trees. I do not think that any of the +three fresh-water streams we had crossed would be permanent, their +present current being owing entirely to the recent rains; but when they +are running, and the weather is moderately fair, they afford an admirable +opportunity of watering a vessel with very little trouble, the water +being clear and pure to its very junction with the sea. + +At night we made our supper of the flag-roots we had brought with us, and +a spoonful of flour a-piece, boiled into a paste. The night was very cold +and windy, and having neither shelter nor fire-wood at the sand-drifts +where we were, we spent it miserably. + +June 2.--As we had made a shorter stage yesterday than I intended to have +done, and the quantity of flour we had now remaining was very small, I +did not dare to make use of any this morning, and we commenced our +journey without breakfast. Being now near Thistle Cove, where I intended +to halt for some time, and kill the little foal for food, whilst the +other horses were recruiting, and as I hoped to get there early this +afternoon, I was anxious to husband our little stock of flour in the +hope, that at the little fresh-water lake described by Flinders, as +existing there, we should find abundance of the flag-reed for our +support. Keeping a little behind the shore for the first hour, we crossed +over the sandy ridge bounding it, and upon looking towards the sea, I +thought I discovered a boat sailing in the bay. Upon pointing this object +out to Wylie, he was of the same opinion with myself, and we at once +descended towards the shore, but on our arrival were greatly disappointed +at not being able again to see the object of our search. In the course of +half an hour, however, whilst resting ourselves and watching the surface +of the ocean, it again became visible, and soon after a second appeared. +It was now evident that both these were boats, and that we had noticed +them only when standing off shore, and the light shone upon their sails, +and had lost them when upon the opposite tack. It was equally apparent +they were standing out from the main land for the islands. I imagined +them to be sealers, who having entered the bay to procure water or +firewood, were again steering towards the islands to fish. Having hastily +made a fire upon one of the sand-hills, we fired shots, shouted, waved +handkerchiefs, and made every signal we could to attract attention, but +in vain. They were too far away to see, or too busy to look towards us. +The hopes we had entertained were as suddenly disappointed as they had +been excited, and we stood silently and sullenly gazing after the boats +as they gradually receded from our view. + +Whilst thus occupied and brooding over our disappointment, we were +surprised to see both boats suddenly lower their sails, and apparently +commence fishing. Watching them steadily we now perceived that they were +whale boats, and once more our hearts beat with hope, for I felt sure +that they must belong to some vessel whaling in the neighbourhood. We now +anxiously scanned the horizon in every direction, and at last were +delighted beyond measure to perceive to the westward the masts of a large +ship, peeping above a rocky island which had heretofore concealed her +from our view. She was apparently about six miles from us, and as far as +we could judge from so great a distance, seemed to be at anchor near the +shore. + +Poor Wylie's joy now knew no bounds, and he leapt and skipped about with +delight as he congratulated me once more upon the prospect of getting +plenty to eat. I was not less pleased than he was, and almost as absurd, +for although the vessel was quietly at anchor so near us, with no sails +loose and her boats away, I could not help fearing that she might +disappear before we could get to her, or attract the notice of those on +board. To prevent such a calamity, I mounted one of the strongest horses +and pushed on by myself as rapidly as the heavy nature of the sands would +allow, leaving Wylie at his own especial request to bring on the other +horses. In a short time I arrived upon the summit of a rocky cliff, +opposite to a fine large barque lying at anchor in a well sheltered bay, +(which I subsequently named Rossiter Bay, after the captain of the +whaler,) immediately east of Lucky Bay, and at less than a quarter of a +mile distant from the shore. The people on board appeared to be busily +engaged in clearing their cables which were foul, and did not observe me +at all. I tied up my horse, therefore, to a bush, and waited for Wylie, +who was not long in coming after me, having driven the poor horses at a +pace they had not been accustomed to for many a long day. I now made a +smoke on the rock where I was, and hailed the vessel, upon which a boat +instantly put off, and in a few moments I had the inexpressible pleasure +of being again among civilized beings, and of shaking hands with a +fellow-countryman in the person of Captain Rossiter, commanding the +French Whaler "Mississippi." + +Our story was soon told, and we were received with the greatest kindness +and hospitality by the captain. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + +GO ON BOARD THE MISSISSIPPI--WET WEATHER--VISIT LUCKY BAY--INTERVIEW WITH +NATIVES--WYLIE UNDERSTANDS THEIR LANGUAGE--GET THE HORSES SHOD--PREPARE +TO LEAVE THE VESSEL--KINDNESS AND LIBERALITY OF CAPTAIN ROSSITER--RENEW +JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--FOSSIL FORMATION STILL CONTINUES--SALT WATER +STREAMS AND LAKES--A LARGE SALT RIVER--CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY. + + +June 2.--AFTER watering the horses at a deposit left by the rains, in the +sheets of granite near us, and turning them loose, we piled up our little +baggage, and in less than an hour we were comfortably domiciled on board +the hospitable Mississippi,--a change in our circumstances so great, so +sudden, and so unexpected, that it seemed more like a dream than a +reality; from the solitary loneliness of the wilderness, and its +attendant privations, we were at once removed to all the comforts of a +civilised community. + +After we had done ample justice to the good cheer set before us, by our +worthy host, he kindly invited us to remain on board as long as we +pleased, to recruit our horses, and told us, that when we felt refreshed +sufficiently to renew the journey, he would supply us with such stores +and other articles as we might require. I learnt that the Mississippi had +but recently arrived from France, and that she had only been three weeks +upon the ground she had taken up for the season's whaling. As yet no +whales had been seen, and the season was said not to commence before the +end of June or beginning of July. The boats I saw in the morning belonged +to her, and had been out chasing what they thought to be a whale, but +which proved to be only a fin-back, a species which was not thought to +repay the trouble of trying out. + +Early in the evening the whalers retired to rest, and I had a comfortable +berth provided for me in the cabin, but could not sleep; my thoughts were +too much occupied in reflecting upon the great change which the last few +hours had wrought in the position of myself and my attendant. Sincerely +grateful to the Almighty for having guided us through so many +difficulties, and for the inexpressible relief afforded us when so much +needed, but so little expected, I felt doubly thankful for the mercy we +experienced, when, as I lay awake, I heard the wind roar, and the rain +drive with unusual wildness, and reflected that by God's blessing, we +were now in safety, and under shelter from the violence of the storm, and +the inclemency of the west season, which appeared to be setting in, but +which, under the circumstances we were in but a few short hours ago, we +should have been so little able to cope with, or to endure. + +June 3.--I arose at day-break, as I found the whalers breakfasted +betimes, to enable them to send their boats away to look out, at an early +hour. In fact, during the season, I was informed, that it was not unusual +to send them to their posts before the break of day, and especially so, +if other vessels were in company, or there was any competition. After +breakfast I landed with the Captain, to get up and inspect the horses; +poor animals they had not gone far and were doubtless glad at not being +required to march away to-day. I was only sorry that the country did not +abound more in grass. Plenty of water left by the rains was procurable, +in the ledges of the granite rocks, but the vegetation was scanty, the +soil being very sandy, and covered principally with small shrubs, heathy +plants, etc. + +Leaving the horses to enjoy their respite from labour, I accompanied the +Captain to see a garden made by the sailors, in which peas and potatoes +had already been planted, and appeared to be growing well. A rich piece +of land had been selected on a slope, bordering upon a salt water creek, +which here wound through the level country towards the sea. The water in +this creek, was brackish in the upper part, but seaward it was quite +salt, it had a bar mouth of sand, which was quite dry. Unfortunately, the +Captain had no garden seeds but the peas and potatoes, so that their +labours were confined to cultivating these; otherwise during the many +months spent by them in bay whaling, they might have abundantly supplied +themselves with a variety of vegetables, at once an agreeable and +wholesome addition to the ordinary diet on board ship. After dinner I +went with the Captain to visit an island near, upon which he kept his +live stock, such as pigs, sheep, and tortoises; the two latter had been +procured from the west side of the island of Madagascar; the sheep were +strange looking animals, more like goats than sheep, of all colours, and +with fat tails, like the Cape sheep. Their cost at Madagascar had been a +tumbler full of powder a piece; a bullock would have cost ten bottles +full, and other things could have been procured at proportionable prices. +The principal articles in request among the Madagases, were said to be +powder, brass headed trunk nails, muskets, gun-flints, clear claret +bottles, looking-glasses, and cutlery. + +The greater part of the day was very cold and showery, and I remained +quietly on board, reading some old English papers. Wylie was as happy as +he could be. It was true he did not understand a word spoken by those +around him (for not a soul on board spoke English but the Captain), but +he had as much to eat as he desired; and to do him justice, I believe he +made the most of the opportunity. On the other hand, his capacity for +eating entertained the Frenchmen, with the exception, perhaps, of his +first meal on board, and then, I believe, that the immense number of +biscuits he devoured, and the amazing rapidity with which they +disappeared, not only astounded, but absolutely alarmed them. Fish were +caught in great numbers from the ship's side, mackarel and baracoota +being obtained every day. Other varieties might have been procured off +the rocks near the shore, from which there were many places well adapted +for fishing. Periwinkles abounded, and crabs were numerous among the +crevices of the rocks. Altogether, this seemed to be a most favourable +place; and had we not met with the vessel, it would have held out to us +the prospect of obtaining as abundant a supply of food for ourselves as +we had got at Point Malcolm, without the necessity of destroying the poor +foal. The night again set in very wild, cold, and wet. + +June 4.--This morning the weather appeared tolerably fine, and I landed +with the French doctor for the purpose of walking across to Thistle Cove. +After travelling four miles over a sandy heathy country, we arrived at +the pretty little fresh water lake, so accurately described by Captain +Flinders, and which I had so anxiously looked forward to attaining, that +we might halt to rest, and recruit the horses. There is no timber around +the lake, beyond a few xamias, grass trees, and some stunted tea-trees; +neither was there much grass. In other respects, I could not have pitched +upon a more favourable place to have halted at: for near the lake +abounded the flag reed, of which the root was so valuable for food. This +one article would have supported us well during our stay here, whilst the +many bluff rocks, with deep calm water close to them, extending all +around the promontory which projected into the sea, and round the bay, +held out great promise that fish could readily have been caught. Ducks +were also numerous in the lake, and kangaroos on shore. The day turned +out very bleak and wet, and we both got thoroughly soaked through before +we got back to the vessel, which was not until about two in the +afternoon; I was then obliged to borrow a dry suit from the Captain, +whilst my own clothes were drying. + +June 5.--From this time until the fourteenth of June I remained on board +the Mississippi, enjoying the hospitality of Captain Rossiter. Wylie went +out once or twice to try to shoot a kangaroo for the ship, but he never +succeeded; he had so much to eat on board that he had no stimulus to +exertion, and did not take the trouble necessary to insure success. +During almost the whole of the time that I remained on board the +Mississippi, the weather was exceedingly boisterous, cold, and wet, and I +could not but feel truly thankful that I had not been exposed to it on +shore; even on board the ship, with shelter and extra clothing, I felt +very sensibly the great change which had taken place in the temperature. + +I regretted greatly that during my stay I had not the opportunity of +seeing a whale caught. There was only once an attempt at a chase. In this +instance three boats were sent out, commanded by the Captain and the two +mates, but after a considerable lapse of time, and a long interval of +suspense and anxiety, the fish chased turned out to be a hump-back, and +as this was not deemed worth catching, the boats returned to the ship. +The life led by the whalers, as far as I was able to judge, from the +short time I was with them, seemed to be one of regularity, but of +considerable hardship. At half-past six or seven in the evening they +invariably went to bed, but were up at the first dawn of day, and +sometimes even before it, the boats were then usually sent to a distance +from the ship to look out for whales, and whether fortunate or otherwise, +they would always have a pretty hard day's work before they returned. +They were, however, well fed, being apparently even better dieted than +the generality of merchant-ships; the bread was of a better quality, and +the allowance of butter, cheese, beans, and other little luxuries much +more liberal. In the Mississippi the crew were generally young men, and +with few exceptions all were complete novices at sea; this I was told was +in consequence of an expected war between England and France, and the +prohibition of able seamen from leaving their country. Captain Rossiter +assured me that he had not been allowed for a considerable length of time +to sail at all from France, as the war was daily expected to break out. +He was still ignorant as to what had been done in this respect, and +naturally felt very anxious at being, as he might imagine, on an enemy's +coast. + +During the time I remained on board the vessel, a party of natives once +or twice came down to the beach, and as I was anxious to enter into +commucation with them, two were induced to get into the boat and come on +board; as I expected, my boy Wylie fully understood the language spoken +in this part of the country, and could converse with them fluently. +Through him I learnt that they had never seen white people before the +Mississippi anchored here, which was somewhat singular, considering the +frankness with which they visited us, and the degree of confidence they +appeared to repose in us. Of the interior I could gain no satisfactory +account, they said that as far inland as they were acquainted with the +country, it was similar to what we saw, that there was an abundance of +water in the valleys in small wells, that there was a lake and fresh +water river, but that there was little or no wood anywhere. In turn they +were curious to know where we had come from, or where we were going; but +Wylie, who in this respect, at least, was prudent and cautious, told them +that we had come from the eastward to join the ship, and were now going +to remain. Finding I could gain no further useful information, presents +of fish and biscuits were made to them, and they were put on shore, +highly pleased with their visit. During the remainder of my stay, I had +no further opportunity of entering into conversation with these people, +as the weather was generally wild, and they could not procure much +shelter or fire-wood on the coast, had they come down to see us. + +A few days before I contemplated commencing the renewal of my journey, I +requested the Captain to allow a blacksmith he had on board to shoe my +horses, and to this he kindly consented, but as a scarcity of iron +prevailed, some old harpoons and lances had to be worked up for this +purpose. The blacksmith who was a Frenchman, made his shoes and nails in +so different, and apparently in so much more clumsy manner than I was +accustomed to, that I was almost afraid of letting him put them on, and +tried hard, but in vain, to get him to imitate the English shoe and nail +in ordinary use. + +Finding that I was likely to derive no advantage from my officious +interference, I determined to let him have his own way, and was surprised +and delighted to find that he performed his work well and skilfully, the +only unusual part of the operation to me, being the necessity he appeared +to be under, of always having a man to hold up the leg of the horse +whilst he put the shoe on, instead of holding the foot up himself, as an +English blacksmith does; such however, he assured me was the practice +always in France, and he appeared to think it the best too. Having had my +horses shod, I got some canvass from the Captain, to make bags for +carrying my provisions, and then giving him a list of stores that I +wished to take with me, I commenced preparations for leaving my +hospitable entertainer. Every thing that I wished for, was given to me +with a kindness and liberality beyond what I could have expected; and it +gives me unfeigned pleasure, to have it now in my power to record thus +publicly the obligations I was under to Captain Rossiter. + +On the 14th, I landed the stores, to arrange and pack them ready for the +journey. They consisted of forty pounds of flour, six pounds of biscuit, +twelve pounds of rice, twenty pounds of beef, twenty pounds of pork, +twelve pounds of sugar, one pound of tea, a Dutch cheese, five pounds of +salt butter, a little salt, two bottles of brandy, and two tin saucepans +for cooking; besides some tobacco and pipes for Wylie, who was a great +smoker, and the canteens filled with treacle for him to eat with rice. +The great difficulty was now, how to arrange for the payment of the +various supplies I had been furnished with, as I had no money with me, +and it was a matter of uncertainty, whether the ship would touch at any +of the Australian colonies. Captain Rossiter however, said that he had +some intention of calling at King George's Sound, when the Bay whaling +was over, and as that was the place to which I was myself going, I gave +him an order upon Mr. Sherratt, who had previously acted as my agent +there in the transaction of some business matters in 1840. To this day, +however, I have never learnt whether Captain Rossiter visited King +George's Sound or not. + +In arranging the payment, I could not induce the Captain to receive any +thing for the twelve days' that we had been resident in the ship, nor +would he allow me to pay for some very comfortable warm clothing, which +he supplied me with, both for myself and Wylie. Independently too of the +things which I had drawn from the ship's stores, Captain Rossiter +generously and earnestly pressed me to take any thing that I thought +would be serviceable to me from his own private stock of clothes. The +attention and hospitality shewn me, during my stay on board the vessel, +and the kindness and liberality which I experienced at my departure, will +long be remembered by me with feelings of gratitude. In the evening I +slept on shore, and got every thing ready for commencing my labours again +in the morning. + +June 15.--Early this morning the boat came on shore for me, and I went on +board to take a farewell breakfast, in the Mississippi, and to wish good +bye to her kind-hearted people. At eight I landed with the Captain, got +up my horses and loaded them, a matter of some little time and trouble, +now my stock of provisions and other things was so greatly augmented; in +addition too to all I had accumulated before, the Captain insisted now +upon my taking six bottles of wine, and a tin of sardines. + +Having received a few letters to be posted at Albany for France, I asked +the Captain if there was anything else I could do for him, but he said +there was not. The only subject upon which he was at all anxious, was to +ascertain whether a war had broken out between France and England or not. +In the event of this being the case, he wished me not to mention having +seen a French vessel upon the coast, and I promised to comply with his +request. + +After wishing my kind host good bye, and directing Wylie to lead one of +the horses in advance, I brought up the rear, driving the others before +me. Once again we had a long and arduous journey before us, and were +wending our lonely way through the unknown and untrodden wilds. We were, +however, in very different circumstances now, to what we had been in +previous to our meeting with the French ship. The respite we had had from +our labours, and the generous living we had enjoyed, had rendered us +comparatively fresh and strong. We had now with us an abundance, not only +of the necessaries, but of the luxuries of life; were better clothed, and +provided against the inclemency of the weather than we had been; and +entered upon the continuation of our undertaking with a spirit, an +energy, and a confidence, that we had long been strangers to. + +From the great additional weight we had now to carry upon the horses, we +were again obliged to give up riding even in turn, and had both to walk. +This was comparatively of little consequence, however, now we were so +well provided with every thing we could require, and the country appeared +to be so well watered, that we could arrange our stages almost according +to our own wishes. + +Steering to the north-west we passed over a sandy country, covered with +low heathy plants, and grasstrees, and having granite elevations +scattered over its surface at intervals. Under these hills fresh water +swamps and native wells were constantly met with, and at one of them we +encamped for the night, after a stage of about four miles. + +During the day, we passed a variety of beautiful shrubs, and among them +were many different kind of Banksias, one was quite new to me, and had a +scarlet flower, which was very handsome. The fossil formation still +constituted the geological character of the country, most of the lower +ridges of rock intervening between the various hills of granite, +exhibiting shells in great abundance. In the more level parts, the +surface was so coated over with sand, that nothing else could be seen. I +have no doubt, however, that the whole of the substrata would have been +found an uninterrupted continuation of the tertiary deposit. + +At night I observed native fires about a mile from us, in a direction +towards the sea; but the natives did not come near us, nor was I myself +anxious to come into communication with them whilst my party was so +small. + +The evening had set in with steady rain, which continuing with little +intermission during the night, wet us considerably. + +June 16.--This morning, I found I had caught cold, and was very unwell. +Upon leaving the encampment, we steered N. 30 degrees W. to clear a rocky +hill, passing which, on our left at six miles, we changed the course to +W. 10 degrees N. Three miles from the hill, we crossed a small stream of +brackish water running very strongly towards the sea, and then halted for +the day upon it, after a short stage. The country we had traversed in our +route, still consisted of the same sandy plains and undulations, covered +with low shrubs, heathy plants, grass and cabbage-trees, with here and +there elevations of granite, and fresh water swamps: in and around which, +the soil was black and very rich; very little wood was to be met with +anywhere, and nothing that deserved the appellation of trees. + +The country, inland, appeared to rise gradually, but did not seem to +differ in character and features from that we were traversing. + +June 17.--A little before daylight it commenced raining, and continued +showery all day, and though we got wet several times, we experienced +great comfort from the warm clothing we had obtained from Captain +Rossiter. Upon ascending the hills, above our camp, which confined the +waters of the little stream we were upon, we could trace its course +south-west by south, to a small lake lying in the same direction, and +which it appeared to empty into. A second small lake was observable to +the north-west of the first. Two and a half miles from our camp, we +passed a granite elevation, near which, were many fresh swamps, +permanently, I think, abounding in water and having much rich and grassy +land around, of which the soil was a deep black, and but little mixed +with sand. For the next three miles and a half, our route lay over a rich +swampy grassy land, and we were literally walking all the way in water +left by the rains; besides crossing in that distance two fresh water +streams, running strongly towards the sea, and both emptying into small +lakes seen under the coast ridges. The largest of these two was one yard +and a half wide and a foot deep, and appeared of a permanent character. +We now ascended an undulating and rather more elevated tract of country +of an oolitic limestone formation, most luxuriantly clothed with the +richest grass, and having several lakes interspersed among the hollows +between the ridges. Near this we halted for the night under some of the +coast sand-hills, after a day's stage of twelve miles. We had splendid +feed for our horses, but were without any water for ourselves, being +unable to carry any with us, as the canteens were full of treacle. From +our camp, a peak, near Cape le Grand, bore E. 33 degrees S. + +June 18.--During the night heavy showers had fallen, and in the oilskins +we caught as much water as sufficed for our tea. After breakfast we +proceeded onwards, and at a little more than three miles came to the +borders of a large salt lake, lying southwest and north-east, and being +one of two noted by Captain Flinders as having been copied into his map +from a French chart. Following the borders of the lake for a mile we +found abundance of fresh water under the banks by which it was inclosed, +and which, judging from the rushes and grasses about it, and the many +traces of native encampments, I imagine to be permanent. The lake itself +was in a hollow sunk in the fossil formation, which was now very clearly +recognisable in the high banks surrounding the lake, and which varied +from sixty to a hundred and fifty feet in elevation, and were generally +pretty steep towards the shore. The day being fine I halted at this place +to re-arrange the loads of the horses and take bearings. + +A year had now elapsed since I first entered upon the Northern +Expedition. This day twelve months ago I had left Adelaide to commence +the undertaking, cheered by the presence and good wishes of many friends, +and proudly commanding a small but gallant party--alas, where were they +now? Painful and bitter were the thoughts that occupied my mind as I +contrasted the circumstances of my departure then with my position now, +and when I reflected that of all whose spirit and enterprise had led them +to engage in the undertaking, two lone wanderers only remained to attempt +its conclusion. + +June 19.--The dew was very heavy this morning, and we did not start until +rather late, travelling through a very grassy country, abounding in fresh +swamps of a soft peaty soil, and often with the broad flag-reed growing +in them. All these places were boggy and impassable for horses. In +attempting to cross one a horse sunk up to his haunches, and we had much +difficulty in extricating him. At five miles from our camp we ascended +some high ridges of an oolitic limestone formation, which were partially +covered by drift-sand, and in the distance looked like the ridge of a sea +shore. From their summit Cape le Grand bore E. 27 degrees S., the peak +called by the French the "Chapeau," E. 23 degrees S., and the head of the +salt-water lake E. 10 degrees S. We had now a succession of barren, sandy +and stony ridges for more than three miles, and as there was but little +prospect of our finding permanent water in such a miserable region, I +took the opportunity of halting at a little rain water deposited in a +hole of the rocks; here we procured enough for ourselves, but could not +obtain any for the horses. Our camp not being far from the coast, I +walked after dinner to the sand-hills to take bearings. Several islands +were visible, of which the centres were set at S. 10 degrees W., S. 26 +degrees W., E. 41 degrees S., E. 44 degrees S. and S. 33 degrees E. +respectively; the west point of a bay bore S. 51 degrees W. the eastern +point E. 36 degrees S. Upon digging for water under the sand-hills it was +found to be salt. + +June 20.--Rain fell lightly but steadily until one P.M., making it very +disagreeable travelling through the rugged and stony ridges we had to +encounter, and which were a good deal covered with scrub and brush. About +four miles from our camp of last night we crossed high stony ridges, and +immediately beyond came to some steep sand-drifts, among the hollows of +which I dug for water, but at five feet was stopped by rock. The scrubby, +hilly, and rugged nature of the back country, generally about three +hundred feet above the level of the sea, now compelled me to keep the +beach for five miles, from which I was then again driven by the hills +terminating abruptly towards the sea, and forcing me to scale a steep +stony range, which for four miles and a half kept us incessantly toiling +up one rugged ascent after another. We then came to an extensive hollow, +being a partial break in the fossil formation, and having two large lakes +and many smaller ones interspersed over its surface. Around the margins +of the lakes we again found timber--the tea-tree and the bastard gum. The +water in the lakes was salt, but some slight elevations of granite +afforded us in their hollows an abundance of water for ourselves and +horses. The traces of natives were numerous and recent, but yet we saw +none. Swans, ducks, and wild fowl of various kinds were in great numbers, +and kept up an unceasing noise at night whilst passing from one lake to +the other. Our stage had been twelve miles and a half, but the hilly and +rugged nature of the road had made it severe upon the horses, whilst the +wet overhead and the wet grass under our feet made it equally harassing +to ourselves. From our encampment some white drifts in the coast line +bore S. 35 degrees E., and probably were the "white streak in the +sand-hills" of Flinders. + +June 21.--We did not get away until late, but the dew had been so heavy +during the night that even then the shrubs and bushes wet us completely +through, and made our journey cold and miserable. After travelling a +short distance we lost all symptoms of grass, and the country was again +sandy and barren, and covered with shrubs and heathy plants. In this +region we passed two native women and a boy, within gun-shot of us; but +as they were so intent upon their occupation of digging roots, and did +not notice us, I was unwilling to alarm them, and we passed silently by. +At six miles we came to a fine deep hole of excellent water about thirty +yards in circumference. It was situated in a narrow, short, but steep and +rocky gorge, and is, I think, permanent. Four miles beyond this we +crossed a chain of salt ponds, trending seawards, towards an apparent gap +in the coast-line; and six miles further another. Upon the latter we +halted for the night, as there was good grass for the horses, and +brackish water was procurable a little way up the stream, where it +divided into branches. The constant travelling in the wet for the last +few days began now to affect our limbs considerably, and upon halting at +nights we found our feet always much swollen, and our legs generally +stiff and cramped. + +June 22.--A very heavy dew fell in the night, and we were again condemned +to wade for three hours up to our middle among the wet brush; after which +the day became fine, and we got our clothes dried. Travelling for two and +a half miles, we crossed another small brackish chain of ponds, and then +ascending rather higher ground, obtained a view of a large lake under the +sand-hills, into which the channel we encamped upon last night emptied +itself. The lake appeared as if it were deep, and its dark blue colour +led me to imagine there might be a junction with the sea towards the +south-west, where the low appearance of the coast ridge indicated a gap +or opening of some kind. At four miles from our last night's encampment +we were stopped by a large salt-water river, fully a hundred yards wide, +and increasing to three or four times that size as it trended to its +junction with the large lake, and which was visible from the hills above +the river. This river was deep where we first struck upon it, but +appeared to be much more so towards the lake, where the water was of a +dark blue colour, as was that also of the lake itself. This confirmed me +in my opinion that there must be a junction with the sea; but +unfortunately I was obliged to trace its course upwards, for the purpose +of crossing, and the circumstances under which I was travelling precluded +me from delaying, or going so far back out of my way to examine its +mouth. I dared not leave Wylie in charge of the camp for the time +necessary for me to have gone alone; and to take the horses such a +distance, and through a rough or heavy country, on the uncertainty of +procuring for them either grass or water, would have been a risk which, +in their condition, I did not think myself justified in incurring. + +After tracing the river northerly for two miles and a half, I found it +divided into two branches, and though these were still of considerable +size, yet a ledge of rocks extending across the channels enabled us to +effect a passage to the other side. At the place where we crossed, the +stream running over the rocks was only slightly brackish, and we watered +our horses there; had we traced it a little further it might possibly +have been quite fresh, but we had no time for this, for Wylie having +taken charge of the horses but for a few moments, whilst I had been +examining the river for a crossing place, contrived to frighten them all +in some way or other, and set them off at a gallop; the result was, that +our baggage was greatly disturbed, and many things knocked off and +damaged, whilst it took us some time again to get our horses and +re-arrange the loads. + +The valley through which the river took its course, was rocky, with +sheets of granite extending in many places to the water's edge. There was +abundance of good grass, however, and in its upper branches, probably, +there might have been some considerable extent of pasturage. The trees +growing upon the margin, were the paper-barked tea-tree, and the bastard +gum. + +Leaving the river, and proceeding over an undulating sandy country, +without timber, but covered with shrubs, we passed at six miles between +two small lakes, and in three more descended to a deep valley among +granite rocks; here we encamped after a stage of sixteen miles, with +plenty of fresh water in pools, and very fair grass for the horses, about +a mile and a half before we halted, we had obtained a view to seawards, +and I set the "Rocky Islets" at a bearing of S. 25 degrees W. + +The character of the country generally, through which we travelled +to-day, was very similar to that we had so long been traversing. Its +general elevation above the level of the sea, was about three hundred +feet, and to a distant observer, it seemed to be a perfect table land, +unbroken to the horizon, and destitute of all timber or trees, except +occasionally a few cabbage-trees, grass-trees, or minor shrubs; it was +also without grass. Upon crossing this region deep gorges or valleys are +met with, through which flow brackish or salt-water streams, and shading +these are found the tea-tree and the bastard gum. The steep banks which +inclose the valleys, through which the streams take their course, and +which until lately we had found of an oolitic limestone, now exhibited +granite, quartz, sandstone or iron-stone. + +June 23.--Our horses having rambled some distance back upon our +yesterday's tracks, it was late when they were recovered, and we did not +get away until eleven. After travelling a mile and a half, we crossed a +stream of most excellent water running over a bed of granite, in which +were some large deep pools with reeds growing around their margins. A +branch of this watercourse was crossed a little further on, but was quite +dry where we passed it. + +Nine miles from our last night's camp a view of the "Rocky Islets" was +obtained from a hill, and set at due south. Immediately on descending +from the hill we crossed a salt chain of ponds in a bed of sandstone and +ironstone, and nine miles beyond this we came to another, also of salt +water; here we halted for the night as there was tolerable grass for the +horses, and we were fortunate enough to discover fresh water in a granite +rock. + +In the course of the afternoon I obtained a view of a very distant hill +bearing from us W.8 degrees S. This I took to be the east Mount Barren of +Flinders; but it was still very far away, and the intervening country +looked barren and unpromising. During the day our route had still been +over the same character of country as before, with this exception, that +it was more stony and barren, with breccia or iron-stone grit covering +the surface. The streams were less frequently met with, and were of a +greatly inferior character, consisting now principally of only chains of +small stagnant ponds of salt water, destitute of grass, and without any +good soil in the hollows through which they took their course. Many of +these, and especially those we crossed in the latter part of the day, +were quite dry, and appeared to be nothing more than deep gutters washed +by heavy rains between the undulations of the country. + +The rock formation, where it was developed, was exclusively sandstone or +ironstone, with inferior granite; and even the higher levels, which had +heretofore been of a sandy nature, were now rugged and stony, and more +sterile than before; the grasstrees, which generally accommodate +themselves to any soil, were stunted and diminutive, and by no means so +abundant as before. The general elevation of the country still appeared +to be the same. I estimated it at about three hundred feet. + +One circumstance, which struck me as rather singular, with regard to the +last forty miles of country we had traversed, was, that it did not appear +to have experienced the same weather as there had been to the eastward. +The little water we found deposited in the rocks, plainly indicated that +the late rains had either not fallen here at all, or in a much less +degree than they had, in the direction we had come from; whilst the dry +and withered state of any little grass that we found, convinced me that +the earlier rains had still been more partial, so great was the contrast +between the rich luxuriance of the long green grass we had met with +before, and the few dry withered bunches of last year's growth, which we +fell in with now. + + + + +Chapter V. + + + +LARGE WATERCOURSE--LAKE OF FRESH WATER--HEAVY RAINS--REACH MOUNT +BARREN--SALT LAKES AND STREAMS--BARREN SCRUBBY COUNTRY--RANGES BEHIND +KING GEORGE'S SOUND ARE SEEN--BRACKISH PONDS--PASS CAPE RICHE--A LARGE +SALT RIVER--CHAINS OF PONDS--GOOD LAND--HEAVILY TIMBERED COUNTRY--COLD +WEATHER--FRESH LAKE--THE CANDIUP RIVER--KING'S RIVER--EXCESSIVE +RAINS--ARRIVAL AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND AND TERMINATION OF THE +EXPEDITION--RECEPTION OF WYLIE BY THE NATIVES. + + +June 24.--UPON moving on early this morning, we crossed the bed of a +considerable watercourse, containing large deep pools of brackish water, +but unconnected at present by any stream. The late hour at which we +halted last night had prevented us from noticing this larger chain of +ponds, and of which, that we were encamped upon formed only a branch. The +country we now passed through, varied but little in character, except +that the shrubs became higher, with a good deal of the Eucalyptus dumosa +intermingled with them, and were entangled together by matted creepers or +vines, which made it extremely difficult and fatiguing to force a way +through. The whole was very sterile, and without grass. + +After travelling nine miles, we passed on our right a small lake of fresh +water; and two miles beyond this another, about a mile in circumference, +but deep, and evidently of a permanent character. Close to this fresh +water lake was another, divided from it by only a narrow neck of land, +and yet the latter was as salt as the sea. We had only made a short stage +as yet; but as there was a little food for the horses near the lake, I +thought it more prudent to halt there than run the risk of being left +without in the wretched looking country before us, + +The Mount Barren ranges were observed again, but the weather was cloudy, +so that I could make nothing out distinctly. In the afternoon, Wylie shot +three teal, of which there were numbers on the lake. At night, our +baggage and clothes had nearly all been destroyed by fire, a spark having +been carried by the wind to the tarpaulin which covered them, and which, +as it had been but newly tarred, was soon in a blaze. I was fortunate +enough, however, to observe the accident in time to save our other +effects. + +June 25.--We commenced our journey early, but had not gone far before the +rain began to fall, and continued until ten o'clock. Occasionally the +showers came down in perfect torrents, rendering us very cold and +miserable, and giving the whole country the appearance of a large puddle. +We were literally walking in water; and by stooping down, almost any +where as we went along, could have dipped a pint pot half full. It was +dreadful work to travel thus in the water, and with the wet from the long +brush soaking our clothes for so many hours; but there was no help for +it, as we could not find a blade of grass for our horses, to enable us to +halt sooner. The surface of the whole country was stony and barren in the +extreme. A mile from our camp, we passed a small salt lake on our left; +and at fifteen miles more, came to a valley with some wiry grass in it. +At this I halted, as there was no prospect of getting better grass, and +the water left by the rains was abundant. The latter, though it had only +fallen an hour or two, was in many places quite salt, and the best of it +brackish, so thoroughly saline was the nature of the soil upon which it +had been deposited. + +As the afternoon proved fine, I traced down the valley we were upon to +its junction with a stream flowing over a granite bed, about a mile from +our camp. In this the pools of water were large, deep, and brackish, but +there was plenty of fresh water left by the rains in holes of the rocks +upon its banks. As, however, there did not appear to be better grass upon +the larger channel, than in the valley where we were, I did not think it +worth while to remove our camp. + +June 26.--I determined to remain in camp today to rest the horses, and to +enable me to arrange their loads, so that Wylie and I might again ride +occasionally. We had both walked for the last eleven days, during which +we had made good a distance of 134 miles from Rossiter Bay, and as I +calculated we ought under ordinary circumstances to reach the Sound in +ten days more, I thought that we might occasionally indulge in riding, +and relieve ourselves from the great fatigue we had hitherto been subject +to, especially as the horses were daily improving in strength and +condition. + +Whilst I was engaged in making the necessary preparations, and throwing +away some things which I thought we could dispense with, such as our +bucket, some harness, ammunition, cooking utensils, and sundry other +things, Wylie took the rifle, and went down to the watercourse to shoot. +On his return in the afternoon he produced four teal and a black swan, as +the produce of his day's sport; he had, however, shot away every charge +of shot from the belt, which had been filled on board the Mississippi, +and held three pounds and a half, besides three ball cartridges; how +often he fired at the swan before he got it I could never discover, but I +heard shot after shot as fast as he could load and fire for some time, +and he himself acknowledged to firing at it seven times, but I suspect it +to have been nearer twice seven. + +To-day we were obliged to fetch up what water we required for our own +use, from the holes in the granite rocks near the river, that lying on +the ground near our camp being too salt for use. + +June 27.--Upon moving on this morning we passed towards the Mount Barren +ranges for ten miles through the same sterile country, and then observing +a watercourse coming from the hills, I became apprehensive I should +experience some difficulty in crossing it near the ranges, from their +rocky and precipitous character, and at once turned more southerly to +keep between the sea and a salt lake, into which the stream emptied +itself. After getting nearly half round the lake, our progress was +impeded by a dense and most difficult scrub of the Eucalyptus dumosa. +Upon entering it we found the scrub large and strong, and growing very +close together, whilst the fallen trees, dead wood, and sticks lying +about in every direction, to the height of a man's breast, rendered our +passage difficult and dangerous to the horses in the extreme. Indeed, +when we were in the midst of it, the poor animals suffered so much, and +progressed so little, that I feared we should hardly get them either +through it or back again. By dint of great labour and perseverance we +passed through a mile of it, and then emerging upon the beach followed it +for a short distance, until steep rocky hills coming nearly bluff into +the sea, obliged us to turn up under them, and encamp for the night not +far from the lake. Here our horses procured tolerable grass, whilst we +obtained a little fresh water for ourselves among the hollows of the +rocks. + +Our stage had been about thirteen miles, and our position was S. 30 +degrees E. from East Mount Barren, the hills under which we were encamped +being connected with that range. Most properly had it been called Mount +Barren, for a more wretched aridlooking country never existed than that +around it. The Mount Barren ranges are of quartz or reddish micaceous +slate, the rocks project in sharp rugged masses, and the strata are all +perpendicular. + +June 28.--Upon getting up this morning we saw the smoke of native fires +along the margin of the lake, at less than a mile from us. They had +already noticed our fire, and called out repeatedly to us, but as I did +not wish to come into communication with them at all, I did not reply. +Soon afterwards we saw them in the midst of the lake carrying boughs, and +apparently fishing. Three miles from the lake we crossed a small salt +stream, and a mile further another. Four miles beyond the latter we came +to a very deep narrow salt lake, swarming with swans, pelicans, and +ducks. As the passage between the lake and the sea appeared to be +scrubby, and very similar to that we had found so much difficulty in +passing yesterday, I turned to the north-west to head it inland; but had +not proceeded far before I found our progress stopped by a large +salt-water stream, which joined the lake, and whose course was through +steep precipitous ravines. By following the river upwards I came to a +place where we could descend into its basin, and as the water there, +though brackish, was still drinkable, I halted for the night after a +stage of fourteen miles. The horses were a good deal tired with the rough +hilly road they had passed over, and having been without water last +night, stood greatly in need of rest. + +In the afternoon Wylie took the rifle to shoot some of the swans and +ducks around us, but was not successful. I remained at the camp, breaking +down and clearing a passage amongst the shrubs and trees which grew in +the rocky bed of the watercourse, to enable us to get our horses readily +across to-morrow. Our position bore S. W. from East Mount Barren, E. from +a bluff range three miles from us, and N. 55 degrees E. from some high +hills in the direction of Middle Mount Barren. The course of the stream +we were encamped upon being nearly north and south. + +June 29.--Having found so much difficulty in keeping between the hills +and the sea, I determined now to keep more inland, and steering W. 20 +degrees N., headed all ranges in four miles. From this point East Mount +Barren bore E. 20 degrees N., and as I was now clear of hills in front, I +changed my course to W. 20 degrees S., passing through a barren worthless +country for eleven miles, and encamping upon a deep ravine, in which we +procured brackish water. Our horses were greatly fagged. From our camp +West Mount Barren bore S. 41 degrees W. + +June 30.--For the first ten miles to-day we had a very bad road, over +steep stony ridges and valleys, covered for the most part with dense gum +scrub. The surface was strewed over with rough pebbles or ironstone grit, +and was broken a good deal into steep-faced ridges and deep hollows, as +if formed so by the action of water. The formation of these precipitous +banks appeared to be an ochre of various colours--red and yellow, and of +a soft friable description. At ten miles we crossed a watercourse with +many pools of brackish water in it, trending to a lake visible under the +coast ridge. There was good grass near this, and many kangaroos were +seen, but as no fresh water could be obtained, we passed on, and at three +miles further came to a hole of rain-water in a rocky gorge, but here +there was not a blade of grass. Hoping to meet with more success further +on, we still advanced for twelve miles, until night compelled us at last +to encamp without either grass or water, both ourselves and our horses +being greatly fatigued. + +In the evening we obtained a view of some high rugged and distant ranges, +which I at once recognised as being the mountains immediately behind King +George's Sound. At last we could almost say we were in sight of the +termination of our long, harassing, and disastrous journey. Early in the +morning I had told Wylie that I thought we should see the King George's +Sound hills before night, but he at the time appeared rather sceptical; +when, however, they did break upon our view, in picturesque though +distant outline, his joy knew no bounds. For the first time on our +journey he believed we should really reach the Sound at last. The +cheering and not-to-be-mistaken view before him had dissipated all his +doubts. Once more he gazed upon objects that were familiar to him; the +home of his childhood was before him, and already almost in fancy he was +there, and amongst his friends; he could think, or talk of nothing else, +and actually complimented me upon the successful way in which I had +conducted him to the end of his journey. From our camp the distant ranges +bore W. 5 degrees S., and West Mount Barren E. 5 degrees S. + +July 1.--After travelling three miles we came to a chain of large ponds +of brackish water, but with excellent grass around them, and as the +horses had nothing to eat or drink last night we halted for three hours. +The water was bad, but they drank it, and we were obliged to do so too, +after an ineffectual search for better. At noon we again moved on, and +after proceeding about five miles, came to a large watercourse where the +water was excellent, and the feed abundant. Here we halted for the night, +to make our horses amends for the bad fare and hard work of yesterday. +From the hill above our camp West Mount Barren bore E. 8 degrees N., +Middle Mount Barren E. 21 degrees N., and Rugged Mountains behind the +Sound, W. 4 degrees S. The watercourse we were upon, like all those we +had lately crossed, had perpendicular cliffs abutting upon it, either on +one side or the other, and the channel through which it wound looked +almost like a cut made through the level country above it. A few +casuarinae were observed in parts of the valley, being the first met with +since those seen near Cape Arid. + +July 2.--Our route to-day lay through a country much covered with +gum-scrub, banksias, and other shrubs, besides occasionally a few patches +of stunted gum-trees growing in clumps in small hollows, where water +appeared to lodge after rains. At two miles we crossed a small +watercourse, and at fifteen further, came to a deep valley with fine +fresh-water pools in it, and tolerable feed around; here we halted for +the night. The valley we were upon (and one or two others near) led to a +much larger one below, through which appeared to take its course the +channel of a considerable watercourse trending towards a bight in the +coast at S. 17 degrees W. + +Some high land, seen to the southward and westward of us, I took to be +Cape Riche, a point I should like greatly to have visited, but did not +think it prudent to go so far out of my direct course, in the +circumstances I was travelling under. + +July 3.--Upon commencing our journey to-day I found our route was much +intersected by deep ravines and gorges, all trending to the larger valley +below, and where I had no doubt a large chain of ponds, and probably much +good land, would have been found. After proceeding four miles and a half, +we were stopped by a large salt-water river, which seemed to be very deep +below where we struck it, and trended towards a bight of the coast where +it appeared to form a junction with the sea. + +Many oyster and cockle shells were on its shore. This was the largest +river we had yet come to, and it gave us much trouble to cross it, for, +wherever it appeared fordable, the bed was so soft and muddy, that we +dared not venture to take our horses into it. By tracing it upwards for +eight miles, we at last found a rocky shelf extending across, by which we +were enabled to get to the other side. At the point where we crossed, it +had become only a narrow rocky channel; but there was a strong stream +running, and I have no doubt, higher up, the water might probably have +been quite fresh. Its waters flowed from a direction nearly of +west-north-west, and appeared to emanate from the high rugged ranges +behind King George's Sound. The country about the lower or broad part of +this river, as far as I traced it, was rocky and bad; but higher up, +there was a good deal of grass, and the land appeared improving. In the +distance, the hills seemed less rocky and more grassy, and might probably +afford fair runs for sheep. Upon the banks of the river were a few +casuarinae and more of the tea-tree, and bastard gum, than we had seen +before upon any other watercourse. + +Upon crossing the river, we found the country getting more wooded, with a +stunted-looking tree, apparently of the same species as the stringy bark, +with bastard gums, and large banksias, the intervals being filled up with +grass-trees and brush, or shrubs, common at King George's Sound. At dark +we could find no water, and I therefore pushed on by moonlight, making +Wylie lead one of the horses whilst I drove the rest after him. At nine +o'clock, we came to a deep valley with plenty of water and grass in it, +and here we halted for the night, after a stage of full thirty miles. The +early part of the morning had been very wet, and it continued to rain +partially for the greatest part of the day, rendering us very cold and +uncomfortable. At night it was a severe frost. + +July 4.--Our horses having been a good deal fagged yesterday, I did not +disturb them early, and it was nearly noon when we moved away from our +encampment, crossing the main watercourse, of which the ponds we were +upon last night were only a branch. In the larger channel, there were +many fine pools of water, connected by a strongly running stream in a +deep narrow bed, and which wound at a course of E. 25 degrees S. through +a valley of soft, spongy, peaty formation, and over which we had much +trouble in getting our horses, one having sunk very deep, and being with +difficulty extricated. After travelling two miles and a half, we obtained +a view of Bald Island, bearing S. 15 degrees W.; and in two miles and a +half more, we crossed a fine chain of ponds, taking its course through +narrow valleys between hills of granite; these valleys and the slopes of +the hills were heavily timbered; the soil was very rich, either a reddish +loam, or a light black mixed with sand, and the grass interspersed among +the trees was abundant and luxuriant. After ascending the range, we +passed principally over stony hills, and valleys heavily timbered, and +with brush or underwood, filling up the interstices of the trees. + +Ten miles from our last night's camp we crossed the tracks of horses, +apparently of no very old date, this being the first symptom we had yet +observed of our approach towards the haunts of civilised man. The day was +cold with heavy squalls of rain, and as the night appeared likely to be +worse, I halted early, after a stage of thirteen miles. After dark the +rain ceased, and the night cleared up, but was very cold. + +July 5.--Another rainy day, and so excessively cold that we were obliged +to walk to keep ourselves at all warm; we spent a miserable time, +splashing through the wet underwood, and at fifteen miles we passed a +fresh water lake, in a valley between some hills. This Wylie recognised +as a place he had once been at before, and told me that he now knew the +road well, and would act as guide, upon which I resigned the post of +honour to him, on his promising always to take us to grass and water at +night. Two miles and a half beyond the lake, we came to a fresh water +swamp, and a mile beyond that to another, at which we halted for the +night, with plenty of water, but very little grass. During the day, we +had been travelling generally through a very heavily timbered country. + +At night the rain set in again, and continued to fall in torrents at +intervals; we got dreadfully drenched, and suffered greatly from cold and +want of rest, being obliged to stand or walk before the fire, nearly the +whole night. + +July 6.--The morning still very wet and miserably cold. With Wylie acting +as guide, we reached in eight miles, the Candiup river, a large chain of +ponds, connected by a running stream, and emptying into a wide and deep +arm of the sea, with much rich and fertile land upon its banks. The whole +district was heavily timbered, and had good grass growing amongst the +trees. From the very heavy rains that had fallen, we had great trouble in +crossing many of the streams, which were swollen by the floods into +perfect torrents. In the Candiup river I had to wade, cold and chill as I +was, seven times through, with the water breast high, and a current that +I with difficulty could keep my feet against, in order to get the horses +over in safety; the only fordable place was at a narrow ledge of rocks, +and with so strong a stream, and such deep water below the ledge, I dared +not trust Wylie to lead any of them, but went back, and took each horse +across myself. The day was bitterly cold and rainy, and I began to suffer +severely from the incessant wettings I had been subject to for many days +past. + +Four miles beyond the Candiup river, we came to King's river, a large +salt arm of Oyster Harbour, here my friend Wylie, who insisted upon it +that he knew the proper crossing place, took me into a large swampy +morass, and in endeavouring to take the horses through, three of them got +bogged and were nearly lost, and both myself and Wylie were detained in +the water and mud for a couple of hours, endeavouring to extricate them. +At last we succeeded, but the poor animals were sadly weakened and +strained, and we were compelled to return back to the same side of the +river, and encamp for the night, instead of going on to King George's +Sound as I had intended! + +Fortunately there was tolerable grass, and fresh water lay every where +about in great abundance, so that the horses would fare well, but for +ourselves there was a cheerless prospect. For three days and nights, we +had never had our clothes dry, and for the greater part of this time, we +had been enduring in full violence the pitiless storm--whilst wading so +constantly through the cold torrents in the depth of the winter season, +and latterly being detained in the water so long a time at the King's +river, had rendered us rheumatic, and painfully sensitive to either cold +or wet. I hoped to have reached Albany this evening, and should have done +so, as it was only six miles distant, if it had not been for the unlucky +attempt to cross King's river. Now we had another night's misery before +us, for we had hardly lain down before the rain began to fall again in +torrents. Wearied and worn-out as we were, with the sufferings and +fatigues of the last few days, we could neither sit nor lie down to rest; +our only consolation under the circumstances being, that however bad or +inclement the weather might be, it was the last night we should be +exposed to its fury. + +July 7.--Getting up the horses early, we proceeded up the King's river, +with a view of attempting to cross, but upon sounding the depths in one +or two places, I found the tide, which was rising, was too high; I had +only the alternative, therefore, of waiting for several hours until the +water ebbed, or else of leaving the horses, and proceeding on without +them. Under all the circumstances, I decided upon the latter; the rain +was still falling very heavily, and the river before us was so wide and +so dangerous for horses, from its very boggy character, that I did not +think it prudent to attempt to force a passage, or worth while to delay +to search for a proper crossing place. There was good feed for the horses +where they were, and plenty of water, so that I knew they would fare +better by remaining than if they were taken on to the Sound; whilst it +appeared to me more than probable that I should have no difficulty, +whenever I wished to get them, to procure a guide to go for and conduct +them safely across, at the proper crossing place. + +Having turned our horses loose, and piled up our baggage, now again +greatly reduced, I took my journals and charts, and with Wylie forded the +river about breast high. We were soon on the other side, and rapidly +advancing towards the termination of our journey; the rain was falling in +torrents, and we had not a dry shred about us, whilst the whole country +through which we passed, had, from the long-continued and excessive +rains, become almost an uninterrupted chain of puddles. For a great part +of the way we walked up to our ankles in water. This made our progress +slow, and rendered our last day's march a very cold and disagreeable one. +Before reaching the Sound, we met a native, who at once recognised Wylie, +and greeted him most cordially. From him we learnt that we had been +expected at the Sound some months ago, but had long been given up for +lost, whilst Wylie had been mourned for and lamented as dead by his +friends and his tribe. The rain still continued falling heavily as we +ascended to the brow of the hill immediately overlooking the town of +Albany--not a soul was to be seen--not an animal of any kind--the place +looked deserted and uninhabited, so completely had the inclemency of the +weather driven both man and beast to seek shelter from the storm. + +For a moment I stood gazing at the town below me--that goal I had so long +looked forward to, had so laboriously toiled to attain, was at last +before me. A thousand confused images and reflections crowded through my +mind, and the events of the past year were recalled in rapid succession. +The contrast between the circumstances under which I had commenced and +terminated my labours stood in strong relief before me. The gay and +gallant cavalcade that accompanied me on my way at starting--the small +but enterprising band that I then commanded, the goodly array of horses +and drays, with all their well-ordered appointments and equipment were +conjured up in all their circumstances of pride and pleasure; and I could +not restrain a tear, as I called to mind the embarrassing difficulties +and sad disasters that had broken up my party, and left myself and Wylie +the two sole wanderers remaining at the close of an undertaking entered +upon under such hopeful auspices. + +Whilst standing thus upon the brow overlooking the town, and buried in +reflection, I was startled by the loud shrill cry of the native we had +met on the road, and who still kept with us: clearly and powerfully that +voice rang through the recesses of the settlement beneath, whilst the +blended name of Wylie told me of the information it conveyed. For an +instant there was a silence still almost as death--then a single +repetition of that wild joyous cry, a confused hum of many voices, a +hurrying to and fro of human feet, and the streets which had appeared so +shortly before gloomy and untenanted, were now alive with natives--men, +women and children, old and young, rushing rapidly up the hill, to +welcome the wanderer on his return, and to receive their lost one almost +from the grave. + +It was an interesting and touching sight to witness the meeting between +Wylie and his friends. Affection's strongest ties could not have produced +a more affecting and melting scene--the wordless weeping pleasure, too +deep for utterance, with which he was embraced by his relatives, the +cordial and hearty reception given him by his friends, and the joyous +greeting bestowed upon him by all, might well have put to the blush those +heartless calumniators, who, branding the savage as the creature only of +unbridled passions, deny to him any of those better feelings and +affections which are implanted in the breast of all mankind, and which +nature has not denied to any colour or to any race. + +Upon entering the town I proceeded direct to Mr. Sherrats', where I had +lodged when in King George's Sound, in 1840. By him and his family I was +most hospitably received, and every attention shewn to me; and in the +course of a short time, after taking a glass of hot brandy and water, +performing my ablutions and putting on a clean suit of borrowed clothes, +I was enabled once more to feel comparatively comfortable, and to receive +the many kind friends who called upon me. + +I feel great pleasure in the opportunity now afforded me of recording the +grateful feelings I entertain towards the residents at Albany for the +kindness I experienced upon this occasion. Wet as the day was, I had +hardly been two hours at Mr. Sherrats before I was honoured by a visit +from Lady Spencer, from the Government-resident, Mr. Phillips, and from +almost all the other residents and visitors at the settlement,--all vying +with each other in their kind attentions and congratulations, and in +every offer of assistance or accommodation which it was in their power to +render. + +Finding that a vessel would shortly sail for Adelaide, I at once engaged +my passage, and proceeded to make arrangements for leaving King George's +Sound. + +To the Governor of the Colony, Mr. Hutt, I wrote a brief report of my +journey, which was forwarded, with a copy both of my own and Wylie's +depositions, relative to the melancholy loss of my overseer on the 29th +April. I then had my horses got up from the King's river, and left them +in the care of Mr. Phillips, who had in the most friendly manner offered +to take charge of them until they recovered their condition and could be +sold. + +Wylie was to remain at the Sound with his friends, and to receive from +the Government a weekly allowance of provisions, [Note 29: This was +confirmed by Governor Hutt.] by order of Mr. Phillips; who promised to +recommend that it should be permanently continued, as a reward for the +fidelity and good conduct he had displayed whilst accompanying me in +the desert. + +On the 13th July I wished my friends good bye, and in the afternoon went +on board the Truelove to sail for Adelaide; whilst working out of harbour +we were accompanied as long as any of the shore boats remained, by some +of the natives of the place, who were most anxious to have gone with me +to Adelaide. Wylie had given them so flattering an account of South +Australia and its pleasures, that he had excited the envy and curiosity +of the whole tribe; dozens applied to me to take them, and I really think +I could have filled the ship had I been disposed; one or two, more +persevering than the rest, would not be denied, and stuck close to the +vessel to the last, in the hope that I might relent and take them with me +before the pilot boat left, but upon this occurring, to their great +discomforture, they were compelled to return disappointed. + +On the afternoon of the 26th of July I arrived in Adelaide, after an +absence of one year and twenty-six days. + + + + +Chapter VI. + + + +CONCLUDING REMARKS. + + +Having now brought to a close the narrative of my explorations in 1840-1, +it may not be out of place to take a brief and cursory review of the +whole, and to state generally what have been the results effected. In +making this summary, I have no important rivers to enumerate, no fertile +regions to point out for the future spread of colonization and +civilization, or no noble ranges to describe from which are washed the +debris that might form a rich and fertile district beneath them; on the +contrary, all has been arid and barren in the extreme. + +Such, indeed, has been the sterile and desolate character of the +wilderness I have traversed, and so great have been the difficulties +thereby entailed upon me, that throughout by far the greater portion of +it, I have never been able to delay a moment in my route, or to deviate +in any way from the line I was pursuing, to reconnoitre or examine what +may haply be beyond. Even in the latter part of my travels, when within +the colony of Western Australia, and when the occasionally meeting with +tracts of a better soil, or with watercourses appearing to have an outlet +to the ocean, rendered the country one of much greater interest, I was +quite unable, from the circumstances under which I was placed, the +reduced and worn-out state of my horses, and the solitary manner in which +I was travelling, ever to deviate from my direct line of route, either to +examine more satisfactorily the character of the country, or to determine +whether the watercourses, some of which occasionally bore the character +of rivers (though of only short course), had embouchures opening to the +sea or not. + +In a geographical point of view, I would hope the result of my labours +has not been either uninteresting, or incommensurate with the nature of +the expedition placed under my command, and the character of the country +I had to explore. By including in the summary I am now making, the +journeys I undertook in 1839, as well as those of 1840-1 (for a +considerable portion of the country then examined was recrossed by the +Northern Expedition), it will be seen that I have discovered and examined +a tract of country to the north of Adelaide, which was previously +unknown, of about 270 miles in length, extending between the parallels of +33 degrees 40 minutes and 29 degrees S. latitude. In longitude, that part +of my route which was before unknown, extends between the parallels of +138 degrees E., and 118 degrees 40 minutes E., or about 1060 miles of +direct distance. These being connected with the previously known portions +of South-western, South-eastern, and part of Southern Australia, complete +the examination of the whole of the south line of the coast of this +continent. Indeed, I have myself (at various times) crossed over the +whole of this distance from east to west, from Sydney to Swan River. In +the early part of the Expedition, 1840, the continuation of Flinders +range, from Mount Arden, was traced and laid down to its termination, +near the parallel of 29 degrees S. It was ascertained to be hemmed in by +an impassable barrier, consisting of the basin of an immense lake, which +I named Lake Torrens, and which, commencing from the head of Spencer's +Gulf, increased in width as it swept to the north-west, but subsequently +bent round again to the north-east, east and south-east, in +correspondence with the trend of Flinders range, the northern extremity +of which it completely surrounded in the form of a horse-shoe. The shores +of this lake I visited to the westward of Flinders range, at three +different points, from eighty to ninety miles apart from each other, and +on all these occasions I found the basin to consist, as far as I could +penetrate, of a mass of mud and sand, coated on the surface with a crust +of salt, but having water mixed with it beneath. At the most +north-westerly point attained by me, water was found in an arm of the +main lake, about two feet deep, clear, and salt as the sea; it did not +extend, however, more than two or three hundred yards, nor did it +continue to the bed of the main lake, which appeared, from a rise that I +ascended near the arm, to be of the same character and consistency as +before. The whole course of the lake, to the farthest point visited by +me, was bounded by a steep, continuous, sandy ridge, exactly like a +sea-shore ridge; those parts of its course to the north, and to the east +of Flinders range, which I did not go down to, were seen and laid down +from various heights in that mountain chain. Altogether, the outline of +this extraordinary feature, as thus observed and traced, could not have +extended over a circuit of less than 400 miles. + +It is singular enough that all the springs found near the termination of +Flinders range should have been salt, and that these were very nearly in +the same latitude in which Captain Sturt had found brine springs in the +bed of the Darling in 1829, although our two positions were so far +separated in longitude. My furthest position to the north-west was also +in about the same latitude, as the most inland point gained by any +previous exploring party, viz. that of Sir Thomas Mitchell's in 1832, +about the parallel of 149 degrees E. longitude; but by my being about 600 +miles more to the westward, I was consequently much nearer to the centre +of New Holland. It is, to say the least, remarkable that from both our +positions, so far apart as they are, the country should present the same +low and sterile aspect to the west and north-west. Since my return from +the expedition, a party has been sent out under Captain Frome, the +Surveyor-General, in South Australia, to examine the south-east extremity +of Lake Torrens; the following is the report made by that officer upon +his return. + + +"The most northern point at which I found water last year, was near the +top of a deep ravine of the Black Rock Hills, in lat. 32 degrees 45 +minutes 25 seconds, where I left the dray and the larger portion of my +party on the 20th July, taking on only a light spring cart, the bottom +filled entirely with kegs containing sufficient water for our horses for +nearly three days, and provisions for one month, which was as much as the +cart would contain. + +"My object being to ascertain the boundaries of the southern termination +of the eastern branch of Lake Torrens, as laid down by Mr. Eyre, and also +the nature of the country between Flinders range, as high as the parallel +of Mount Hopeless, and the meridian of 141 degrees, (the eastern limits +of the province), I kept at first a course as near N.N.E. as the nature +of the ground would admit, to ensure my not passing to the east of this +extremity of the lake; from whence I intended, if possible, to pursue a +line nearly north-east, as far as my time and the means at my disposal +would allow me, hoping to reach the high land laid down by Sir Thomas +Mitchell, on the right banks of the Darling, to the north of Mount Lyell, +and thus ascertain if any reasonable hope existed of penetrating at some +future time towards the interior from thence. The continued heavy rains +which had fallen for more than three weeks before my departure from +Adelaide, on the 8th July, and for nearly a fortnight afterwards, had +left the surface water in pools on the scrubby plains, and in some of the +ravines; but on proceeding north, it was evident that these rains had not +been there so general or so heavy, though by steering from point to point +of the hills, after crossing the Black Rock Range at Rowe's Creek, I was +able to find sufficient water for the horses, and to replenish the kegs +every second or third day. From this spot, the plains, as well as the +higher land, appeared evidently to dip away to the north-east, the barren +hills all diminishing in elevation, and the deep watercourses from +Flinders range all crossing the plains in that direction. In one of these +watercourses, the Siccus (lat. about 31 degrees 55 minutes), whose +section nearly equals that of the Murray, there were indications of not +very remote floods having risen to between twenty and thirty feet above +its bed, plainly marked by large gum-trees lodged in the forks of the +standing trees, and lying high up on its banks, on one of which I +remarked dead leaves still on the branches; and in another creek (Pasmore +River), lat. 31 degrees 29 minutes, a strong current was running at the +spot where we struck it (owing, I suppose, to recent heavy rains among +the hills from whence it has its source), but below this point the bed +was like that of all the other creeks, as dry as if no rain had ever +fallen, and with occasional patches of various shrubs, and salt water +tea-tree growing in it. After crossing the low ridge above Prewitt's +Springs, lat. 31 degrees 45 minutes, forming the left bank of the basin +of the Siccus, the plain extended between the north and east as far as +the eye could reach, and the lurid glare of the horizon, as we advanced +northward, plainly indicated the approach of Lake Torrens, which, from +the direction I had followed, I expected to turn about this point. I was +obliged, however, to continue a northerly course for the sake of water, +which I could only hope to find in the ravines of the hills on our left, +as high as the parallel of 30 degrees 59 minutes, where the lake was +visible within fifteen or sixteen miles, and appeared from the high land +to be covered with water, studded with islands, and backed on the east by +a bold rocky shore. These appearances were, however, all deceptive, being +caused solely by the extraordinary refraction, as on riding to the spot +the following day, not a drop of water was to be seen in any direction. +The islands turned out to be mere low sandy ridges, very scantily clothed +with stunted scrub on their summits, and no distant land appeared any +where between the north and south-east, though from the hills above our +camp of the previous night, I could discern, with the aid of a very +powerful telescope, a ridge of low land, either on the eastern side of +the lake, or rising out of it, distant at least seventy miles, rendered +visible at that distance by the excessive refractive power of the +atmosphere on the horizon. A salt crust was seen at intervals on the +surface of the sand at the margin of the lake, or as it might more +properly be called, the Desert; but this appearance might either be +caused by water brought down by the Siccus, and other large watercourses +spreading over the saline soil in times of flood, or by rain, and +appeared to me no proof of its ever being covered with water for any +period of time. A few pieces of what appeared drift timber were also +lying about its surface. The sand, as we advanced farther east, became +more loose and drifting, and not a blade of grass, or any species of +vegetation, was visible, rendering hopeless any attempt to cross it with +horses. This point of the lake shore, being by Mr. Eyre's chart about +thirty miles to the westward of where I found it, I thought it advisable +to push further north, in the direction of the highest point of the +range, which I imagined was probably his Mount Serle; for though it was +not to be expected that Mr. Eyre, whose principal and almost sole object +was to discover a road to the interior, would, at the same time, have +been able to lay down the position of his route with the same accuracy +that might have been expected from a surveyor; this difference of +longitude prevented my being certain of the identity of the spot, or that +the range on our left, might not after all, be another long promontory +running to the north, similar to that on the western side of which was +Mr. Eyre's course. The appearance of the country, however, from the hills +close under Mount Serle (for the perpendicular cliffs on the east side of +this range of hills prevented my ascending to their summit without +turning them among the ranges, for which I had not time), convinced me at +once, from its perfect accordance with the description given by Mr. Eyre, +that his eastern arm of Lake Torrens was the sandy desert I had left, its +surface being about three hundred feet above the level of the sea; and +our two converging lines having thus met at Mount Serle, I knew it was +useless to advance further in the same direction to a spot which he had +named, from the impossibility of proceeding beyond it, "Mount Hopeless." + +"I was thus forced to return to Pasmore River, as the nearest point from +whence I could cross to the low hills to the eastward, south of Lake +Torrens; and from thence I sent back to the depot two men of the party, +and three horses--the former for the sake of their rations, and the +latter on account of the probable difficulty I should have in procuring +water--taking on with me only Mr. Henderson and Mr. Hawker on foot, with +the light cart and one policeman. The second evening I made the most +northern of these hills, but could not find a drop of water in any of +them; and having unluckily lost the policeman, who had crossed in front +of the dray and got entangled in the dense scrub, I was detained three +days riding upon his tracks, until I had traced them to our dray tracks +from the depot at the Black Rock Hill, which he reached in safety, after +being out five days without food. The cart, in the mean time, had been +obliged to leave the spot where I left it, for want of water--having been +out six days without obtaining any but what we carried in the kegs; and +when I overtook it, we had not sufficient provisions for another attempt, +the period of one month, for which they were intended to last, having +already nearly expired. + +"I very much regret not having been able to reach, at all events, within +sight of Mount Lyell; but where I turned I could plainly see the whole +country within fifty or sixty miles of the boundaries of the province, +and can speak with almost as much confidence of its absolute sterility as +if I had actually ridden over it. It would certainly be possible in the +wet season to take a small party from Prewitt's Springs across to this +hill of Sir Thomas Mitchell (distant about one hundred and sixty miles), +by carrying on water for eight or ten days; but no further supply might +be found short of the Darling (eighty miles beyond Mount Lyell), on which +river it would be madness to attempt anything without a considerable +force, on account of the natives; and the same point might be reached in +nearly as short a time, and with much more certainty, with any number of +men that might be considered necessary, by ascending the Murray as high +as the Laidley Ponds, and proceeding north from thence. + +"On returning to the depot, I moved the party down to Mount Bryan, and +made another attempt on the 25th August, with Mr. Henderson, and one man +leading a pack-horse, to the north-east, hoping, from the heavy rains +which had fallen during the past two months, to find sufficient water in +the ravines to enable me to push on for several days. The second day, I +crossed the high range I had observed from the Black Rock Hills and Mount +Bryan, for the southern termination of which Colonel Gawler steered when +he left the northern bend of the Murray in December, 1839; but though +these hills had an elevation of twelve hundred or fourteen hundred feet +above the plain, there was no indication of rain having fallen there +since the deluge. This want of water prevented my proceeding further to +the north-east; but from the summit of the highest of these hills (Mount +Porcupine,) I had a clear view of the horizon in every direction, and a +more barren, sterile country, cannot be imagined. + +"The direction of the dividing ridge between the basin of the Murray and +the interior desert plain was generally about north-east from the Black +Rock Hills (the highest point north of Mount Bryan,) gradually decreasing +in elevation, and, if possible, increasing in barrenness. The summits of +those hills I found invariably rock--generally sandstone--the lower +slopes covered with dense brush, and the valleys with low scrub, with +occasional small patches of thin wiry grass. I was obliged to return on +the third day, and reached the foot of Mount Bryan on the fourth evening, +at the southern extremity of which hill the horses were nearly bogged in +the soft ground, though only fifty miles distant from land where the dust +was flying as if in the midst of summer. + +"It appears to me certain, from the result of these different attempts, +that there is no country eastward of the high land extending north from +Mount Bryan, as far as Mount Hopeless, a distance of about three hundred +miles, as far as the meridian of 141 degrees (and probably much beyond +it), available for either agricultural or pastoral purposes; and that, +though there may be occasional spots of good land at the base of the main +range on the sources of the numerous creeks flowing from thence towards +the inland desert, these must be too limited in extent to be of any +present value. + +"The nature of the formation of the main range I found generally +iron-stone, conglomerate and quartz, with sandstone and slate at the +lower elevation. At the points of highest elevation from Mount Bryan +northward, igneous rocks of basaltic character protruded from below, +forming rugged and fantastic outlines. + +"At one spot, particularly, about 30 degrees, there were marked +indications of volcanic action, and several hollows resembling small +craters of extinct volcanoes, near one of which we found a small spring +of water, maintaining always a temperature of about 76 degrees Farenheit, +when the thermometer standing in water in the kegs stood at 52 degrees, +and in the atmosphere at 54 degrees. + +"The accompanying sketch of the country from Mount Bryan northwards, will +probably explain its character better than any written description. The +altitudes marked at the different spots where they were observed, were +obtained by the temperature of boiling water, as observed by two +thermometers; but as they were not graduated with sufficient minuteness +for such purposes, the results can only be considered approximate." + +E. C. FROME, +Capt. Royal Engineers, +Surveyor-General. +September 14th, 1843. + + +In the above report it will be observed, that there are some apparent +discrepancies between my account and Captain Frome's. First, with respect +to the position of the south-east extremity of Lake Torrens. Captain +Frome states that he found that point thirty miles more to the east than +I had placed it in my chart. Now the only sketch of my course under +Flinders range, and that a rough one, which I furnished to the Colonial +Government, was sent from Port Lincoln, and is the same which was +subsequently published with other papers, relative to South Australia, +for the House of Commons, in 1843. This sketch was put together hastily +for his Excellency the Governor, that I might not lose the opportunity of +forwarding it when I sent from Port Lincoln to Adelaide for supplies +early in October, 1840. It was constructed entirely, after I found myself +compelled to return from the northern interior, and could only be +attended to, in a hurried and imperfect manner, during the brief +intervals I could snatch from other duties, whilst travelling back from +the north to Port Lincoln (nearly 400 miles,) during which time my +movements were very rapid, and many arrangements, consequent upon +dividing my party at Baxter's range, had to be attended to; added to this +were the difficulties and embarrassments of conducting myself one +division of the party to Port Lincoln, through 200 miles of a desert +country which had never been explored before, and which, from its arid +and sterile character, presented impediments of no ordinary kind. + +Upon my return to Adelaide in 1841, after the Expedition had terminated, +other duties engrossed my time, and it was only after the publication of +Captain Frome's report, that my attention was again called to the +subject. Upon comparing my notes and bearings with the original sketch I +had made, I found that in the hurry and confusion of preparing it, whilst +travelling, I had laid down all the bearings and courses magnetic, +without allowing for the variation; nor can this error, perhaps, be +wondered at, considering the circumstances under which the sketch was +constructed. + +At Mount Hopeless the variation was 4 degrees E., at Mount Arden it was 7 +degrees 24 minutes E. Now if this variation be applied proportionably to +all the courses and bearings as marked down in the original chart, +commencing from Mount Arden, it will be found that Mount Serle will be +brought by my map very nearly in longitude to where Captain Frome places +it. [Note 30 at end of para.] Our latitudes appear to agree exactly. +The second point upon which some difference appears to exist +between Captain Frome's report and mine is the character of Lake Torrens +itself, which Captain Frome thought might more properly be called +a desert. This, it will be observed, is with reference to its south-east +extremity--a point I never visited, and which I only saw once from +Mount Serle; a point, too, which from the view I then had of it, +distant although it was, even at that time seemed to me to be +"apparently dry," and is marked as such in Arrowsmith's chart, +published from the sketch alluded to. + +[Note 30: This has been done by Arrowsmith in the map which accompanies +these volumes;--to which Mr. Arrowsmith has also added Captain Frome's +route from the original tracings.] + +There is, however, a still greater, and more singular difference alluded +to in Captain Frome's report, which it is necessary to remark; I mean +that of the elevation of the country. On the west side of Flinders range, +for 200 miles that I traced the course of Lake Torrens, it was, as I have +observed, girded in its whole course by a steep ridge, like a sea-shore, +from which you descended into a basin, certainly not above the level of +the sea, possibly even below it (I had no instruments with me to enable +me to ascertain this,) the whole bed consisted of mud and water, and I +found it impossible to advance far into it from its boggy nature. On the +east side of Flinders range, Captain Frome found the lake a desert, 300 +feet above the level of the sea, [Note 31: By altitude deduced from the +temperature of boiling water.] and consisting of "loose and drifting +sand," and "low sandy ridges, very scantily clothed with stunted scrub on +their summits." Now, by referring to Captain Frome's chart and report, it +appears that the place thus described was nearly thirty miles south of +Mount Serle, and consequently twenty miles south of that part of the bed +of Lake Torrens which I had seen from that hill. It is further evident, +that Captain Frome had not reached the basin of Lake Torrens, and I +cannot help thinking, that if he had gone further to the north-east, he +would have come to nearly the same level that I had been at on the +western side of the hills. There are several reasons for arriving at this +conclusion. First, the manner in which the drainage is thrown off from +the east side of Flinders range, and the direction which the watercourses +take to the north-east or north; secondly, because an apparent connection +was traceable in the course of the lake, from the heights in Flinders +range, nearly all the way round it; thirdly, because the loose sands and +low sandy ridges crowned with scrub, described by Captain Frome, were +very similar to what I met with near Lake Torrens in the west side, +before I reached its basin. + +After the Northern Expedition had been compelled to return south, (being +unable to cross Lake Torrens,) the peninsula of Port Lincoln was +examined, and traversed completely round, in all the three sides of the +triangle formed by its east and west coasts, and a line from Mount Arden +to Streaky Bay. A road overland from Mount Arden was forced through the +scrub for a dray; but the country travelled through was of so +inhospitable a character as to hold out no prospect of its being +generally available for overland communication. One unfortunate +individual has since made an attempt to take over a few head of cattle by +this route, but was unable to accomplish it, and miserably perished with +his whole party from want of water. [Note 32: Vide note to page 154, +Vol. I. (Note 11)] + +On the northern side of the triangle I have alluded to, or on the line +between Mount Arden and Streaky Bay, a singularly high and barren range, +named the Gawler Range after His Excellency the Governor, was found +consisting of porphoritic granite, extending nearly all the way across, +and then stretching out to the north-west in lofty rugged outline as far +as the eye could reach; the most remarkable fact connected with this +range, was the arid and sterile character of the country in which it was +situated, as well as of the range itself, which consisted entirely of +rugged barren rocks, without timber or vegetation. There was not a stream +or a watercourse of any kind emanating from it; we could find neither +spring nor permanent fresh water, and the only supply we procured for +ourselves was from the deposits left by very recent rains, and which in a +few days more, would have been quite dried up. The soil was in many +places saline, and wherever water had lodged in any quantity (as in lakes +of which there were several) it was quite salt. + +[Note 33: A small exploring party, under a Mr. Darke, was sent from Port +Lincoln in August, 1844, but after getting as far as the Gawler Range were +compelled by the inhospitable nature of the country to return. The +unfortunate leader was murdered by the natives on his route homewards.] + +Continuing the line of coast to the westward, the expedition passed +through the most wretched and desolate country imaginable, consisting +almost entirely of a table-land, or of undulating ridges, covered for the +most part with dense scrubs, and almost wholly without either grass or +water. The general elevation of this country was from three to five +hundred feet, and all of the tertiary deposit, with primary rocks +protruding at intervals. + +The first permanent fresh water met with on the surface was a small +fresh-water lake, beyond the parallel of 123 degrees E.; but from Mount +Arden to that point, a distance of fully 800 miles in a direct line, none +whatever was found on the surface (if I except a solitary small spring +sunk in the rock at Streaky Bay). During the whole of this vast distance, +not a watercourse, not a hollow of any kind was crossed; the only water +to be obtained was by digging close to the sea-shore, or the sand-hills +of the coast, and even by that means it frequently could not be procured +for distances of 150 to 160 miles together. With the exception of the +Gawler Range, which lies between Streaky Bay and Mount Arden, this dreary +waste was one almost uniform table-land of fossil formation, with an +elevation of from three to five hundred feet, covered for the most part +by dense impenetrable scrubs, and varied only on its surface by +occasional sandy or rocky undulations. + +What then can be the nature of that mysterious interior, bounded as it is +by a table-land without river or lakes, without watercourses or drainage +of any kind, for so vast a distance? Can it be that the whole is one +immense interminable desert, or an alternation of deserts and shallow +salt lakes like Lake Torrens? Conjecture is set at defiance by the +impenetrable arrangements of nature; where, the more we pry into her +secrets, the more bewildered and uncertain become all our speculations. + +It has been a common and a popular theory to imagine the existence of an +inland sea, and this theory has been strengthened and confirmed by the +opinion of so talented, so experienced, and so enterprising a traveller +as my friend Captain Sturt, in its favour. That gentleman, with the noble +and disinterested enthusiasm by which he has ever been characterised, has +once more sacrificed the pleasure and quiet of domestic happiness, at the +shrine of enterprise and science. With the ardour of youth, and the +perseverance and judgment of riper years, he is even now traversing the +trackless wilds, and seeking to lift up that veil which has hitherto hung +over their recesses. May he be successful to the utmost of his wishes, +and may he again rejoin in health and safety his many friends, to forget +in their approbation and admiration the toils he has encountered, and to +enjoy the rewards and laurels which will have been so hardly earned, and +so well deserved. + +It was in August, 1844, that Captain Sturt set out upon his arduous +undertaking, with a numerous and well equipped party, and having +provisions calculated to last them for eighteen months. I had the +pleasure of accompanying the expedition as far as the Rufus (about 240 +miles from Adelaide), to render what assistance I could, in passing up, +on friendly terms among the more distant natives of the Murray. Since my +return, Captain Sturt has been twice communicated with, and twice heard +from, up to the time I left the Colony, on the 21st December, 1844. The +last official communication addressed to the Colonial Government will be +found in Chapter IX. of Notes on the Aborigines. The following is a copy +of a private letter to John Morphett, Esq M.C., and published in the +Adelaide Observer of the 9th November, 1844:-- + + +"14th October, 1844. + +"I left Lake Victoria, as I told you in a former letter, on the 18th of +September, and again cut across the country to the Murray. As we +travelled along we saw numerous tracks of wild cattle leading from the +marshes to the river, and we encamped at the junction of the river and a +lagoon (one of the most beautiful spots you ever saw), just where these +tracks were most numerous. In the night therefore we were surrounded by +lowing herds, coming to the green pastures of which we had taken +possession. In the morning I sent Messrs. Poole and Brown, with Flood my +stockman, and Mark to drive in some bullocks, as I was anxious to secure +one or two workers. The brush however was too thick, and in galloping +through it after a bull, Flood's carbine exploded, and blew off three of +the fingers of his right hand. This accident obliged me to remain +stationary for two days, notwithstanding my anxiety to get up to the +lagoon at Williorara, to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the report I +had heard of the massacre of a party of overlanders there. + +"On the 23rd I reached the junction of the Ana branch with the Murray, +discovered by Eyre, and then turned northwards. Running this Ana branch +up, I crossed it where the water ceased, and went to the Darling, +striking it about fifteen miles above its junction with the Murray. The +unlooked-for course of the Darling however kept me longer on its banks +than I had anticipated; but you can form no idea of the luxuriant verdure +of its flats. They far surpass those of the Murray, both in quantity and +quality of soil; and extended for many miles at a stretch along the river +side. We have run up it at a very favourable season, and seen the +commencement of its floods; for, two days after we reached it, and found +it with scarcely any water in its bed, we observed a fresh in it, +indicated by a stronger current. The next morning to our surprise the +waters were half-bank high. They had risen six feet during the night, and +were carrying everything before them; now they are full sixteen feet +above their level, and a most beautiful river it is. Over this said +mysterious river, as Major Mitchell calls it, the trees drooped like +willows, or grew in dark clusters at each turn; the sloping banks were of +a vivid green, the flats lightly timbered, and the aspect of the whole +neighbourhood cheerful. + +"I had hoped that we should have been able to approach the ranges pretty +closely along the line of Laidley's Ponds; but fancy our disappointment +when we arrived on its banks to find that instead of a mountain stream it +was a paltry creek, connecting a lake, now dry, with the river, and that +its banks were quite bare. I was therefore obliged to fall back upon the +Darling, and have been unable to stir for the last four days by reason of +heavy rain. + +"On Tuesday I despatched Mr. Poole to the ranges, which are forty miles +distant from us, to ascertain if there is water or feed under them; but I +have no hope of good tidings, and believe I shall ultimately be obliged +to establish myself on the Darling. + +"You will be glad to hear, and so ought every body, that we have +maintained a most satisfactory intercourse with the natives. The report +we had heard referred to Major Mitchell's affray with them, and you will +not be surprised at their reverting to it, when I tell you that several +old men immediately recognized me as having gone down the Murray in a +boat, although they could have seen me for an hour or two only, and +fifteen years have now elapsed since I went down the river. I suppose we +misunderstood the story; but most assuredly I fully anticipated we +should, sooner or later, come on some dreadful acene or other, and I came +up fully prepared to act; but the natives have been exceedingly quiet, +nor have we seen a weapon in the hands of any of them: in truth I have +been quite astonished at the change in the blacks; for instead of +collecting in a body, they have visited us with their wives and children, +and have behaved in the most quiet manner. We may attribute this in part +to our own treatment of the natives, and in part to Eyre's influence over +them, which is very extensive, and has been productive of great good. The +account the natives give of the distant interior is very discouraging. It +is nothing more however than what I expected. They say that beyond the +hills it is all sand and rocks; that there is neither grass or water, or +wood; and that it is awfully hot. This last feature appears to terrify +them. They say that they are obliged to take wood to the hills for fire, +and that they clamber up the rocks on the hills; that when there is water +there, it is in deep holes from which they are obliged to sponge it up +and squeeze it out to drink. I do not in truth think that any of the +natives have been beyond the hills, and that the country is perfectly +impracticable. + +"We are now not more than two hundred and fifteen feet above the sea, +with a declining country to the north-west, and the general dip of the +continent to the south-west. What is the natural inference where there is +not a single river emptying itself upon the coast, but that there is an +internal basin? Such a country can only be penetrated by cool calculation +and determined perseverance. I have sat down before it as a besieger +before a fortress, to make my approaches with the same systematic +regularity. I must cut hay and send forage and water in advance, as far +as I can. I have the means of taking sixteen days' water and feed for two +horses and three men; and if I can throw my supplies one hundred miles in +advance, I shall be able to go two hundred miles more beyond that point, +at the rate of thirty miles a-day, one of us walking whilst two rode. +Surely at such a distance some new feature will open to reward our +efforts! My own opinion is, that an inland sea will bring us up ere +long--then how shall we get the boat upon it? 'Why,' you will say, +'necessity is the mother of invention.' You will find some means or +other, no doubt; and so we will. However, under any circumstances, depend +upon it I will either lift up or tear down the curtain which hides the +interior from us, so look out for the next accounts from me as of the +most interesting kind, as solving this great problem, or shutting the +door to discovery from this side the continent for ever. + +"P.S. Poole has just returned from the ranges. I have not time to write +over again. He says that there are high ranges to N. and N.W. and +water,--a sea extending along the horizon from S.W. by W., to ten E. of +N. in which there are a number of islands and lofty ranges as far as the +eye can reach. What is all this? Are we to be prosperous? I hope so; and +I am sure you do. To-morrow we start for the ranges, and then for the +waters,--the strange waters on which boat never swam, and over which flag +never floated. But both shall are long. We have the heart of the interior +laid open to us, and shall be off with a flowing sheet in a few days. +Poole says that the sea was a deep blue, and that in the midst of it +there was a conical island of great height. When will you hear from me +again?" + + +From this communication, Captain Sturt appears to be sanguine of having +realized the long hoped for sea, and at last of having found a key to the +centre of the continent. Most sincerely do I hope that this may be the +case, and that the next accounts may more than confirm such satisfactory +intelligence. + +My own impressions were always decidedly opposed to the idea of an inland +sea, nor have I changed them in the least, now that circumstances +amounting almost to proof, seem to favour that opinion. + +Entertaining, as I do, the highest respect for the opinion of one so +every way capable of forming a correct judgment as Captain Sturt, it is +with considerable diffidence that I advance any conjectures in opposition +to his, and especially so, as I may be thought presumptuous in doing so +in the face of the accounts received. Until these accounts, however, are +further confirmed, the question still remains as it was; and it may +perhaps not be out of place to allude to some of the reasons which have +led me to form an opinion somewhat different from that entertained by +Captain Sturt, and which I have been compelled to arrive at after a long +personal experience, a closer approach to the interior, and a more +extensive personal examination of the continent, than any other traveller +has hitherto made. In the course of that experience, I have never met +with the slightest circumstance to lead me to imagine that there should +be an inland sea, still less a deep navigable one, and having an outer +communication with the ocean. I can readily suppose, and, in fact, I do +so believe, that a considerable portion of the interior consists of the +beds or basins of salt lakes or swamps, as Lake Torrens, and some of +which might be of great extent. I think, also, that these alternate, with +sandy deserts, and that probably at intervals, there are many isolated +ranges, like the Gawler range, and which, perhaps, even in some places +may form a connection of links across the continent, could any favourable +point be obtained for commencing the examination. + +It is very possible that among these ranges, intervals of a better or +even of a rich and fertile country might be met with. + +The suggestion thrown out by Captain Sturt a few years ago, that +Australia might formerly have been an Archipelago of islands, appears to +me to have been a happy idea, and to afford the most rational and +satisfactory way of accounting for many of the peculiarities observable +upon its surface or in its structure. That it has only recently (compared +with other countries) obtained its present elevation, is often forcibly +impressed upon the traveller, by the appearance of the country he is +traversing, but no where have I found this to be the case in a greater +degree, than whilst exploring that part of it, north of Spencer's Gulf, +where a great portion of the low lands intervening, between the base of +Flinders range, and the bed of Lake Torrens, presents the appearance of a +succession of rounded undulations of sand or pebbles washed perfectly +smooth and even, looking like waves of the sea, and seeming as if they +had not been very many centuries deserted by the element that had moulded +them into their present form. In this singular district I found scattered +at intervals throughout the whole area inclosed by, but south of, Lake +Torrens, many steep-sided fragments of a table land, [Note 34 at end of +para.] which had evidently been washed to pieces by the violent action of +water, and which appeared to have been originally, of nearly the same +general elevation as the table lands to the westward. It seems to me, +that these table lands have formerly been the bed of the ocean, and this +opinion is fully borne out by the many marine remains, fossil shells, and +banks of oyster shells, [Note 35 at end of para.] which are frequently to +be met with embedded in them. What are now the ranges of the continent +would therefore formerly have been but rocks or islands, and if this +supposition be true, there are still hopes that some other islands are +scattered over the immense space occupied by Australia, and which may be +of as rich and fertile a character, as any that are yet known. Thus if +the intervening extent of desert lying between any of the known portions +of Australia, and what may be considered as having been the next island, +can be ascertained and crossed over, new and valuable regions may yet be +offered for the extension of the pastoral interest of our Colonies, +and for the general spread of civilization and improvement. + +[Note 34: "An hundred miles above this, I passed a curious feature, called +the "Square Hills" (plate 123 ). I landed my canoe and went ashore, and to +their tops to examine them. Though they appeared to be near the river, I +found it half a day's journey to travel to and from them; they being +several miles from the river. On ascending them I found them to be two or +three hundred feet high, and rising on their sides at an angle of 45 deg. +and on their tops, in some places for half a mile in length perfectly +level, with a green turf, and corresponding exactly with the tabular +hills spoken of above the Mandans, in plate 39, vol. 1. I therein said +that I should visit these hills on my way down the river; and I am fully +convinced from close examination, that they are a part of the same +original superstratum, which I therein described, though 7 or 800 miles +separated from them. They agree exactly in character, and also in the +materials of which they are composed; and I believe that some +unaccountable gorge of waters has swept away the intervening earth, +leaving these solitary and isolated, though incontrovertible evidences, +that the summit level of all this great valley, has at one time been +where the level surface of these hills now is, two or three hundred feet +above what is now denominated the summit level."--Catlin's American +Indians, Vol. 2. pp. 11 and 12.] + +[Note 35: Similar banks of fossil shells and oyster beds, are found in the +Arkansas.--Vide Catlin, Vol. 2. p. 85. At page 86, Mr. Catlin describes +banks of gypsum and salt, extending through a considerable extent of +country, and which apparently was of a very similar formation to some of +the localities I was in to the north of Spencer's Gulf.] + +I have already observed that several circumstances connected with my own +personal experience have led me to the conclusion, that there is no +inland sea now occupying the centre of New Holland; it will be sufficient +to name three of the most important of these. + +First. I may mention the hot winds which in South Australia, or opposite +the centre of the continent, always blow from the north, to those, who +have experienced the oppressive and scorching influence of these winds, +which can only be compared to the fiery and withering blasts from a +heated furnace, I need hardly point out that there is little probability +that such winds can have been wafted over a large expanse of water. + +Secondly. I may state that between the Darling river and the head of the +Great Australian Bight, I have at various points come into friendly +communication with the Aborigines inhabiting the outskirts of the +interior, and from them I have invariably learnt that they know of no +large body of water inland, fresh or salt; that there were neither trees +nor ranges, but that all was an arid waste so far as they were accustomed +to travel. + +Thirdly. I infer the non-existence of an inland sea, from the coincidence +observable in the physical appearance, customs, character, and pursuits +of the Aborigines at opposite points of the continent, whilst no such +coincidence exists along the intervening lines of coast connecting those +points. + +With respect to the first consideration, it is unnecessary to add further +remark; as regards the second, I may state, that although I may sometimes +not have met with natives at those precise spots which might have been +best suited for making inquiry, or although I may sometimes have had a +difficulty in explaining myself to, or in understanding a people whose +language I did not comprehend; yet such has not always been the case, and +on many occasions I have had intercourse with natives at favourable +positions, and have been able, quite intelligibly, to carry on any +inquiries. One of these opportunities occurred in the very neighbourhood +of the hill from which Mr. Poole is said to have seen the inland sea, as +described in Captain Sturt's despatch. + +There are several reasons for supposing Mr. Poole to have been deceived +in forming an opinion of the objects which he saw before him from that +elevation: first, I know, from experience, the extraordinary and +deceptive appearances that are produced in such a country as Mr. Poole +was in, by mirage and refration combined. I have often myself been very +similarly deceived by the semblance of hills, islands, and water, where +none such existed in reality. Secondly, in December 1843, I was within +twenty-five miles of the very spot from which Mr. Poole thought he looked +upon a sea, and I was then accompanied by natives, and able, by means of +an interpreter, to communicate with those who were acquainted with the +country to the north-west. My inquiries upon this point were particular; +but they knew of no sea. They asserted that there was mud out in that +direction, and that a party would be unable to travel; from which I +inferred either that some branch of the Darling spread out its waters +there in time of flood, or that Lake Torrens itself was stretching out in +the direction indicated. Thirdly, I hold it physically impossible that a +sea can exist in the place assigned to it, in as much as during an +expedition, undertaken by the Surveyor-general of the Colony, in +September, 1843, that officer had attained a position which would place +himself and Mr. Poole at two opposite points, upon nearly the same +parallel of latitude; but about 130 miles of longitude apart, in a low +level country, and in which, therefore, the ranges of their respective +vision from elevations would cross each other, and if there was a sea, +Captain Frome must have seen it as well as Mr. Poole; again, I myself had +an extensive and distant view to the north-east and east from Mount +Hopeless, a low hill, about ninety miles further north than Captain +Frome's position, but a little more east; yet there was nothing like a +sea to be seen from thence, the dry and glazed-looking bed of Lake +Torrens alone interrupting the monotony of the desert. + +There are still some few points connected with our knowledge of the +outskirts of the interior which leave great room for speculation, and +might lead to the opinion that it is not altogether a low or a desert +region. The facts which have more immediately come under my own +observation, are connected, first with the presence of birds belonging to +a higher and better country in the midst of a desert region, and +secondly, with the line of route taken by the Aborigines in spreading +over the continent, as deduced from a coincidence or dissimilarity of the +manners, customs, or languages of tribes remotely apart from one another. + +With respect to the presence of birds in a region such as they do not +usually frequent, I may state that at Mount Arden, near the head of +Spencer's Gulf, swans were seen taking their flight high in the air, to +the north, as if making for some river or lake they were accustomed to +feed at. At the Frome river, where it spreads into the plains to the +north of Flinders range; four white cockatoos were found flying about +among the trees, although those birds had not been met with for 200 miles +before I attained that point. [Note 36: Vide Vol. I. July 4, Aug 31, +and March 19.] And about longitude 128 degrees 20 minutes E., when +crossing over towards King George's Sound, large parrots were found coming +from the north-east, to feed upon the berries of a shrub growing on the +sea coast, although no parrots were seen for two or three hundred +miles on either side, either to the east or to the west, they +must, therefore, have come from the interior. Now the parrot is a bird +that often frequents a mountainous country, and always inhabits one +having timber of a better description and larger growth than the +miserable shrubs met with along the coast; it is a bird too that always +lives within reach of permanent fresh-water, as rivers, lakes, creeks, +pools, etc. Can there then be such in the interior, with so barren and +arid a region, bounding it? and how are we to commence an examination +with so many difficulties and embarrassments attending the very outset? + +The second series of facts which have attracted my attention, relate to +the Aborigines. It is a well known circumstance that the dialects, +customs, and pursuits in use among them in the various parts of the +continent, differ very much from each other in some particulars, and yet +that there is such a general similarity in the aggregate as to leave no +room to doubt that all the Aborigines of Australia have had one common +origin, and are in reality one and the same race. If this then is really +the case, they must formerly have spread over the continent from one +first point, and this brings me to the + +Third reason I have mentioned as being one, from which I infer, that +there is not an inland sea, viz., the coincidence observable in the +physical appearance, customs, character, and pursuits of the Aborigines, +at opposite points of the continent, whilst no such coincidence exists +along the intervening lines of coast connecting those two points, and +which naturally follows from the circumstances connected with the present +location of the various tribes in which this is observable, and with the +route which they must have taken to arrive at the places they now occupy +on the continent. [Note 37 at end of para.] I believe that the idea of +attempting to deduce the character of the continent, and the most probable +line for crossing it, from the circumstances and habits of the natives +inhabiting the coast line is quite a novel one. It appears to me, however, +to be worth consideration; and if it is true that the natives have all one +common origin, and have spread over the continent from one first point, +I think it may reasonably be inferred that there is a practicable route +across the centre of New Holland, and that this line lies between the +125th and 135th degrees of east longitude. It further appears that there +must still be a second route, other than the coast line, in the direction +between Port Jackson in New South Wales and the south-east corner of the +Gulf of Carpentaria on the north coast. + +[Note 37: Vide Chapter VII. of Notes on the Aborigines, where this subject +will be found fully discussed, and the reasons given for supposing the +conclusions here assumed.] + +If then we have reasonable grounds for believing that such lines of route +actually do exist, it becomes a matter of much interest and importance to +determine the most favourable point from which to explore them. My own +experience has pointed out the dreadful nature of the southern coast, and +the very great and almost insuperable difficulties that beset the +traveller at the very commencement--in his efforts even to establish a +single depot from which to enter upon his researches. The northern coast +may, probably, afford greater facilities, but in a tropical climate, +where the heat and other circumstances render ordinary difficulties and +impediments still more embarrassing and dangerous, it is a matter of deep +moment that the expedition for interior exploration should commence at +the right point, and this can only be ascertained by a previous +examination. + +I have myself always been most anxious to attempt to cross from Moreton +Bay on the N. E. coast to Port Essington on the N. W. I believe that this +journey is quite practicable, and I have no doubt that if judiciously +conducted, and the country to the south of the line of route always +examined, as far as that could be done, it would completely develop, in +connection with what is already known, the character and formation of +Australia, and would at once point out the most proper place from which +subsequent expeditions ought to start in order finally to accomplish the +passage across its interior--from the north to the south. + + + + + +MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + + +PRELIMINARY REMARKS--UNJUST OPINIONS GENERALLY ENTERTAINED OF THE +CHARACTER OF THE NATIVE--DIFFICULTIES AND DISADVANTAGES HE LABOURS UNDER +IN HIS RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS--AGGRESSIONS AND INJURIES ON THE PART OF +THE LATTER IN GREAT DEGREE EXTENUATE HIS CRIMES. + + +Upon bringing to a close the narrative of an Expedition of Discovery in +Australia, during the progress of which an extensive portion of the +previously unknown parts of that continent were explored, I have thought +it might not be uninteresting to introduce a few pages on the subject of +the Aborigines of the country. + +It would afford me much gratification to see an interest excited on their +behalf proportioned to the claims of a people who have hitherto been +misjudged or misrepresented. + +For the last twelve years I have been personally resident in one or other +of the Australian Colonies, and have always been in frequent intercourse +with the aboriginal tribes that were near, rarely being without some of +them constantly with me as domestics. + +To the advantages of private opportunities of acquiring a knowledge of +their character were added, latterly, the facilities afforded by my +holding a public appointment in South Australia, in the midst of a +district more densely populated by natives than any in that Colony, where +no settler had ventured to locate, and where, prior to my arrival in +October 1841, frightful scenes of bloodshed, rapine, and hostility +between the natives and parties coming overland with stock, had been of +frequent and very recent occurrence. + +As Resident Magistrate of the Murray District, I may almost say, that for +the last three years I have lived with the natives. My duties have +frequently taken me to very great distances up the Murray or the Darling +rivers, when I was generally accompanied only by a single European, or at +most two, and where, if attacked, there was no possibility of my +receiving any human aid. I have gone almost alone among hordes of those +fierce and blood-thirsty savages, as they were then considered, and have +stood singly amongst them in the remote and trackless wilds, when +hundreds were congregated around, without ever receiving the least injury +or insult. + +In my first visits to the more distant tribes I found them shy, alarmed, +and suspicious, but soon learning that I had no wish to injure them, they +met me with readiness and confidence. My wishes became their law; they +conceded points to me that they would not have done to their own people, +and on many occasions cheerfully underwent hunger, thirst, and fatigue to +serve me. + +Former habits and prejudices in some respects gave way to the influence I +acquired. Tribes that never met or heard of one another before were +brought to mingle in friendly intercourse. Single individuals traversed +over immense distances and through many intervening tribes, which +formerly they never could have attempted to pass, and in accomplishing +this the white man's name alone was the talisman that proved their +safe-guard and protection. + +During the whole of the three years I was Resident at Moorunde, not a +single case of serious injury or aggression ever took place on the part +of the natives against the Europeans; and a district, once considered the +wildest and most dangerous, was, when I left it in November 1844, looked +upon as one of the most peaceable and orderly in the province. + +Independently of my own personal experience, on the subject of the +Aborigines, I have much pleasure in acknowledging the obligations I am +under to M. Moorhouse, Esq. Protector of Aborigines in Adelaide, for his +valuable assistance, in comparing and discussing the results of our +respective observations, on matters connected with the natives, and for +the obliging manner in which he has furnished me with many of his own +important and well-arranged notes on various points of interest in their +history. + +By this aid, I am enabled, in the following pages, to combine my own +observations and experience with those of Mr. Moorhouse, especially on +points connected with the Adelaide Tribes. In some cases, extracts from +Mr. Moorhouse's notes, will be copied in his own words, but in most I +found an alteration or rearrangement to be indispensable to enable me to +connect and amplify the subjects: I wish it to be particularly +understood, however, that with any deductions, inferences, remarks, or +suggestions, that may incidentally be introduced, Mr. Moorhouse is +totally unconnected, that gentleman's notes refer exclusively to abstract +matters of fact, relating to the habits, customs, or peculiarities of the +people treated of, and are generally confined to the Adelaide Tribes. + +[Note 38: Some few of these notes were printed in the Colony, in a +detached form, as Reports to the Colonial Government, or in the +Vocabularies of the Missionaries, and since my return to England I find +others have been published in papers, ordered to be printed by the House +of Commons, in August 1844. From the necessity, however, of altering in +some measure the phraseology, to combine Mr. Moorhouse's remarks with my +own, and to preserve a uniformity in the descriptions, it has not been +practicable or desirable in all cases, to separate or distinguish by +inverted commas, those observations which I have adopted. I have, +therefore, preferred making a general acknowledgment of the use I have +made of the notes that were supplied to me by Mr. Moorhouse.] + +In the descriptions given in the following pages, although there may +occasionally be introduced, accounts of the habits, manners, or customs +of some of the tribes inhabiting different parts of Australia I have +visited, yet there are others which are exclusively peculiar to the +natives of South Australia. I wish it, therefore, to be understood, that +unless mention is made of other tribes, or other parts of the continent, +the details given are intended to apply to that province generally, and +particularly to the tribes in it, belonging to the districts of Adelaide +and the Murray river. + +As far as has yet been ascertained, the whole of the aboriginal +inhabitants of this continent, scattered as they are over an immense +extent of country, bear so striking a resemblance in physical appearance +and structure to each other; and their general habits, customs, and +pursuits, are also so very similar, though modified in some respects by +local circumstances or climate, that little doubt can be entertained that +all have originally sprung from the same stock. The principal points of +difference, observable between various tribes, appear to consist chiefly +in some of their ceremonial observances, and in the variations of dialect +in the language they speak; the latter are, indeed, frequently so great, +that even to a person thoroughly acquainted with any one dialect, there +is not the slightest clue by which he can understand what is said by a +tribe speaking a different one. + +The only account I have yet met with, which professed to give any +particular description of the Aborigines of New Holland, is that +contained in the able papers upon this subject, by Captain Grey, in the +second volume of his travels. When it is considered, that the material +for that purpose was collected by the author, during a few months +interval between his two expeditions, which he spent at Swan River, and a +short time subsequently passed at King George's Sound, whilst holding the +appointment of Government Resident there; it is perfectly surprising that +the amount of information amassed should be so great, and so generally +correct, on subjects where so many mistakes are liable to be made, in all +first inquiries, when we are ignorant of the character and habits of the +people of whom information is to be sought, and unacquainted with the +language they speak. + +The subject, however, upon a portion of which Captain Grey so +successfully entered, is very extensive, and one which no single +individual, except by the devotion of a life-time, could hope fully to +discuss. The Continent of Australia is so vast, and the dialects, +customs, and ceremonies of its inhabitants so varied in detail, though so +similar in general outline and character, that it will require the lapse +of years, and the labours of many individuals, to detect and exhibit the +links which form the chain of connection in the habits and history of +tribes so remotely separated; and it will be long before any one can +attempt to give to the world a complete and well-drawn outline of the +whole. + +It is not therefore to satisfy curiosity, or to interrupt the course of +inquiry, that I enter upon the present work; I neither profess, nor could +I attempt to give a full or matured account of the Aborigines of New +Holland. Captain Grey's descriptions on this subject are limited to the +races of South-western, as mine are principally directed to those of +Southern Australia, with occasionally some remarks or anecdotes relating +to tribes in other parts of the Continent with whom I have come in +contact. + +The character of the Australian native has been so constantly +misrepresented and traduced, that by the world at large he is looked upon +as the lowest and most degraded of the human species, and is generally +considered as ranking but little above the members of the brute creation. +Savages have always many vices, but I do not think that these are worse +in the New Hollanders, than in many other aboriginal races. It is said, +indeed, that the Australian is an irreclaimable, unteachable being; that +he is cruel, blood-thirsty, revengeful, and treacherous; and in support +of such assertions, references are made to the total failure of all +missionary and scholastic efforts hitherto made on his behalf, and to +many deeds of violence or aggression committed by him upon the settler. + +[Note 39: I cannot adduce a stronger proof in support of the position I +assume, in favour of the natives, than by quoting the clear and just +conclusions at which the Right Honourable Lord Stanley, the present +Secretary of State for the Colonies, arrived, when considering the case of +some collisions with the natives on the Ovens River, and after a full +consideration of the various circumstances connected with the occurrence. +In a despatch to Governor Sir G. Gipps, dated 5th October, 1841, Lord +Stanley says, "Contrasting the accounts of the Aborigines given by Mr. +Docker with those given by Mr. Mackay, and the different terms on which +those gentlemen appear to be with them in the same vicinity, I cannot +divest myself of the apprehension that the fault in this case lies with +the colonists rather than with the natives. It was natural, that conduct +so harsh and intemperate as that of the Messrs. Mackay should be signally +visited on them, and probably also on wholly unoffending persons, by a +race of uninstructed and ignorant savages. At the same time the case of +Mr. Docker affords a most satisfactory instance of natives entering into +permanent service with white men, and working, as they appear to do, +steadily for wages."] + +With respect to the first point, I consider that an intimate knowledge of +the peculiar habits, laws, and traditions, by which this people are +governed, is absolutely necessary, before any just opinion can be formed +as to how far the means hitherto pursued, have been suitable, or adapted +to counteract the influence of custom and the force of prejudice. Until +this knowledge is attained, we have no right to brand them as either +irreclaimable, or unteachable. My own impression, after long experience, +and an attentive consideration of the subject, is, that in the present +anomalous state of our relations with the Aborigines, our measures are +neither comprehensive enough for, nor is our system sufficiently adapted +to, the singular circumstances they are in, to enable us successfully to +contend with the difficulties and impediments in the way of their rising +in the scale of civilization. + +Upon the second point it is also necessary to make many inquiries before +we arrive at our conclusions; and I have no doubt, if this be done with +calmness, and without prejudice, it will be generally found that there +are many extenuating circumstances which may be brought to modify our +judgment. I am anxious, if possible, to place a few of these before the +public, in the hope, that by lessening in some degree the unfavourable +opinion heretofore entertained of the Aborigines, they may be considered +for the future as more deserving our sympathy and benevolence. + +Without assuming for the native a freedom from vice, or in any way +attempting to palliate the many brutalising habits that pollute his +character, I would still contend that, if stained with the excesses of +unrestrained passions, he is still sometimes sensible to the better +emotions of humanity. Many of the worst traits in his character are the +result of necessity, or the force of custom--the better ones are +implanted in him as a part of his nature. With capabilities for +receiving, and an aptness for acquiring instruction, I believe he has +also the capacity for appreciating the rational enjoyments of life. + +Even in his present low and debased condition, and viewed under every +disadvantages, I do not imagine that his vices would usually be found +greater, or his passions more malignant than those of a very large +proportion of men ordinarily denominated civilised. On the contrary, I +believe were Europeans placed under the same circumstances, equally +wronged, and equally shut out from redress, they would not exhibit half +the moderation or forbearance that these poor untutored children of +impulse have invariably shewn. + +It is true that occasionally many crimes have been committed by them, and +robberies and murders have too often occurred; but who can tell what were +the provocations which led to, what the feelings which impelled such +deeds? Neither have they been the only or the first aggressors, nor has +their race escaped unscathed in the contest. Could blood answer blood, +perhaps for every drop of European's shed by natives, a torrent of their, +by European hands, would crimson the earth. + +[Note 40: "The whites were generally the aggressors. He had been informed +that a petition had been presented to the Governor, containing a list of +nineteen murders committed by the blacks. He could, if it were necessary, +make out a list of five hundred blacks who had been slaughtered by the +whites, and that within a short time."--Extract from speech of Mr. +Threlkeld to the Auxiliary Aborigines' Protection Society in New South +Wales. Abstract of a "Return of the number of homicides committed +respectively by blacks and whites, within the limits of the northwestern +district (of Port Phillip), since its first occupation by settlers--" + +"Total number of white people killed by Aborigines 8 +"Total number of Aborigines killed by white people 43." + +This is only in one district, and only embraces such cases as came to the +knowledge of Mr. Protector Parker. For particulars vide Papers on +Aborigines of Australian Colonies, printed for the House of Commons, +August 1844, p. 318.] + +Let us now inquire a little, upon whose side right and justice are +arrayed in palliation (if any such there can be) of deeds of violence or +aggression on the part of either. + +It is an undeniable fact, that wherever European colonies have been +established in Australia, the native races in that neighbourhood are +rapidly decreasing, and already in some of the elder settlements, have +totally disappeared. It is equally indisputable that the presence of the +white man has been the sole agent in producing so lamentable an effect; +that the evil is still going on, increased in a ratio proportioned to the +number of new settlements formed, or the rapidity with which the settlers +overrun new districts. The natural, the inevitable, but the no less +melancholy result must be, that in the course of a few years more, if +nothing be done to check it, the whole of the aboriginal tribes of +Australia will be swept away from the face of the earth. A people who, by +their numbers, have spread around the whole of this immense continent, +and have probably penetrated into and occupied its inmost recesses, will +become quite extinct, their name forgotten, their very existence but a +record of history. + +It is a popular, but an unfair and unwarranted assumption, that these +consequences are the result of the natural course of events; that they +are ordained by Providence, unavoidable, and not to be impeded. Let us at +least ascertain how far they are chargeable upon ourselves. + +Without entering upon the abstract question concerning the right of one +race of people to wrest from another their possessions, simply because +they happen to be more powerful than the original inhabitants, or because +they imagine that they can, by their superior skill or acquirements, +enable the soil to support a denser population, I think it will be +conceded by every candid and right-thinking mind, that no one can justly +take that which is not his own, without giving some equivalent in return, +or deprive a people of their ordinary means of support, and not provide +them with any other instead. Yet such is exactly the position we are in +with regard to the inhabitants of Australia. + +[Note 41: "The invasion of those ancient rights (of the natives) by +survey and land appropriations of any kind, is justifiable only on the +ground, that we should at the same time reserve for the natives an AMPLE +SUFFICIENCY for THEIR PRESENT and future use and comfort, under the new +style of things into which they are thrown; a state in which we hope they +will be led to live in greater comfort, on a small space, than +they enjoyed before it occurred, on their extensive original +possessions."--Reply of His Excellency Colonel Gawler, to the gentlemen +who objected to sections of land being appropriated for the natives, +before the public were allowed to select.] + +Without laying claim to this country by right of conquest, without +pleading even the mockery of cession, or the cheatery of sale, we have +unhesitatingly entered upon, occupied, and disposed of its lands, +spreading forth a new population over its surface, and driving before us +the original inhabitants. + +To sanction this aggression, we have not, in the abstract, the slightest +shadow of either right or justice--we have not even the extenuation of +endeavouring to compensate those we have injured, or the merit of +attempting to mitigate the sufferings our presence inflicts. + +It is often argued, that we merely have taken what the natives did not +require, or were making no use of; that we have no wish to interfere with +them if they do not interfere with us, but rather that we are disposed to +treat them with kindness and conciliation, if they are willing to be +friends with us. What, however, are the actual facts of the case; and +what is the position of a tribe of natives, when their country is first +taken possession of by Europeans. + +It is true that they do not cultivate the ground; but have they, +therefore, no interest in its productions? Does it not supply grass for +the sustenance of the wild animals upon which in a great measure they are +dependent for their subsistence?--does it not afford roots and vegetables +to appease their hunger?--water to satisfy their thirst, and wood to make +their fire?--or are these necessaries left to them by the white man when +he comes to take possession of their soil? Alas, it is not so! all are in +turn taken away from the original possessors. The game of the wilds that +the European does not destroy for his amusement are driven away by his +flocks and herds. [Note 42 at end of para.] The waters are occupied and +enclosed, and access to them in frequently forbidden. The fields are +fenced in, and the natives are no longerat liberty to dig up roots--the +white man claims the timber, and the very firewood itself is occasion +ally denied to them. Do they pass by the habitation of the intruder, they +are probably chased away or bitten by his dogs, and for this they can +get no redress. [Note 43 at end of para.] Have they dogs of their own, +they are unhesitatingly shot or worried because they are an annoyance to +the domestic animals of the Europeans. Daily and hourly do their wrongs +multiply upon them. The more numerous the white population becomes, and +the more advanced the stage of civilization to which the settlement +progresses, the greater are the hardships that fall to their lot and the +more completely are they cut off from the privileges of their birthright. +All that they have is in succession taken away from them--their +amusements, their enjoyments, their possessions, their freedom--and all +that they receive in return is obloquy, and contempt, and degradation, +and oppression. [Note 44 appears after note 43, below] + +[Note 42: "But directly an European settles down in the country, his +constant residence in one spot soon sends the animals away from it, and +although he may in no other way interfere with the natives, the mere +circumstance of his residing there, does the man on whose land he settles +the injury of depriving him of his ordinary means of subsistence."--GREY'S +TRAVELS, vol. ii. p. 298. + +"The great question was, were we to give them no equivalent for that which +we had taken from them? Had we deprived them of nothing? Was it +nothing that they were driven from the lands where their fathers +lived, where they were born and which were endeared to them by +associations equally strong with the associations of more civilsed +people? He believed that their affections were as warm as the Europeans." +"Perhaps he obtained his subsistence by fishing, and occupied a slip of +land on the banks of a river or the margin of a lake. Was he to be turned +off as soon as the land was required, without any consideration +whatever?" "Had any proper attempt been made for their civilization? They +had not yet had fair play--they had been courted by the missionaries with +the Bible on the one hand, and had at the sametime been driven away and +destroyed by the stock-keepers on the other. He thought that they might +be reclaimed if the proper course was adopted."--EXTRACTS FROM THE SPEECH +OF SYDNEY STEPHEN, ESQ., AT A MEETING ON BEHALF OF THE ABORIGINES IN +SYDNEY, OCTOBER 19, 1838. + +I have myself repeatedly seen the natives driven off private lands in the +vicinity of Adelaide, and their huts burned, even in cold wet weather. +The records of the Police Office will shew that they have been driven off +the Park lands, or those belonging to Government, or at least that they +have been brought up and punished for cutting wood from the trees there. +What are they to do, when there is not a stick or a tree within miles of +Adelaide that they can legally take?] + + +[Note 43: I have known repeated instances of natives in Adelaide +being bitten severely by savage dogs rushing out at them from the +yards of their owners, as they were peaceably passing along the street. On +the other hand I have known a native imprisoned for throwing his waddy at, +and injuring a pig, which was eating a melon he had laid down for a moment +in the street, and when the pig ought not to have been in the street at +all. In February 1842, a dog belonging to a native was shot by order of +Mr. Gouger, the then Colonial Secretary, and the owner as soon as he +became aware of the circumstance, speared his wife for not taking better +care of it, although she could not possibly have helped the occurrence. If +natives then revenge so severely such apparently trivial offences among +themselves, can we wonder that they should sometimes retaliate upon us +for more aggravated ones.] + +[Note 44: The following are extracts from an address to a jury, when +trying some aboriginal natives, by Judge Willis. They at least shew some +of the BLESSINGS the Aborigines experience from being made British +subjects, and placed under British laws:--"I have, on a recent occasion, +stated my opinion, which I still entertain, that the proprietor of a run, +or, in other words, one who holds a lease or license from the Crown to +depasture certain Crown lands, may take all lawful means to prevent either +natives or others from entering or remaining upon it." "The aboriginals of +Van Diemen's Land were strictly commanded, by Governor Arthur's +proclamation of the 15th of April 1828 (a proclamation of which His +Majesty King George the Fourth, through the Right honourable the then +Secretary of State, by a dispatch of the 2nd of February, 1829, under the +circumstances, signified his approval,) "to retire and depart from, and +for no reason, and no pretence, save as therein provided, (viz. +travelling annually to the sea coast in quest of shellfish, under certain +regulations,) to re-enter the settled districts of Van Diemen's Land, or +any portions of land cultivated and occupied by any person whomsoever, +under the authority of Her Majesty's Government, on pain of forcible +expulsion therefrom, and such consequences as might be necessarily +attendant on it, and all magistrates and other persons by them authorized +and deputed, were required to conform themselves to the directions and +instructions of this proclamation, in effecting the retirement and +expulsion of the Aborigines from the settled districts of that +territory."] + +What are they to do under such circumstances, or how support a life so +bereft of its wonted supplies? Can we wonder that they should still +remain the same low abject and degraded creatures that they are, +loitering about the white man's house, and cringing, and pandering to the +lowest menial for that food they can no longer procure for themselves? or +that wandering in misery through a country, now no longer their own, +their lives should be curtailed by want, exposure, or disease? If, on the +other hand, upon the first appearance of Europeans, the natives become +alarmed, and retire from their presence, they must give up all the haunts +they had been accustomed to frequent, and must either live in a starving +condition, in the back country, ill supplied with game, and often wanting +water, or they must trespass upon the territory of another tribe, in a +district perhaps little calculated to support an additional population, +even should they be fortunate enough to escape being forced into one +belonging to an enemy. + +Under any circumstances, however, they have but little respite from +inconvenience and want. The white man rapidly spreads himself over the +country, and without the power of retiring any further, they are +overtaken, and beset by all the evils from which they had previously +fled. + +Such are some of the blessings held out to the savage by civilization, +and they are only some of them. The picture is neither fanciful nor +overdrawn; there is no trait in it that I have not personally witnessed, +or that might not have been enlarged upon; and there are often other +circumstances of greater injury and aggression, which, if dwelt upon, +would have cast a still darker shade upon the prospects and condition of +the native. + +Enough has, however, perhaps been said to indicate the degree of injury +our presence unavoidably inflicts. I would hope, also, to point out the +justice, as well as the expediency of appropriating a considerable +portion of the money obtained, by the sales of land, towards alleviating +the miseries our occupation of their country has occasioned to the +original owners. + +[Note 44a: "That it appears to memorialists that the original occupants of +the soil have an irresistible claim on the Government of this country for +support, inasmuch as the presence of the colonists abridges their means +of subsistence, whilst it furnishes to the public treasury a large +revenue in the shape of fees for licences and assessments on stock, +together with the very large sums paid for land seized by the Crown, and +alienated to private individuals. + +"That it appears to memorialists that the interests at once of the +natives and the colonists would be most effectually promoted by the +government reserving suitable portions of land within the territorial +limits of the respective tribes, with the view of weaning them +from their erratic habits, forming thereon depots for supplying +them with provisions and clothing, under the charge of individuals +of exemplary moral character, taking at the same time an interest +in their welfare, and who would endeavour to instruct them in agricultural +and other useful arts."--Extract from Memorial of the Settlers of +the County of Grant, in the district of Port Phillip, to His Excellency +Sir G. Gipps, in 1840.] + +Surely if we acknowledge the first principles of justice, or if we admit +the slightest claims of humanity on behalf of these debased, but harshly +treated people, we are bound, in honour and in equity, to afford them +that subsistence which we have deprived them of the power of providing +for themselves. + +It may, perhaps, be replied, and at first it might seem, with some +appearance of speciousness, that all is done that can be done for them, +that each of the Colonial Governments annually devotes a portion of its +revenue to the improvement, instruction, and maintenance of the natives. +So far this is very praiseworthy, but does it in any degree compensate +for the evil inflicted? + +The money usually voted by the councils of Government, towards defraying +expenses incurred on behalf of the Aborigines of Australia, is but a very +small per centage upon the sums that have been received for the sales of +lands, and is principally expended in defraying the salaries of +protectors, in supporting schools, providing food or clothing for one or +two head stations, and perhaps supplying a few blankets once in the year +to some of the outstations. Little is expended in the daily provisioning +of the natives generally, and especially in the more distant country +districts least populated by Europeans, but most densely occupied by +natives, and where the very thinness of the European inhabitants +precludes the Aborigines from resorting to the same sources to supply +their wants, that are open to them in a town, or more thickly inhabited +district. Such are those afforded by the charity of individuals, by the +rewards received for performing trifling services of work, by the +obtaining vast quantities of offal, or of broken victuals, which are +always abundant in a country where animal food is used in excess, and +where the heat of the climate daily renders much of it unfit for +consumption in the family, and by others of a similar nature. + +Such resources, however humiliating and pernicious they are in their +effects, are not open to the tribes living in a district almost +exclusively occupied by the sheep or cattle of the settler, and where the +very numbers of the stock only more completely drive away the original +game upon which the native had been accustomed to subsist, and hold out a +greater temptation to him to supply his wants from the superabundance +which he sees around him, belonging to those by whom he has been +dispossessed. The following appropriate remarks are an extract from +Report of Aborigines' Protection Society, of March, 1841, (published in +the South Australian Register, 4th December, 1841.) + +"Under that system it is obvious to every coloured man, even the least +intelligent, that the extending settlements of the Europeans involve a +sentence of banishment, and eventual extermination, upon his tribe and +race. Major Mitchell, in his travels, refers to this apprehension on the +part of the Aborigines--"White man come, Kangaroo go away"--from which as +an inevitable consequence follows--"black man famished away." If, then, +this appears a necessary result of the unjust, barbarous, unchristian +mode of colonization pursued in New Holland, over-looking the other +incidental, and more pointedly aggravating provocations, to the coloured +man, associated with that system, how natural, in his case, is an enmity +which occasionally visits some of the usurping race with death! We call +the offence in him MURDER; but let the occasion be only examined, and we +must discover that, in so designating it, we are imposing geographical, +or national restrictions, upon the virtue of patriotism; or that in the +mani-festations of that principle, we make no allowances for the +influence on its features of the relative degradation or elevation of +those among whom it is met. + +"Our present colonization system renders the native and the colonizing +races from necessity belligerents; and there can be no real peace, no +real amity, no mutual security, so long as that system is not substituted +by one reconciling the interest of both races. Colonists will fall before +the spears and the waddies of incensed Aborigines, and they in return +will be made the victims of 'summary justice.' + +"In cases of executive difficulty, the force of popular prejudice will be +apt to be too strong for the best intentioned Governor to withstand it; +Europeans will have sustained injury; the strict forms of legal justice +may be found of difficult application to a race outcast or degraded, +although ORIGINALLY in a condition fitted to appreciate them, to benefit +by them, and reflect their benefits upon others; impatient at this +difficulty, the delay it may occasion, and the shelter from ultimate +punishment, the temptation will ever be strong to revert to summary +methods of proceeding; and thus, as in a circle, injustice will be found +to flow reciprocal injury, and from injury injustice again, in another +form. The source of all these evils, and of all this injustice, is the +unreserved appropriation of native lands, and the denial, in the first +instance of colonization, of equal civil rights. To the removal of those +evils, so far as they can be removed in the older settlements, to their +prevention in new colonies, the friends of the Aborigines are invoked to +direct their energy; to be pacified with the attainment of nothing less; +for nothing less will really suffice." + +Can it be deemed surprising that a rude, uncivilized being, driven from +his home, deprived of all his ordinary means of subsistence [Note 45 at +end of para.], and pressed perhaps by a hostile tribe from behind, should +occasionally be guilty of aggressions or injuries towards his oppressors? +The wonder rather is, not that these things do sometimes occur, but that +they occur so rarely. + +[Note 45: "If you can still be generous to the conquered, relieve the +hunger which drives us in despair to slaughter your flocks and the men who +guard them. Our fields and forests, which once furnished us with abundance +of vegetable and animal food, now yield us no more; they and their produce +are yours; you prosper on our native soil, and we are famishing." +--STRZELECKI'S N. S. WALES, p. 356.] + +In addition to the many other inconsistencies in our conduct towards the +Aborigines, not the least extraordinary is that of placing them, on the +plea of protection, under the influence of our laws, and of making them +British subjects. Strange anomaly, which by the former makes amenable to +penalties they are ignorant of, for crimes which they do not consider as +such, or which they may even have been driven to commit by our own +injustice; and by the latter but mocks them with an empty sound, since +the very laws under which we profess to place them, by their nature and +construction are inoperative in affording redress to the injured. + +[Note 46: "To subject savage tribes to the penalties of laws with which +they are unacquainted, for offences which they, very possibly, regard as +acts of justifiable retaliation for invaded rights, is a proceeding +indefensible, except under circumstances of urgent and extreme +necessity."--Fourth Report of the Colonization Commissioners, presented to +the House of Commons, 29th July, 1840. + +"The late act, declaring them naturalized as British subjects, has only +rendered them legally amenable to the English criminal law, and added one +more anomaly to all the other enactments affecting them. This +naturalization excludes them from sitting on a jury, or appearing as +witnesses, and entails a most confused form of judicial proceedings; all +which, taken together, has made of the Aborigines of Australia a +nondescript caste, who, to use their own phraseology, are 'neither black +nor white.'"--Strzelecki's N. S. Wales.] + +If, in addition to the many evils and disadvantages the natives must +necessarily be subject to from our presence, we take still further into +account the wrongs they are exposed to from the ill feeling towards them +which has sometimes existed among the settlers, or their servants, on the +outskirts of the country; the annoyances they are harassed by, even where +this feeling does not exist, in being driven away from their usual haunts +and pursuits (and this is a practice often adopted by the remote grazier +as a mere matter of policy to avoid trouble or the risk of a collision); +we shall find upon the whole that they have often just causes of offence, +and that there are many circumstances connected with their crimes which, +from the peculiar position they are placed in, may well require from us +some mitigation of the punishment that would be exacted from Europeans +for the same misdeeds. + +Captain Grey has already remarked the strong prejudice and recklessness +of human life which frequently exist on the part of the settlers with +regard to the natives. Nor has this feeling been confined to Western +Australia alone. In all the colonies, that I have been in, I have myself +observed that a harsh and unjust tone has occasionally been adopted in +speaking of the Aborigines; and that where a feeling of prejudice does +not exist against them, there is too often a great indifference +manifested as to their fate. I do not wish it to be understood that such +is always the case; on the contrary, I know that the better, and right +thinking part of the community, in all the colonies, not only disavow +such feelings, but are most anxious, as far as lies in their power, to +promote the interests and welfare of the natives. Still, there are always +some, in every settlement, whose passions, prejudices, interests, or +fears, obliterate their sense of right and wrong, and by whom these poor +wanderers of the woods are looked upon as intruders in their own country, +or as vermin that infest the land, and whose blood may be shed with as +little compunction as that of the wild animals they are compared to. + +By those who have heard the dreadful accounts current in Western +Australia, and New South Wales, of the slaughter formerly committed by +military parties, or by the servants [Note 47 at end of para.] of the +settlers upon the Aborigines, in which it is stated that men, women, and +children have been surprised, surrounded and shot down indiscriminately, +at their camps at night; or who have heard such deeds, or other similar +ones, justified or boasted of, it will readily be believed to what an +extent the feeling I have alluded to has occasionally been carried, and +to what excesses it has led. [Note 48 appears after Note 47, below] + +[Note 47: The following extract from a reply of his Honour the +Superintendent of Port Phillip to the representation made to his Honour +by the settlers and inhabitants of the district of Port Fairy, in +March 1842, shews that these frightful atrocities against the natives +had not even then ceased. + +"That the presence of a protector in your district, and other means of +prevention hitherto employed, have not succeeded better than they have +done in repressing aggression or retaliation, and have failed to establish +a good understanding between the natives and the European settlers, +is greatly to be deplored. + +"As far as the local government has power, every practicable extension +of these arrangements shall be made without delay; but, gentlemen, +however harsh, a plain truth must be told, the destruction of +European property, and even the occasional sacrifice of European +life, by the hands of the savage tribes, among whom you live, if +unprovoked and unrevenged, may justly claim sympathy and pity; but the +feeling of abhorrence which one act of savage retaliation or cruelty on +your part will rouse, must weaken, if not altogether obliterate every +other, in the minds of most men; and I regret to state, that I have +before me a statement presented in a form which I dare not discredit, +shewing that such acts are perpetrated among you. + +"It reveals a nightly attack upon a small number of natives, by a +party of the white inhabitants of your district, and the murder of +no fewer than three defenceless aboriginal women and a child, in +their sleeping place; and this at the very time your memorial was +in the act of signature, and in the immediate vicinity of the station +of two of the parties who have signed it. Will not the commission of +such crimes call down the wrath of God, and do more to check the +prosperity of your district, and to ruin your prospects, than all +the difficulties and losses under which you labour?" Mr. Sievewright's +letter gives an account of this infamous transaction. + + +"WESTERN ABORIGINAL ESTABLISHMENT, +THOLOR, 26TH FEBRUARY, 1842. + +"Sir,--I have the honour to report that on the afternoon +of the 24th instant, two aboriginal natives, named Pwe-bin-gan-nai, +Calangamite, returned to this encampment, which they had left with their +families on the 22nd, and reported 'that late on the previous evening, +while they with their wives, two other females, and two children, were +asleep at a tea-tree scrub, called One-one-derang, a party of eight white +people on horseback surrounded them, dismounted, and fired upon them with +pistols; that three women and a child had been thus killed, and the other +female so severely wounded as to be unable to stand or be removed by +them;' they had saved themselves and the child, named 'Uni bicqui-ang,' +by flight, who was brought to this place upon their shoulders. + +"At daybreak yesterday I proceeded to the spot indicated, and there found +the dead bodies of three women, and a male child about three years of age; +and also found a fourth woman dangerously wounded by gunshot wounds, and +severely scorched on the limbs by the discharge of fire-arms. + +"Having proceeded to the station of the Messrs. Osbrey and Smith, distant +about 700 yards from where the bodies were found, and requested the +presence of those gentlemen as witnesses, I proceeded to view the bodies, +upon which were found the wounds as set forth in the accompanying report. + +"All knowledge of this barbarous transaction is denied by the proprietors, +overseer, and servants at the home station, so near to which the bodies +were found, nor have I as yet obtained any information which may lead to +the discovery of the perpetrators of these murders. + +"I have, etc. +(Signed) "C. W. SIEVEWRIGHT." +James Croke, Esq., +Crown Prosecutor," +etc. etc. etc. + + +Description of Gun-shot Wounds upon the bodies of three Aboriginal Women +and One Male Child found dead, and an Aboriginal Woman found wounded in a +tea-tree scrub, near the Station of Messrs. Osbrey and Smith, Portland +District, upon the 25th of February, 1842, by Assistant-Protector +Sievewright. + + +"No. 1. Recognised by the assistant-protector as +'Wooi-goning,' wife of an Aboriginal native 'Pui-bui-gannei;' one gun-shot +wound through the chest (a ball), and right thigh broken by a gun-shot +wound (a ball). + +"No. 2. Child (male); one gun-shot wound through the chest (a bullet), +left thigh lacerated by some animal. + +"No. 3. Woman big with child; one gun-shot wound through the chest +(a bullet), left side scorched. + +"No. 4. Woman; gun-shot wound through abdomen (a bullet), by right hip; +gun-shot wound, left arm broken, (a bullet.) + +"No. 5. Woman wounded; gun-shot wound in back (a ball), gun-shot through +right hand (a ball). + +"(Signed) +"C. W. SIEVEWRIGHT."] + + +[Note 48: The belief on the part of the Home authorities that such deeds +did occur, and their opinion, so many years ago, regarding them, may be +gathered from the following extract from a despatch from Lord Glenelg to +Governor Sir James Stirling, dated 23rd of July, 1835. "I perceive, with +deep concern, that collisions still exist between the colonists and the +natives. + +"It is impossible, however, to regard such conflicts without +regret and anxiety, when we recollect how fatal, in too many instances, +our colonial settlements have proved to the natives of the places where +they have been formed. + +"It will be your duty to impress upon the settlers that it is the +determination of the Government to visit any act of injustice or +violence on the natives, with the utmost severity, and that in no +case will those convicted of them, remain unpunished. Nor will it +be sufficient simply to punish the guilty, but ample compensation must be +made to the injured party, for the wrong received. You will make it +imperative upon the officers of police never to allow any injustice or +insult in regard to the natives to pass by unnoticed, as being of too +trifling a character; and they should be charged to report to you, with +punctuality, every instance of aggression or misconduct. Every neglect of +this point of duty you will mark with the highest displeasure." + +Such were the benevolent views entertained by the Government in England +towards the Aborigines ten years ago, and it might be readily proved from +many despatches of subsequent Secretaries of State to the different +Governors, that such have been their feelings since, and yet how little +has been done in ten years to give a practical effect to their good +intentions towards the natives.] + +Were other evidence necessary to substantiate this point, it would be +only requisite to refer to the tone in which the natives are so often +spoken of by the Colonial newspapers, to the fact that a large number of +colonists in New South Wales, including many wealthy landed proprietors +and magistrates, petitioned the Local Government on behalf of a party of +convicts, found guilty on the clearest testimony of having committed one +of the most wholesale, cold-blooded, and atrocious butcheries of the +Aborigines ever recorded [Note 49 at end of para.], and to the acts of the +Colonial Governments themselves, who have found it necessary, sometimes, +to prohibit fire-arms at out-stations, and have been compelled to take +away the assigned servants, or withdraw the depasturing licences of +individuals, because they have been guilty of aggression upon the +Aborigines. + +[Note 49: Seven men were hanged for this offence, on the 18th of December, +1838. In the Sydney Monitor, published on the 24th or next issue after the +occurrence, is the following paragraph:-- + +"The following conversation between two gentlemen took place in the +military barrack square, on Tuesday, just after the execution of the seven +murderers of the native blacks, and while General O'Connell was reviewing +the troops of the garrison. + +"COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.--So I find they have hanged these men. +"TOWN GENTLEMAN. --They have." +"COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.--Ah! hem, we are going on a safer game now. +"TOWN GENTLEMAN. --Safer game! how do you mean?" +"COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.--Why, we are poisoning the blacks; which is much + better, and serve them right too!" + +"We vouch for the truth of this conversation, and for the very words; +and will prove our statement, if public justice should, in our +opinion require it." + +The following letter from His Honour the Superintendent of Port Philip +shews, that even in 1843, suspicions were entertained in the colony, +that this most horrible and inhuman cruelty towards the Aborigines had +lately been practised there. + + +"Melbourne, 17th March, 1843. + +"SIR,--I have the honour to report, for his Excellency's information, +that in the month of December last, I received a letter from the Chief +Protector, enclosing a communication received from Dr. Wotton, the +gentleman in charge of the Aboriginal station at Mount Rouse, stating that +a rumour had reached him that a considerable number of Aborigines had +been poisoned at the station of Dr. Kilgour, near Port Fairy. + +"I delayed communicating this circumstance at the time, as I expected +the Chief Protector and his assistants would find it practicable to +bring the crime home to the parties accused of having perpetrated it; +but I regret to state, that every attempt to discover the guilty +parties has hitherto proved ineffectual, and that although there +may be strong grounds of suspicion that such a deed had been perpetrated, +and that certain known parties in this district were the perpetrators, +yet it seems nearly impossible to obtain any legal proof to bear on +either one point or the other. + +"I beg leave to enclose copies of two communications which I have received +from Mr. Robinson on the subject. + +"I have, etc. +"(Signed) +"C. J. LATROBE." +"The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, +etc. etc. etc." + + +Rumours of another similar occurrence existed in the settlements +north of Sydney, about the same time. To the inquiries made on the +subject, by the Government, the following letters refer. + + +"Moreton Bay, Zion's Hill, 14th January 1843. + +"Sir,--In reply to your inquiry respecting the grounds on which I made +mention in my journal, kept during a visit to the Bunga Bunga country, +of a considerable number of blacks having been poisoned in the +northern part of this district, I beg leave to state, that having +returned from Sydney in the month of March 1842, I learnt, first, +by my coadjutor, the Rev. Mr. Epper, that such a rumour was spreading, +of which I have good reason to believe also his Excellency the Governor +was informed during his stay at Moreton Bay. I learnt, secondly, +by the lay missionaries, Messrs. Nique and Rode, who returned +from an excursion to "Umpie-boang" in the first week of April, that +natives of different tribes, who were collecting from the north for a +fight, had related the same thing to them as a fact. Messrs. Nique and +Rode have made this statement also in their diary, which is laid before +our committee in Sydney. I learnt, thirdly, by the runaway Davis, when +collecting words and phrases of the northern dialect from him, previous +to my expedition to the Bunga Bunga country, that there was not the least +doubt but such a deed had been done, and moreover that the relatives of +the poisoned blacks, being in great fury, were going to revenge +themselves. Davis considered it, therefore, exceedingly dangerous for us +to proceed to the north, mentioning at the same time, that two white men +had already been killed by blacks in consequence of poisoning. I +ascertained likewise from him the number, 50 or 60. + +"When inquiring of him whether he had not reported this fact to +yourself, he replied, that both he, himself, and Bracewell, the +other runaway, whom Mr. Petrie had brought back from the Wide Bay, +had done so, and that you had stated it fully in your report to his +Excellency the Governor, respecting himself and Bracewell. + +"4. The natives who had carried our provisions up to Mr. Archer's station, +made the same statement to us, as a reason why they would not accompany +us any farther to the Bunga Bunga country. + +"When writing down, therefore, my journal, I considered it unnecessary to +make a full statement of all that had come to my knowledge since the month +of March, concerning that most horrid event, or even to relate it as +something new, as it was not only known several months since to the +respective authorities, but also as almost every one at Moreton Bay +supposed that an investigation would take place without delay. + +"I have, etc. +"(signed) "WILLIAM SCHMIDT, +"Missionary.""S. Simpson, Esq., +"Commissioner of Crown Lands, +"Eagle Farm." + + +"WOOGAROO, MORETON BAY, 6TH MAY, 1843. + +"Sir,--I have the honour to report, for the information of his Excellency, +that during my excursion to the Bunga country, I have taken every +opportunity of instituting an inquiry as to the truth of the alleged +poisoning of some Aborigines at a sheep station in the north of this +district. A report of the kind certainly exists among the two tribes I +fell in with, namely, the Dallambarah and Coccombraral tribes, but as +neither of them were present at the time, they could give me no +circumstantial information whatever on the subject. The Giggabarah +tribe, the one said to have suffered, I was unable to meet with. +Upon inquiry at the stations to the north, I could learn nothing +further than that they had been using arsenic very extensively for +the cure of the scab, in which operation sheep are occasionally +destroyed by some of the fluid getting down their throats; and as the +men employed frequently neglect to bury the carcases, it is very possible +that the Aborigines may have devoured them, particularly the entrails, +which they are very fond of, and that hence some accident of the kind +alluded to may have occurred without their knowledge. + +"I have, etc. +"(signed) S. SIMPSON, +"Commissioner of Crown Lands." + +"The Honourable E. D. Thomson, +"Colonial Secretary." + + +For the sake of humanity I would hope that such unheard of atrocities +cannot really have existed. That the bare suspicion even of such crimes +should have originated and gained currency in more than one district +of Australia, is of itself a fearful indication of the feeling +among the lowest classes in the colonies, and of the harrowing +deeds to which that might lead. + +Extract from South Australian Registe, 10th of July, 1841, after the +return of Major O'Halloran and a party of sixty-eight individuals, sent +up the Murray to try and rescue property stolen by blacks. "In the mean +time we cannot but think that the DISAPPOINTMENT SO GENERALLY +EXPRESSED, because Major O'Halloran has returned 'WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT,' +is somewhat unreasonable, seeing that in his presence the natives DID +NOTHING TO WARRANT AN EXTREME MEASURE, and that there were no means of +identifying either the robbers of Mr. Inman, or the murderers of Mr. +Langhorne's servants. It is quite clear that a legally authorised English +force could not be permitted to fire indiscriminately upon the natives AS +SOME PERSONS THINK they ought to have done, or to fire at all, save when +attacked, or under circumstances in which any white subject of the Queen +might be shot at. We KNOW that many overland parties HAVE NOT HESITATED +TO FIRE AT THE NATIVES WHEREVER THEY APPEARED; and it is possible that +the tribes now hostilely disposed may have received some provocation."] + +The following extract from a letter addressed by the Chief Protector of +the Port Phillip district, Mr. Robinson, to his Honour the Superintendent +at Melbourne, shews that officer's opinion of the feeling of the lower +class of the settlers' servants, with regard to the Aborigines in +Australia Felix. + + +"Anterior to my last expedition I had seen a large portion of this +province; I have now seen nearly the entire, and, in addition, have made +myself thoroughly acquainted with the character of its inhabitants. + +"The settlers are, for the most part, a highly respectable body of men, +many, to my knowledge, deeply commiserating the condition of the natives; +a few have been engaged in the work of their amelioration; these, +however, are but isolated instances; the majority are averse to having +the natives, and drive them from their runs. + +"Nothing could afford me greater pleasure than to see a reciprocity of +interest established between the settler and aborigine, and it would +delight me to see the settlers engaged in the great work of their +amelioration; and though on the part of the settlers, a large majority +would readily engage, I nevertheless feel persuaded that, until a better +class of peasantry be introduced, and a code of judicature suited to the +condition of the natives, its practicability, as a general principle, is +unattainable. + +"In the course of my wanderings through the distant interior, I found it +necessary, in order to arrive at a correct judgment, to observe the +relative character of both classes, i. e. the European and the Aborigine. +The difficulty on the part of the Aborigine by proper management can be +overcome; but the difficulty on the part of the depraved white man is of +far different character, and such as to require that either their place +should be supplied by a more honest and industrious peasantry, or that a +more suitable code of judicature be established, to restrain their +nefarious proceedings with reference to the aboriginal natives. + +"I found, on my last expedition, that a large majority of the white +servants employed at the stock stations in the distant interior were, for +the most part, men of depraved character; and it was with deep regret +that I observed that they were all armed; and in the estimation of some +of these characters, with whom I conversed, I found that the life of a +native was considered to be of no more value than that of a wild dog. The +settlers complained generally of the bad character of their men. The +saying is common among them, 'That the men and not we are the masters.' +The kind of treatment evinced towards the aboriginal natives in remote +parts of the interior by this class of persons, may be easily imagined; +but as I shall have occasion more fully to advert to this topic in the +report I am about to transmit to the Government, I shall defer for the +present offering further observations. + +"The bad character of the white servants is a reason assigned by many +settlers for keeping the natives from their stations. At a few +establishments, viz. Norman M'Leod's, Baillie's, Campbell's, Lenton's, +and Urquhart's, an amicable and friendly relation has been maintained for +several years; the Aborigines are employed and found useful. I visited +these stations; and the proprietors assured me the natives had never done +them any injury; the natives also spoke in high terms of these parties. +There are other settlers also who have rendered assistance in improving +the condition of the natives, and to whom I shall advert in my next +report. + +"Whether the proprietors of these establishments devote more attention, +or whether their white servants are of less nefarious character than +others, I am not prepared to say; but the facts I have stated are +incontrovertible, and are sufficient to shew the reclaimability of the +natives, when proper persons are engaged, and suitable means had recourse +to. I cannot but accede to the proposition, namely, that of holding out +inducements to all who engage in the amelioration of the aboriginal +natives. Those who have had experience, who have been tried and found +useful, ought to have such inducements held out to them as would ensure a +continuance of their appointments, the more especially as it has always +been found difficult to obtain suitable persons for this hazardous and +peculiar service." + + +The following extract from another letter, also addressed to his Honour +the Superintendent, shews the opinions and feelings of the writer, a +Magistrate of the Colony, and a Commissioner of Crown Lands, in the +Geelong district. + + +"In offering my candid opinion, I submissively beg leave to state, that +for the last three years, on all occasions, I have been a friend to the +natives; but from my general knowledge of their habits of idleness, +extreme cunning, vice, and villany, that it is out of the power of all +exertion that can be bestowed on them to do good by them; and I further +beg leave to state, that I can plainly see the general conduct of the +native growing worse, and, if possible, more useless, and daily more +daring. One and all appear to consider that no punishment awaits them. +This idea has latterly been instilled into their minds with, I should +think, considerable pains, and also that the white men should be punished +for the least offence. + +"In reply to the latter part of your letter, I beg leave to bring to your +notice that, at considerable risk, two years ago, I apprehended a native +for the murder of one of Mr. Learmonth's men, near Bunengang. He was +committed to Sydney gaol, and at the expiration of a year he was returned +to Melbourne to be liberated, and is now at large. In the case of Mr. +Thomson's, that I apprehended two, and both identified by the men who so +fortunately escaped. It is a difficult thing to apprehend natives, and +with great risk of life on both sides. On the Grange, and many parts of +the country, it would be impossible to take them; AND IN MY OPINION, the +only plan to bring them to a fit and proper state is to insist on the +gentlemen in the country to protect their property, AND TO DEAL WITH SUCH +USELESS SAVAGES ON THE SPOT." + + +Captain Grey bears testimony to similar feelings and occurrences in +Western Australia. In speaking of capturing some natives, he says, vol. +2. p. 351. "It was necessary that I should proceed with great caution, in +order not to alarm the guilty parties when they saw us approaching, in +which case, I should have had no chance of apprehending them, and I did +not intend to adopt the popular system of shooting them when they ran +away." And again, at page 356, he says, "It was better that I, an +impartial person, should see that they were properly punished for theft, +than that the Europeans should fire indiscriminately upon them, as had +lately been done, in another quarter." + +Even in South Australia, where the Colonists have generally been more +concentrated, and where it might naturally be supposed there would be +less likelihood of offenders of this kind escaping detection and +punishment, there are not wanting instances of unnecessary and +unprovoked, and sometimes of wanton injury upon the natives. In almost +all cases of this description, it is quite impracticable from the +inadmissibility of native evidence, or from some other circumstances, to +bring home conviction to the guilty. [Note 50 at end of para.] On the +other hand, where natives commit offences against Europeans, if they can +be caught, the punishment is certain and severe. Already since the +establishment of South Australia as a colony, six natives have been tried +and hung, for crimes against Europeans, and many others have been shot or +wounded, by the police and military in their attempts to capture or +prevent their escape. No European has, however, yet paid the penalties of +the law, for aggressions upon the Aborigines, though many have deserved +to do so. The difficulty consists in legally bringing home the offence, +or in refuting the absurd stories that are generally made up in +justification of it. + +[Note 50: Vide Chapter 9, of Notes on the Aborigines.] + +A single instance or two will be sufficient, in illustration of the +impunity which generally attends these acts of violence. On the 25th +January, 1843, the sheep at a station of Mr. Hughes, upon the Hutt river, +had been scattered during the night, and some of them were missing. It +was concluded the natives had been there, and taken them, as the tracks +of naked feet were said to have been found near the folds. Upon these +grounds two of Mr. Hughes' men, and one belonging to Mr. Jacobs, another +settler in the neighbourhood, took arms, and went out to search for the +natives. About a mile from the station they met with one native and his +wife, whom they asked to accompany them back to the station, promising +bread and flour for so doing. They consented to go, but were then +escorted AS PRISONERS, the two men of Mr. Hughes' guarding the male +native, and Mr. Jacobs' servant (a person named Gregory) the female. +Naturally alarmed at the predicament they were in, the man ran off, +pursued by his two guards, but escaped. The woman took another direction, +pursued by Gregory, who recaptured her, and she was said to have then +seized Gregory's gun, and to have struck at him several blows with a +heavy stick, upon which, being afraid that he would be overcome, HE SHOT +HER. Mr. Hughes, the owner of the lost sheep, came up a few moments after +the woman was shot, and heard Gregory's story concerning it, but no marks +of his receiving any blows were shewn. On the 23rd of March, he was tried +for the offence of manslaughter; there did not appear the slightest +extenuating circumstances beyond his own story, and his master giving him +a good character, and yet the jury, without retiring, returned a verdict +of Not Guilty! + +At the very next sittings of the Supreme Court Criminal Sessions, another +and somewhat analogous case appeared. The following remarks were made by +His Honour Judge Cooper, to the Grand Jury respecting it: "There was also +a case of manslaughter to be tried, and he called their attention to +this, because it did not appear in the Calendar. The person charged was +named Skelton, and as appeared from the depositions, was in custody of +some sheep, when an alarm of the rushing of the sheep being given, he +looked and saw something climbing over the fence, and subsequently +something crawling along the ground, upon which he fired off his piece, +and hit the object, which upon examination turned out to be a native. The +night was dark, and the native was brought into the hut, where he died +the next day. He could not help observing, that cases of this kind were +much more frequent than was creditable to the reputation of the Colony. +Last Sessions a man was tried and acquitted of the charge of killing a +native woman. That verdict was a very merciful one, but not so merciful, +he trusted, as to countenance the idea that the lives of the natives are +held too cheaply. The only observation that he would make upon this case +was, that it was ONE OF GREAT SUSPICION." + +[Note 51: I believe this case was not brought to trial.] + +Other cases have occurred in which some of the circumstances have come +under my own notice, and when Europeans have committed wanton aggressions +on the Aborigines, and have then made up a plausible story to account for +what had taken place, but where, from obvious circumstances, it was quite +impossible to disprove or rebut their tale, however improbable it might +be. In the Port Phillip District in 1841, Mr. Chief Protector thus writes +to the local Government. + + +"Already appalling collisions have happened between the white and +aboriginal inhabitants, and, although instances, it is possible, have +transpired when natives have been the aggressors, yet it will be found +that the largest majority originated with the Europeans. The lives of +aboriginal natives known to have been destroyed are many, and if the +testimony of natives be admissible, the amount would be great indeed; but +even in cases where the Aborigines are said to be the aggressors, who can +tell what latent provocation existed for perpetrating it? Of the numerous +cases that could be cited, the following from a recent journal of an +assistant protector, Mr. Parker, of the Lodden, will suffice to shew the +insurmountable difficulty, I may add the impossibility, of bringing the +guilty parties to justice, for in nine cases, I may say, out of ten, +where natives are concerned, the only evidence that can be adduced is +that of the Aborigines. + +"This evidence is not admissible. Indeed the want of a code, suited to +the Aborigines, is now so strongly felt, and of such vital importance to +the welfare and existence of the natives, that I earnestly trust that +this important subject may be brought under the early consideration and +notice of Her Majesty's Government. + +"The following is the extract from Mr. Parker's journal referred to: 'On +the 8th of March 1841, I proceeded to the Pyrenees to investigate the +circumstances connected with the slaughter of several Aborigines, by a +Mr. Frances. On the 9th and 10th I fell in with different parties of +natives. From the last of these I obtained some distressing statements, +as to the slaughter of the blacks; they gave me the names of seven +individuals shot by Mr. Frances within the last six months. I found, +however, no legal evidence attainable. The only persons present in the +last and most serious affair with the Aborigines, which took place in +December of last year, were Frances, a person named Downes, and a +stock-keeper in Melbourne. No other admissible evidence of the death of +these poor people can be obtained than what Frances's written statement +conveys. In that he reports that he and the person before named WENT OUT +IN CONSEQUENCE OF SEEING THE BUSH ON FIRE, AND FELL IN SUDDENLY WITH SOME +NATIVES, ON WHOM THEY FIRED AND KILLED FOUR. The natives say six were +slain, and their information on that point is more to be depended on. +Owing to the legal disabilities of the Aborigines, this case must be +added with many others which have passed without judicial notice. I +cannot, however, but wish that squatting licenses were withheld from +persons who manifest such an utter disregard of human life as Mr. +Frances, even on his own shewing, has done.' + +"And in this latter sentiment, under existing circumstances, I most +cordially agree. In Frances' case, the PERPETRATOR ADMITS his having SHOT +FOUR ABORIGINES, and for aught that is shewn to the contrary, it was AN +UNPROVOKED AGGRESSION. The natives, whose testimony Mr. Parker states, +can be relied upon, affirm that six were slain, and these within the +brief period of six months. + +"In my last expedition I visited the country of the 'Barconedeets,' the +tribe attacked by Frances; of these I found a few sojourning with the +"Portbullucs,' a people inhabiting the country near Mount Zero, the +northernmost point of the Grampians. These persons complained greatly of +the treatment they had received, and confirmed the statement made to the +sub-protector by the other natives. The following are a few of the +collisions, from authentic documents brought under the notice of this +department, that have happened between settlers and Aborigines, and are +respectfully submitted for the information of the Government. + +"CASES.--CHARLES WEDGE AND OTHERS.--Five natives killed and others +wounded at the Grampians. + +"AYLWARD AND OTHERS.--Several natives killed and others wounded at the +Grampians. In this case Aylward deposed, 'that there must have been a +great many wounded and several killed, as he saw blood upon the grass, +and in the tea-tree two or three dead bodies.' + +"MESSRS. WHYTE'S FIRST COLLISION.--William Whyte deposed that 30 natives +were present, and they were all killed but two, and one of these it is +reported died an hour after of his wounds. + +"DARLOT.--One native shot. Two natives shot near Portland Bay by the +servants of the Messrs. Henty. + +"HUTTON AND MOUNTED POLICE.--The written report of this case states, +'that the party overtook the aborigines at the junction of the +'Campaspee;' they fired, and it is stated, that to the best of the belief +of the party, five or six were killed.' In the opinion of the +sub-protector a greater number were slain. + +"MESSRS. WINTER AND OTHERS.--On this occasion five natives were killed. + +"One black shot by Frances. + +"MUNROE AND POLICE.--Two blacks shot and others wounded. + +"The following from Lloyd's deposition:--'We fired on them; I have no +doubt some were killed; there were between forty and fifty natives.' + +"BY PERSONS UNKNOWN.--A native of the Coligan tribe killed by white +persons. + +"MESSRS. WEDGE AND OTHERS.--Three natives killed and others wounded. + +"Names of Taylor and Lloyd are mentioned as having shot a black at Lake +Colac. + +"WHYTE'S SECOND COLLISION.--ALLAN'S CASE.--Two natives shot. + +"Taylor was overseer of a sheep station in the Western district, and was +notorious for killing natives. No legal evidence could be obtained +against this nefarious individual. The last transaction in which he was +concerned, was of so atrocious a nature, that he thought fit to abscond, +and he has not been heard of since. No legal evidence was attainable in +this latter case. There is no doubt the charges preferred were true, for +in the course of my inquiries on my late expedition, I found a tribe, a +section of the Jarcoorts, totally extinct, and it was affirmed by the +natives that Taylor had destroyed them. The tribes are rapidly +diminishing. The 'Coligans,' once a numerous and powerful people, +inhabiting the fertile region of Lake 'Colac,' are now reduced, all ages +and sexes, under forty, and these are still on the decay. The Jarcoorts, +inhabiting the country to the west of the great lake 'Carangermite,' once +a very numerous and powerful people, are now reduced to under sixty. But +time would fail, and I fear it would be deemed too prolix, were I to +attempt to particularise in ever so small a degree, the previous state, +condition, and declension of the original inhabitants of so extensive a +province." + + +Upon the same subject, His Honour the Superintendent of Port Phillip thus +writes:-- + + +"On this subject, I beg leave to remark that great impediments evidently +do interpose themselves in the way of instituting proper judicial inquiry +into the causes and consequences of the frequent acts of collision +between the settlers and the aboriginal natives, and into the conduct of +the settlers on such occasions. I am quite ready to lament with the +Protectors, that numerous as the cases have unfortunately been in which +the lives of the Aborigines have been taken in this district, IN NO +SINGLE INSTANCE HAS THE SETTLER BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE THE PROPER TRIBUNAL." + + +Many similar instances might be adduced to shew the little chance there +is of evidence enough being procurable, even to cause the aggressor to be +put upon his trial, still less to produce his conviction. + +Independently of the instances of wanton outrage, which sometimes are +perpetrated on the outskirts of the settled districts by the lowest and +most abandoned of our countrymen, there are occasions also, when equal +injuries are inflicted unintentionally, from inexperience or +indiscretion, on the part of those whose duty it is to protect rather +than destroy, when the innocent have been punished instead of the +guilty [Note 52 at end of para.], and thus the very efforts made to +preserve peace and good order, have inadvertently become the means of +subverting them. + +[Note 52: Upon collisions of this character, Lord John Russell remarks in +his despatch, 21st December, 1839, to Sir G. Gipps: "In the case now +before me the object of capturing offenders was entirely lost sight of, +and shots were fired at men who were apparently only guilty of jumping +into the water to escape from an armed pursuit. I am, however, happy to +acknowledge that you appear to have made every practicable exertion for +the prevention of similar calamities in future, and I approve the +measures adopted by you for that purpose. You cannot overrate the +solicitude of Her Majesty's Government on the subject of the Aborigines +of New Holland. It is impossible to contemplate the condition and the +prospects of that unfortunate race without the deepest commiseration. I +am well aware of the many difficulties which oppose themselves to the +effectual protection of these people, and especially of those which must +originate from the exasperation of the settlers, on account of +aggressions on their property, which are not the less irritating, because +they are nothing else than the natural results of the pernicious examples +held out to the Aborigines, and of the many wrongs of which they have +been the victims. Still it is impossible that the Government should +forget that the original aggression was our own; and that we have never +yet performed the sacred duty of making any systematic or considerable +attempt to impart to the former occupiers of New South Wales, the +blessings of Christianity, or the knowledge of the arts and advantages of +civilized life."] + +Several very lamentable instances of this kind, have occurred in Port +Lincoln. The following is one among others. Soon after the murder of +Messrs. Biddle and Brown, a party of soldiers was sent over to try and +capture the aggressors. In one of their attempts a native guide was +procured from the Eastern tribe, who promised to conduct them to where +the murderers were. The party consisting of the military and their +officer, the police, a settler, and the missionary, in all twelve or +fourteen persons, set off towards Coffin's Bay, following as they +supposed upon the track of the murders. Upon reaching the coast some +natives were seen fishing in the water, and the party was at once spread +out in a kind of semicircle, among the scrub, to close upon and capture +them; the officer, missionary, and guide, being stationed near the +centre. As the party advanced nearer, the guide saw that he was mistaken +in the group before him, and that they were not the guilty parties, but +friends. The officer called out not to fire, but unfortunately from the +distance the men were at, and the scrubby nature of the country, he was +not heard or attended to. A shot was fired, one of the natives sprung up +convulsively in the water, walked on shore and fell down, exclaiming +whilst dying, "me Kopler, me good man," and such indeed it proved. He was +one of a friendly tribe, and a particular protege of the missionary's, +having taken the name of Kopler from his German servant who was so +called. + +The other natives at once came forward to their dying friend, scornfully +motioning away his murderers, fearless alike of the foes around them, and +regardless of their ill-timed attempts to explain the fatal mistake. Will +it be credited, that at such a scene as this the soldiers were indulging +in coarse remarks, or brutal jests, upon the melancholy catastrophe; and +comparing the last convulsive spring of the dying man to a salmon leaping +in the water. Yet this I was assured was the case by the Government +Resident at Port Lincoln, from when I received this account. + +Another melancholy and unfortunate case of the same nature occurred at +Port Lincoln, on the 11th of April, 1844, where a native was shot by a +policeman, for attempting to escape from custody, when taken in charge on +suspicion of being implicated in robbing a stranded vessel. An +investigation was made into this case by the Commissioner of Police, when +it was stated in the depositions, that attempts at rescue were made by +the other natives. Upon these grounds, I believe, it was considered that +the policeman was justified in what he did. + +The following extract relating to this subject, is from a letter +addressed to a gentleman in Adelaide, by the Rev. C. Schurmann, one of +the German Missionaries, who has for some years past been stationed among +the Port Lincoln natives, and is intimately acquainted with their +language. + +[Note 53: Without adopting the tone of this letter, and which in some +respects I cannot approve of, I believe the writer to be deeply interested +in the welfare of the Aborigines, and strongly impressed with a conviction +of the evils and injuries to which they are subject from our anomalous +position with regard to them. I have quoted it, therefore, not for the +purpose of casting imputations on the Government, but to shew how +powerless they are, and how frequently, under the existing system in +force with respect to the Aborigines, those very measures which were +conceived and entered upon with the best intentions, produce in their +result the most unmitigated evils.] + + +"You will probably recollect, that some time ago (I think it was in the +month of May) the Adelaide newspapers contained a short notice of a Port +Lincoln native having been shot by the police in self-defence, and a +letter in the 'Observer,' mentioned another as being shot by Mr.----, but +as the charitable correspondent added, 'Unfortunately only in the arm, +instead of through the body.' From these statements one would infer that +the parties concerned in these transactions were without blame, being +perfectly justified--the one to protect his life, and the other his +property. However, since my return to Port Lincoln, I have learned that +both tales run very differently when told according to truth. I address +myself, therefore, to you, with the true facts of the transactions, as I +have learned them. partly from the settlers themselves, partly from the +natives. My motive for so doing is to case my own mind, and to gratify +the interest which I know you take in the Aborigines of this country. + +"The man shot by the police was named Padlalta, and was of so mild and +inoffensive a disposition, that he was generally noticed by the settlers +on that very account, several of whom I have heard say since, it was a +pity that some other native had not been hit in his stead. The same man +was captured last year by Major O'llalloran's party, but was set at +liberty as soon as I came up and testified his innocence, for which the +poor fellow kissed my hand near a dozen times. + +"The day before he met his death he was as usual in the town, doing +little jobs for the inhabitants, to get bread or other food. On the +evening when he was killed, he had encamped with about half a dozen other +natives on the northern side of Happy Valley, a short mile from the town. +The police who were sent by the Government Resident to see what number of +natives were at the camp state, that while searching the man's wallet, he +seized hold of one gun, and when the other policeman came up to wrest it +from him, he the native grasped the other gun too. In the scuffle that +ensued, one of the guns went off, when the other natives who had fled +returned and presented their spears. They then shot the native who held +the gun. + +"Now this statement is a very strange one, when it is considered that the +native was a very spare and weak man, so that either of the police ought +to have been able to keep him at arm's length; but to say that he seized +both their guns is beyond all credibility. The natives were sitting down +when the police arrived. How they could therefore find a wallet upon the +murdered man, I cannot conceive; since the natives never have their +wallets slung, except when moving; and it certainly is not probable, that +the man, in spite of the fright he is admitted to have been in, should +have thought of taking up his wallet. + +"The wallet is said to have contained some sovereigns, taken from the +cutter Kate, which was wrecked some time previous to this affair, about +forty miles up the coast, and to have been one of those marked by the +police, at a native camp near the wreck from which the natives had been +scared away, leaving all their things behind. But if the murdered native +had taken the sovereigns, why were they not then in his wallet, or why +was the wallet not examined the day before when he was in town? +[Note 54 at end of para.] I think that there is little doubt that the +police found no wallet at all upon the native, and that they coined away +one of those found at the camp upon him, with a view to incriminate him." + +[Note 54: There cannot be a greater act of injustice towards the natives +than that of applying the English law to them with respect to stolen +property. Any one who knows any thing of their habits, and the custom +prevalent amongst them, of giving any European clothing, or other articles +they may acquire, from one to another, must be fully aware how little the +fact of their being found in possession of stolen property is just +evidence against them. Articles such as I have mentioned, often pass, in a +very short time, through the hands of three or four individuals, and +perhaps even through as many tribes.] + +"Another native, Charley, who was present when the said affair took +place, tells me, that the police sneaked upon, and fired at them, while +sitting round the fire; [Note 55 at end of para.] that he jumped up, and +endeavoured to make himself known, as a friendly native, by saying, +"Yarri (that is the name the natives have given to one of the police), +Yarri, I Charley, I Charley,"--but that the effect produced had been the +pointing of a gun at him, when of course he ran away. That any of the +natives returned, and poised their spears, he firmly denies; but accounts +for the murder, by supposing that the dead man made resistance, and +offered to spear his assailants. He moreover says, that Padlalta would not +have died in consequence of the first shot, but that the police fired +repeatedly, which agrees with the settlers, who say they heard three +shots. When the bloody deed had been committed (a ball had passed right +through his body), the cruel perpetrators ran home, leaving the murdered +man helpless." + +[Note 55: There must, I think, be some mistake here in the phrascology. +I cannot think any of the police would fire upon a small party of friendly +natives whilst unresisting. The probability is, that they surrounded the +natives to make prisoners, and fired upon being resisted. This must +generally occur if the police have positive orders to make captures. +Natives, not very much in contact with Europeans, will almost always +resist an attempt to make prisoners of them, or will try to escape. Very +many have, at various times, met their death under such circumstances; +and too often it has occurred, that the innocent have been the suffering +parties. This shews the absurdity of applying European customs and laws +to a people situated as the Australian natives are. It shews, too, the +necessity of altering our present system and policy towards them, to one +that will exercise sufficient influence over them to induce them to give +up offenders themselves. I believe such a system may be devised.--Vide +Chapter IX.] + +"Some time after, a party of three settlers went to the spot, one of whom +he recognized, and claimed his acquaintance, and perhaps assistance, by +mentioning the party's Christian name; but, alas! no good Samaritan was +found amongst these three; they all passed by on the other side, without +alleviating his pain, moistening his parched lips, warming his shivering +limbs, or aiding him in any way whatever. There he lay a whole cold and +long winter night, without a fire to warm him, or a soul to talk to him. +Next morning he was found still alive, but died on the way into town, +where he was buried in the jail yard, like a condemned felon. + +"What awful and melancholy reflections crowd upon one's mind in thinking +on this transaction. But what conclusians must a poor people, whom a +Christian and civilized nation calls savages, arrive at, with such facts +before them. + +"The other native, wounded by Mr.--in the arm, was doubtless of the party +who attacked the flock; but it must have been some hours after that he +was shot, for the shepherd had to come home with the flock to inform him +of the occurrence, and then search and pursuit had to be made, during +which he was overtaken. He is a stupid idiotic sort of man, so that the +natives have not deemed him worthy of receiving the honours of their +ceremonies, and still call him a boy, or youth, although he is an oldish +man. + +"On another occasion, when an uninhabited hut, with some wheat in it, had +been broken into by some unknown natives, a party went in search of the +offenders. It was night when they came on a camp, on the opposite side of +the lake to where the hut stands; the natives, acting upon the first +impulse, and warned by frequent examples, ran away, when two of the party +snapped their pieces, but providentially both guns missed fire. The +natives, however, soon took confidence, and returned, when it was found +that two of the most orderly and useful men would have been shot if the +guns had gone off. The party took upon themselves to make one of them +prisoner, but of course did not venture to bring him before the +magistrate. + +"These facts incontestably prove, that, notwithstanding the Aborigines +are called British subjects, and in spite of the so-called protection +system, there is no shadow of protection for them, while they are +debarred from the first and most important of all liberties, namely, that +of being heard in a Court of civil Justice. + +"Several instances have occurred during my residence in this district, in +which natives have been arraigned before the administrators of the law, +although I was morally convinced of their innocence; in other cases, they +have sought redress through me, for wanton attacks on their person and +lives, without being listened to. + +"Only a few weeks ago a native was very nearly being taken up, on the +charge of having thrown a spear at Mr. Smith's shepherd, without, +however, any felonious intent, the distance being too great. This +circumstance saved the man, or else he would, no doubt, have been tried +and found guilty on the shepherd's evidence, who would not allow that he +could be mistaken in the individual, although the accused native came +boldly into town and court (a circumstance that has never before occurred +since I have known these natives), although he was an intimate friend of +the shepherd and his wife; and although all the other natives could prove +where he had been at the time of the attack on the flock, and state who +were the guilty parties. + +"For those who have had an opportunity of observing the Aborigines in +their original state, it is not very difficult to distinguish the guilty +from the innocent, for they are a simple-minded race, little skilled in +the arts of dissimulation. + +"It is bad enough that a great part of the colonists are inimical to the +natives; it is worse that the law, as it stands at present, does not +extend its protection to them; but it is too bad when the press lends its +influence to their destruction. Such, however, is undoubtedly the case. +When Messrs. Biddle and Brown were murdered, the newspapers entertained +their readers week after week with the details of the bloody massacre, +heaping a profusion of vile epithets upon the perpetrators. But of the +slaughter by the soldiers, (who killed no less than four innocent +natives, while they captured not one guilty party), among the tribes who +had had nothing to do with the murders--of the treachery of attacking in +the darkness of the night, a tribe who had the day before been hunting +kangaroo with their informers, when one of the former guides to the +magistrates' pursuing party was killed amongst others; of the wanton +outrage on the mutilated body of one of the victims;--of these things the +press was as silent as the grave." + + +Without attempting to enlarge more fully upon the subjects entered upon +in the preceding pages, I trust that I have sufficiently shewn that the +character of the Australian natives has been greatly misrepresented and +maligned, that they are not naturally more irreclaimably vicious, +revengeful, or treacherous than other nations, but on the contrary, that +their position with regard to Europeans, places them under so many +disadvantages, subjects them to so many injuries, irritates them with so +many annoyances, and tempts them with so many provocations, that it is a +matter of surprise, not that they sometimes are guilty of crime, but that +they commit it so rarely. + +If I have in the least degree succeeded in establishing that such is the +case, it must be evident that it is incumbent upon us not only to make +allowances when pronouncing an opinion on the character or the crimes of +the Aborigines; but what is of far greater and more vital importance, as +far as they are concerned, to endeavour to revise and improve such parts +of our system and policy towards them as are defective, and by better +adapting these to the peculiar circumstances of this people, at once +place them upon juster and more equal terms, and thus excite a reasonable +hope that some eventual amelioration may be produced, both in their moral +and physical condition. + +[Note 56: "We say distinctly and deliberately that nothing comparatively +has yet been done--that the natives have hitherto acquired nothing of +European civilization, but European vices and diseases, and that the +speedy extinction of the whole race is inevitable, save by the +introduction of means for their civilization on a scale much more +comprehensive and effectual than any yet adopted."--Leading Article in +South Australian Register, 1st August, 1840.] + +I shall now proceed to give an account of the appearance, habits, mode of +life, means of subsistance, social relations, government, ceremonies, +superstitions, numbers, languages, etc. etc. of the natives of Australia, +so as to afford some insight into the character and circumstances of this +peculiar race, to exhibit the means hitherto adopted for, and the +progress made in attempting, their civilization, and to shew the effects +produced upon them by a contact with Europeans. + + + + +Chapter II. + + + +PHYSICAL APPEARANCE--DRESS--CHARACTER--HABITS OF LIFE--MEETINGS OF +TRIBES--WARS--DANCES--SONGS. + + +The Aborigines of Australia, with whom Europeans have come in contact, +present a striking similarity to each other in physical appearance and +structure; and also in their general character, habits, and pursuits. Any +difference that is found to exist is only the consequence of local +circumstances or influences, and such as might naturally be expected to +be met with among a people spread over such an immense extent of country. +Compared with other aboriginal races, scattered over the face of the +globe, the New Hollander appears to stand alone. + +The male is well built and muscular, averaging from five to six feet in +height, with proportionate upper and lower extremities. The anterior +lobes of the brain are fairly developed, so as to give a facial angle, +far from being one of the most acute to be found amongst the black races. +The eyes are sunk, the nose is flattened, and the mouth wide. The lips +are rather thick, and the teeth generally very perfect and beautiful, +though the dental arrangement is sometimes singular, as no difference +exists in many between the incisor and canine teeth. The neck is short, +and sometimes thick, and the heel resembles that of Europeans. The ankles +and wrists are frequently small, as are also the hands and feet. The +latter are well formed and expanded, but the calves of the legs are +generally deficient. Some of the natives in the upper districts of the +Murray, are, however, well formed in this respect. In a few instances, +natives attain to a considerable corpulency. The men have fine broad and +deep chests, indicating great bodily strength, and are remarkably erect +and upright in their carriage, with much natural grace and dignity of +demeanour. The eye is generally large, black, and expressive, with the +eye-lashes long. + +When met with for the first time in his native wilds there is frequently +a fearless intrepidity of manner, an ingenuous openness of look, and a +propriety of behaviour about the aboriginal inhabitant of Australia, +which makes his appearance peculiarly prepossessing. + +In the female the average height is about five feet, or perhaps a little +under. The anterior part of the brain is more limited than in the male; +the apex of the head is carried further back; the facial angle is more +acute; and the extremities are more attenuated. The latter circumstance +may probably be accounted for from the fact, that the females have to +endure, from a very early age, a great degree of hardship, privation, and +ill-treatment. Like most other savages the Australian looks upon his wife +as a slave. To her belongs the duty of collecting and preparing the daily +food, of making the camp or hut for the night, of gathering and bringing +in firewood, and of procuring water. She must also attend to the +children; and in travelling carry all the moveable property and +frequently the weapons of her husband. In wet weather she attends to all +the outside work, whilst her lord and master is snugly seated at the +fire. If there is a scarcity of food she has to endure the pangs of +hunger, often, perhaps, in addition to ill-treatment or abuse. No wonder, +then, that the females, and especially the younger ones, (for it is then +they are exposed to the greatest hardships,) are not so fully or so +roundly developed in person as the men. Yet under all these disadvantages +this deficiency does not always exist. Occasionally, though rarely, I +have met with females in the bloom of youth, whose well-proportioned +limbs and symmetry of figure might have formed a model for the sculptor's +chisel. In personal appearance the females are, except in early youth, +very far inferior to the men. When young, however, they are not +uninteresting. The jet-black eyes, shaded by their long, dark lashes, and +the delicate and scarcely-formed features of incipient womanhood give a +soft and pleasing expression to a countenance that might often be called +good-looking--occasionally even pretty. + +The colour of the skin, both in the male and female, is generally black, +or very darkly tinged. The hair is either straight or curly, but never +approaching to the woolliness of the negro. It is usually worn short by +both sexes, and is variously ornamented at different periods of life. +Sometimes it is smeared with red ochre and grease; at other times adorned +with tufts of feathers, the tail of the native dog, kangaroo teeth, and +bandages or nets of different kinds. + +[Note 57: The same fondness for red paint, ornaments of skins, tufts of +feathers, etc., is noticed by Catlin as prevalent among the American +Indians, and by Dieffenbach as existing among the New Zealanders.] + +When the head of the native is washed clean, and purified from the odour +of the filthy pigment with which it is bedaubed, the crop of hair is very +abundant, and the appearance of it beautiful, being a silken, glossy, and +curly black. Great pains are, however, used to destroy or mar this +striking ornament of nature. + +Without the slightest pride of appearance, so far as neatness or +cleanliness is concerned, the natives are yet very vain of their own rude +decorations, which are all worn for EFFECT. A few feathers or teeth, a +belt or band, a necklace made of the hollow stem of some plant, with a +few coarse daubs of red or white paint, and a smearing of grease, +complete the toilette of the boudoir or the ball-room. Like the scenery +of a panorama, they are then seen to most advantage at a distance; for if +approached too closely, they forcibly remind us of the truth of the +expression of the poet, that "nature unadorned is adorned the most." + +The body dress is simple; consisting of the skins of the opossum, the +kangaroo, or the wallabie, when they can be procured. A single garment +only is used, made in the form of an oblong cloak, or coverlet; by the +skins being stretched out and dried in the sun, and then sewn together +with the sinews of the emu, etc. The size of the cloak varies according to +the industry of the maker, or the season of the year. The largest sized +ones are about six feet square, but the natives frequently content +themselves with one not half this size, and in many cases are without it +altogether. The cloak is worn with the fur side outwards, and is thrown +over the back and left shoulder, and pinned on in front with a little +wooden peg; the open part is opposite the right side, so as to leave the +right arm and shoulder quite unconfined, in the male; the female throws +it over the back and left shoulder, and brings it round under the right +arm-pit, and when tied in front by a string passing round the cloak and +the back, a pouch is formed behind, in which the child is always +carried. [Note 58 at end of para.] In either if the skin be a handsome +one, the dress is very pretty and becoming. + +[Note 58: A similar custom prevails among the women of the American +Indians.--CATLIN. vol. ii. p. 132.] + +On the sea coast, where the country is barren, and the skins of animals +cannot readily be procured, sea-weed or rushes are manufactured into +garments, with considerable ingenuity. In all cases the garments worn by +day constitute the only covering at night, as the luxury of variety in +dress is not known to, or appreciated by, the Aborigines. + +No covering is worn upon the head, although they are continually exposed +to the rays of an almost tropical sun. In extreme seasons of heat, and +'when they are travelling, they sometimes gather a few green bunches or +wet weeds and place upon their heads; but this does not frequently occur. + +The character of the Australian natives is frank, open, and confiding. In +a short intercourse they are easily made friends, and when such terms are +once established, they associate with strangers with a freedom and +fearlessness, that would give little countenance to the impression so +generally entertained of their treachery. On many occasions where I have +met these wanderers in the wild, far removed from the abodes of +civilization, and when I have been accompanied only by a single native +boy, I have been received by them in the kindest and most friendly +manner, had presents made to me of fish, kangaroo, or fruit, had them +accompany me for miles to point out where water was to be procured, and +been assisted by them in getting at it, if from the nature of the soil +and my own inexperience. I had any difficulty in doing so myself. + +I have ever found them of a lively, cheerful disposition [Note 59 at end +of para.], patiently putting up with inconveniences and privations, and +never losing that natural good temper which so strongly characterizes +them. On the occasion of my second visit from Moorunde, to the Rufus +natives in 1841, when I had so far overcome the ill-feelings and dread, +engendered by the transactions in that quarter, in 1840, as to induce +a large body of them to accompany me back to the station, they had to +walk a distance of 150 miles, making daily the same stages that the +horses did, and unprovided with any food but what they could procure +along the road as they passed, and this from the rapidity with which +they had to travel, and the distance they had to go in a day, was +necessarily limited in quantity, and very far from sufficient to +appease even the cravings of hunger, yet tired, foot-sore, and hungry +as they were, and in company with strangers, whose countrymen had slain +them in scores, but a few months before, they were always merry at +their camps at nights, and kept singing, laughing, and joking, to a +late hour. + +[Note 59: Such appears usually to be the characteristic of Nature's +children, than whom no race appears more thoroughly to enjoy life.--Vide +character of the American Indians, by Catlin, vol. 1. p. 84.] + +On falling in with them in larger numbers, when I have been travelling in +the interior with my party, I have still found the same disposition to +meet me on terms of amity and kindness. Nor can a more interesting sight +well be imagined, than that of a hundred or two hundred natives advancing +in line to meet you, unarmed, shouting and waving green boughs in both +hands, men, women, and children, the old and the young, all joining in +expressing their good feelings and pacific intentions. On such occasions +I have been often astonished at the facility with which large bodies, +have by a little kindness and forbearance been managed, and kept from +being troublesome or annoying, by a party of only six or seven Europeans. +I have occasionally had upwards of 150 natives sitting in a long line, +where I placed them, and as orderly and obedient almost as a file of +soldiers. + +At other times, when riding with only a native boy over the plains of the +interior, I have seen the blue smoke of the native fires, curling up +through the distant line of trees, which marked some yet unvisited +watercourse, and upon making towards it, have come suddenly upon a party +encamped in the hollow, beneath the banks upon which I stood. Here I have +remained, observing them for a few moments, unseen and unthought of. A +single call would arouse their attention, and as they looked up, would +draw from them a wild exclamation of dismay, accompanied by a look of +indescribable horror and affright, at beholding the strange, and to them +incomprehensible beings who stood before them. Weapons would hastily be +seized, baggage gathered up, and the party so lately buried in repose and +security, would at once be ready either to fight or to evacuate their +camps, as circumstances might seem to render most expedient. A few +friendly gestures and a peaceable demeanour would however soon dissipate +their terror, and in a few moments their weapons would be thrown aside, +and both invaders and invaded be upon intimate and confiding terms. + +I have always found the natives ready to barter their nets, weapons, or +other implements, for European articles, and sometimes they will give +them unsolicited, and without any equivalent; amongst themselves they +constantly do this. + +In their intercourse with each other, natives of different tribes are +exceedingly punctilious and polite, the most endearing epithets are +passed between those who never met before; almost every thing that is +said is prefaced by the appellation of father, son, brother, mother, +sister, or some other similar term, corresponding to that degree of +relationship which would have been most in accordance with their relative +ages and circumstances. In many instances, too, these titles are even +accompanied by the still more insinuating addition of "dear," to say +nothing of the hugs and embraces which they mutually give and receive. + +The natives are very fond of the children they rear, and often play with, +and fondle them; but husbands rarely shew much affection for their wives. +After a long absence, I have seen natives, upon their return, go to their +camp, exhibiting the most stoical indifference, never take the least +notice of their wives, but sit down, and act, and look, as if they had +never been out of the encampment; in fact, if any thing, they are more +taciturn and reserved than usual, and some little time elapses before +they enter into conversation with freedom, or in their ordinary manner. + +[Note 60: For the existence of similar customs amongst the American +Indians, vide Catlin, vol. i. p. 56.] + +Upon meeting children after a long absence, I have seen parents "fall +upon their necks, and weep" bitterly. It is a mistaken idea, as well as +an unjust one, that supposes the natives to be without sensibility of +feeling. It may often be repressed from pride or policy, but it will +sometimes break forth uncontrolled, and reveal, that the best and genuine +feelings of the heart are participated in by savage in common with +civilized man. The following is an instance in point:--A fine intelligent +young boy, was, by his father's consent, living with me at the Murray for +many weeks; but upon the old man's going into Adelaide, he took his son +away to accompany him. Whilst there, the boy died, and for nearly a year +I never saw any thing more of the father, although he occasionally had +been within a few miles of my neighbourhood. One day, however, I was out +shooting about three miles from home, and accidentally fell in with him. +Upon seeing me he immediately burst into tears, and was unable to speak. +It was the first time he had met me since his son's death, and my +presence forcibly reminded him of his loss. The same circumstance +occurred when he accompanied me to the house, where every thing he saw +recalled the memory of his child. + +Innate propriety of behaviour is also frequently exhibited by the +Aborigines in their natural state, in the modest unassuming manner in +which they take their positions to observe what is going on, and in a +total absence of any thing that is rude or offensive. It is true that the +reverse of this is also often to be met with; but I think it will usually +be found that it is among natives who have before been in contact with +Europeans, or where familiarities have been used with them first, or an +injudicious system of treatment has been adopted towards them. + +DELICACY of feeling is not often laid to the charge of the Aborigines, +and yet I was witness to a singular instance of it at King George's +Sound. I was looking one evening at the natives dancing, and who were, as +they always are on these occasions, in a state of complete nudity. In the +midst of the performance, one of the natives standing by a spectator, +mentioned that a white woman was passing up the road; and although this +was some little distance away, and the night was tolerably dark, they all +with one accord crossed over to the bushes where their cloaks were, put +them on, and resumed their amusement. + +It has been said, and is generally believed, that the natives are not +courageous. There could not be a greater mistake, at least as far as they +are themselves concerned, nor do I hold it to be any proof that they are +cowards, because they dread or give way before Europeans and their +fire-arms. So unequal a match is no criterion of bravery, and yet even +thus, among natives, who were labouring under the feelings, naturally +produced by seeing a race they were unacquainted with, and weapons that +dealt death as if by magic, I have seen many instances of an open manly +intrepidity of manner and bearing, and a proud unquailing glance of eye, +which instinctively stamped upon my mind the conviction that the +individuals before me were very brave men. + +In travelling about from one place to another, I have always made it a +point, if possible, to be accompanied by one or more natives, and I have +often found great advantage from it. Attached to an exploring party they +are frequently invaluable, as their perceptive powers are very great, and +enable them both to see and hear anything at a much greater distance than +a European. In tracking stray animals, and keeping on indistinct paths, +they display a degree of perseverance and skill that is really wonderful. +They are useful also in cutting bark canoes to cross a river, should such +impede the progress of the party, and in diving for anything that may be +lost in the water, etc. etc. The Aborigines generally, and almost always +those living near large bodies of water, are admirable swimmers and +divers, and are almost as much at home in the water as on dry land. I +have known them even saw a small log or root at the bottom of a deep +river. In a locality, however, which is badly watered, it sometimes +happens that they cannot swim. At Meerkap, in Western Australia, while +crossing with some friends, from the Sound to Swan River, we met with +some who were in this predicament, and who seemed a good deal astonished +at our venturing into the small ponds at that place. I have been told +that the natives at the Sound could not swim before that settlement was +occupied by Europeans--this seems hardly probable, however, upon the +sea-coast; at all events, be this as it may, they all swim now. + +In habit they are truly nomadic, seldom remaining many weeks in one +locality, and frequently not many days. The number travelling together +depends, in a great measure, upon the period of the year, and the +description of food that may be in season. If there is any particular +variety more abundant than another, or procurable only in certain +localities, the whole tribe generally congregate to partake of it. Should +this not be the case, then they are probably scattered over their +district in detached groups, or separate families. + +At certain seasons of the year, usually in the spring or summer, when +food is most abundant, several tribes meet together in each other's +territory for the purpose of festivity or war, or to barter and exchange +such food, clothing, implements, weapons, or other commodities as they +respectively possess; or to assist in the initiatory ceremonies by which +young persons enter into the different grades of distinction amongst +them. The manner and formalities of meeting depend upon the cause for +which they assemble. If the tribes have been long apart, many deaths may +have occurred in the interim; and as the natives do not often admit that +the young or the strong can die from natural causes, they ascribe the +event to the agency of sorcery, employed by individuals of neighbouring +tribes. This must of course be expiated in some way when they meet, but +the satisfaction required is regulated by the desire of the injured tribe +to preserve amicable relations with the other, or the reverse. + +The following is an account of a meeting which I witnessed, between the +natives of Moorunde (comprising portions of several of the neighbouring +tribes) and the Nar-wij-jerook, or Lake Bonney tribe, accompanied also by +many of their friends. This meeting had been pre-arranged, as meetings of +large bodies of natives never take place accidentally, for even when a +distant tribe approaches the territory of another unexpectedly, +messengers are always sent on in advance, to give the necessary warning. +The object of the meeting in question was to perform the initiatory +ceremonies upon a number of young men belonging to both of the tribes. In +the Murray district, when one tribe desires another to come from a +distance to perform these ceremonies, young men are sent off with +messages of invitation, carrying with them as their credentials, long +narrow news, made of string manufactured from the rush. These nets are +left with the tribe they are sent to, and brought back again when the +invitation is responded to. + +Notice having been given on the previous evening to the Moorunde natives +of the approach of the Nar-wij-jerook tribe, they assembled at an early +hour after sunrise, in as clear and open a place as they could find. Here +they sat down in a long row to await the coming of their friends. The men +were painted, and carried their weapons, as if for war. The women and +children were in detached groups, a little behind them, or on one side, +whilst the young men, on whom the ceremonies were to be performed, sat +shivering with cold and apprehension in a row to the rear of the men, +perfectly naked, smeared over from head to foot with grease and +red-ochre, and without weapons. The Nar-wij-jerook tribe was now seen +approaching. The men were in a body, armed and painted, and the women and +children accompanying them a little on one side. They occasionally +halted, and entered into consultation, and then, slackening their pace, +gradually advanced until within a hundred yards of the Moorunde tribe. +Here the men came to a full stop, whilst several of the women singled out +from the rest, and marched into the space between the two parties, having +their heads coated over with lime, and raising a loud and melancholy +wail, until they came to a spot about equi-distant from both, when they +threw down their cloaks with violence, and the bags which they carried on +their backs, and which contained all their worldly effects. The bags were +then opened, and pieces of glass and shells taken out, with which they +lacerated their thighs, backs, and breasts, in a most frightful manner, +whilst the blood kept pouring out of the wounds in streams; and in this +plight, continuing their wild and piercing lamentations, they moved up +towards the Moorunde tribe, who sat silently and immoveably in the place +at first occupied. One of the women then went up to a strange native, who +was on a visit to the Moorunde tribe and who stood neutral in the affair +of the meeting, and by violent language and frantic gesticulations +endeavoured to incite him to revenge the death of some relation or +friend. But he could not be induced to lift his spear against the people +amongst whom he was sojourning. After some time had been spent in +mourning, the women took up their bundles again, and retiring, placed +themselves in the rear of their own party. An elderly man then advanced, +and after a short colloquy with the seated tribe, went back, and beckoned +his own people to come forward, which they did slowly and in good order, +exhibiting in front three uplifted spears, to which were attached the +little nets left with them by the envoys of the opposite tribe, and which +were the emblems of the duty they had come to perform, after the ordinary +expiations had been accomplished. + +In advancing, the Nar-wij-jerooks again commenced the death wail, and one +of the men, who had probably sustained the greatest loss since the tribes +had last met, occasionally in alternations of anger and sorrow addressed +his own people. When near the Moorunde tribe a few words were addressed +to them, and they at once rose simultaneously, with a suppressed shout. +The opposite party then raised their spears, and closing upon the line of +the other tribe, speared about fifteen or sixteen of them in the left +arm, a little below the shoulder. This is the generally understood order +of revenge; for the persons who were to receive the wounds, as soon as +they saw the weapons of their assailants poised, at once put out the left +foot, to steady themselves, and presented the left shoulder for the blow, +frequently uttering the word "Leipa" (spear), as the others appeared to +hesitate. + +Whilst this was going on, the influential men of each tribe were +violently talking to each other, and apparently accusing one another of +being accessory to the death of some of their people. Disclaimers passed +on each side, and the blame was imputed to other and more distant tribes. +The manes of the dead having been appeased, the honour of each party was +left unsullied, and the Nar-wij-jerooks retired about a hundred yards, +and sat down, ready to enter upon the ceremonies of the day, which will +be described in another place. [Note 61: Chapter V.] + +If the meeting of the tribes be for the purpose of war, a favourable +situation is selected by one of the parties, and notice is sent to the +other, who then proceed to the place of meeting, where both draw out +their forces in opposing parallel lines. Day-break, or nearly about +sunset in the evening, are the times preferred for these engagements, as +the softened light at those hours does not so much affect the eyesight, +and the spears are more easily seen and avoided. Both parties are fully +armed with spears, shields, and other weapons, and the fight sometimes +lasts for three or four hours, during which scarcely a word is spoken, +and but little noise of any kind is heard, excepting a shrill cry now and +then, when some one is wounded or has a narrow escape. Many are injured +generally on both sides, and some severely so; but it rarely happens that +more than one or two are killed, though hundreds may have been engaged. + +The fights are sometimes witnessed by men who are not concerned in them, +by the women and the children. The presence of the females may be +supposed probably to inspire the belligerents with courage and incite +them to deeds of daring. + +The most dangerous and fatal affrays in which the natives engage are +those which occur suddenly amongst tribes who have been encamped near one +another on amicable terms, and between whom some cause of difference has +arisen, probably in relation to their females, or some recent death, +which it is imagined the sorcerers have been instrumental in producing. +In the former case a kind of melee sometimes takes place at night, when +fire-brands are thrown about, spears launched, and bwirris [Note 62 at end +of para.] bran-dished in indescribable confusion. In the latter case the +affray usually occurs immediately after the body is buried, and is more of +a hand-to-hand fight, in which bwirris are used rather than spears, and +in which tremendous blows are struck and frightful wounds inflicted. + +[Note 62: A short, heavy, wooden stick, with a knob at one end.] + +In wars males are always obliged to join their relatives by blood and +their own tribe. Women frequently excite the men to engage in these +affrays to revenge injuries or deaths, and sometimes they assist +themselves by carrying spears or other weapons for their husbands. I am +not aware that women or children are ever butchered after a battle is +over, and I believe such is never the case. Single camps are sometimes +treacherously surprised when the parties are asleep, and the males +barbarously killed in cold blood. This generally takes place just before +the morning dawns, when the native is most drowsy, and least likely to +give his attention to any thing he might hear. In these cases the attack +is generally made under the belief that the individual is a desperate +sorcerer, and has worked innumerable mischiefs to their tribe. In their +attacks upon European parties I believe the natives generally advance in +a line or crescent, beating their weapons together, throwing dust in the +air, spitting, biting their beards, or using some other similar act of +defiance and hostility. I have never witnessed any such collision myself, +but am told that the attack is always accompanied by that peculiar savage +sound produced by the suppressed guttural shout of many voices in unison, +which they use in conflicts amongst themselves, and which is continued to +the moment of collision, and renewed in triumph whenever a weapon strikes +an opponent. + +When hostilely disposed from either fear or from having been previously +ill-treated, I have seen the natives, without actually proceeding to +extremities, resort to all the symptoms of defiance I have mentioned, or +at other times, run about with fire-brands in their hands, lighting the +bushes and the grass, either as a charm, or in the hope of burning out +the intruders. When much alarmed and rather closely pressed, they have +run up the trees like monkeys, and concealed themselves among the boughs, +evidently thinking they were secure from pursuit there. + +If tribes meet simply for the purpose of festivity, and have no deaths to +avenge on either side, although they appear in warlike attitude, painted +and bearing spear and shield, yet when they approach each other, they all +become seated upon the ground. After which, the strangers, should there +be any, undergo a formal introduction, and have their country and lineage +described by the older men. At these meetings all occurrences of interest +are narrated, information is given as to the localities in which food is +most abundant, and invitations are issued by the proprietors of these +districts, to their relations and friends to accompany them thither. + +The position of one tribe towards another, whether on friendly terms or +otherwise, is talked about, and consultations are held on the existing +state of affairs, whether hostilities shall be continued or withdrawn, +and future plans of operation are marked out. + +Whilst the men are occupied in discussing these matters, the females +engage in a narration of family occurrences, such as births of children, +marriages, deaths, etc., not omitting a sprinkling of gossip and scandal, +from which, even these ebon sisters of a fairer race, are not altogether +exempt. + +In the evening, the huts of the different tribes are built as near to +each other as practicable, each tribe locating itself in the direction +from whence it came. The size and character of the huts, with the number +of their occupants, vary according to the state of the weather, and the +local circumstances of their position. In fine weather, one hut will +contain from two to five families, in wet weather more, each family +however having a separate fire. + +The amusements of the natives are various, but they generally have a +reference to their future occupations or pursuits. Boys who are very +young, have small reed spears made for them by their parents, the ends of +which are padded with grass, to prevent them from hurting each other. +They then stand at a little distance, and engage in a mimic fight; and by +this means acquire early that skill in the use of this weapon, for which, +in after life, they are so much celebrated. At other times round pieces +of bark are rolled along the ground, to represent an animal in the act of +running, at which the spears are thrown for the sake of practice. + +Another favourite amusement among the children, is to practise the dances +and songs of the adults, and a boy is very proud if he attains sufficient +skill in these, to be allowed to take part in the exhibitions that are +made before other tribes. + +String puzzles are another species of amusement with them. In these a +European would be surprised to see the ingenuity they display, and the +varied and singular figures which they produce. Our juvenile attempts in +this way, are very meagre and uninteresting compared to them. [Note 63: An +amusement of the New Zealand children.--Dieffenbach, vol. 2. p. 32.] + +Other gratifications enjoyed by children, consist in learning the +occupations and pursuits of after life, as to make twine, and weapons; to +ascend trees; to procure food; to guide the canoe, and many other things, +which enter into the pursuits of a savage. + +The elder boys engage more extensively in similar occupations, as they +are more particularly interested in them, and by their exertions have to +provide chiefly for their own support. Mock combats frequently take place +amongst them, in which they are encouraged by the adults, that they may +acquire the dexterities of warfare, in which they are soon to be more +seriously engaged. [Note 64: For an account of a similar practise among +the American Indians, vide Catlin, vol. 1. p. 131.] + +An amusement of the adults, is a large bunch of emu feathers tied +together, (fig. 1. Pl. 1.) which is held out and shaken as if in +defiance, by some individual, whilst the others advance to try to take it +out of his hands. This occasions an amusing struggle before the prize is +gained, in which it is not uncommon to see from ten to twenty strong and +lusty men rolling in a heap together. This is a sort of athletic exercise +amongst them, for the purpose of testing each other's strength. On such +an occasion they are all unarmed and naked. + +At nights, dances or plays are performed by the different tribes in turn, +the figures and scenes of which are extensively varied, but all are +accompanied by songs, and a rude kind of music produced by beating two +sticks together, or by the action of the hand upon a cloak of skins +rolled tightly together, so as to imitate the sound of a drum. In some of +the dances only are the women allowed to take a part; but they have +dances of their own, in which the men do not join. At all times they are +the chief musicians, vocal and instrumental. Sometimes, however, they +have an old man to lead the band and pitch the tunes; and at others they +are assisted by the old and young men indiscriminately. + +The natives have not any war-dance, properly so called, though sometimes +they are decorated in all the pomp and circumstance of war. Being +excellent mimies, they imitate in many of their dances the habits and +movements of animals. They also represent the mode of hunting, fighting, +love-making, etc. New figures and new songs are constantly introduced, and +are as much applauded and encored, as more refined productions of a +similar kind in civilized communities; being sometimes passed from tribe +to tribe for a considerable distance. I have often seen dances performed +to songs with which I was acquainted, and which I knew to belong to +distant parts of the country where a different dialect was spoken, and +which consequently could not be understood where I heard them. Many of +the natives cannot even give an interpretation of the songs of their own +districts [Note 65 at end of para.], and most of the explanations they do +give are, I am inclined to think, generally very imperfect, as the +measures or quantities of the syllables appear to be more attended to +than the sense. + +[Note 65: "Not one in ten of the young men who are dancing and singing it, +know the meaning of the song they are chaunting over."--Catlin, vol. 1. p. +126. Also the case in New Zealand, with respect to some of the +songs.--Vide Dieffenbach, vol. 2. p. 57.] + +Of these amusements the natives are passionately fond; and when once they +have so far overcome their naturally indolent disposition as to be +induced to engage in them there is no knowing when they will give over. +Dances are sometimes held during the day, but these are of rare +occurrence, and seem to be in some way connected with their ceremonial +observances or superstitions, since rude figures, and lofty branches of +trees, decorated with tufts of feathers, emu plumes, swan's down and red +ochre, occupy a prominent part in the exhibition, although never met with +in the dances by night. + +The dances vary a great deal among the different tribes, both as to +figures and music; the painting or decoration of their persons, their use +of weapons, and the participation of the females in them. Throughout the +entire continent, as far as it is known. there are many points of +resemblance in the dances of all the Aborigines, such as the practice of +painting the body with white and red ochre, carrying boughs in their +hands, or tying them round their limbs; adorning the head with feathers +or down, bearing bunches of feathers, tied in tufts in their hands, the +women singing and beating time upon folded skins, the men beating time +upon sticks or some of their smaller weapons, an old man acting as leader +of the band, and giving the time and tune to the others; the dances +representing the actions of animals, the circumstances of the chase, of +war, or of love; and the singular and extraordinary quivering motion of +the thighs when the legs are distended, a peculiarity probably confined +to the natives of the continent of Australia. + +The most interesting dances are those which take place at the meeting of +different tribes. Each tribe performs in turn, and as there is much +rivalry, there is a corresponding stimulus to exertion. The dances +usually commence an hour or two after dark, and are frequently kept up +the greater part of the night, the performers becoming so much excited +that, notwithstanding the violent exercise required to sustain all their +evolutions, they are unwilling to leave off. It is sometimes difficult to +induce them to commence a dance; but if they once begin, and enter into +the spirit of it, it is still more difficult to induce them to break up. + +The females of the tribe exhibiting, generally sit down in front of the +performers, either irregularly, in a line, or a semicircle, folding up +their skin cloaks into a hard ball, and then beating them upon their laps +with the palm of their hand, and accompanying the noise thus produced +with their voices. It is surprising to see the perfect time that is kept +in this way, and the admirable manner in which the motions of the dancers +accord with the music. There is no confusion, irregularity, or mistake. +Each person is conversant with his part; and all exhibit a degree of +elasticity and gracefulness in their movements which, in some of the +dances, is very striking and beautiful. + +In many of the figures, weapons are carried, such as the waddy, the +shield, the spear, etc. and in these it is amazing to behold the facility +and skill with which they form in close array, spread into open rank, +change places, and thread through the mazes of the dance, without ever +deranging their plans, or coming in contact with each other. + +The tribes who are not engaged in dancing, are seated in a large +semicircle as spectators, occasionally giving a rapturous exclamation of +delight, as any part of the performance is well gone through or any +remarkable feat of activity exhibited. Where natives have not much +acquaintance with Europeans, so as to give up, in some measure, their +original habits, if there is any degree of jealousy between the +respective tribes, they are sometimes partitioned off from each other by +boughs of trees, whilst they look at the dance. On one occasion I saw +five tribes met together, and the evening was of course spent in dancing. +Each tribe danced in turn, about forty being engaged at once, besides +sixteen females, eight of whom were at each corner of the male +performers. The men were naked, painted in various devices with red and +white, and had their heads adorned with feathers. The women wore their +opossum cloaks, and had bands of white down round their foreheads, with +the long feathers of the cockatoo sticking up in front like horns. In the +dance the men and women did not intermingle; but the two sets of women +who were dancing at the corners of the line, occasionally changed places +with each other, passing in this transit, at the back of the men. All +sung, and the men beat time upon their smaller weapons whilst dancing, +the whole making up a wild and piercing noise, most deafening and +ungrateful to the ears. + +The natives of the Rufus and Lake Victoria (Tar-ru) have a great variety +of dances and figures. One of these, which I witnessed, representing the +character, habits, and chase of the kangaroo was admirably performed, and +would have drawn down thunders of applause at any theatre in Europe. One +part of this figure, where the whole of the dancers successively drop +down from a standing to a crouching posture, and then hop off in this +position with outstretched arms and legs, was excellently executed. The +contrast of their sable skins with the broad white stripes painted down +their legs; their peculiar attitudes, and the order and regularity with +which these were kept, as they moved in a large semicircle, in the +softening light of the fire, produced a striking effect; and in +connection with the wild and inspiriting song, which gave an impulse to +their gesticulation, led me almost to believe that the scene was +unearthly. + +In some of the dances the music varies rapidly from slow to quick, and +the movements alter accordingly. In some they are altogether measured and +monotonous, in others very lively and quick, keeping the performers +almost constantly at a double quick march, moving in advance and retreat, +crossing past or threading through the ranks, and using a kind of motion +with the feet in unison with the music, that bears a strong resemblance +to the European mode of dancing. At particular points the figures +terminate by some simultaneous motion of the whole performers, +accompanied by a deep, gutteral "Waugh," [Note 66 at end of para.] uttered +by all together; at others by the actors closing in a dense circle, and +raising and pointing their weapons upwards with the same exclamation. + +[Note 66: This very peculiar sound appears to be common among the American +Indians, and to be used in a similar manner.--Vide Catlin, vol. 2. p.136.] + +The "Paritke," or natives inhabiting the scrub north-west of Moorunde, +have quite a different form of dancing from the river natives. They are +painted or decorated with feathers in a similar way; but each dancer ties +bunches of green boughs round the leg, above the knees, whilst the mode +of dancing consists in stamping with the foot and uttering at each motion +a deep ventral intonation, the boughs round the knees making a loud +rustling noise in keeping with the time of the music. One person, who +directs the others in the movements of this dance, holds in his hands an +instrument in the form of a diamond, made of two slight sticks, from two +and a half to three feet long, crossed and tied in the middle, round this +a string, made of the hair of the opposum, is pressed from corner to +corner, and continued successively towards the centre until there is only +room left for the hand to hold the instrument. At each corner is appended +a bunch of cockatoo feathers. With this the chief performer keeps a +little in advance of the dancers, and whisking it up and down to the time +of the music, regulates their movements. + +In another dance, in which women are the chief performers, their bodies +are painted with white streaks, and their hair adorned with cockatoo +feathers. They carry large sticks in their hands, and place themselves in +a row in front, whilst the men with their spears stand in a line behind +them. They then all commence their movements, but without intermingling, +the males and females dancing by themselves. There is little variety or +life in this dance, yet it seems to be a favourite one with the natives. + +The women have occasionally another mode of dancing, by joining the hands +together over the head, closing the feet, and bringing the knees into +contact. The legs are then thrown outwards from the knee, whilst the feet +and hands are kept in their original position, and being drawn quickly in +again a sharp sound is produced by the collision. This is either +practised alone by young girls, or by several together for their own +amusement. It is adopted also when a single woman is placed in front of a +row of male dancers to excite their passions; for many of the native +dances are of a grossly licentious character. In another figure they keep +the feet close together, without lifting them from the ground, and by a +peculiar motion of the limbs advance onwards, describing a short +semicircle. This amusement is almost exclusively confined to young +females among themselves. + +It has already been remarked, that the natives, on particular occasions, +have dances which they perform in the day-time, which are different from +others, and seem to have some connection with their ceremonial +observances or superstitions. I have only witnessed one of these. It took +place at Moorunde, in March 1844, on the occasion of a large number of +distant natives coming to visit the place; and the visitors were the +performers. The Moorunde natives were seated upon the brow of a +sand-bank; the strangers, consisting of two tribes, down in a hollow a +little way off, among a few bushes. When ready, they advanced in a line +towards the others, dancing and singing, being painted and decorated as +usual, some having tufts of feathers placed upon their heads like +cockades and others carrying them in their hands tied to short sticks. +Nearly all the males carried bunches of green boughs, which they waved +and shook to the time of the song. The women were also painted, and +danced in a line with the men, those of each tribe stationing themselves +at opposite ends of the line. Dancing for a while, they retired again +towards the hollow, and after a short interval advanced as before, but +with a person in the centre carrying a curious, rude-looking figure, +raised up in the air. This singular object consisted of a large bundle of +grass and reeds bound together, enveloped in a kangaroo skin, with the +flesh side outwards, and painted all over in small white circles. From +the top of this projected a thin stick, with a large tuft of feathers at +the end to represent the head, and sticks were stuck out laterally from +the sides for the arms, terminating in tufts of feathers stained red to +represent the hands. From the front, a small stick about six inches long +was projected, ending with a thick knob, formed of grass, around which a +piece of old cloth was tied. This was painted white and represented the +navel. The figure was about eight feet long, and was evidently intended +to symbolise a man. It was kept in its elevated position by the person +who carried it, and who advanced and retired with the movements of the +dancers. The position of the latter was alternately erect and crouching, +whilst they sang and beat time with the green boughs. Sometimes they +stretched out their right arms simultaneously, and at other times their +left, apparently for the purpose of marking the time at particular parts +of the song. After dancing for a while in this way, they again retired to +the hollow, and for a few moments there was another pause; after which +they again advanced as before, but without the image. In the place of +this two standards were exhibited, made of poles, about twelve feet long, +and borne by two persons. These were perfectly straight, and for the +first eight feet free from boughs; above this nine branches were left +upon each pole, having at their ends each a bunch of feathers of the hawk +or owl. On the top of one of the standards was a bunch of emu feathers. +The branches were stripped of all their smaller twigs and leaves, and of +their bark. They were painted white, and wound round with the white down +of the black swan, twisted into a rope. This also extended for a +considerable distance down the pole, below the undermost branch. + +Having again retired towards the hollow, they remained there for a few +minutes, and then advanced for the third time. On this occasion, however, +instead of the image or standards, they all carried their spears. After +dancing with these for some time, they went forward towards the Moorunde +natives, who sprang upon their feet, and seizing their weapons, speared +two or three of the strangers in the shoulder, and all was over. I was +anxious to have got hold of the rude figure to have a drawing made of it, +but it had been instantly destroyed. The standards I procured. + +This dance took place between nine and ten in the morning, and was quite +unlike any thing I had seen before. A stranger might have supposed it to +be a religious ceremony, and the image the object of worship. Such, +however, I am convinced was not the case, although I believe it to have +had some connection with their superstitions, and that it was regarded in +the light of a charm. + +Before the country was occupied by Europeans, the natives say that this +dance was frequently celebrated, but that latterly it has not been much +in use. No other instance of it ever came under my own observation in any +part of New Holland. + +The songs of the natives are of a very rude and unmeaning character, +rarely consisting of more than one or two ideas, which are continually +repeated over and over again. They are chiefly made on the spur of the +moment, and refer to something that has struck the attention at the time. +The measure of the song varies according to circumstances. It is gay and +lively, for the dance; slow and solemn for the enchanter; and wild and +pathetic for the mourner. The music is sometimes not unharmonious; and +when heard in the stillness of the night and mellowed by distance, is +often soothing and pleasing. I have frequently laid awake, after retiring +to rest, to listen to it. Europeans, their property, presence, and +habits, are frequently the subject of these songs; and as the natives +possess great powers of mimicry, and are acute in the observation of +anything that appears to them absurd or ludicrous, the white man often +becomes the object of their jests or quizzing. I have heard songs of this +kind sung at the dances in a kind of comic medley, where different +speakers take up parts during the breaks in the song, and where a +sentence or two of English is aptly introduced, or a quotation made from +some native dialect, other than that of the performers. It is usually +conducted in the form of question and answer, and the respective speakers +use the language of the persons they are supposed to represent. The +chorus is, however, still the same repetition of one or two words. + +The following specimens, taken from a vocabulary published by Messrs. +Teichelmann, and Schurmann, German Missionaries to the Aborigines, will +give an idea of the nature of the songs of the Adelaide tribe. + + +KADLITPIKO PALTI. +Pindi mai birkibirki parrato, parrato. (DE CAPO BIS.) + +CAPTAIN JACK'S SONG. +The European food, the pease, I wished to eat, I wished to eat. + + +MULLAWIRRABURKARNA PALTI. +Natta ngai padlo ngaityarniappi; watteyernaurlo tappandi ngaityo parni +tatti. (DA CAPO.) + +KING JOHN'S SONG. +Now it (viz. the road or track) has tired me; +throughout Yerna there is here unto me a continuous road. + + +WILTONGARROLO kundando +Strike (him, viz. the dog) with the tuft of eagle feathers. + +Kadlottikurrelo paltando +Strike (him) with the girdle + +Mangakurrelo paltando +Strike (him) with the string round the head + +Worrikarrolo paltando +Strike (him) with the blood of circumcision + +Turtikarrolo paltando +Strike (him) with the blood of the arm. etc. etc. + +Kartipaltapaltarlo padlara kundando + +Wodliparrele kadlondo + +Kanyamirarlo kadlondo + +Karkopurrelo kadlondo + + +"This curse or imprecation is used in hunting a wild dog, which, by the +mysterious effects of those words, is induced to lie down securely to +sleep, when the natives steal upon and easily kill him. The first word in +each line denotes things sacred or secret, which the females and children +are never allowed to see. + +* * * + +KAWEMUKKA minnurappindo Durtikarro minnurappindo +Tarralye minnurappindo Wimmari minnurappindi +Kirki minurappindo Wattetarpirri minnurappindo +Worrikarro minurappindo + + +"These sentences are used in hunting opossums, to prevent their escape, +when the natives set fire to hollow trees in which the opossums are +living. + +* * * + +KARRO karro wimmari Karra yernka makkitia +Karro karro kauwemukka Makkitia mulyeria +Karro karro makkitia + + +"These words are rapidly repeated to the NGULTAS, while undergoing the +painful operation of tattooing; they are believed to be so powerful as to +soothe the pain, and prevent fatal consequences of that barbarous +operation." + +Another specimen may be given from the Vocabulary published by Mr. Meyer, +another of the German Missionaries at Encounter Bay. + + +"Miny-el-ity yarluke an-ambe what is it road me for Aly-..el-..arr' +yerk-in yangaiak-ar! here are they standing up hill . . . . . . s + +What a fine road is this for me winding between the hills! + + +"The above words compose one of the native songs. It refers to the road +between Encounter Bay and Willunga. All their songs appear to be of the +same description, consisting of a few words which are continually +repeated. This specimen, it will be observed, consists of two regular +verses: + +-u|--|u-|u-u +-u|--|u-|u-u + +"This may, however, be accidental." + +I have not thought it worth while to give any specimens of the songs I +have collected myself, because I could not be quite certain that I should +give the original words with strict accuracy, neither could I be +satisfied about the translations. + +The assemblage of several tribes at one place for any of the objects I +have described, rarely continues uninterrupted for any great length of +time, for even where it has taken place for the most pacific purposes, it +seldom terminates as it began; and the greater the number of natives +present, the less likelihood is there that they will remain very long in +a state of quiescence. + +If not soon compelled to separate by the scarcity of food, or a desire to +follow some favourite pursuit, for which the season of the year is +favourable, they are generally driven to it by discord and disagreements +amongst themselves, which their habits and superstitions are calculated +to foment. + + + + +Chapter III. + + + +FOOD--HOW PROCURED--HOW PREPARED--LIMITATION AS TO AGE, ETC., ETC. + + +The food of the Aborigines of Australia embraces an endless variety of +articles, derived both from the animal and vegetable kingdom. The +different kinds in use depend in a great measure upon the season of the +year and local circumstances. Every district has in it something peculiar +to itself. The soil and climate of the continent vary greatly in their +character and afford a corresponding variety of productions to the +Aborigines. As far as it is yet known there are no localities on its +coast, no recesses in its interior, however sterile and inhospitable they +may appear to the traveller, that do not hold out some inducements to the +bordering savage to visit them, or at proper seasons of the year provide +him with the means of sustenance. Captain Grey remarks, in volume 2, of +his travels, page 261-- + + +"Generally speaking, the natives live well; in some districts there may +at particular seasons of the year be a deficiency of food, but if such is +the case, these tracts are, at those times, deserted. It is, however, +utterly impossible for a traveller or even for a strange native to judge +whether a district affords an abundance of food, or the contrary; for in +traversing extensive parts of Australia, I have found the sorts of food +vary from latitude to latitude, so that the vegetable productions used by +the Aborigines in one are totally different to those in another; if, +therefore, a stranger has no one to point out to him the vegetable +productions, the soil beneath his feet may teem with food, whilst he +starves. The same rule holds good with regard to animal productions; for +example, in the southern parts of the continent the Xanthorrea affords an +inexhaustible supply of fragrant grubs, which an epicure would delight +in, when once he has so far conquered his prejudices as to taste them; +whilst in proceeding to the northward, these trees decline in health and +growth, until about the parallel of Gantheaume Bay they totally +disappear, and even a native finds himself cut off from his ordinary +supplies of insects; the same circumstances taking place with regard to +the roots and other kinds of food at the same time, the traveller +necessarily finds himself reduced to cruel extremities. A native from the +plains, taken into an elevated mountainous district near his own country, +for the first time, is equally at fault. + +"But in his own district a native is very differently situated; he knows +exactly what it produces, the proper time at which the several articles +are in season, and the readiest means of procuring them. According to +these circumstances he regulates his visits to the different portions of +his hunting ground; and I can only state that I have always found the +greatest abundance in their huts." + + +It is evident therefore that a European or even a stranger native would +perish in a district capable of supplying the necessaries of life, simply +because he had not the experience necessary to direct him where to search +for food, or judgment to inform him what article might be in season at +the particular time of his visit. It is equally the same with respect to +procuring water. The native inhabiting a scrubby and an arid district +has, from his knowledge of the country and from a long residence and +practical experience in the desert, many resources at command to supply +his wants, where the white man would faint or perish from thirst. + +The very densest brushes, which to the latter are so formidable and +forbidding, hold out to the former advantages and inducements to resort +to them of more than ordinary temptation. Abounding in wild animals of +various kinds, they offer to the natives who frequent them an unlimited +supply of food: a facility for obtaining firewood, a grateful shade from +the heat, an effectual screen from the cold, and it has already been +shewn that they afford the means of satisfying their thirst by a process +but little known, and which from a difference in habits and temperament +would be but little available to the European.[Note 67 at end of para.] +In judging, therefore, of the character of any country, from the mere +fact of natives being seen there, or even of their being numerous, we must +take all these circumstances into consideration; and, in estimating the +facility with which a native can remain for a long time in a country, +apparently arid and inhospitable, we must not omit to take into account +his education and experience, and the general nature of his habits. The +two former have accustomed him from infancy to feel at home and at ease, +where a European sees only dread and danger: he has thus the advantage +over the European in the desert, that a swimmer has in the water over the +man who cannot swim; conscious of his own powers and resources, he feels +not the least apprehension, whilst the very terrors of the other but +augment his danger. On the other hand, the general habits, mode of life, +and almost temperament of the savage, give him an equally great advantage. +Indolent by disposition and indulgence, he makes very short stages in his +ordinary travels, rarely moving more than from eight to twelve miles in +the day, and this he does so leisurely and quietly, that he neither +becomes excited nor heated, and consequently does not experience that +excessive thirst, which is produced by the active exertions or violent +exercise of the European, and which in the latter is at the same time so +greatly augmented, by his want of confidence and anxiety. + +[Note 67: Vide vol. I. p.349 (March 26.)] + +Another very great advantage on the part of the natives is, the intimate +knowledge they have of every nook and corner of the country they inhabit; +does a shower of rain fall, they know the very rock where a little water +is most likely to be collected, the very hole where it is the longest +retained, and by repairing straight to the place they fill their skins, +and thus obtain a supply that lasts them many days. Are there heavy dews +at night, they know where the longest grass grows, from which they may +collect the spangles, and water is sometimes procured thus in very great +abundance. [Note 68 at end of para.] Should there be neither rains nor +dews, their experience at once points out to them the lowest levels where +the gumscrub grows, and where they are sure of getting water from its +roots, with the least possible amount of labour that the method +admits of, and with the surest prospect of success. + +[Note 69: Vide vol. I. p.349 (March 27.)] + +[Note 68: Vide vol. I. p.361 (March 30.)] + +Another very important circumstance in favour of the native, and one +which results in a measure from some of the above-mentioned +considerations, is the fact, that the native sets to work to procure his +supply calmly and collectedly, and before he requires it; whilst the +European, even if acquainted with the method of obtaining it, would not +resort to it until the last extremity, when the body was fatigued and +heated by previous exertion, the mouth dry and parched by thirst, and the +mind excited and anxious from apprehension. The natural consequence of +such a very different combination of circumstances would be, that the +native would obtain an abundant and satisfying supply, whilst the +European would never be able to procure a sufficiency to appease his +thirst, but would rather fatigue and exhaust his strength the more, from +his want of skill and experience, and from his body and mind being both +in an unfit state for this particular kind of exertion. Such at least, on +many various occasions, I have found to be the case both with myself, and +with natives with me who have not been accustomed to the scrub, or to +this method of procuring water. The difficulty and labour of finding and +digging out the roots, our want of skill in selecting proper ones, the +great dust arising from the loose, powdery soil in which they were, and +our own previously excited and exhausted state, have invariably prevented +us from deriving the full advantage we expected from our efforts. + +In cases of extreme thirst, where the throat is dry and parched, or life +at all in danger, the toil of digging for the roots would be well repaid +by the relief afforded. I have myself, in such cases, found that though I +could by no means satiate my thirst, I could always succeed in keeping my +mouth cool and moist, and so far in rendering myself equal to exertions I +could not otherwise have made. Indeed, I hold it impossible that a +person, acquainted with this means of procuring water, and in a district +where the gum-scrub grew, could ever perish from thirst in any moderate +lapse of time, if he had with him food to eat, and was not physically +incapable of exertion. Under such circumstances, the moisture he would be +able to procure from the roots, would, I think, be quite sufficient to +enable him to eat his food, and to sustain his strength for a +considerable time, under such short stages as would gradually conduct him +free from his embarrassments. + +In addition to the value of the gum-scrub to the native, as a source from +whence to obtain his supply of water, it is equally important to him as +affording an article of food, when his other resources have failed. To +procure this, the lateral roots are still made use of, but the smaller +ones generally are selected, such as vary in diameter from an inch +downwards. The roots being dug up, the bark is peeled off and roasted +crisp in hot ashes; it is then pounded between two stones, and has a +pleasant farinaceous taste, strongly resembling that of malt. I have +often seen the natives eating this, and have frequently eaten it myself +in small quantities. How far it alone would support life, or sustain a +man in strength, I have of course no means of forming an opinion; but it +is, probably, only resorted to when other food is scarce. Several of the +roots of other shrubs are also used for food, and some of them are +mucilaginous and very palatable. + +Throughout the greater portion of New Holland, where there do not happen +to be European settlers, and invariably where fresh water can be +permanently procured upon the surface, the native experiences no +difficulty whatever in procuring food in abundance all the year round. It +is true that the character of his diet varies with the changing seasons, +and the formation of the country he inhabits; but it rarely happens that +any season of the year, or any description of country does not yield him +both animal and vegetable food. Amongst the almost unlimited catalogue of +edible articles used by the natives of Australia, the following may be +classed as the chief:--all salt and fresh-water fish and shell-fish, of +which, in the larger rivers, there are vast numbers and many species; +freshwater turtle; frogs of different kinds; rats and mice; lizards, and +most kinds of snakes and reptiles; grubs of all kinds; moths of several +varieties; fungi, and many sorts of roots; the leaves and tops of a +variety of plants; the leaf and fruit of the mesembryanthemum; various +kinds of fruits and berries; the bark from the roots of many trees and +shrubs; the seeds of leguminous plants; gum from several species of +acacia; different sorts of manna; honey from the native bee, and also +from the flowers of the Banksia, by soaking them in water; the tender +leaves of the grass-tree; the larvae of insects; white ants; eggs of +birds; turtles or lizards; many kinds of kangaroo; opossums; squirrels, +sloths, and wallabies; ducks; geese; teal; cockatoos; parrots; wild dogs +and wombats; the native companion; the wild turkey; the swan; the +pelican; the leipoa, and an endless variety of water-fowl, and other +descriptions of birds. + +Of these articles, many are not only procurable in abundance, but in such +vast quantities at the proper seasons, as to afford for a considerable +length of time an ample means of subsistence to many hundreds of natives +congregated in one place; and these are generally the kinds of food of +which the natives are particularly fond. On many parts of the coast, and +in the larger inland rivers, fish are obtained of a very fine +description, and in great abundance. At Lake Victoria, which is filled +with the back waters of the Murray, I have seen six hundred natives +encamped together, all of whom were living at the time upon fish procured +from the lake, with the addition, perhaps, of the leaves of the +mesembryanthemum. When I went amongst them I never perceived any scarcity +in their camps. The fish were caught in nets. + +At Moorunde, when the Murray annually inundates the flats, fresh-water +cray-fish make their way to the surface of the ground from holes where +they have been buried during the year, in such vast numbers that I have +seen four hundred natives live upon them for weeks together, whilst the +numbers spoiled or thrown away would have sustained four hundred more. +This fish is an excellent and nutritious article of food, and would be +highly prized by the epicure. It is caught by the women who wade into the +water in a long close line, stooping down and walking backwards, whilst +they grope with their hands and feet, presenting a singular, and to the +uninitiated, an incomprehensible spectacle, as they thus move slowly +backwards, but keep the line regular and well preserved, as all generally +occupy the same position at one time. When a cray-fish is caught the +large claws are torn off to prevent the animal from biting, and both +claws and body are put into a small net suspended from the neck for that +purpose. In two or three hours a woman will procure as many fish as will +last her family for a day. The men are too lazy to do anything when food +is so abundant, and lie basking under the trees in luxurious indolence, +whilst their wives, mothers, or sisters are engaged in cooking for them. + +An unlimited supply of fish is also procurable at the Murray about the +beginning of December, when the floods, having attained their greatest +height, begin again to recede; and when the waters, which had been thrown +by the back water channels of the river into the flats behind its banks, +begin again to reflow through them into the river as it falls in height. +At this time the natives repair to these channels, and making a weir +across them with stakes and grass interwoven, leave only one or two small +openings for the stream to pass through. To these they attach bag nets, +which receive all the fish that attempt to re-enter the river. The number +procured in this way in a few hours is incredible. Large bodies of +natives depend upon these weirs for their sole subsistence, for some time +after the waters have commenced to recede. + +Another very favourite article of food, and equally abundant at a +particular season of the year, in the eastern portion of the continent, +is a species of moth which the natives procure from the cavities and +hollows of the mountains in certain localities. This, when roasted, has +something of the appearance and flavour of an almond badly peeled. It is +called in the dialect of the district, where I met with it, Booguon. The +natives are never so well conditioned in that part of the country, as at +the season of the year when they return from feasting upon this moth; and +their dogs partake equally of the general improvement. + +The tops, leaves, and stalks of a kind of cress, gathered at the proper +season of the year, tied up in bunches, and afterwards steamed in an +oven, furnish a favourite, and inexhaustible supply of food for an +unlimited number of natives. When prepared, this food has a savoury and +an agreeable smell, and in taste is not unlike a boiled cabbage. In some +of its varieties it is in season for a great length of time, and is +procured in the flats of rivers, on the borders of lagoons, at the +Murray, and in many other parts of New Holland. + +There are many other articles of food among the natives, equally abundant +and valuable as those I have enumerated: such as various kinds of +berries, or fruits, the bulbous roots of a reed called the belillah, +certain kinds of fungi dug out of the ground, fresh-water muscles, and +roots of several kinds, etc. Indeed, were I to go through the list of +articles seriatim, and enter upon the varieties and subdivisions of each +class, with the seasons of the year at which they were procurable, it +would at once be apparent that the natives of Australia, in their natural +state, are not subject to much inconvenience for want of the necessaries +of life. In almost every part of the continent which I have visited, +where the presence of Europeans, or their stock, has not limited, or +destroyed their original means of subsistence, I have found that the +natives could usually, in three or four hours, procure as much food as +would last for the day, and that without fatigue or labour. They are not +provident in their provision for the future, but a sufficiency of food is +commonly laid by at the camp for the morning meal. In travelling, they +sometimes husband, with great care and abstinence, the stock they have +prepared for the journey; and though both fatigued and hungry, they will +eat sparingly, and share their morsel with their friends, without +encroaching too much upon their store, until some reasonable prospect +appears of getting it replenished. + +In wet weather the natives suffer the most, as they are then indisposed +to leave their camps to look for food, and experience the inconveniences +both of cold and hunger. If food, at all tainted, is offered to a native +by Europeans, it is generally rejected with disgust. In their natural +state, however, they frequently eat either fish or animals almost in a +state of putridity. + +Cannibalism is not common, though there is reason to believe, that it is +occasionally practised by some tribes, but under what circumstances it is +difficult to say. Native sorcerers are said to acquire their magic +influence by eating human flesh, but this is only done once in a +life-time. + +[Note 70: The only authentic and detailed account of any instance of +cannibalism, that I am acquainted with, is found in Parliamentary Papers +on Australian Aborigines, published August, 1844, in a report of +Mr. Protector Sievewright, from Lake Tarong, in one of the Port Phillip +districts. + +"On going out I found the whole of the men of the different tribes +(amounting to upwards of 100) engaged hand to hand in one general melee. + +"On being directed by some of the women, who had likewise sought shelter +near my tent, to the huts of the Bolaghers, I there found a young woman, +supported in the arms of some of her tribe, quite insensible, and +bleeding from two severe wounds upon the right side of the face; she +continued in the same state of insensibility till about 11 o'clock, when +she expired. + +"After fighting for nearly an hour, the men of the Bolagher tribe +returned to their huts, when finding that every means I had used to +restore the young woman was in vain, they gave vent to the most frantic +expressions of grief and rage, and were employed till daylight in +preparing themselves and weapons to renew the combat. + +"Shortly before sunrise they again rushed towards the Targurt and +Elengermite tribes, who, with about a dozen of Wamambool natives, were +encamped together, when a most severe struggle took place between them, +and very few escaped on either side without serious fractures or dangerous +spear wounds. Although the Targurt tribe were supported by the Elengermite +and Wamambool natives, and were consequently much superior in number, +they were, after two hours hard fighting, driven off the ground and +pursued for about four miles, to where their women and children had +retired; when one of the former, named Mootinewhannong, was selected, +and fell, pierced by about 20 spears of the pursuers. + +"The body of this female was shortly afterwards burned to ashes by her +own people, and the Bolagher natives returned to their encampment, +apparently satisfied with the revenge they had taken, and remained +silently and sullenly watching the almost inanimate body of the wounded +female. + +"When death took place, they again expressed the most violent and +extravagant grief; they threw themselves upon the ground, weeping and +screaming at the height of their voices, lacerating their bodies and +inflicting upon themselves wounds upon their heads, from blows which they +gave themselves with the leangville. About an hour after the death of the +young woman, the body was removed a few hundred yards into the bush +by the father and brother of the deceased; the remainder of the tribe +following by one at a time, until they had all joined what I imagined +to be the usual funeral party. Having accompanied the body when it +was removed, I was then requested to return to my tent, which request +I took no notice of. In a few minutes I was again desired, rather +sternly, and by impatient signs to go. I endeavoured to make them +understand that I wished to remain, and I sat down upon a tree close to +where the body lay. The father of the deceased then came close up to me, +and pointed with his finger to his mouth, and then to the dead body. I +was at this moment closely and intensely scrutinized by the whole party. +I at once guessed their meaning, and signified my intention to remain, +and, with as much indifference as I could assume, stretched myself upon +the tree, and narrowly watched their proceedings. + +"With a flint they made an incision upon the breast, when a simultaneous +shriek was given by the party, and the same violent signs of grief were +again evinced. After a short time the operation was again commenced, +and in a few minutes the body disembowelled. + +"The scene which now took place was of the most revolting description; +horror-stricken and utterly disgusted, while obliged to preserve that +equanimity of demeanour upon which I imagined the development of this +tragedy to depend, I witnessed the most fearful scene of ferocious +cannibalism. + +"The bowels and entire viscera having been disengaged from the body, +were at first portioned out; but from the impatience of some of the women +to get at the liver, a general scramble took place for it, and it was +snatched in pieces, and, without the slightest process of cooking, +was devoured with an eagerness and avidity, a keen, fiendish expression +of impatience for more, from which scene, a memory too tenacious upon +this subject will not allow me to escape; the kidneys and heart were +in like manner immediately consumed, and as a climax to these revolting +orgies, when the whole viscera were removed, a quantity of blood and +serum which had collected in the cavity of the chest, was eagerly +collected in handsful, and drunk by the old man who had dissected +the body; the flesh was entirely cut off the ribs and back, the +arms and legs were wrenched and twisted from the shoulder and hip +joints, and their teeth employed to dissever the reeking tendons, when +they would not immediately yield to their impatience. The limbs were now +doubled up and put aside in their baskets; and on putting a portion of +the flesh upon a fire which had previously been lit, they seemed to +remember that I was of the party; something was said to one of the women, +who cut off a foot from the leg she had in her possession, and offered it +to me; I thought it prudent to accept of it, and wrapping it in my +handkerchief, and pointing to my tent, they nodded assent, and I joyfully +availed myself of their permission to retire. They shortly afterwards +returned to their huts with the debris of the feast, and during the day, +to the horror and annoyance of my two boys, and those belonging to the +establishment, they brought another part, and some half-picked bones, and +offered them to us. The head was struck off with a tomahawk and placed +between hot stones in the hollow of a tree, where it has undergone a +process of baking, and it is still left there otherwise untouched."] + +Many methods of obtaining the various articles of food, are resorted to +by the natives, some of these are very simple; some exceedingly +ingenious; whilst others require great tact and skill; and not a few +exercise to their fullest extent those qualities, which they possess so +greatly, and prize so highly, such as quickness of sight, readiness of +hand, caution in arranging plans, judgment in directing them, patience in +waiting for the result, endurance in pursuing, and strength in holding +fast. + +Fish are procured in different ways. They are caught with weirs or dams, +as already described; and also with large seines made of string +manufactured from the rush, and buoyed up with dry reeds, bound into +bundles, and weighted by stones tied to the bottom. This is used just in +the same way as the European seine, being either shot from a canoe, or +set by swimming or wading, according to the depth of the water. Great +numbers of fish of various kinds, and often of a large size, are caught +in this way. Fresh water turtles, varying in weight from three to twelve +pounds, are also taken in the same way, and are excellent eating. + +Another kind of net (ngail-le) used in fishing is made of slender twine, +and has a large mesh. It is long, but not more than from two to three +feet deep. A string is passed through the loops of the upper part, and is +then stretched across a lagoon, or any other sheet of still water, the +upper part being nearly level with the surface of the water, and the +lower part dangling loose below, without weight. In setting it each +extremity is fastened to a pole or spear, stuck firmly in the mud to keep +it in its place, whilst a third pole is occasionally put in the middle. A +few dry reeds are sometimes fastened at intervals to the line, running +through the upper part to prevent the net from sinking too low. When set, +the native either remains by it to take the fish out as they are caught, +or leaves it there all night. The fish swimming about the lagoon, or +sporting near the surface, strike against the net, and get their heads +fast in the meshes. The net swinging loose, yields to their pressure, and +entangles them the more as they struggle to extricate themselves from it. +This is a most destructive mode of catching fish, and generally secures +the finest and largest. + +Fish are sometimes taken in another way. A party of natives proceed to a +lagoon, or lake of still water, each carrying in his hand a small net +(ken-de-ran-ko) of a semi-oval shape, about twenty inches long, from +seven to nine inches across, and from five to seven inches deep. This net +is kept in shape by a thin hoop of wood running round it in the upper +part. With this the native dives to the bottom, and searches among the +weeds until he sees a fish; he then cautiously places the net under it, +and, rising suddenly to the surface, holds his victim at arm's length +above his head; and then biting it to kill it, he throws it on the shore +and dives down again for another. + +The natives are very skilful in this mode of fishing, and it is an +interesting sight to see several of them in the water diving together, +and exerting themselves against each other in their efforts to catch the +best fish, whilst the affrighted inhabitants of the water swim wildly and +confusedly about, seeking shelter in the mud and weeds, only to become an +easier prey. I have even seen natives dive down in the river, without net +or implement of any kind, and bring up good-sized fish, which they had +caught with their hands at the bottom. + +Another method of diving with the net is conducted on a larger scale. The +net itself is made of strong twine, from six to eight feet long, oval at +the top, about two feet across, and two deep. It is looped to a wooden +hoop or bow, with a strong string drawn tightly across the two ends of +the bow, and passed through the loops of the straight side of the net. +With this two natives dive together under the cliffs which confine the +waters of the Murray, each holding one end of the bow. They then place it +before any hole or cavity there may be in the rocks beneath the surface, +with the size, shape, and position of which they have by previous +experience become well acquainted; the terrified fish is then driven into +the net and secured. Fishes varying from twenty to seventy pounds are +caught in this way. It is only, however, at particular seasons of the +year, when the female fish are seeking for a place to deposit their spawn +that this mode of fishing can be adopted. + +Other kinds of hoop-nets are used for catching fish in shallow waters, or +for taking the shrimp, and a small fish like the white-bait, but they +need not be particularly described. + +The next principal mode of procuring fish is by spearing them, and even +this is performed in a variety of ways, according to the season of the +year, the description of fish to be taken, and the peculiarities of the +place where they are found. In the shallow waters upon the sea-coast the +native wades with his spear and throwing-stick, and follows the windings +of the fish with singular rapidity and skill, rarely missing his aim +where he has an opportunity of striking. + +In the larger rivers, when the waters are low and clear, a party of +natives varying in numbers from five to forty plunge in with their +spears, which for the purpose are made of hard wood, with smooth, sharp +points, and about six feet long. Forming themselves into a large +semicircle in the water, they all dive down, simultaneously, with their +weapons, accompanied sometimes by a young man, a few yards in advance of +the middle of the party, and without a spear. For a considerable time +they remain under water, and then, if successful, gradually emerge, and +deliver the fish that have been speared, to their friends on the shore. +If unsuccessful they swim a few yards further down, and dive again with +their weapons. And thus they frequently go on for a mile or two, until +they are either tired or satisfied with their success. I have known a +party of thirty natives kill seven or eight fish in the course of an +hour, none of which were under fifteen pounds, whilst some of them were +much larger. + +The regularity with which they keep their relative positions, +notwithstanding the current of the river, and the dexterity and order +with which they dive under the water, are truly surprising to a person +who witnesses them for the first time. + +At the period of floods, and when they have nearly attained their height, +and the young reeds and rushes begin to shew themselves above the surface +of the water, near the bank of rivers or of lagoons formed by the floods +in the alluvial flats behind, another method of spearing fish is +practised from a canoe (mun) made out of a solid sheet of the bark of the +gum-tree (eucalyptus). + +To these reeds the fish are very fond of resorting, probably to feed upon +the insects that are found upon the tender leaves; in moving about from +one place to another they strike against the reeds, and produce a +vibration in the tops above the water; this indicates to the native, who +is sailing stealthily along in his canoe, the exact place where they are +passing, and suddenly raising his arm with great energy he strikes +forcibly among the reeds with his spear, without letting it go out of his +hand. If the first blow does not succeed, it is rapidly repeated, and +seldom fails in securing a prize. When a large fish is speared, it is +pressed downwards to the ground, and the native leaps out of his canoe +and dives to the bottom to secure it. The spear (moo-ar-roo) used in this +method of fishing varies from ten to sixteen feet in length, and is made +of pine, pliant, and of nearly a uniform thickness; it is about an inch +and a half in diameter, and has two short pointed pieces of hard wood +lashed to one end, projecting about five or six inches, and set a little +apart, so as to form a kind of prongs or grains. This instrument is also +used for propelling the canoe. + +It is used too for spearing fish by night, which is by far the most +interesting method of any. + +Having previously prepared his canoe, straightened his spear, and +hardened and sharpened the points of the prongs, the native breaks up his +fire-wood in small pieces, and loads his canoe with a stock calculated to +last the time he intends to be absent. An oval piece of bark, about three +feet long and two broad, is then coated over with wet mud and placed in +the stern of the canoe, on a framework of sticks. One or two sticks are +stuck upright in the mud, and others placed around them in the form of a +cone. A fire is then put underneath, and the native, stepping into the +bow of his canoe, pushes steadily into the stream, and commences his +nocturnal employment. The wood of which the fire is made is of a +particular kind, and, as only one description of tree will answer, it has +frequently to be brought from a considerable distance. It is obtained +among the brush of the table-land stretching behind the valley of the +Murray, on either side, and its peculiarities are that it is light, +brittle, and resinous, emitting when burning a most agreeable fragrance +and a powerful and brilliant light, almost wholly free from smoke. + +Two men usually accompany each canoe, one to attend to the fire, and keep +it always burning brightly, and the other to guide the canoe and spear +the fish. As soon as the fire begins to blaze up the scene becomes most +beautiful. The low black looking piece of bark floats noiselessly down +the middle of the stream, or stealthily glides under the frowning cliffs, +now lit up by a brilliant light. In the bow is seen the dark, naked, but +graceful form of the savage, standing firm and erect, and scarcely +seeming to move, as with the slightest motion of his arms he guides the +frail canoe. His spear is grasped in his hand, whilst his whole attitude +and appearance denote the most intense vigilance and attention. Suddenly +you see his arm uplifted, and the weapon descending with the rapidity of +thought, a splash is seen, a struggle heard, and a fish is slowly and +cautiously drawn towards the canoe pierced through with the spear. If it +is a large one, the native at once plunges into the water, still +retaining his hold of the spear, and soon reappears with the trophy in +his arms. + +Among the rocks under the cliffs, or among logs or roots of trees, or on +a clayey bottom, large fresh-water lobsters (poo-ta-ron-ko) are procured +in the same way, weighing from two to four pounds each, and of a most +delicate and excellent flavour. I have frequently been out with a single +native, and seen him spear from ten to sixteen of these in an hour or +two. + +It has a singular and powerful effect upon the imagination, to witness at +midnight a fleet of these canoes, gliding about in the distance like so +many balls of fire, imparting a still deeper shade to the gloom of +darkness which surrounds the spectator, and throwing an air of romance on +the whole scene. Occasionally in travelling at night, and coming suddenly +upon the river from the scrub behind, I have been dazzled and enchanted +with the fairy sight that has burst upon me. The waters have been alive +with brilliant fires, moving to and fro in every direction, like meteors +from a marsh, and like those too, rapidly and inexplicably disappearing +when the footsteps of strangers are heard approaching. + +A few other methods of catching fish are sometimes resorted to, such as +stirring up the mud in stagnant ponds, and taking the fish when they come +up almost choked to the surface. Groping with their hands or with boughs, +etc. etc. + +There is also a particular season of the year (about September), when in +the larger rivers the fish become ill or diseased, and lie floating on +the surface unable to descend, or drift down dead with the current. +Fishes weighing nearly eighty pounds are sometimes taken in this way. The +natives are always looking out for opportunities of procuring food so +easily, and never hesitate to eat any fish, although they may have been +dead for some time. + +I have never seen the natives use hooks in fishing of their own +manufacture, nor do I believe that they ever make any, though they are +glad enough to get them from Europeans. + +The large fresh-water lobster is sometimes procured by diving, in which +case the females are generally employed, as the weather is cold, and +night is the best time to procure them. It is extraordinary to see a +party of women plunge into the water on a cold dark night, and swim and +dive about amongst logs, stumps, roots, and weeds without ever hurting +themselves, and seldom failing to obtai the object of their search. + +Turtle are procured in the same way, but generally by the men, and in the +day time. + +Muscles of a very large kind are also got by diving. The women whose duty +it is to collect these, go into the water with small nets (len-ko) hung +round their necks, and diving to the bottom pick up as many as they can, +put them into their bags, and rise to the surface for fresh air, +repeating the operation until their bags have been filled. They have the +power of remaining for a long time under the water, and when they rise to +the surface for air, the head and sometimes the mouth only is exposed. A +stranger suddenly coming to the river when they were all below, would be +puzzled to make out what the black objects were, so frequently appearing +and disappearing in the water. + +Cray-fish of the small kind (u-kod-ko) weighing from four to six ounces +are obtained by the women wading into the water as already described, or +by men wading and using a large bow-net, called a "wharro," which is +dragged along by two or three of them close to the bottom where the water +is not too deep. + +Frogs are dug out of the ground by the women, or caught in the marshes, +and used in every stage from the tadpole upwards. + +Rats are also dug out of the ground, but they are procured in the +greatest numbers and with the utmost facility when the approach of the +floods in the river flats compels them to evacuate their domiciles. A +variety is procured among the scrubs under a singular pile or nest which +they make of sticks, in the shape of a hay-cock, three or four feet high +and many feet in circumference. A great many occupy the same pile and are +killed with sticks as they run out. + +Snakes, lizards and other reptiles are procured among the rocks or in the +scrubs. Grubs are got out of the gum-tree into which they eat their way, +as also out of the roots of the mimosa, the leaves of the zamia, the +trunk of the xanthorra, and a variety of other plants and shrubs. + +One particularly large white grub, and a great bon-bouche to the natives, +is procured out of the ground. It is about four inches long and half an +inch in thickness, and is obtained by attaching a thin narrow hook of +hard wood to the long, wiry shoots of the polygonum, and then pushing +this gently down the hole through which the grub has burrowed into the +earth until it is hooked. Grubs are procured at a depth of seven feet in +this way without the delay or trouble of digging. + +Moths are procured as before described; or the larger varieties are +caught at nights whilst flying about. + +Fungi are abundant, and of great variety. Some are obtained from the +surface of the ground, others below it, and others again from the trunks +and boughs of trees. + +Roots of all kinds are procured by digging, one of the most important +being that of the flag or cooper's reed, which grows in marshes or +alluvial soils that are subject to periodical inundations. This is used +more or less at all seasons of the year, but is best after the floods +have retired and the tops have become decayed and been burnt off. The +root is roasted in hot ashes, and chewed, when it affords a nutritious +and pleasant farinaceous food. + +The belillah is another important bulbous root, which also grows on lands +subject to floods. It is about the size of a walnut, of a hard and oily +nature, and is prepared by being roasted and pounded into a thin cake +between two stones. Immense tracts of country are covered with this plant +on the flats of the Murray, which in the distance look like the most +beautiful and luxuriant meadows. After the floods have retired I have +seen several hundreds of acres, with the stems of the plant six or seven +feet high, and growing so closely together as to render it very difficult +to penetrate far amongst them. + +The thick pulpy leaf of the mesembryanthemum is in general use in all +parts of Australia which I have visited, and is eaten as a sort of relish +with almost every other kind of food. That which grows upon the elevated +table lands is preferred to that which is found in the valleys. It is +selected when the full vigour of the plant begins to decline and the tips +of the leaves become red, but before the leaf is at all withered. The +fruit is used both when first ripe and also after it has become dried up +and apparently withered. In each case it has an agreeable flavour and is +much prized by the natives. + +Many other descriptions of fruits and berries are made use of in +different parts of the continent, the chief of which, so far as their use +has come under my own observation, are-- + +1. A kind of fruit called in the Moorunde dialect "ketango," about the +size and shape of a Siberian crab, but rounder. When this is ripe, it is +of a deep red colour, and consists of a solid mealy substance, about the +eighth of an inch in thickness, enclosing a large round stone, which, +upon being broken, yields a well-flavoured kernel. The edible part of the +fruit has an agreeable acid taste, and makes excellent puddings or +preserves, for which purpose it is now extensively used by Europeans. The +shrub on which this grows, is very elegant and graceful, and varies from +four to twelve feet in height. [Note 71: A species of fusanus.] When in +full bearing, nothing can exceed its beauty, drooping beneath its +crimson load. + +Another shrub found in the scrubs, may sometimes be mistaken for this, as +it bears in appearance a similar fruit; but on being tasted, it is bitter +and nauseous. This in the Murray dialect is called "netting." The natives +prepare it by baking it in an oven, which takes the bitter taste away. +The "netting" is earlier in season than the "ketango." + +2. A berry about the size and shape of a large sloe, but with a smaller +stone; conical in shape, and rounded at the large end. This fruit is +juicy and saline, though not disagreeable in taste. There are several +varieties of it, which when ripe are of a black, red, or yellow colour. +The black is the best. The bush upon which it grows is a salsolaceous +bramble [Note 72: Nitraria Australis], and is found in large quantities +on the saline flats, bordering some parts of the Murrumbidgee and Murray +rivers; and along the low parts of the southern coast, immediately behind +the ridges bounding the sea shore. It is a staple article of food in its +season, among the natives of those districts where it abounds, and is +eaten by them raw, stone and all. + +3. A small berry or currant, called by the natives of Moorunde +"eertapko," about the size of No. 2. shot. When ripe it is red, and of an +agreeable acid flavour. It grows upon a low creeping tap-rooted plant, of +a salsolaceous character, found in the alluvial flats of the Murray, +among the polygonum brushes, and in many other places. A single plant +will spread over an area of many yards in diameter, covering the dry and +arid ground with a close, soft, and velvety carpet in the heat of summer, +at which time the fruit is in perfection. To collect so small a berry +with facility, and in abundance, the natives cut a rounded tray of thin +bark, two or three feet long, and six or eight inches wide, over this +they lift up the plant, upon which the fruit grows, and shake the berries +into it. When a sufficiency has been collected, the berries are skilfully +tossed into the air, and separated from the leaves and dirt. The natives +are very fond of this fruit, which affords them an inexhaustible resource +for many weeks. In an hour a native could collect more than he could use +in a day. + +The other sorts of fruits and berries are numerous and varied, but do not +merit particular description. + +[Note 73: Mr. Simpson gives the following account of the Bunya Bunya, a +fruit-bearing tree lately discovered on the N.E. coast of New +Holland. + +"Ascending a steep hill, some four miles further on, we passed +through a bunya scrub, and for the first time had an opportunity of +examining this noble tree more closely. It raises its majestic head above +every other tree in the forest, and must, therefore, frequently reach the +height of 250 feet; the trunk is beautifully formed, being as straight as +an arrow, and perfectly branchless for above two-thirds of its height; +branches then strike off, nearly at right angles from the trunk, forming +circles which gradually diminish in diameter till they reach the summit, +which terminates in a single shoot; the foliage shining, dark green, the +leaves acutely pointed and lanceolate, with large green cones, the size +of a child's head, hanging from the terminal branches in the fruiting +season (January). It is, too, very remarkable that the bunya tree, +according to the natives, is nowhere to be met with but in these parts; +it is, however, there is no doubt, a species of the araucaria genus, well +known in South America; the timber, when green, is white, fine grained +and very tough, but whether it retains these qualities when dry, has not +yet been determined. The Aborigines are particularly fond of the bunya +nuts, which are as large as a full sized almond, including the shell, +and, in good seasons, come from a distance of 100 or 200 miles to feast +upon them."] + +Bark from the roots of trees and shrubs is roasted, and then pounded +between two stones for use. + +Gums exude from the trees on which they are procured. These are generally +varieties of the Mimosa. + +Manna exudes in great abundance from the tree already mentioned, as +constituting the firewood which the natives use in fishing by night. It +is of a mottled red or brown colour, of a firm consistency and sweet +taste, resembling exactly in appearance, flavour, and colour, the manna +used medicinally in Europe. + +Another variety is yielded by the Eucalyptus mannifera and is found early +in the morning under the tree, scattered on the ground. This is +beautifully white and delicate, resembling flakes of snow. + +Honey is procured by steeping the cones of the Banksia or other +melliferous flowers in water. It is procured pure from the hives of the +native bees, found in cavities of rocks, and the hollow branches of +trees. The method of discovering the hive is ingenious. Having caught one +of the honey bees, which in size exceeds very little the common house +fly, the native sticks a piece of feather or white down to it with gum, +and then letting it go, sets off after it as fast as he can: keeping his +eye steadily fixed upon the insect, he rushes along like a madman, +tumbling over trees and bushes that lie in his way, but rarely losing +sight of his object, until conducted to its well-filled store, he is +amply paid for all his trouble. The honey is not so firm as that of the +English bee, but is of very fine flavour and quality. + +White ants are dug in great numbers out of their nests in the ground, +which are generally found in the scrubs. They are a favourite food of the +natives in the spring of the year. The females only are used, and at a +time just before depositing their eggs. They are separated from the dirt +that is taken up with them, by being thrown into the air, and caught +again upon a trough of bark. + +The eggs of birds are extensively eaten by the natives, being chiefly +confined to those kinds that leave the nest at birth, as the leipoa, the +emu, the swan, the goose, the duck, etc. But of others, where the young +remain some time in the nest after being hatched, the eggs are usually +left, and the young taken before they can fly. The eggs of the leipoa, or +native pheasant, are found in singular-looking mounds of sand, thrown up +by the bird in the midst of the scrubs, and often measuring several yards +in circumference. The egg is about the size of the goose egg, but the +shell is extremely thin and fragile. The young are hatched by the heat of +the sand and leaves, with which the eggs are covered. Each egg is +deposited separately, and the number found in one nest varies from one to +ten. + +One nest that I examined, and that only a small one, was twelve yards in +circumference, eighteen inches high, and shaped like a dome. It was +formed entirely of sand scraped up by the bird with its feet. Under the +centre of the dome, and below the level of the surrounding ground was an +irregular oval hole, about eighteen inches deep, and twelve in diameter. +In this, the eggs were deposited in different layers among sand and +leaves; on the lower tier was only one egg, on the next two, at a depth +of four or five inches from the ground. All the eggs were placed upon +their smaller ends, and standing upright. The colour of the egg is a dark +reddish pink; its length, three inches six-tenths; breadth, two inches +two-tenths; circumference, lengthwise, ten inches, and across, seven +inches two-tenths. The eggs appear to be deposited at considerable +intervals. In the nest alluded to, two eggs had only been laid sixteen +days after it was discovered, at which time there had been one previously +deposited. The bird is shaped like a hen pheasant, of a brownish colour, +barred with black, and its weight is about four pounds and a half. + +The eggs of the emu are rather smaller than those of the ostrich. They +are of a dark green colour and the shell is very thick. They are +deposited by the bird almost upon the ground, in the vicinity of a few +bushes, or tufts of grass, and usually in a country that is tolerably +open; a great many eggs are found in one nest, so that it is generally +looked upon by the natives as a great prize. + +Eggs are eaten in all stages. I have even seen rotten ones roasted, and +devoured with great relish. + +Kangaroos are speared, netted, or caught in pit falls. Four methods of +spearing them are practised. 1st. A native travelling with his family +through the woods, when he sees a kangaroo feeding or sleeping, will +steal silently and cautiously upon it, keeping, as he advances, a tree or +shrub between himself and the animal, or holding up before him, if he be +in an open place, a large branch of a tree, until sufficiently near to +throw the fatal weapon. 2ndly. Two natives get upon the track of a +kangaroo, which they follow up perseveringly even for two or three days, +sleeping upon it at night, and renewing their pursuit in the morning, +until, at last, the wearied animal, fairly tired out by its relentless +pursuers, is no longer able to fly before them, and at last becomes a +prize to the perseverance of the hunters. 3rdly. A small hut of reeds is +made near the springs, or water holes, in those districts, where water is +scarce; and in this, or in the top of a tree, if there be one near, the +native carefully conceals himself, and patiently waits until his game +comes to drink, when he is almost sure to strike it with his spear, +seldom quitting his lurking place without an ample remuneration for his +confinement. 4thly. A large party of men go out early in the morning, +generally armed with barbed spears, and take their stations upon ground +that has been previously fixed upon in a large semicircle. The women and +children, with a few men, then beat up, and fire the country for a +considerable extent, driving the game before them in the direction of the +persons who are lying in wait, and who gradually contract the space they +had been spread over, until they meet the other party, and then closing +their ranks in a ring upon the devoted animals, with wild cries and +shouts they drive them back to the centre as they attempt to escape, +until, at last, in the conflict, many of them are slaughtered. At other +times, the ground is so selected as to enable them to drive the game over +a precipice, or into a river, where it is easily taken. Netting the +kangaroo does not require so large a party; it is done by simply setting +a strong net (mugn-ko) across the path, which the animal is +accustomed to frequent, and keeping it in its place by long sticks, with +a fork upon the top. A few natives then shew themselves in a direction +opposite to that of the net, and the kangaroo being alarmed, takes to his +usual path, gets entangled in the meshes, and is soon despatched by +persons who have been lying in wait to pounce upon him. + +Pitfalls are also dug to catch the kangaroo around the springs, or pools +of water they are accustomed to frequent. These are covered lightly over +with small sticks, boughs, etc. and the animal going to drink, hops upon +them, and falls into the pit without being able to get out again. I have +only known this method of taking the kangaroo practised in Western +Australia, between Swan River and King George's Sound, + +The emu is taken similarly to the kangaroo. It is speared in the first, +third, and fourth methods I have described. It is also netted like the +kangaroo, indeed with the same net, only that the places selected for +setting it are near the entrance to creeks, ravines, flats bounded by +steep banks, and any other place where the ground is such as to hold out +the hope, that by driving up the game it may be compelled, by surrounding +scouts, to pass the place where the net is set. When caught the old men +hasten up, and clasping the bird firmly round the neck with their arms, +hold it or throw it on the ground, whilst others come to their assistance +and despatch it. This is, however, a dangerous feat, and I have known a +native severely wounded in attempting it; a kick from an emu would break +a person's leg, though the natives generally keep so close to the bird as +to prevent it from doing them much harm. + +The emu is frequently netted by night through a peculiarity in the habits +of the bird, that is well-known to the natives, and which is, that it +generally comes back every night to sleep on one spot for a long time +together. Having ascertained where the sleeping place is, the natives set +the net at some little distance away, and then supplying themselves with +fire-sticks, form a line from each end of the net, diverging in the +distance. The party may now be considered as forming two sides of a +triangle, with the net at the apex and the game about the middle of the +base; as soon as the sides are formed, other natives arrange themselves +in a line at the base, and put the bird up. The emu finding only one +course free from fire-sticks, viz. that towards the net or apex of the +triangle, takes that direction, and becomes ensnared. + +Opossums are of various kinds and sizes. They inhabit the hollows of +trees, or sometimes the tops, where they make a house for themselves with +boughs. They are also found in the holes of rocks. They are hunted both +in the day-time and by moon-light. During the day the native, as he +passes along, examines minutely the bark of the trees, to see whether any +marks have been left by the claws of the animal in climbing on the +previous night. If he finds any he is sure that an opossum is concealed, +either in that tree or one adjoining. The way he distinguishes whether +the marks are recently made or otherwise is, by examining the appearance +of the bark where the wound is, if fresh it is white, has rough edges, or +has grains of sand adhering to it; if otherwise it is dry and brown, and +free from loose particles. Having ascertained that an opossum has +recently been there, he then ascends the tree to look for it; this, if +the tree be in a leaning position, or has a rough bark, is not difficult +to him, and he rarely requires any other aid than his hands and feet; but +if the bark be smooth, and the tree straight, or of very large +dimensions, he requires the assistance of his stone hatchet, or of a +strong sharp-pointed stick, flattened on one side near the point (called +in the Adelaide dialect, "Wadna," in that of Moorunde "Ngakko,"); with +this instrument a notch is made in the bark about two feet above the +ground. In this the small toes of the left foot are placed, the left arm +is employed in clasping the trunk of the tree, and the right in cutting +another notch for the right foot, about two feet above the first; but a +little to one side of it, the wadna or ngakko is now stuck firmly in the +bark above, and serves to enable him to raise the body whilst gaining the +second notch, into which the ball of the great toe of the right foot is +placed, and the implement liberated to make a third step on the left +side, and so on successively until the tree is ascended. The descent is +made in the same manner, by clasping the tree, and supporting the feet in +the notches. The principle of climbing in the way described, appears to +consist in always having three points of contact with the tree, either +two arms and one leg, or two legs and one arm. + +Having got up the tree, the native proceeds to search for any holes there +may be in its trunk, or among the boughs; these vary from one foot to +nine, or more, in depth, for the whole trunk itself is sometimes hollow. +To ascertain in which hole the opossum is, the native drops in a pebble +or a piece of bark, or a broken bit of stick, and then applying his ear +to the outside, listens for the rustling motion made by the animal in +shifting its position, when disturbed by what has been dropped upon it. A +stick is sometimes made use of, if the hole be not very deep, for the +same purpose, after inserting it in the hole, and twisting the rough end +round and withdrawing it, he looks to see if any fur is left on the +point, if so, the animal is there, but if the point of the stick shews no +fur, he goes to the next hole or tree, and so on until he finds it. + +If not very far in the hole the native puts in his arm, and draws it out +by the tail, striking its head violently against the tree to prevent its +biting him, as soon as it is clear of the orifice; if the hole be deep, +the furthest point to which the animal can recede is ascertained, and an +opening made near it with whatever implement he may be using. If the +whole trunk of the tree, or a large portion of it be hollow, a fire is +made in the lower opening, which soon drives out the game. + +When opossums are hunted by moonlight, the native dog is useful in +scenting them along the ground where they sometimes feed, and in guiding +the native to the tree they have ascended, when alarmed at his approach. +They are then either knocked down with sticks or the tree is ascended as +in the day time. + +Flying squirrels are procured in the same way as opossums. The sloth, +which is an animal as large as a good sized monkey, is also caught among +the branches of the larger scrub-trees, among which it hides itself; but +it is never found in holes. + +Wallabies are of many kinds, and are killed in various ways. By hunting +with bwirris, by nets, by digging out of the ground; the larger sorts, as +rock wallabies, by spearing, and several kinds by making runs, into which +they are driven. In hunting with bwirris (a short heavy stick with a knob +at one end) a party of natives go out into the scrub and beat the bushes +in line, if any game gets up, the native who sees it, gives a peculiar +"whir-rr" as a signal for the others to look out, and the animal is at +once chased and bwirris thrown at him in all directions, the peculiar +sound of the "whir-rr" always guiding them to the direction he has taken. +It rarely happens that an animal escapes if the party of natives be at +all numerous. + +In netting the wallabies, a party of seven or eight men go in advance, +with each a net of from twenty to forty feet long, and when they arrive +near the runs, usually made use of by these animals, a favourable spot is +selected, and the nets set generally in a line and nearly together, each +native concealing himself near his own net. The women and children who, +in the mean time had been making a considerable circuit, now begin to +beat amongst the bushes with the wind, shouting and driving the wallabies +before them towards the nets, where they are caught and killed. + +Other species of the wallabie burrow in the ground like rabbits, and are +dug out. The large rock-wallabies are speared by the natives creeping +upon them stealthily among the rugged rocks which they frequent, on the +summits of precipitous heights which have craggy or overhanging cliffs. + +In making runs for taking the wallabie, the natives break the branches +from the bushes, and laying them one upon another, form, through the +scrubs, two lines of bush fence, diverging from an apex sometimes to the +extent of several miles, and having at intervals large angles formed by +the fence diverging. At the principal apex and at all the angles or +corners the bushes are tied up, and a hole in the fence left like the run +of a hare. At each of these a native is stationed with his bwirris, and +the women then beating up the country, from the base of the triangle +drive up the game, which finding themselves stopped by the bush fence on +either side, run along in search of an opening until the first angle +presents itself, when they try to escape by the run, and are knocked on +the head by the native guarding it. + +Native companions and swans are sometimes speared or killed with bwirris; +the latter are also caught easily in the water holes or lakes when +moulting, as they are then unable to fly. Pelicans are caught in nets or +whilst asleep in the water, by natives wading in and seizing them by the +legs. + +Wild dogs are speared, but young ones are often kept and tamed, to assist +in hunting, in which they are very useful. The wombat is driven to his +hole with dogs at night, and a fire being lighted inside, the mouth is +closed with stones and earth. The animal being by this means suffocated, +is dug out at convenience. + +Birds are killed on the wing, with bwirris, or whilst resting on the +ground, or in the water, or upon branches of trees. They are also taken +by spearing, by snaring, by noosing, and by netting. In spearing them the +natives make use of a very light reed spear (kiko), which is pointed with +hard wood, and projected when used, with the nga-waonk or throwing +stick. They resort to the lagoons or river flats, when flooded, and +either wading or in canoes, chase and spear the wild fowl. The +kiko is thrown to a very great distance, with amazing rapidity and +precision, so that a native is frequently very successful by this method, +particularly so when the young broods of duck and other wild fowl are +nearly full grown, but still unable to fly far. Getting into his canoe, +the native paddles along with extraordinary celerity after his game, +chasing them from one side of the lagoon to the other, until he loads +himself with spoil. + +Ducks and teal are caught by snaring, which is practised in the following +manner. After ascertaining where there is a shelving bank to any of the +lagoons, which is frequented by these birds, and upon which there is +grass, or other food that they like near the edges, the natives get a +number of strong reeds, bend them in the middle, and force the two ends +of each into the ground, about seven inches apart, forming a number of +triangles, with their uppermost extremities about five or six inches from +the ground. From these, strings are suspended with slip nooses, and when +a sufficient number are set, the natives go away, to let the ducks come +up to feed. This they soon do; and whilst poking their heads about in +every direction a great many push them through the snares and get hung. + +Noosing waterfowl is another general and very successful mode of taking +them. It is performed by a native, with a tat-tat-ko, or long rod, +tapering like a fishing rod, but longer, and having a piece of string at +the end, with a slip noose working over the pliant twig which forms the +last joint of the rod. [Note 74: Plate 4, fig. 1. (not reproduced in this +etext)] This being prepared, and it having been ascertained where +the birds are, the native binds a quantity of grass or weeds around +his head, and then taking his long instrument, plunges into the water +and swims slowly and cautiously towards them, whilst they see nothing +but a tuft of grass or weeds coming floating towards them, of which +they take no notice, until coming close upon them he gently raises +the tapering end of the instrument, and carefully putting the noose over +the head of the bird, draws it under water towards him. After taking it +out of the noose, he tucks its head in his belt, or lets it float on the +water, whilst he proceeds to catch another, or as many more as he can +before the birds take the alarm at the struggles of their companions, and +fly away. A windy day is generally selected for this employment, when the +water is ruffled by waves. On such occasions a skilful native will secure +a great many birds. + +Netting birds remains to be described, and is the most destructive mode +of taking them of any that is practised. Geese, ducks, teal, widgeons, +shags, pelicans, pigeons, and others are procured in this way. The method +adopted is as follows:--a large square or oblong net, (kue-rad-ko) from +thirty to sixty feet broad, and from twenty to forty deep, is formed by +lacing together pieces of old fishing nets, or any others, made of light +twine, that they may have. A strong cord is then passed through the +meshes of one end, and tied at both extremes of the net. The natives then +go down to a lagoon of moderate width, where two tall trees may be +standing opposite to each other on different sides, or they select an +opening of a similar kind among the trees on the bank of the river, +through which the ducks, or other birds, are in the habit of passing when +flying between the river and the lagoons. An old man ascends each of the +trees, and over the topmost branch of both lowers the end of a strong +cord passing through the net. The other end is tied near the root of each +tree, and serves for the native, who is stationed there, to raise or +lower the net as it may be required. When set, the ropes are hauled +tight, and the net dangles in the air between the two trees, hanging over +the lagoon, or dry passage, as the case may be. All being ready, a native +is left holding each end of the rope, and others are stationed at +convenient places near, with little round pieces of bark in their hands +to throw at the birds, and drive them onwards as they approach the net. +The women are then sent to put the birds up, and they come flying through +the open space towards the net, not dreaming of the evil that awaits +them; as they approach nearer, the two natives at the trees utter a +shrill whistle, resembling the note of the hawk, upon which the flock, +which usually consists of ducks, lower their flight at once, and +proceeding onwards, strike full against the net, which is instantly +lowered by the men attending to it, and the birds are left struggling in +the water, or on the ground, entangled in its meshes, whilst the natives +are busy paddling in their canoes, or scampering towards the net on the +ground, to wring their necks off, and get the instrument of destruction +raised again, to be ready for the next flight that may come. Should the +birds fly too high, or be inclined to take any other direction, little +pieces of bark are thrown above them, or across their path, by the +natives stationed for that purpose. These circling through the air, make +a whirring noise like the swoop of the eagle when darting on his prey, +and the birds fancying their enemy upon them, recede from the pieces of +bark, and lowering their flight, become entangled in the net. Early in +the morning, late in the evening, and occasionally in the night, this +work is conducted, with the greatest success, though many are caught +sometimes in the day. + +As many as fifty birds are taken in a single haul. I have myself, with +the aid of a native, caught thirty-three, and many more would have been +got, but that the net was old, and the birds broke through it before they +could be all killed. On other occasions, I have been out with the +natives, where a party of five or six have procured from twenty to thirty +ducks, on an average, daily, for many days successively. In these +occupations the natives make use of a peculiar shrill whistle to frighten +down the birds; it is produced by pulling out the under lip with the +fore-finger and thumb, and pressing it together, whilst the tongue is +placed against the groove, or hollow thus formed, and the breath strongly +forced through. Whistling is also practised in a variety of other ways, +and has peculiar sounds well known to the natives, which indicate the +object of the call. It is used to call attention, to point out that game +is near, to make each other aware of their respective positions in a +wooded country, or to put another on his guard that an enemy is near, +etc., etc. + +Such is an outline of some of the kinds of food used by the natives, and +the modes of procuring it as practised in various parts of Australia +where I have been. There is an endless variety of other articles, and an +infinite number of minute differences in the ways of procuring them, +which it is unnecessary to enter upon in a work which professes to give +only a general account of the Aborigines, their manners, habits, and +customs, and not a full or complete history, which could only be compiled +after the observation of many years devoted exclusively to so +comprehensive a subject. + +In the preparation and cooking of their food, and in the extent to which +this is carried, there are almost as many differences as there are +varieties of food. Having no vessels capable of resisting the action of +fire, the natives are unacquainted with the simple process of boiling. +Their culinary operations are therefore confined to broiling on the hot +coals, baking in hot ashes, and roasting, or steaming in ovens. The +native oven is made by digging a circular hole in the ground, of a size +corresponding to the quantity of food to be cooked. It is then lined with +stones in the bottom, and a strong fire made over them, so as to heat +them thoroughly, and dry the hole. As soon as the stones are judged to be +sufficiently hot, the fire is removed, and a few of the stones taken, and +put inside the animal to be roasted if it be a large one. A few leaves, +or a handful of grass, are then sprinkled over the stones in the bottom +of the oven, on which the animal is deposited, generally whole, with hot +stones, which had been kept for that purpose, laid upon the top of it. It +is covered with grass, or leaves, and then thickly coated over with +earth, which effectually prevents the heat from escaping. Bark is +sometimes used to cover the meat, instead of grass or leaves, and is in +some respects better adapted for that purpose, being less liable to let +dirt into the oven. I have seen meat cooked by the natives in this +manner, which, when taken out, looked as clean and nicely roasted as any +I ever saw from the best managed kitchen. + +If the oven is required for steaming food, a process principally applied +to vegetables and some kinds of fruits, the fire is in the same way +removed from the heated stones, but instead of putting on dry grass or +leaves, wet grass or water weeds are spread over them. The vegetables +tied up in small bundles are piled over this in the central part of the +oven, wet grass being placed above them again, dry grass or weeds upon +the wet, and earth over all. In putting the earth over the heap, the +natives commence around the base, gradually filling it upwards. When +about two-thirds covered up all round, they force a strong sharp-pointed +stick in three or four different places through the whole mass of grass +weeds and vegetables, to the bottom of the oven. Upon withdrawing the +stick, water is poured through the holes thus made upon the hissing +stones below, the top grass is hastily closed over the apertures and the +whole pile as rapidly covered up as possible to keep in the steam. The +gathering vegetable food, and in fact the cooking and preparing of food +generally, devolves upon the women, except in the case of an emu or a +kangaroo, or some of the larger and more valuable animals, when the men +take this duty upon themselves. + +In cooking vegetables, a single oven will suffice for three or four +families, each woman receiving the same bundles of food when cooked, +which she had put in. The smaller kinds of fish and shell-fish, birds and +animals, frogs, turtle, eggs, reptiles, gums, etc., are usually broiled +upon the embers. Roots, bark of trees, etc., are cooked in the hot ashes. +Fungi are either eaten raw or are roasted. The white ant is always eaten +raw. The larvae of insects and the leaves of plants are either eaten raw +or in a cooked state. The larger animals, as the kangaroo, emu, native +dog, etc. and the larger fishes, are usually roasted in the oven. + +In preparing the food for the cooking process a variety of forms are +observed. In most animals, as the opossum, wallabie, dog, kangaroo, etc. +the the bones of the legs are invariably broken, and the fur is singed +off; a small aperture is made in the belly, the entrails withdrawn, and +the hole closed with a wooden skewer, to keep in the gravy whilst +roasting. The entrails of all animals, birds, and fishes, are made use +of, and are frequently eaten whilst the animal itself is being prepared. +Most birds have the feathers pulled or singed off, they are then thrown +on the fire for a moment or two and when warm are withdrawn, skinned and +the skin eaten. The meat is now separated on each side of the breast +bone, the limbs are disjointed and thrown back, and the bird is placed +upon the fire, and soon cooked, from the previous dissection it had +undergone, and from hot coals being put above it. + +The smaller fish and reptiles are simply thrown upon the fire, sometimes +gutted, at other times not. The larger fish are divided into three +pieces, in the following manner. The fish is laid on its side, and a +longitudinal cut made from the head to within three or four inches of the +tail, just above where the ribs are joined to the back bone, these are +separated by a sharp pointed stick, and the same done on the other side; +a transverse incision is then made near the root of the tail, the gills +are separated from the head, the fleshy part covering the back dissected +from one to two inches thick, over the whole surface left between the +longitudinal cuts that had been made in the sides, and extending from the +head to the transverse incision near the tail. The divisions then consist +of three pieces, one comprising the head, backbone, and tail, another the +fleshy part that covered the back, and the third the belly and sides. The +last is the most prized of the three. This method of dividing the fish is +well adapted for ensuring rapid preparation in the process of cooking; it +is also well suited for satisfying the respective owners and claimants; +the three pieces being, if not quite equal in size, sufficiently so for +the purpose of partition. + +There are many usages in force among the natives respecting the +particular kinds of food allowed to be eaten at different ages; +restrictions and limitations of many kinds are placed upon both sexes at +different stages of life. What is proper to be eaten at one period, is +disallowed at another, and vice versa. And although laws of this nature +appear to be in force throughout the whole continent, there appear to be +occasional differences of custom as to restriction in regard to both food +and age. It also appears that there are more restrictions placed upon the +females, until past the age of child-bearing, than upon the males. + +Infants are not often weaned until between two and three years old; but +during this time any food is given to them which they can eat, except +those kind of vegetables which are likely to disagree with them. No +restrictions are placed upon very young children of either sex, a portion +being given to them of whatever food their parents may have. About nine +or ten years appears to be the age at which limitations commence. Boys +are now forbidden to eat the red kangaroo, or the female or the young +ones of the other kinds; the musk duck, the white crane, the bandicoot, +the native pheasant, (leipoa, meracco), the native companion, some kinds +of fungi, the old male and female opossum, a kind of wallabie (linkara), +three kinds of fish (toor-rue, toitchock, and boolye-a), the black duck, +widgeon, whistling duck, shag (yarrilla), eagle, female water-mole +(nee-witke), two kinds of turtles (rinka and tung-kanka), and some other +varieties of food. + +When young men they are disallowed the black duck, the widgeon, the +whistling duck, the emu, the eggs of the emu, a fish called kalapko, the +red kangaroo, the young of other kinds of kangaroo, if taken from the +pouch; a kind of shag called yarrilla, the snake (yarl-dakko), the white +crane, the eagle, a kind of water-mole (nee-witke), two kinds of turtle +(rinka and tung-kanka), the musk-duck, the native dog, the large grub dug +out of the ground (ronk), a vegetable food called war-itch (being that +the emu feeds upon), the native companion, bandicoot, old male opossum, +wallabie (linkara), coote, two fishes (toor-rue and toit-chock), etc. etc. + +Married men, until from thirty-five to forty years of age, are still +forbidden the red kangaroo, the young of any kangaroo from the pouch, the +fish kelapko, the shag yarrilla, the coote, the white crane, the turtle +rinka, the native companion, the eagle, etc. + +Young females, before the breasts are fully developed, are disallowed the +young of any of the kangaroo species if taken from the pouch, the red +kangaroo, the white crane, the bandicoot, the native companion, the old +male opossum, the wallabie (linkara), the shag (yarrilla), the eagle, etc. + +Full grown young females are not allowed to eat the male opossum, the +wallabie (linkara), the red kangaroo, the fish kelapko, the black duck, +the widgeon, the whistling duck, the coote, the native companion, two +turtles (rinka and tung-kanka), the emu, the emu's egg, the snake +(yarl-dakko), cray-fish which may have deformed claws, the female or the +young from the pouch of any kangaroo, the musk duck, the white crane, the +bandicoot, the wild dog, two kinds of fish (toor-rue and toitchock), the +shag (yarrilla), the water mole (neewitke), the ground grub (ronk), the +vegetable food eaten by the emu (war-itch), etc. When menstruating, they +are not allowed to eat fish of any kind, or to go near the water at all; +it being one of their superstitions, that if a female, in that state, +goes near the water, no success can be expected by the men in fishing. +Fish that are taken by the men diving under the cliffs, and which are +always females about to deposit their spawn, are also forbidden to the +native women. + +Old men and women are allowed to eat anything, and there are very few +things that they do not eat. Among the few exceptions are a species of +toad, and the young of the wombat, when very small, and before the hair +is well developed. + + + + +Chapter IV. + + + +PROPERTY IN LAND--DWELLINGS--WEAPONS--IMPLEMENTS--GOVERNMENT--CUSTOMS-- +SOCIAL RELATIONS--MARRIAGE--NOMENCLATURE. + + +It has generally been imagined, but with great injustice, as well as +incorrectness, that the natives have no idea of property in land, or +proprietary rights connected with it. Nothing can be further from the +truth than this assumption, although men of high character and standing, +and who are otherwise benevolently disposed towards the natives, have +distinctly denied this right, and maintained that the natives were not +entitled to have any choice of land reserved for them out of their own +possessions, and in their respective districts. + +In the public journals of the colonies the question has often been +discussed, and the same unjust assertion put forth. A single quotation +will be sufficient to illustrate the spirit prevailing upon this point. +It is from a letter on the subject published in South Australian Register +of the 1st August, 1840:--"It would be difficult to define what +conceivable proprietary rights were ever enjoyed by the miserable savages +of South Australia, who never cultivated an inch of the soil, and whose +ideas of the value of its direct produce never extended beyond obtaining +a sufficiency of pieces of white chalk and red ochre wherewith to bedaub +their bodies for their filthy corrobberies." Many similar proofs might be +given of the general feeling entertained respecting the rights of the +Aborigines, arising out of their original possession of the soil. It is a +feeling, however, that can only have originated in an entire ignorance of +the habits, customs, and ideas of this people. As far as my own +observation has extended, I have found that particular districts, having +a radius perhaps of from ten to twenty miles, or in other cases varying +according to local circumstances, are considered generally as being the +property and hunting-grounds of the tribes who frequent them. These +districts are again parcelled out among the individual members of the +tribe. Every male has some portion of land, of which he can always point +out the exact boundaries. These properties are subdivided by a father +among his sons during his own lifetime, and descend in almost hereditary +succession. A man can dispose of or barter his land to others; but a +female never inherits, nor has primogeniture among the sons any peculiar +rights or advantages. Tribes can only come into each other's districts by +permission, or invitation, in which case, strangers or visitors are +always well treated. The following extract from Captain Grey's work gives +the result of that gentlemen's observations in Western Australia, +corroborated by Dr. Lang's experience of the practice among the natives +of New South Wales, (vol. ii. p. 232 to 236.) + + +"TRADITIONAL LAWS RELATIVE TO LANDED PROPERTY.--Landed property does not +belong to a tribe, or to several families, but to a single male; and the +limits of his property are so accurately defined that every native knows +those of his own land, and can point out the various objects which mark +his boundary. I cannot establish the fact and the universality of this +institution better than by the following letter addressed by Dr. Lang, +the Principal of Sydney College, New South Wales, to Dr. Hodgkin, the +zealous advocate of the Aboriginal Races: + +"LIVERPOOL, 15th Nov. 1840. + +"My Dear Friend,--In reply to the question which you proposed to me some +time ago, in the course of conversation in London, and of which you have +reminded me in the letter I had the pleasure of receiving from you +yesterday, with the pamphlets and letters for America, viz.--'Whether the +Aborigines of the Australian continent have any idea of property in +land,' I beg to answer most decidedly in the affirmative. It is well +known that these Aborigines in no instance cultivate the soil, but +subsist entirely by hunting and fishing, and on the wild roots they find +in certain localities (especially the common fern), with occasionally a +little wild honey; indigenous fruits being exceedingly rare. The whole +race is divided into tribes, more or less numerous, according to +circumstances, and designated from the localities they inhabit; for +although universally a wandering race with respect to places of +habitation, their wanderings are circumscribed by certain well-defined +limits, beyond which they seldom pass, except for purposes of war or +festivity. In short, every tribe has its own district, the boundaries of +which are well known to the natives generally; and within that district +all the wild animals are considered as much the property of the tribe +inhabiting, or rather ranging on, its whole extent, as the flocks of +sheep and herds of cattle, that have been introduced into the country by +adventurous Europeans, are held by European law and usage the property of +their respective owners. In fact, as the country is occupied chiefly for +pastoral purposes, the difference between the Aboriginal and the European +ideas of property in the soil is more imaginary than real, the native +grass affording subsistence to the kangaroos of the natives, as well as +to the wild cattle of the Europeans, and the only difference indeed +being, that the former are not branded with a particular mark like the +latter, and are somewhat wilder and more difficult to catch. Nay, as the +European regards the intrusion of any other white man upon the +CATTLE-RUN, of which European law and usage have made him the possessor, +and gets it punished as a trespass, the Aborigines of the particular +tribe inhabiting a particular district, regard the intrusion of any other +tribe of Aborigines upon that district, for the purposes of kangaroo +hunting, etc. as an intrusion, to be resisted and punished by force of +arms. In short, this is the frequent cause of Aboriginal, as it is of +European wars; man, in his natural state, being very much alike in all +conditions--jealous of his rights, and exceedingly pugnacious. It is +true, the European intruders pay no respect to these Aboriginal divisions +of the territory, the black native being often hunted off his own ground, +or destroyed by European violence, dissipation, or disease, just as his +kangaroos are driven off that ground by the European's black cattle; but +this surely does not alter the case as to the right of the Aborigines. + +"But particular districts are not merely the property of particular +tribes; particular sections or portions of these districts are +universally recognised by the natives as the property of individual +members of these tribes; and when the owner of such a section or portion +of territory (as I ascertained was the case at King George's Island) has +determined on burning off the grass on his land, which is done for the +double purpose of enabling the natives to take the older animals more +easily, and to provide a new crop of sweeter grass for the rising +generation of the forest, not only all the other individuals of his own +tribe, but whole tribes from other districts are invited to the hunting +party, and the feast and dance, or corrobory that ensue; the wild animals +on the ground being all considered the property of the owner of the land. +I have often heard natives myself tell me, in answer to my questions on +the subject, who were the Aboriginal owners of particular tracts of land +now held by Europeans; and indeed this idea of property in the soil, FOR +HUNTING PURPOSES, is universal among the Aborigines. They seldom complain +of the intrusion of Europeans; on the contrary, they are pleased at their +SITTING DOWN, as they call it, on their land: they do not perceive that +their own circumstances are thereby sadly altered for the worse in most +cases; that their means of subsistence are gradually more and more +limited, and their numbers rapidly diminished: in short, in the +simplicity of their hearts, they take the frozen adder in their bosom, +and it stings them to death. They look for a benefit or blessing from +European intercourse, and it becomes their ruin. + +"If I had a little more leisure I would have written more at length, and +in a style more worthy of your perusal; but you may take it as certain, +at all events, that the Aborigines of Australia HAVE an idea of property +in the soil in their native and original state, and that that idea is, in +reality, not very different from that of the European proprietors of +sheep and cattle, by whom they have, in so many instances, been +dispossessed, without the slightest consideration of their rights or +feelings. + +"Indeed, the infinity of the native names of places, all of which are +descriptive and appropriate, is of itself a PRIMA FACIE evidence of their +having strong ideas of property in the soil; for it is only where such +ideas are entertained and acted on, that we find, as is certainly the +case in Australia, NULLUM SINE NOMINE SAXUM. + +"I am, my dear Friend, +"Your's very sincerely, +"JOHN DUNMORE LANG. + +"To Dr. Hodgkin." + + +The dwellings of the Aborigines are simple, of a very temporary +character, and requiring but little skill or labour to construct them. In +the summer season, or when the weather is fine, they consist of little +more than a few bushes laid one upon the other, in the form of a +semicircle, as a protection from the wind, for the head, which is laid +usually close up to this slight fence. In the winter, or in cold or wet +weather, the semicircular form is still preserved, but the back and sides +are sheltered by branches raised upon one end, meeting at the top in an +arch, and supported by props in front, the convex part being always +exposed to the wind. The sizes of these huts depends upon the facilities +that may be afforded for making them, the number of natives, and the +state of the weather. + +[Note 75: "Travelled northerly for 20 miles; at evening encamped at +Tarcone, adjacent to the station (then being formed) of Drs. Bernard +and Kilgour. The greater part of the servants at this establishment +had been convicts, they were in a state of great insubordination. +My native attendants pointed out an extensive weir, 200 feet long +and five feet high; they said it was the property of a family, +and emphatically remarked, "that white men had stolen it and their +country;" the Yow-ew-nil-lurns were the original inhabitants. "Tapoe," +the Mount Napier of Mitchell, is an isolated hill of volcanic +formation; the crater is broken down on the west side to its base. +The great swamp is skirted by low hills and well grassed open forest +land; the natives are still the undisputed occupants, no white men +having been there to dispossess them. The people who occupy the +country have fixed residences; at one village were 13 large huts, +they are warm and well constructed, in shape of a cupola or "kraal;" a +strong frame of wood is first made, and the whole covered with thick +turf, with the grass inwards; there are several varieties; those like a +kraal are sometimes double, having two entrances, others are +demicircular; some are made with boughs and grass, and last are the +temporary screens; one hut measured 10 feet diameter by five feet high, +and sufficiently strong for a man on horseback to ride over. + +"Left early, attended by Pevay, to reconnoitre the country. In the +marshes numerous trenches were again met with; these resembled more the +works of civilized than of savage men; they were of considerable extent; +one continuous treble line measured 500 yards in length, two feet in +width, and from 18 inches to two feet in depth; these treble dikes led to +extensive ramified watercourses; the whole covered an area of at least +ten acres, and must have been done at great cost of labour to the +Aborigines, a convincing proof of their persevering industry. These are +the most interesting specimens of native art I had seen; thousands of +yards had been accomplished; the mountain streams were made to pass +through them. In fishing, the natives use the arabine or eel-pot of +platted grass, from nine to twelve feet in length. On the elevated ground +were some of the largest ash-hills I had seen, and must have been the +work of generations; one measured 31 yards in length, 29 in width, and +two in height, with hollow cavities for the natives' bivouacs and camping +places."--"Extract from Mr. Robinson's Letter, copied from papers +relative to Australian Aborigines, printed for the House of Commons, +August 1844, p. 240."] + +Sometimes each married man will have a hut for himself, his wives, and +family, including perhaps occasionally his mother, or some other near +relative. At other times, large long huts are constructed, in which, from +five to ten families reside, each having their own separate fire. Young +unmarried men frequently unite in parties of six or eight, and make a hut +for themselves. The materials of which the huts are composed, are +generally small branches or boughs of trees, covered in wet weather with +grass, or other similar material. At other times, and especially if +large, or made in wet weather, they are formed of thick solid logs of +wood, piled and arranged much in the same way as the lighter material, +but presenting an appearance of durability that the others do not +possess. In this case they are generally well covered over with grass, +creeping plants, or whatever else may appear likely to render them +waterproof. In travelling through the country, I have found that where +bushes or shrubs abounded, I could at any time in an hour or two, by +working hard, make myself a hut in which I could lie down, perfectly +secure from any rain. The natives, of course, have much less difficulty +in doing this, from their great skill and constant practice. In many +parts of New Holland that I have been in, bark is almost exclusively used +by the natives, for their huts; where it can be procured good it is +better than any thing else. I have frequently seen sheets of bark twelve +feet long, and eight or ten feet wide, without a single crack or flaw, in +such cases one sheet would form a large and good hut; but even where it +is of a far inferior description, it answers, by a little system in the +arrangement, better than almost any thing else. Projecting, or +overhanging rocks, caverns, hollows of trees, etc. etc., are also +frequently made use of by the natives for lodging houses in cold or wet +weather. When hostile parties are supposed to be in the neighbourhood, +the natives are very cautious in selecting secret and retired places to +sleep. They go up on the high grounds, back among scrubs, or encamp in +the hollows of watercourses, or where there are dense bushes of +polygonum, or close belts of reeds; the fires are very small on these +occasions, and sometimes none are made; you may thus have a large body of +natives encamped very near you without being conscious of it. I have been +taken by a native to a camp of about twenty people in a dense belt of +reeds, which I had gone close by without being aware of their presence, +although I could not have been more than three or four yards from some of +them when I passed. + +It has already been remarked, that where many natives meet together, the +arrangements of their respective huts depends upon the direction they +have come from. In their natural state many customs and restrictions +exist, which are often broken through, when they congregate in the +neighbourhood of European settlements. + +Such is the custom requiring all boys and uninitiated young men to sleep +at some distance from the huts of the adults, and to remove altogether +away in the morning as soon as daylight dawns, and the natives begin to +move about. This is to prevent their seeing the women, some of whom may +be menstruating; and if looked upon by the young males, it is supposed +that dire results will follow. Strangers are by another similar rule +always required to get to their own proper place at the camp, by going +behind and not in front of the huts. In the same way, if young males meet +a party of women going out to look for food, they are obliged to take a +circuit to avoid going near them. It is often amusing to witness the +dilemma in which a young native finds himself when living with Europeans, +and brought by them into a position at variance with his prejudices on +this point. All the buildings of the natives are necessarily from their +habits of a very temporary character, seldom being intended for more than +a few weeks' occupation, and frequently only for a few days. By this time +food is likely to become scarce, or the immediate neighbourhood unclean, +and a change of locality is absolutely unavoidable. When the huts are +constructed, the ground is made level within, any little stumps of +bushes, or plants, stones, or other things being removed, and grass, +reeds, or leaves of trees frequently gathered and spread over the bottom, +to form a dry and soft bed; this and their opossum cloak constitute the +greatest degree of luxury to which they aspire. Occasionally native men, +in very cold weather, are both without huts and clothing of any kind. In +this case, many small fires are made (for the natives never make a large +one), by which they keep themselves warm. I have often seen single +natives sleep with a fire at their head, another at their feet, and one +on either side, and as close as ever they could make them without burning +themselves; indeed, sometimes within a very few inches of their bodies. + +The weapons of the natives are simple and rudimental in character, but +varied in their kind and make, according to the purposes for which they +may be required, or the local circumstances of the district in which they +are used. The spear, which is the chief weapon of offence over all the +known parts of the continent, is of two kinds, one kind is used with the +throwing stick, and the other is thrown out of the hand; of each there +are four varieties that I am acquainted with. Of those launched with the +throwing stick there are--1, the kiko, or reed spear, pointed with hard +wood; 2, the kiero, or hard wood spear, with about two feet of the +flower-stem of the grass-tree jointed to the upper end; 3, a similar +weapon, with five or six jags cut in the solid wood of the point upon one +side; and 4, the light hard wood spear of Port Lincoln, and the coast to +the eastward, where a single barb is spliced on at the extreme point with +the sinew of the emu or the kangaroo: each spear averages from six to +eight feet in length, and is thrown with facility and precision to +distances, varying from thirty to one hundred yards, according to the +kind made use of, and the skill of the native in using it. + +Of the large spear there is--1, the karkuroo, or smooth heavy spear, made +of the gum-scrub; 2, the same description of weapon, barbed with +fragments of flint or quartz; 3, another variety, having five or six jags +cut at the point, upon one side; and 4, a similar weapon, with the same +number of barbs cut upon both sides of the point: each of them is from +twelve to fourteen feet long, and is thrown with most deadly force and +accuracy to distances of from thirty to forty feet. The fishing spear has +already been described. The Nga-wa-onk, or throwing stick is from +twenty to twenty-six inches in length, and is of a very similar character +throughout the continent, varying a little in width or shape according to +the fashion of particular districts. It consists of a piece of hard wood, +broad about the middle, flattened and sometimes hollowed on the inside, +and tapering to either extremity; at the point the tooth of a kangaroo is +tied and gummed on, turning downwards like a hook; the opposite end has a +lump of pitch with a flint set in it, moulded round so as to form a knob, +which prevents the hand from slipping whilst it is being used, or it is +wound round with string made of the fur of the opossum for the same +purpose. In either case it is held by the lower part in the palm of the +hand, clasped firmly by the three lower fingers, with its upper part +resting between the fore-finger and the next; the head of the spear, in +which is a small hole, is fitted to the kangaroo tooth, and then coming +down between the fore-finger and thumb, is firmly grasped for throwing; +the arm is then drawn back, the weapon levelled to the eye, a quivering +motion given to it to steady it, and it is hurled with a rapidity, force, +and precision quite incredible. + +The Wangn or wangno (the boomerang of Eastern and kiley of Western +Australia) is another simple but destructive weapon, in the hands of the +native. It consists of a thin, flat, curved piece of hard wood, about two +feet long, made out of the acacia pendula or gum-scrub, the raspberry-jam +wood, or any other of a similar character, a branch or limb is selected +which has naturally the requisite curve (an angle from one hundred to one +hundred and thirty degrees) and is dressed down to a proper shape and +thickness, and rounded somewhat at the bend, those whose angles are +slightly obtuse, are usually thrown with the sharp edge against the wind, +and go circling through the air with amazing velocity, and to a great +height and distance, describing nearly a parabola and descending again at +the foot of the person who throws them; those which have the largest +obtuse angle are thrown generally against the ground from which they +bound up to a great height, and with much force. With both, the natives +are able to hit distant objects with accuracy, either in hunting or in +war; in the latter case this weapon is particularly dangerous, as it is +almost impossible, even when it is seen in the air, to tell which way it +will go, or where descend. I once nearly had my arm broken by a wangno, +whilst standing within a yard of the native who threw it, and looking out +purposely for it. + +The (katta twirris) or two-edged sword is a formidable weapon, used among +the tribes to the north of Adelaide, exclusively for war; another weapon, +common among the same tribes, is the katta, a round chisel-pointed stick, +about three feet long, and used principally in pitched battles between +two individuals. + +Another weapon is an angular piece of hard wood, pointed and shaped very +much like a miner's pick, the longer or handle-end being rounded and +carved, to give a firmer grasp; another dreadful weapon, intended for +close combat, is made out of hard wood, from two to three feet long, +straight and with the handle rounded and carved for the grasp, which has +an immense pointed knob at the end; the bwirri, is also a weapon of hard +wood about two feet long, rather slight and merely smoothed in the +handle, with a round knob at the extremity, it is principally thrown, and +with very great precision; but is more generally used after game than in +warfare. + +The shield (tar-ram) is made out of the bark or wood of the gum-tree, and +varies in shape and device, the ordinary shield is about two or two and a +half feet long, from eight to eighteen inches across, and tapering from +the middle towards the extremities, two holes are made near the centre, +through which a piece of wood is bent for a handle; shields are always +carved and painted in time of war. + +The implements made use of by the natives are not very numerous, and +their general characteristics are nearly the same all over the continent. +The native hatchet is made of a very hard greenish-looking stone, rubbed +to an edge on either side; it is fixed in the cleft of a stick, or a +branch is doubled round it, and either tied or gummed to prevent its +slipping. The throwing sticks have generally a sharp piece of quartz or +flint gummed on at the lower end, which is used as a knife or chisel; +flints or muscle shells are used for skinning animals, dissecting food, +cutting hair, etc. + +The ngak-ko, a strong chisel-pointed stick, from three to four feet long, +is used for dissecting the larger animals and fish, for digging grubs out +of the trees, for making holes to get out opossums, etc., for stripping +bark, ascending trees, for cutting bark canoes, and a variety of other +useful purposes. The rod for noosing ducks, (tat-tat-ko) and other wild +fowl, is about sixteen feet long, and consists, in its lower part, for +the first ten feet, of hard wood, tapering like an ordinary spear, to +this is cemented with resin, a joint of tolerably strong reed about +sixteen inches long, at the upper end of this is inserted and cemented +with wax, a tapering rod of hard wood, three feet long and very similar +to the top joint of a fly-fishing rod, to this is spliced a fine springy +and strong top, of about eighteen inches in length, at the end of which +is bound a piece of fine strong cord, which works with a running noose +upon the tapering end of the instrument. Needles are made from the fibula +of the emu or kangaroo, and are pointed at one end by being rubbed on a +stone, they are used in sewing as we use a shoemaker's awl, the hole is +bored and the thread put through with the hand; the thread is made of the +sinews of the emu and kangaroo. The netting needle is a little round bit +of stick or reed, about the size of a lead pencil, round which the string +is wound, no mesh is used, the eye and hand enabling the native to net +with the utmost regularity, speed, and neatness. + +The nets for hunting, for carrying their effects or food, for making +belts for the waist, or bandages for the head, are all made from the +tendons or fur of animals, or from the fibres of plants. In the former, +the sinews of the kangaroo or emu, and the fur of opossums and other +similar animals, are used; in the latter, a species of rush, the fibres +of the root of the mallow, the fibres of the root of the broad flag-reed, +etc. and in some parts of the continent, the fibrous bark of trees. The +materials are prepared for use by being soaked in water and carded with +the teeth and hands, or by being chewed or rubbed. + +String is made by the fibres being twisted, and rubbed with the palm of +the hand over the naked thighs, and is often as neatly executed as +English whip-cord, though never consisting of more than two strands,--the +strands being increased in thickness according to the size of the cord +that may be required. Nets vary in size and strength according to the +purposes for which they are required; the duck net (kew-rad-ko) has +already been described, as also the kenderanko, or small net for diving +for fish, and the taendilly net, for diving with under the rocks for the +larger fish; the kenyinki is a net with very small meshes, and set out +with a wooden bow, for catching shrimps and other very small fish. There +are also, a wharro, a large hoop-net for catching small cray-fish; a +lenko, or small net for hanging round the neck, to put muscles, +cray-fish, frogs, etc. in; a rocko, or large net bag, used by the women +for carrying their worldly effects about with them; the kaar-ge-rum, or +net for the waistband; the rad-ko, or fishing net, which is a regular +seine for catching fish, about fifty or sixty feet in length, and varying +in depth according to the place where it is to be used; the emu or +kangaroo net (nunko) is very strong, with meshes from five to six inches +square; it is made of cord as thick as a large quill, and its length is +from a hundred to a hundred and thirty feet, and depth about five feet +when set. The wallabie net is about thirty feet long, of strong cord, and +when set about eighteen inches high. The size of the meshes of all the +nets depends upon the game to be taken; generally they are small. Neat, +and variously striped baskets and mats are made by the women of certain +tribes, from rushes, or a broad-leaved description of grass. The kallater +is a round basket, wide at the base, and tapering upwards; its size +varies. The poola-danooko is a very pretty looking, flat, oval basket, +adapted for laying against the back. The poneed-ke is a large, flat, +circular mat, worn over the back and shoulders, and when tied by a band +round the waist affords a lodging for an infant. Large bags or wallets +are also made of kangaroo skins, with the fur outside, and small ones of +the skins of lesser animals with the fur inside. Skins are prepared for +making cloaks by pegging them tight out upon the ground soon after they +are taken off the animal, when dry, cold ashes or dust are thrown in, to +absorb any grease that may have exuded. If the weather is damp, or the +native is in a hurry, they are pegged out near the fire; after drying, +the smaller skins are rubbed with stones to make them flexible, or are +scored or ornamented with various devices, cut with a flint or shell on +the skin side; the larger skins have their inner layers shaved off by +flints, shells, or implements of wood. Opossums, wallabies, young +kangaroos, etc. are skinned sometimes by simply making a slit about the +head, through which the rest of the body is made to pass; the skins are +turned inside out, and the ends of the legs tied up, and are then ready +for holding water, and always form part of the baggage of natives who +travel much about, or go into badly watered districts. I have seen these +skins (lukomb) capable of holding from two to three gallons of water: the +fur is always inside. The karko is a small spade of wood, used by the +natives north of Adelaide for digging up grubs from the ground. The canoe +or "mun" is a large sheet of bark cut from the gum-tree, carefully +lowered to the ground, and then heated with fire until it becomes soft +and pliable, and can be moulded into form, it is then supported by wooden +props, to keep it in shape, until it becomes hard and set, which is in +about twenty-four hours, though it is frequently used sooner. On its +being launched, sticks or stretchers are placed across each end and in +the middle, to prevent the bark from contracting or curling up with +exposure to the air. A large canoe will hold seven or eight people +easily; it is often twenty feet long. The following is a description of +an ordinary one for fishing:--length fifteen feet, width three feet, +depth eight inches, formed out of a single sheet of bark, with one end a +little narrower than the other and pointing upwards. This end is paddled +first; the bottom is nearly flat, and the canoe is so firm, that a person +can take hold of one side, and climb into it from the water without +upsetting it. It is paddled along with the long pine-spear moo-aroo, +described as being used in fishing at night by firelight. In propelling +it the native stands near the centre, pushing his moo-aroo against the +water, first on one side and then on the other; in shallow water one end +of the moo-aroo is placed on the bottom, and the canoe so pushed along. +The natives are well acquainted with the use of fire, for hardening the +points of their weapons or softening the wood to enable them to bend +them. In the former case, the point is charred in the fire, and scraped +with a shell or flint to the precise shape required; in the latter, their +spears, and other similar weapons, are placed upon hot ashes, and bent +into form by pressure. It is a common practice among many of the tribes +to grease their weapons and implements with human fat, taken from the +omentum, either of enemies who have been killed, or of relations who have +died. Spears, and other offensive arms, are supposed to possess +additional powers if thus treated; and nets and other implements for +procuring game are imagined to become much more effectual in ensnaring +prey. In setting nets, too, the natives have a practice of taking up a +handful of water to the mouth, and then squirting it out over the net, in +a shower of spray, this they think is a powerful charm to ensure the fish +being caught. + +There can hardly be said to be any form of government existing among a +people who recognize no authority, and where every member of the +community is at liberty to act as he likes, except, in so far as he may +be influenced by the general opinions or wishes of the tribe, or by that +feeling which prompts men, whether in civilised or savage communities to +bend to the will of some one or two persons who may have taken a more +prominent and leading part than the rest in the duties and avocations of +life. Among none of the tribes yet known have chiefs ever been found to +be acknowledged, though in all there are always some men who take the +lead, and whose opinions and wishes have great weight with the others. + +Other things being equal, a man's authority and influence increase among +his tribe in proportion to his years. To each stage of life through which +he passes is given some additional knowledge or power, and he is +privileged to carry an additional number of implements and weapons, as he +advances in life. An old grey-headed man generally carries the principal +implements and weapons, either for war or sorcery; many of the latter the +women and children are never allowed to see, such as pieces of +rock-crystal, by which the sorcerer can produce rain, cause blindness, or +impart to the waters the power of destroying life, etc.; sacred daggers +for causing the death of their enemies by enchantment; the +moor-y-um-karr or flat oval piece of wood which is whirled round +the camp at nights, and many others of a similar nature. + +I have not, however, found that age is invariably productive of +influence, unless the individual has previously signalized himself among +his people, and taken up a commanding position when youth and strength +enabled him to support his pretensions, and unless he be still in full +possession of vigour of mind and energy of character, though no longer +endowed with personal strength. The grey-head appears to be usually +treated with respect as long as the owner is no incumbrance to those +around him, but the moment he becomes a drag, every tie is broken, and he +is at once cast off to perish. Among many tribes with which I have been +acquainted, I have often noticed that though the leading men were +generally elderly men from forty-five to sixty years old, they were not +always the oldest; they were still in full vigour of body and mind, and +men who could take a prominent part in acting as well as counselling. I +am inclined, therefore, to think that the degree of estimation in which +any native is held by his fellows, or the amount of deference that may be +paid to his opinions, will in a great measure depend upon his personal +strength, courage, energy, prudence, skill, and other similar +qualifications, influenced, perhaps, collaterally by his family +connections and the power which they possess. + +Each father of a family rules absolutely over his own circle. In his +movements and arrangements he is uncontrolled, yet, as a matter of +policy, he always informs his fellows where he is going, what he is going +to do, how long he will be absent, when he will meet them again, etc. It +thus happens that, although a tribe may be dispersed all over their own +district in single groups, or some even visiting neighbouring tribes, yet +if you meet with any one family they can at once tell you where you will +find any other, though the parties themselves may not have met for weeks. +Some one or other is always moving about, and thus the news of each +other's locality gets rapidly spread among the rest. The principal +occupation, indeed, of parties when they meet, is to give and receive +information relative to neighbouring families or tribes. In cases of +sudden danger or emergency, the scattered groups are rapidly warned or +collected by sending young men as messengers, or by raising signal smokes +in prominent positions. + +In an assembly of the tribe, matters of importance are generally +discussed and decided upon, by the elder men, apart from the others. It +not unfrequently happens, however, that some discontented individual will +loudly and violently harangue the whole tribe; this usually occurs in the +evening, and frequently continues for hours together; his object being +generally either to reverse some decision that has been come to, to +excite them to something they are unwilling to do, or to abuse some one +who is absent. Occasionally he is replied to by others, but more +frequently allowed uninterruptedly to wear himself out, when from sheer +exhaustion he is compelled to sit down. + +Occasionally the tribe is addressed by its most influential members in +the language of admonition or advice, and though at such times a loud +tone and strong expressions are made use of, there is rarely any thing +amounting to an order or command; the subject is explained, reasons are +given for what is advanced, and the result of an opposite course to that +suggested, fully pointed out; after this the various members are left to +form their own judgments, and to act as they think proper. + +In their domestic relations with one another polygamy is practised in its +fullest extent. An old man having usually from one to four wives, or as +many as he can procure. + +The females, and especially the young ones are kept principally among the +old men, who barter away their daughters, sisters, or nieces, in exchange +for wives for themselves or their sons. Wives are considered the absolute +property of the husband, and can be given away, or exchanged, or lent, +according to his caprice. A husband is denominated in the Adelaide +dialect, Yongarra, Martanya (the owner or proprietor of a wife). Female +children are betrothed usually from early infancy, and such arrangements +are usually adhered to; still in many cases circumstances occur +frequently to cause an alteration; but if not, the girls generally go to +live with their husbands about the age of twelve, and sometimes even +before that. Relatives nearer than cousins are not allowed to marry, and +this alliance does not generally take place. Female orphans belong to the +nearest male relative, as also does a widow, instead of to the nearest +male relative of the husband, as was found to be the case in Western +Australia by Captain Grey. Two or three months generally elapse before +the widow goes to another husband; but if the wife dies, the man takes +another as soon as he can get one. If a woman, having young children, +join another tribe, the children go with her; but I am not aware whether +they would remain permanently attached to that tribe or not. Brothers +often barter their sisters for wives for themselves, but it can only be +done with the parents' consent, or after their death. If a wife be +stolen, war is always continued until she is given up, or another female +in her place. + +There is no ceremony connected with the undertaking of marriage. In those +cases where I have witnessed the giving away of a wife, the woman was +simply ordered by the nearest male relative in whose disposal she was, to +take up her "rocko," the bag in which a female carries the effects of her +husband, and go to the man's camp to whom she had been given. Marriage is +not looked upon as any pledge of chastity, indeed no such virtue is +recognised. + +[Note 76: Foeminae sese per totam pene vitam prostituunt. Apud plurimas +tribus juventutem utriusque sexus sine discrimine concumbere in usus est. +Si juvenis forte indigenorum coetum quendam in castris manentem adveniat +ubi quaevis sit puella innupta, mos est; nocte veniente et cubantibus +omnibus, illam ex loco exsurgere et juvenem accedentem cum illo per +noctem manere unde in sedem propriam ante diem redit. Cui foemina sit, +eam amicis libenter praebet; si in itinere sit, uxori in castris manenti +aliquis ejus supplet ille vires. Advenis ex longinquo accedentibus +foeminas ad tempus dare hospitis esse boni judicatur. Viduis et foeminis +jam senescentibus saepe in id traditis, quandoque etiam invitis et +insciis cognatis, adolescentes utuntur. Puellae tenerae a decimo primum +anno, et pueri a decimo tertio vel quarto, inter se miscentur. Senioribus +mos est, si forte gentium plurium castra appropinquant, viros noctu huic +inde transeuntes, uxoribus alienis uti et in sua castra ex utraque parte +mane redire. Temporis quinetiam certis, machina quaedam ex ligno ad formam +ovi facta, sacra et mystica, uam foeminas aspicere haud licitam, decem +plus minus uncias longa et circa quatuor lata insculpta ac figuris +diversis ornata, et ultimam perforata partem ad longam (plerumque e +crinibus humanis textam) inscrendam chordam cui nomen "Mooyumkarr," extra +castra in gyrum versata, stridore magno e percusso aere facto, libertatem +coeundi juventuti esse tum concessam omnibus indicat. Parentes saepe +infantum, viri uxorum quaestum corporum faciunt. In urbe Adelaide panis +praemio parvi aut paucorum denariorum meretrices fieri eas libenter +cogunt. Facile potest intelligi, amorem inter nuptos vix posse esse +grandem, quum omnia quae ad foeminas attinent, hominum arbitrio +ordinentur et tanta sexuum societati laxitas, et adolescentes quibus ita +multae ardoris explendi dantur occasiones, haud magnopere uxores, nisi ut +servas desideraturos. + +But little real affection consequently exists between husbands and wives, +and young men value a wife principally for her services as a slave; in +fact when asked why they are anxious to obtain wives, their usual reply +is, that they may get wood, water, and food for them, and carry whatever +property they possess. In 1842 the wife of a native in Adelaide, a girl +about eighteen, was confined, and recovered slowly; before she was well +the tribe removed from the locality, and the husband preferred +accompanying them, and left his wife to die, instead of remaining to +attend upon her and administer to her wants. When the natives were gone, +the girl was removed to the mission station, to receive medical +attendance, but eventually died. In the same year an old woman who broke +her thigh was left to die, as the tribe did not like the trouble of +carrying her about. Parents are treated in the same manner when helpless +and infirm. [Note 77 at end of para.] In 1839 I found an aged man +left to die, without fire or food, upon a high bare hill beyond the +Broughton. In 1843 I found two old women, who had been abandoned in +the same way, at the Murray, and although they were taken every care +of when discovered, they both died in about a week afterwards. No age +is prescribed for matrimony, but young men under twenty-five years +of age do not often obtain wives, there are exceptions, however, +to this: I have seen occasionally young men of seventeen or eighteen +possessing them. When wives are from thirty-five to forty years of age, +they are frequently cast off by the husbands, or are given to the +younger men in exchange for their sisters or near relatives, if such are +at their disposal. + +[Note 77: "Practised by the American Indians."--Catlin, vol. i. p. 216. + +"The early life of a young woman at all celebrated for beauty is generally +one continued series of captivity to different masters, of ghastly wounds, +of wanderings in strange families, of rapid flights, of bad treatment from +other females amongst whom she is brought a stranger by her captor; and +rarely do you see a form of unusual grace and elegance, but it is marked +and scarred by the furrows of old wounds; and many a female thus wanders +several hundred miles from the home of her infancy, being carried off +successively to distant and more distant points."] + +Women are often sadly ill-treated by their husbands or friends, in +addition to the dreadful life of drudgery, and privation, and hardship +they always have to undergo; they are frequently beaten about the head, +with waddies, in the most dreadful manner, or speared in the limbs for +the most trivial offences. No one takes the part of the weak or the +injured, or ever attempts to interfere with the infliction of such severe +punishments. + +Few women will be found, upon examination, to be free from frightful +scars upon the head, or the marks of spear-wounds about the body. I have +seen a young woman, who, from the number of these marks, appeared to have +been almost riddled with spear wounds. Upon this point Captain Grey +remarks, vol. ii. p. 249. + +The menses commence to flow among the native females at an earlier age +than among Europeans, frequently beginning at about twelve; they are also +subject to many irregularities in their periodical return, arising +probably from the kind of life they lead and the nature of the diet upon +which they live. I have known cases where this irregularity has extended +to three months. Child-bearing does not commence often before the age of +sixteen, nor have I ever noticed pregnant women under that age. In +inquiries conducted by Mr. Moorhouse among the natives of Adelaide, that +gentleman ascertained, that as many as nine children have occasionally +been born to one woman; that the average number is about five; but that +each mother only reared an average of two. At childbirth, the placenta, +which is considered as sacred, is carefully put away from the reach of +the dogs as soon as thrown off from the uterus, and the female is up and +following her usual avocations a very few hours after the accouchement. +Instances have occurred of women sitting up, and asking for food an hour +after confinement, though wet with rain, and having very little fire. Two +days after it, I have seen a woman walking two or three miles, and going +out to look for food in her usual manner. Infanticide is very common, and +appears to be practised solely to get rid of the trouble of rearing +children, and to enable the woman to follow her husband about in his +wanderings, which she frequently could not do if encumbered with a child. +The first three or four are often killed; no distinction appears to be +made in this case between male or female children. Half-castes appear to +be always destroyed. + +The nomenclature of the natives is a subject of considerable difficulty, +and is at present involved in much obscurity and uncertainty, so many +different practices obtaining, and so many changes of name occurring to +some individuals during the course of their life. In the Adelaide +district, and among the tribes to the north, Mr. Moorhouse has found that +numerical names are given to children when first born, in the order of +birth, a variation in the termination constituting the distinction of +name for male or female, thus:-- + + + IF MALE. IF FEMALE. +The 1st child would be called Kertameru Kertanya +2nd child would be called Warritya Warriarto +3rd child would be called Kudnutya Kudnarto +4th child would be called Monaitya Monarto +5th child would be called Milaitya Milarto +6th child would be called Marrutya Marruarto +7th child would be called Wangutya Wangwarto +8th child would be called Ngarlaitya Ngarlarto +9th child would be called Pouarna Ngarlarto + + +These are given at birth; but a short time after another name is added, +which is derived from some object in nature, as a plant, animal, or +insect. This name continues until after marriage and the birth of the +first child, upon which the father takes the name of this child, and has +the word binna or spinna, (an adult,) affixed, as Kadli; name of a child, +Kadlitpinna, the father of Kadli; the mother is called Kadli ngangki, or +mother of Kadli, from ngangki, a female or woman. The names of the father +and mother are changed at the birth of every child in the same manner. + +At Moorunde, and among many other tribes, I have not found any numerical +names to be given at birth, the first name usually being that derived +from some object in nature. This is occasionally changed after marriage +and the birth of a child; as among the Adelaide or northern natives, the +father taking the name of the child with the affix of imbe or nimbe +(implying father), as Kartul, a child's name, Kartulnimbe the father of +Kartul, Memparne, a child's name, Memparnimbe the father of Memparne. +This paidronymic is not, however, always adhered to in preference to the +original name; thus Memparnimbe is as often called by his former name of +Tenberry as his paidronymic; he is also called occasionally Worrammo, +from his being left-handed. Neither have I found the name of the parent +change at the birth of every child; thus Memparnimbe has other children, +younger than Memparne, as Warrulan, Timarro, etc. yet he is never called +Warrulanimbe, Timarronimbe, etc. The mother's name, similarly to that of +the father, is also occasionally altered to that of the child, with the +affix of arwer, or emarwer, as Kartulemarwer, the mother of Kartul, +Memparnemarwer, the mother of Memparne, yet is the original name of the +mother as often used as the paidronymic. Old men are frequently called by +the name of the place which belongs to them, with the affix of bookola +thus Mooroondooyo Bookola is the old man who owns Mooroonde, etc. + +At other times nicknames are given to natives, and so generally made use +of by the others that the proper or original name becomes almost lost. +Thus a native named Marloo, from a habit he had of looking about him and +saying, "I see, I see," is called Nairkinimbe, or the father of seeing. +Another named Ngalle-ngalle is called Eukonimbe, the father of eukodko, +from his being very fond of the crayfish of that name, and so on. Other +local appellations are given referring to some peculiarity of personal +appearance, Parn-gang-gapko, the baldheaded, Towang Makkeroo, the +broken-thighed, etc. Others again refer to family bereavements, as Roo +ptootarap, a father without children, Parntomakker, a childless mother, +Parnko, an orphan, Wirrang, one who has lost a brother, Rockootarap, one +whose wife is dead, Thaltarlpipke, an unmarried man, Rartchilock, one who +owns a wife, Rang, a widow, Waukerow, an unmarried woman, etc. These are +all distinctions, which though readily discoverable by a person tolerably +well versed in the dialect, or long resident among the same natives, +present many difficulties, and lead to many mistakes, amongst casual +inquirers, or those whose pursuits do not keep them long at the place of +their inquiries. There are others which are still more difficult to be +understood, from the almost utter impossibility of learning (with any +reasonable sacrifice of time) the language with sufficient accuracy to +enable the inquirer thoroughly to comprehend the meanings of the proper +names, and deduce the roots from which they are derived. + +Even among the Adelaide tribes, where there appears to be a greater +uniformity in the system of nomenclature than I have met with any where +else, and where Mr. Moorhouse has devoted more time and attention to the +subject than perhaps any other person, there are still difficulties and +uncertainties. Thus an Adelaide boy about the age of ten, is called by +the name of Koar (the crow), from early infancy, but between ten and +twelve, after undergoing one of their ceremonies, the name was changed to +Mannara, (which I believe means the crow's nest). According, however, to +the usual system adopted, this boy's name ought to have remained Koar, +until, by becoming a married man and a father, it gave way to a +paidronymic. + +There is another subject somewhat analogous to that of nomenclature, and +about which still less is known;--that of every native adopting some +object in creation as his crest, or tiende. The same thing is noticed by +Captain Grey in his narrative (vol. ii. p. 228). + + +"But as each family adopts some animal or vegetable, as their crest or +sign, or KOBONG as they call it, I imagine it more likely, that these +have been named after the families, than that the families have been +named after them. + +"A certain mysterious connection exists between a family and its KOBONG, +so that a member of a family will never kill an animal of the species, to +which his KOBONG belongs, should he find it asleep; indeed, he always +kills it reluctantly, and never without affording it a chance to escape. +This arises from the family belief, that some one individual of the +species is their nearest friend, to kill whom would be a great crime, and +to be carefully avoided. Similarly, a native who has a vegetable for his +KOBONG, may not gather it under certain circumstances, and at a +particular period of the year." + +From the foregoing quotation, it is apparent that very little difference +exists in the custom as practised in Western and Southern Australia. In +the former, however, there appears to be an unwillingness to destroy the +object represented by the kobong or tiende that I have never observed in +the latter. But very little appears to be known on this subject at +present, as far as regards the reason for assuming the tiende, or its +connection with the individual or family it may represent. The same +tiende seems to descend from a father to his children; but I have been +told occasionally of instances where such has not been the case. There +are several striking differences between the customs and habits of the +Aborigines of Western Australia, narrated by Captain Grey, and those in +force among the tribes I have myself been best acquainted with in +Southern or South-eastern Australia. One singular peculiarity is +described by Captain Grey. + + +"One of the most remarkable facts connected with the natives, is that +they are divided into certain great families, all the members of which +bear the same names, as a family or second name: the principal branches +of these families, so far as I have been able to ascertain, are the + + Ballaroke + Tdondarup + Ngotak + Nagarnook + Nogonyuk + Mongalung + Narrangur. + +"But in different districts the members of these families give a local +name to the one to which they belong, which is understood in that +district, to indicate some particular branch of the principal family. The +most common local names are, + + Didaroke + Gwerrinjoke + Maleoke + Waddaroke + Djekoke + Kotejumeno + Namyungo + Yungaree. + +"These family names are common over a great portion of the continent; for +instance, on the Western coast, in a tract of country extending between +four and five hundred miles in latitude, members of all these families +are found. In South Australia, I met a man who said that he belonged to +one of them, and Captain Flinders mentions Yungaree, as the name of a +native in the Gulf of Carpentaria. + +"These family names are perpetuated, and spread through the country, by +the operation of two remarkable laws:-- + +"1st. That children of either sex, always take the family name of their +mother. + +"2nd. That a man cannot marry a woman of his own family name." + + +From this it appears that the natives of that part of the country have in +addition to their other ordinary names a family or surname, which is +perpetuated through successive generations on the mother's side. This is +not the case as far as my observations and inquiries have enabled me to +ascertain among the numerous tribes frequenting the Murray river, and Mr. +Moorhouse assures me that he has been equally unable to detect any +coincidence of the kind among the tribes frequenting the district of +Adelaide. + +The division, numbers, and names of the various tribes are also subjects +of difficulty and uncertainty. As far as my researches have yet extended +upon this point, it appears to me, first, that groups of natives have a +distinctive or a local appellation, derived from the particular place +they belong to, as Barmerara maru, the natives frequenting the lake +called Barmera: Moolyoolpero maru, the natives frequenting the lagoon +called Moolyoolko, and so on. Secondly, a general or tribal name, as +Narwijjerook, a native of the tribe so called, which includes the natives +of Barmera and various others in that neighbourhood. Karn-brickolenbola, +a native of the tribe so called, and which includes various groups around +Mooroonde. Thirdly, it appears that wherever a change occurs in the name +of the tribes to which contiguous groups of natives may belong, there is +a corresponding change in the dialect or language spoken; thus the +Narwij-jerook speak a dialect called Narwijjong, the Karn-brickolenbola +tribe the Aiawong dialect, and so on. + +In many of these dialects there appears to be little more difference than +exists among the counties in England. Such is the case up the course of +the Murray from Lake Alexandrina to the Darling; and such Captain Grey +found to be the case throughout a great part of Western Australia. In +others the dialects are so totally unlike one another, that natives, +meeting upon opposite sides of a river, cannot speak to or understand a +word of what each other say, except through the medium of a third +language, namely that spoken by the natives of the river itself, and +which is totally unlike either of the other two. + +This is the case at Moorunde, where three different dialects meet, the +Yakkumban, or dialect spoken by the Paritke tribe, or natives inhabiting +the scrub to the west and north-west of the Murray. The +Boraipar or language of the Arkatko tribe, who +inhabit the scrub to the east of the Murray, and the Aiawong or river +dialect, extending, with slight variations, from the junction of the +Murray and Lake Alexandrina to the Darling. + + + + +Chapter V. + + + +CEREMONIES AND SUPERSTITIONS--FORMS OF BURIAL--MOURNING CUSTOMS--RELIGIOUS +IDEAS--EMPIRICS, ETC. + + +The ceremonies and superstitions of the natives are both numerous and +involved in much obscurity; indeed it is very questionable if any of them +are understood even by themselves. Almost all the tribes impose +initiatory rites upon the young, through which they must pass from one +stage of life to another, until admitted to the privileges and rights of +manhood. These observances differ greatly in different parts of the +continent, independently of local or distinctive variations indicative of +the tribe to which a native may belong. + +Thus at the Gulf of Carpentaria, the rite of circumcision is performed; +at Swan River, King George's Sound, and nearly three hundred miles to the +eastward of the latter place, no such rite exists. Round the head of the +Great Australian Bight, and throughout the Port Lincoln Peninsula, not +only is this rite performed, but a still more extraordinary one conjoined +with it. [Note 78: "Finditur usque ad urethram a parte inferaa penis."] +Descending the east side of Spencer's and St. Vincent's Gulf, and +around the district of Adelaide, the simple rite of circumcision is +retained. Proceeding but a little farther to the banks of the Murray, and +its neighbourhood, no such ceremony exists, nor have I ever heard of its +having been observed any where on the southeastern, or eastern parts of +the continent. + +So also with respect to tattooing; in one part of the continent it is +adopted, in another it is rejected; when it is practised, there are many +varieties in the form, number, or arrangement of the scars, +distinguishing the different tribes, so that one stranger meeting with +another any where in the woods, can at once tell, from the manner in +which he is tattooed, the country and tribe to which he belongs, if not +very remote. In the Adelaide district, Mr. Moorhouse has observed, that +there are five stages to be passed through, before the native attains the +rank of a bourka, or full grown man. The first is, that from birth to the +tenth year, when he is initiated into the second, or Wilya kundarti, by +being covered with blood, drawn from the arm of an adult; he is then +allowed to carry a wirri for killing birds, and a small wooden spade +(karko) for digging grubs out of the ground. At from twelve to fourteen, +the third stage is entered, by having the ceremony of circumcision +performed, which takes place in the following manner. Early in the +morning, the boys to be circumcised are seized from behind, and a bandage +is fastened over the eyes of each; they are then led away from the +presence of the women and children to a distance of half a mile, when +they are laid on the ground, and covered with a cloak, or skin, so as not +to see what is passing amongst the adults, who proceed with the ceremony. +Three of them now commence limping, and making a peculiar groaning noise, +until they arrive opposite one of the boys, upon whom they seize. The +individual laid hold of, jumps up, and runs off at full speed, as if he +intended to escape; the three, before occupied in limping and groaning, +run with him to prevent this, and after three or four races, all four run +over the place where the boys are covered up, and the boy, who had been +trying to escape, is caught, and laid down near the other boys, and +covered with dust. He is now supposed to be in a state of enchantment, +from which he is aroused by being lifted up by the ears, at the same time +that loud noises are made into them. All the men now, except the sick, +form themselves into a circle, and keep walking round in single file, the +first individual having a katto, or long stick held down his back. After +a few circles this is given to another; a short rest is taken, and then +the whole party rise, except the sick, the inspired men, or sorcerers, +and those upon whom the operation is to be performed, and proceed to a +short distance, the man with the katto down his back leading. When +assembled, they form into a line, and at word of command commence the +peculiar stamping and groaning, beginning at the far end of the line, and +gradually advancing towards the other. During several rounds of this +noise, they advance at each, a little nearer to the boys, who when they +are very near, have their eyes uncovered that they may see the men +approaching. The first man who held the katto, fastens it in the ground, +and all the others coming up, take hold of it, and fall down into a heap. +The boys are then thrown upon the heap of men, and the operation is +performed by men who are supposed to be inspired, or sorcerers. +Immediately after the operation, the boys are taken away from the +presence of all females, and kept upon a vegetable diet until recovered +from its effects. The head is covered with grease, and red ochre, with a +bandage passed round it, and is ornamented with tufts of feathers. The +Yudna, or pubic covering, is worn by the circumcised for some months +after the operation. + +The fourth stage (Wilyaru) is entered about the age of twenty, when the +back, shoulders, arms and chest, are tattooed. He is called ngulte, at +the time of the operation; yellambambettu, when the incisions have begun +to discharge pus; tarkange, when the sores are just healed; mangkauitya, +at the time the cuts begin to rise; and bartamu, when the scars are at +their highest elevation. Each tribe has a distinctive mode of making +their incisions. Some have scars running completely across the chest, +from one axillar to the other, whilst others have merely dotted lines; +some have circles and semicircles formed on the apex of the shoulder, +others small dots only. + +The fifth stage is bourka or full man, and is only attained when the +individual is getting grey-headed. + +Among the Murray natives and contiguous tribes, instead of the rite of +circumcision, a ceremony called wharepin, is performed upon youths from +fourteen to sixteen. Early in the morning some of the male friends of the +boy about to be operated upon, go behind him to seize him, upon which he +sets off running as hard as he can, as if to escape; but being followed +by his pursuers is soon captured and thrown down; he is then raised up +and surrounded by several natives, who hold him and smear him from head +to foot, with red ochre and grease; during this part of the ceremony, a +band of elderly women, generally the mother and other near relatives, +surround the group, crying or lamenting, and lacerating their thighs and +backs with shells or flints, until the blood streams down. When well +ochred all over, the novice is led away by another native, apart from the +rest of the tribe, or if there are more than one, they stand together +linked hand in hand, and when tired sit down upon bunches of green boughs +brought for that purpose, for they are neither allowed to sit on the +ground, nor to have any clothing on; and when they move about they always +carry a bunch of green boughs in each hand. + +They are now ready for the ceremony, which is usually performed by +influential natives of distant tribes, and which generally takes place at +the meetings of these tribes, as in the case of the meeting of the +Moorunde natives, and the Nar-wij-jerook tribe described in Chapter +II.P.220. On that occasion, there were three Moorunde natives to be +operated upon. As soon as the ceremonial of the meeting of the tribes had +been gone through, as already described, the Nar-wij-jerook natives +retired about a hundred yards, and sat down on the ground, the Moorunde +people remaining standing. The three spears which had little nets +attached to them, and which had been brought down by the Nar-wij-jerooks, +were now advanced in front of that tribe, still seated and stuck in a row +in the ground. Three men then got up and seated themselves at the foot of +the three spears, with their legs crossed. Two other natives then went +over to the Moorunde people, to where the three novices stood shaking and +trembling, like criminals waiting for their punishment, seizing them by +the legs and shoulders, and carefully lifting them from the ground, they +carried each in turn, and laid them on their backs at full length upon +green boughs, spread upon the ground in front of the three men sitting by +the spears, so that the head of each rested on the lap of one of the +three. From the moment of their being seized, they resolutely closed +their eyes, and pretended to be in a deep trance until the whole was +over. When all three novices had been laid in their proper position, +cloaks were thrown over them, but leaving the face exposed, and a +Nar-wij-jerook coming to the side of each, carefully lifted up a portion +of the covering and commenced plucking the hair from the pubes. At +intervals, the operators were relieved by others of both sexes, and of +various ages; little children under ten, were sometimes but not +frequently officiating. When all the hair had been pulled out, that +belonging to each native was carefully rolled up in green boughs, the +three lots being put together, and given to one of the wise or inspired +men to be put properly away; bunches of green boughs were now placed +under each arm of the boys as also in their hands, after which several +natives took hold of them, and raised them suddenly and simultaneously to +their feet, whilst a loud gutteral Whaugh was uttered by the other +natives around. They were then disenchanted and the ceremony was over, +but for some time afterwards, the initiated are obliged to sleep away +from the camp, and are not allowed to see the women; their heads and +bodies are kept smeared with red ochre and grease, and tufts of feathers +and kangaroo teeth are worn tied to the hair in front. One of the most +singular circumstances connected with this ceremony, is that the natives +who have officiated never afterwards mention the name of the young men, +nor do the latter ever mention the names of the individuals who have +operated upon them; should the name of either be accidentally mentioned +in the presence of the other, they are greatly annoyed, and at once put +the hand up to the mouth to signify that it must not be spoken. It is +thus often very difficult to find out the names of particular natives, +and strangers would make many mistakes, imagining that they were putting +down the name, when in reality they were marking some phrase, signifying +that his name could not be mentioned by the one applied to. They have no +objection to meet each other after the ceremony, nor do they decline +speaking, but there is this peculiarity in their conduct that if one +gives food, or any thing else to the other, it is either laid on the +ground for him to take, or is given through the intervention of a third +person, in the gentlest and mildest manner possible, whereas to another +native it would be jerked, perhaps much in the same way that a bone is +thrown to a dog. There are other instances in which the names of natives +are never allowed to be spoken, as those of a father or mother-in-law, of +a son-in-law and some cases arising from a connection with each other's +wives. In speaking, therefore, of one another, or introducing persons to +distant natives, a very round about way of describing them has often to +be adopted, yet so intimately are neighbouring tribes acquainted with the +peculiar relations subsisting between the members of each, that there is +rarely any difficulty in comprehending who the individual is that is +alluded to. Among the Adelaide tribes, there is no circumstance but death +that makes them unwilling to mention the name of any of their +acquaintances, and this cause of unwillingness I believe extends equally +all over the continent. + +The ceremony of tattooing is practised among the tribes of the Murray and +its neighbourhood with great circumstantial variety. Some are tattooed +all over the back or breast in rows, some only one half of each or of +one, some are only dotted, others have rings or semicircles round the +upper part of the arms and some are tattooed on the belly, etc. + +Many tribes I have met with in different parts of Australia, have no +tattooing at all, others are marked on the breast by singular looking +scars, occupying a space of six or eight inches each way upon the chest, +these are called "renditch" in the Murray dialect, and are made by fire; +but I have never been able to obtain any satisfactory information +respecting them. These scars are confined to particular tribes whom I +have only met with occasionally, and for a period which did not allow me +the opportunity of making much inquiry into their origin. + +At Encounter Bay, instead of plucking out the hair of the pubes, the +incipient beard is pulled out by the roots, and the youth, as at the +Murray, is smeared from head to foot with red ochre and grease. + +Among the females the only ceremony of importance that I am aware of is +that of tattooing the back, a long and very painful operation. [Note 79 at +end of para.] The method of performing the operation is as follows: +the person whose back is to be tattooed is taken out early in the +morning and squatted on the ground with her back towards the operator +(always a male), and her head bent down between the knees of a strong +old woman who is sitting on the ground for that purpose; the back is +thus presented in the best position to the operator, and the girl, +as long as her head is kept firmly in its position, cannot possibly +arise until all is over. The man who performs the ceremony then +commences by taking hold of a fold of the flesh on the girl's right side, +just above the breech, with his left hand, whilst with his right he +holds a piece of flint or shell, and cuts perpendicular gashes an inch +long, three-sixteenths of an inch deep, and about half an inch apart, +in horizontal lines from right to left quite across the back, the rows +being half an inch or three-quarters distant from each other. + +[Note 79: Hoc plerumque menstruis jam primum venientibus factum est: +saepe autem puellis propter timorem statum suam celantibus, aut aliqua +alia ex causa, opus quod tempore menstruali fieri prorsus necessarium est, +in proxima differtur.] + +This is carried up the whole way from where he commences to the +shoulders, and when freshly done, presents one of the most dreadful +spectacles imaginable, the blood gushes out in torrents, and though +frequently wiped away with grass by some of the women present, is +scarcely removed before the crimson stream flows as profusely as ever. +During the time of the ceremony the mother and other female relations +lament and mourn, whilst they lacerate their bodies with shells. When the +incisions are all made, grass or boughs are warmed at the fire, to wipe +off the blood. The whole scene is most revolting and disgusting; the +ground near where the poor creature sits is saturated with blood, and the +whole back is one mass of coagulated gore. In one case, where I saw this +operation performed upon a girl belonging to the Paritke tribe, she +seemed to suffer much pain. At first, until nearly a row of scars had +been made across the lower part of the back, she bore the operation well, +but as it proceeded, her cries were piteous and unceasing, and before it +was concluded, they became the most heart-rending screams of agony. From +the position in which she was held, however, by the old woman on the +ground (and who, by the way, was her mother,) it was impossible for her +to stir or escape; indeed, had she attempted it, she would probably have +been most cruelly beaten in addition. + +The ceremony occupied three-quarters of an hour, but it was two hours +before the wounds had ceased to bleed, and even then, the dried blood was +not washed off. Two kangaroo teeth, and a tuft of emu feathers were tied +to the girl's hair, and she was smeared over with grease and red ochre, +but was still forbidden to touch food until the morning. + +Many weeks elapse before the wounds heal, and the inconveniences +attending them are removed. + +In another case that I saw, the girl bore the operation most stoically, +until about two-thirds over, when she could stand it no longer, but +screaming out in agony, applied her teeth and nails with such good effect +to the thighs of the old lady who held her down, that the latter was +compelled to release her grasp, and the poor girl got up, vowing she +would not have another incision made. Of course all resistance would have +been futile, or probably have only brought down a fearful chastisement +upon her if she had been alone with her tribe in the bush; but she took +advantage of my presence, and escaped with nearly one-third of the +incisions deficient. At this ceremony many other natives of both sexes, +and of all ages were standing looking on; but so little did they +commiserate the poor creature's sufferings, that the degree of her pain +only seemed to be the measure of their laughter and merriment. + +The girls, however, are always anxious to have this ceremony performed, +as a well tattooed back is considered a great addition to their other +charms, and whenever I have offered to protect them from the cruelty of +their tribe for refusing to submit to it, they have invariably preferred +submitting to the operation. + +The only other ceremonies undergone by the females, are those of having +the belly or arms tattooed, and of having the hair plucked from the pubes +after the death of a child, and sometimes from other causes. + +In the mode of disposing of the dead, and the ceremonials attending it, +there is a difference in almost every tribe. Among the Adelaide natives +as soon as a person dies, a loud wailing cry is raised by the relations +and friends. The body is immediately wrapped up in the skin or clothing +worn during life, and in the course of a day or two, it is placed upon +the wirkatti or bier, which is made of branches crossed so as to form the +radii of a circle, an examination is then entered upon as to the cause of +death, in the following manner. The bier is carried upon the shoulders of +five or six persons, over places where the deceased had been living; +whilst this is going on, a person is placed under the bier, professedly +in conversation with the deceased. He asks, what person killed you? If +the corpse say no one, the inquest ceases; but if it states that some +person has, the bier moves round, the corpse is said to produce the +motion, influenced by kuingo (a fabulous personification of death). If +the alleged murderer be present, the bier is carried round by this +influence, and one of the branches made to touch him. Upon this a battle +is sure to ensue either immediately, or in the course of a day or two. + +At the time of burial the body is removed from the bier, and deposited, +with the head to the west, in a grave from four to six feet deep. +Children under four years are not buried for some months after death. +They are carefully wrapped up, carried upon the back of the mother by +day, and used as a pillow by night, until they become quite dry and +mummy-like, after which they are buried, but the ceremony is not known to +Mr. Moorhouse. + +In the Encounter Bay neighbourhood, four modes of disposing of the dead +obtain, according to Mr. Meyer:--old persons are buried; middle-aged +persons are placed in a tree, the hands and knees being brought nearly to +the chin, all the openings of the body, as mouth, nose, ears, etc. being +previously sewn up, and the corpse covered with mats, pieces of old +cloth, nets, etc. The corpse being placed in the tree, a fire is made +underneath, around which the friends and relatives of the deceased sit, +and make lamentations. In this situation the body remains, unless removed +by some hostile tribe, until the flesh is completely wasted away, after +which the skull is taken by the nearest relative for a drinking cup. + +The third mode is to place the corpse in a sitting posture, without any +covering, the face being turned to the eastward, until dried by the sun, +after which it is placed in a tree. This mode is adopted with those to +whose memory it is intended to shew some respect. The fourth method is to +burn the body; but this is only practised in the case of still-born +children, or such as die shortly after birth. + +Another method practised upon Lake Alexandrina, is to construct a +platform [Note 80 at end of para.], or bier upon high poles of pine, +put upright in the ground upon which the body is placed, bandages being +first put round the forehead, and over the eyes, and tied behind. A bone +is stuck through the nose, the fingers are folded in the palm of the hand, +and the fist is tied with nets, the ends of which are fastened about a +yard from the hands; the legs are put crossing each other. + +[Note 80: "They often deposit their dead on trees and on scaffolds." +--Catlin's AMERICAN INDIANS, vol. ii. p. 10--vide also vol. i. p. 89] + +The lamentations are raised by the natives around, fires are made below, +so that the smoke may ascend over the corpse, and the mourners usually +remain encamped about the place for a great length of time, or until the +body is thoroughly dry, after which they leave it. Mr. Schurman says, "At +Port Lincoln, after the body is put in a grave, and a little earth is +thrown on it; the natives place a number of sticks across its mouth, over +which they spread grass or bushes to prevent the remaining earth from +falling down, so that an empty space of about three feet in depth is left +between the body and the top earth." + +At the Flinders river (Gulf of Carpentaria), Captain Stokes observes, "At +the upper part of Flinders river, a corpse was found lodged in the +branches of a tree, some twenty feet high from the ground; it had three +coverings, first, one of bark, then a net, and outside of all a layer of +sticks." + +On the Murray river, and among the contiguous tribes, many differences +occur in the forms of burial adopted by the various tribes. Still-born +children are buried immediately. Infants not weaned are carried about by +the mother for some months, well wrapped up, and when thoroughly dry, are +put into nets or bags, and deposited in the hollows of trees, or buried. +Children and young people are buried as soon as practicable after death, +and a spearing match generally ensues. + +Old people are also buried without unnecessary delay. I have even seen a +man in the prime of life all ready placed upon the bier before he was +dead, and the mourners and others waiting to convey him to his long home, +as soon as the breath departed. + +In the case of a middle-aged, or an old man, the spearing and fighting +contingent upon a death is always greater than for younger natives. The +burial rites in some tribes assimilate to those practised near Adelaide; +in others I have witnessed the following ceremony:--The grave being dug, +the body was laid out near it, on a triangular bier (birri), stretched +straight on the back, enveloped in cloths and skins, rolled round and +corded close, and with the head to the eastward; around the bier were +many women, relations of the deceased, wailing and lamenting bitterly, +and lacerating their thighs, backs, and breasts, with shells or flint, +until the blood flowed copiously from the gashes. The males of the tribe +were standing around in a circle, with their weapons in their hands, and +the stranger tribes near them, in a similar position, imparting to the +whole a solemn and military kind of appearance. After this had continued +for some time, the male relatives closed in around the bier, the mourning +women renewed their lamentations in a louder tone, and two male relatives +stepped up to the bier, and stood across the body, one at the head, and +one at the foot, facing each other. + +Having cut above the abdomen the strings binding the cloths which were +wound round the body, they proceeded to cut a slit of about ten inches +long, through the swathing cloths above the belly; through this opening, +they removed the arms, which appeared to have been crossed there, laying +them down by the sides, inside the wrappings (for no part was unwound); +having warmed a handful of green boughs over a fire, they thrust them in +through the opening in the cloths, upon the naked belly of the corpse; +after a little while these were removed, and one of their sorcerers made +an incision of about eight inches long in the abdomen. Having pulled out +the entrails and peritoneum, they were turned over, and carefully +examined, whilst the women kept wailing and cutting [Note 81 at end +of para.] themselves more violently than before, and even the men +themselves lamented aloud. When this had been continued for some time, +a portion of the omentum was cut off, wrapped in green leaves, and then +put carefully away in a bag. The entrails were now replaced, a handful +or two of green leaves thrust in above them, the cloths replaced, and the +body again bound up ready for interment. + +[Note 81: Also an American custom.--Catlin, vol. i. p. 90. Lacerating the +flesh at death was expressly forbidden in the Jewish dispensation. It is +practised also in New Zealand.--Vide Dieffenbach.] + +A relative of the deceased now jumped up, with his weapons, violently +excited, and apparently with the intention of spearing some one; but he +was at once restrained by his friends, who informed me that the +investigation had satisfied them that the man had not died through the +agency of sorcery; if he had, it is imagined that a cicatrice would have +been found upon the omentum. Two men now got into the grave, spread a +cloth in the bottom, and over that green boughs. Other natives turned the +bier round, and lifting up the body, gave it to the two in the grave to +lay in its proper position, which was quite horizontal, and with the head +to the west [Note 82 at end of para.], the grave being dug east and west: +green boughs were now thrown thickly into it, and earth was pushed in by +the bystanders with their feet, until a mound had been raised some height +above the ground. All was now over, and the natives began to disperse, +upon which the wild and piercing wail of the mourners became redoubled. + +[Note 82: This appears to be a very general custom, and to be of Eastern +origin. Catlin describes it as always being attended to at the disposal +of the dead by the American Indians. In South Africa, however, Moffat +states (p. 307), "that the corpse is put exactly facing the north."] + +Upon the mounds, or tumuli, over the graves, huts of bark, or boughs, are +generally erected to shelter the dead from the rain; they are also +frequently wound round with netting. Many graves being usually in one +vicinity, and an elevated dry place being selected, the cemeteries often +present a picturesque appearance. Graves are frequently visited by the +women at intervals, for some months, and at such times the wail is +renewed, and their bodies lacerated as at the interment. At Boga Lake, I +saw a grave with a very neat hut of reeds made over it, surmounted by +netting, and having a long curious serpentine double trench, of a few +inches deep, surrounding it; possibly it might have been the burial place +of the native mentioned by Major Mitchell, as having been shot by his +black, Piper, at that lake. + +Nets, but not implements, are sometimes buried with the natives; nor do +the survivors ever like to use a net that has belonged to a man who is +dead. + +There are not any ceremonies attending the burial of young children; and +the male relatives often neglect to attend at all, leaving it altogether +to the women. + +The natives have not much dread of going near to graves, and care little +for keeping them in order, or preventing the bones of their friends from +being scattered on the surface of the earth. + +I have frequently seen them handling them, or kicking them with the foot +with great indifference. On one occasion when out with an old native +looking for horses before it was daylight, I came to a grave of no very +old date, and where the boughs and bushes built over in the form of a hut +were still remaining undisturbed; the weather was extremely cold, and the +old man did not hesitate to ask me to pull down the boughs to make a +fire, but would not do it himself. + +On another occasion when a poor old woman had been deserted by the +natives of Moorunde, and died a few days after being brought up to the +station, I had great difficulty in getting the other natives to bury her, +they would on no account touch the body; but after digging a hole, they +got a long wiry branch of a tree, and one man taking hold of each end +they bent the middle round the old woman's neck, and thus dragged her +along the ground and threw her into the pit like a dog, all the time +violently and continually spitting out in every direction to ward off, as +they said, the infection. + +[Note 83: "He tied a thong to her leg, avoiding the touch of that form +which gave him birth, dragged the corpse to some bushes, and left the +thong because it had been in contact with the body of his mother." +--Moffat's South Africa, p. 306.] + +Sometimes it happens that when a death occurs, the nearest grown up male +relative, whose duty it would be to take the principal part in the +ceremonies, or inflict punishment if evil agency is suspected to have +caused the death, may be absent. In this case he would have to discharge +these duties upon the first occasion of his meeting with the supposed +aggressors. The following is an instance which I witnessed. + +A relative of Tenberry, one of the principal natives of the Murray, had +died when he was absent, and the son of the deceased was too young to +revenge the sorcery which it was imagined had caused his father's death, +it therefore became Tenberry's duty to do this upon the first occasion +that offered. I was with him when the parties first came into the +neighbourhood, and I witnessed the proceedings. Notice having been sent +by Tenberry the evening before, to warn them to be ready, I accompanied +him early in the morning towards the encampment of the natives, situated +in a hollow near the water; when within about a hundred yards we saw from +the rise all the natives seated below us in the valley. Tenberry now +halted, and having taken a hasty survey of the group hung down his head +upon his breast and raised a low mournful lamentation; after a time it +ceased, and the wail was at once replied to and continued by women's +voices in the camp: he now hastily went down to the camp still uttering +his lamentations, and the whole body rose at his approach, and formed a +large open circle around him. The natives who were supposed to have +caused the death of his friend, formed a part of the circle and were +armed with spears; behind them stood the orphan son of the deceased, +probably in the light of an accuser; and behind the son were the widows, +wailing and lamenting bitterly. + +After taking the centre of the circle, Tenberry called for a spear, but +no one offered one, he therefore took a long one from a native in the +ring, who had evidently brought it for that purpose and yielded it +unresistingly. Pacing with this weapon furiously up and down the circle, +he advanced and retreated before the accused, brandishing the spear at +them, and alternately threatening and wailing. No one replied, but the +melancholy dirge was still kept up by the widows in the rear. + +After sufficiently exciting himself in this manner for some time, he +advanced with uplifted spear, and successively repeating his blows +speared four or five persons among the accused natives in the left arm, +each of them pushing forward his arm unflinchingly for the blow as he +advanced upon them. Tenberry now again hung down his head and took up his +lamentation for a short time, after which he paced about rapidly, +vehemently haranguing, and violently gesticulating, and concluded by +ordering all the natives present to separate their camps, and each tribe +to make their own apart. + +Mourning is performed by the men by cutting their beards [Note 84 at end +of para.] and hair, and daubing the head and breast with a white pigment; +among the women, by cutting and burning the hair close off [Note 85 at +end of para.] to the head and plastering themselves with pipe-clay. +In some cases, hot ashes are put upon the head to singe the hair to +its very roots, and they then literally weep "in dust and ashes." Among +some of the Murray tribes, a mourning cap is worn by the women, made two +or three inches thick of carbonate of lime. It is moulded to the head +when moist around a piece of net work; the weight is eight pounds and +a half. (Pl. 1, fig. 17.) + +[Note 84: The custom among the Australians of putting dust or ashes on the +head, of shaving the head, of clipping the beard, and of lacerating the +body at death or in sign of mourning, appears very similar to +the practices among the Israelites in the time of Moses. Vide +Leviticus xix. 27, 28; Leviticus xxi. 5; Jeremiah xiviii. 30, 31, 32; +Revelations xviii. 19, etc.] + +[Note 85: The women among the American Indians also cut off the hair +close to the head as a sign of mourning.--Vide Catlin, vol. i.] + +The lamentations for the dead do not terminate with the burial; +frequently they are renewed at intervals by the women, during late hours +of the night, or some hours before day-break in the morning. Piercingly +as those cries strike upon the traveller in the lonely woods, if raised +suddenly, or very near him, yet mellowed by distance they are soothing +and pleasing, awakening a train of thoughts and feelings, which, though +sad and solemn, are yet such as the mind sometimes delights to indulge +in. The names of the dead are never repeated by the natives among +themselves, and it is a very difficult matter for a European to get them +to break through this custom, nor will they do it in the presence of +other natives. In cases where the name of a native has been that of some +bird or animal of almost daily recurrence, a new name is given to the +object, and adopted in the language of the tribe. Thus at Moorunde, a +favourite son of the native Tenberry was called Torpool, or the Teal; +upon the child's death the appellation of tilquaitch was given to the +teal, and that of torpool altogether dropped among the Moorunde tribe. + +The natives of New Holland, as far as yet can be ascertained, have no +religious belief or ceremonies. A Deity, or great First Cause, can hardly +be said to be acknowledged, and certainly is not worshipped by this +people, who ascribe the creation to very inefficient causes. They state +that some things called themselves into existence, and had the property +of creating others. But upon all subjects of this nature their ideas are +indistinct and indefinite, as they are not naturally a reasoning people, +and by no means given to the investigation of causes or their effects; +hence, if you inquire why they use such and such ceremonies, they reply, +our fathers did so, and we do it; or why they believe so and so, our +fathers told us it was so. [Note 86 at end of para.] They are not fond of +entering upon abstruse subjects, and when they are induced to do it, it is +more than possible, from our imperfect acquaintance with their language, +and total ignorance of the character and bent of their thoughts upon such +points, that we are very likely to misunderstand and misrepresent their +real opinions. It appears to me that different tribes give a different +account of their belief, but all generally so absurd, so vague, +unsatisfactory, and contradictory, that it is impossible at present +to say with any certainty what they really believe, or whether they +have any independent belief at all. Mr. Moorhouse, who has taken +great pains in his inquiries among the natives around Adelaide upon +questions of this nature, states that they believe in a Soul or Spirit +(itpitukutya), separate and distinct altogether from the body, which +at death goes to the west, to a large pit, where the souls of all men go. +When all are dead, the souls will return to their former place of +residence, go to the graves of their forsaken bodies, and inquire, +are these the bodies that we formerly inhabited? The bodies will reply, +"we are not dead, but still living." The souls and bodies will not be +re-united; the former will live in trees during the day, and at night +alight on the ground, and eat grubs, lizards, frogs, and kangaroo rats, +but not vegetable food of any description. The souls are never again +to die, but will remain about the size of a boy eight years old. + +[Note 86: "For that practice, they are, as far as I could learn, unable to +give any other reason than that of its being the custom of their +forefathers which they are therefore bound to follow."--Burchell's +Bichuana tribes, vol. ii. p. 531.] + +The account given me by some of the natives of the Murray of the origin +of the creation, is, that there are four individuals living up among the +clouds, called Nooreele, a father and his three male children, but there +is no mother. The father is all-powerful, and of benevolent character. He +made the earth, trees, waters, etc., gave names to every thing and place, +placed the natives in their different districts, telling each tribe that +they were to inhabit such and such localities, and were to speak such and +such a language. It is said that he brought the natives originally from +some place over the waters to the eastward. The Nooreele never die, and +the souls (ludko, literally a shadow) of dead natives will go up and join +them in the skies, and will never die again. Other tribes of natives give +an account of a serpent of immense size, and inhabiting high rocky +mountains, which, they say, produced creation by a blow of his tail. But +their ideas and descriptions are too incongruous and unintelligible to +deduce any definite or connected story from them. + +All tribes of natives appear to dread evil spirits, having the appearance +of Blacks (called in the Murray dialect Tou, in that of Adelaide Kuinyo). +They fly about at nights through the air, break down branches of trees, +pass simultaneously from one place to another, and attack all natives +that come in their way, dragging such as they can catch after them. Fire +[Note 87 at end of para.] appears to have considerable effect in keeping +these monsters away, and a native will rarely stir a yard by night, +except in moonlight, without carrying a fire-stick. Under any +circumstances they do not like moving about in the dark, and it is with +the greatest difficulty that they are ever induced to go singly from +one station to another, a mile or two distant, after night-fall. +Notwithstanding this dread of they don't know exactly what, the natives +do not let their fears prevent them moving about after dark, if any +object is to be gained, or if several of them are together. By moonlight +they are in the habit of travelling from one place to another, as well as +of going out to hunt opossums. + +[Note 87: Fire is produced by the friction of two pieces of wood or +stick--generally the dry flower-stem of the Xanthorrea. The natives, +however, usually carry a lighted piece of wood about with them, and do +not often let it go out.] + +Anything that is extraordinary or unusual, is a subject of great dread to +the natives: of this I had a singular instance at Moorunde. In March, +1843, I had a little boy living with me by his father's permission, +whilst the old man went up the river with the other natives to hunt and +fish. On the evening of the 2nd of March a large comet was visible to the +westward, and became brighter and more distinct every succeeding night. +On the 5th I had a visit from the father of the little boy who was living +with me, to demand his son; he had come down the river post haste for +that purpose, as soon as he saw the comet, which he assured me was the +harbinger of all kinds of calamities, and more especially to the white +people. It was to overthrow Adelaide, destroy all Europeans and their +houses, and then taking a course up the Murray, and past the Rufus, do +irreparable damage to whatever or whoever came in its way. It was sent, +he said, by the northern natives, who were powerful sorcerers, and to +revenge the confinement of one of the principal men of their tribe, who +was then in Adelaide gaol, charged with assaulting a shepherd; and he +urged me by all means to hurry off to town as quickly as I could, to +procure the man's release, so that if possible the evil might be averted. +No explanation gave him the least satisfaction, he was in such a state of +apprehension and excitement, and he finally marched off with the little +boy, saying, that although by no means safe even with him, yet he would +be in less danger than if left with me. + +All natives of Australia believe in sorcery and witchcraft on the part of +certain of their own tribe, or of others. To enable them to become +sorcerers, certain rites must be undergone, which vary among the +different tribes. Around Adelaide they have at one period to eat the +flesh of young children, and at another that of an old man, but it does +not appear that they partake more than once in their life of each kind. +When initiated, these men possess extensive powers, they can cure or +cause diseases, can produce or dissipate rain [Note 88 at end of para.], +wind, hail, thunder, etc. They have many sacred implements or relics, +which are for the most part carefully kept concealed from the eyes of all, +but especially from the women, such as, pieces of rock crystal, said to +have been extracted by them from individuals who were suffering under +the withering influence of some hostile sorcerers; the pringurru, a sacred +piece of bone (used sometimes for bleeding), etc. The latter, if burned +to ashes in the fire, possesses mortiferous influence over enemies. +If two tribes are at war, and one of either happens to fall sick, it is +believed that the sickness has been produced by a sorcerer of the opposite +tribe, and should the pringurru have been burnt, death must necessarily +follow. + +[Note 88: Also an American superstition.--Vide Catlin, vol.i.p. 134. +"Sorcerers or rain makers, for both offices are generally assumed by one +individual."--Moffat's South Africa, p. 305.] + +As all internal pains are attributed to witchcraft, sorcerers possess the +power of relieving or curing them. Sometimes the mouth is applied to the +surface where the pain is seated, the blood is sucked out, and a bunch of +green leaves applied to the part; besides the blood, which is derived +from the gums of the sorcerer, a bone is sometimes put out of the mouth, +and declared to have been procured from the diseased part; on other +occasions the disease is drawn out in an invisible form, and burnt in the +fire, or thrown into the water; at others the patient is stretched upon +the ground, whilst another person presses with his feet or hands upon the +diseased part, or cold water is sprinkled over, and green leaves used as +before. There are few complaints that the natives do not attempt to cure, +either by charms or by specific applications: of the latter a very +singular one is the appliance personally of the urine from a female--a +very general remedy, and considered a sovereign one for most disorders. +Bandages are often applied round the ankles, legs, arms, wrists, etc. +sufficiently tight to impede circulation; suction is applied to the bites +of snakes, and is also made use of by their doctors in drawing out blood +from the diseased part, a string being tied to the hair, if it be the +head that ails, or to any other part, and the opposite end is put into +the sorcerer's mouth, who then commences sucking and spitting out blood, +which he declares comes from the patient. Blood letting is practised +occasionally to relieve pains in the head, or oppression of the system. +The operation is performed by opening a vein in the arm, with a piece of +rock crystal in the same way as Europeans bleed. + +Fractures of the extremities are treated with splints and bandages, as in +Europe. Venereal ulcers are sprinkled with alkaline wood ashes, the +astringent liquid of the nettle bark, or a macerated preparation from a +particular kind of broad-leaved grass. Superficial wounds are left to +themselves, and usually heal without much trouble. Malformations of the +body are attributed to the influence of the stars, caused by the mother +eating forbidden food during pregnancy, or if occurring after birth it is +still caused by the stars, in consequence of forbidden food being eaten. +The teeth of the native are generally regular and very beautiful, indeed, +in their natural state, I have never seen a single instance of decayed +teeth, among them. Among those, however, who have been living near +Europeans for some years past, and whose habits and diet have been +changed from simple to more artificial ones, a great alteration is taking +place in this respect, and symptoms of decaying teeth are beginning to +make their appearance among many. + +Among other superstitions of the natives, they believe in the existence +of an individual called in the Murrumbidgee Biam, or the Murray +Biam-baitch-y, who has the form and figure of a black, but is deformed in +the lower extremities, and is always either sitting cross-legged on the +ground, or ferrying about in a canoe. + +From him the natives say they derive many of the songs sung at their +dances; he also causes diseases sometimes, and especially one which +indents the face like the effects of small pox. Another evil agency, +dreaded by the natives, is a spirit of the waters, called ngook-wonga, it +causes many diseases to those who go into the waters in unauthorised +places, or at improper times, hence a native is very loth to go into +water he is not accustomed to for the first time. + +To counteract the evil effects produced by this spirit, there are persons +particularly devoted to this branch of sorcery, the following is a case +where I saw them exercise their powers. A boy of about fourteen had at +the Murray river been seized with a severe attack of erysipelas in the +lower part of one of his legs, from bathing and remaining in the water +when heated. As this did not get better, it was ascribed to the evil +agency of the Spirit of the Waters; and the Pachwonga or Pachwin were +called in to cure him. They arrived late at night, three in number, and +at once proceeded to the exercise of their duties. As soon as it was seen +that the magicians were coming, the friends of the boy lifted him up, and +carrying him some distance away from the camp, placed him on the ground +by himself, and then ranged themselves in two rows upon either side, in a +sitting posture, but at some distance behind the patient. The three magi +now advanced in the form of a triangle, one leading and the other two +behind, equidistantly apart. They were all painted, carried bunches of +green reeds in their hands, which they kept shaking, and danced [Note 89 +at end of para.] with a measured tread, keeping the right foot always in +advance of the other as in a galopade, and singing a low solemn dirge, +which was vehemently beat time to, by the natives behind thumping +on the ground. Upon arriving at the boy, the leading native fell down +on his knees close to him, and took hold of the diseased leg, the +other two still dancing and singing around the patient. In a little +time, one of the two fell down also on his knees on another side +of the boy, leaving the third still dancing and singing around them. +At last he fell down also on his knees in a triangular position +with the others, the boy being in the centre. All three now commenced +blowing, spitting, making curious gurgling kinds of noises, waving +their green bunches of reeds, and pressing forcibly upon the diseased +leg to make the patient give audible indications of the evil spirit +leaving him. After some time, two of the three doctors got up +again, danced and sung around the boy, and then once more assuming their +kneeling positions, recommenced spitting and blowing, waving their +bunches of reeds, and making the same curious noises, but louder than +ever. Their exorcism at last was effectual, the evil spirit, in the shape +of a sharp stone, was extracted from the limb, and driven into the +ground; but it was too dark they said to see it. As soon as this +agreeable news was announced, the friends of the boy came up and hastily +removed him back to the camp, whilst the three doctors assuming the +triangular position, sung and danced round the place where the boy had +been laid, and then advancing in the same form towards the river, keeping +the right foot always in advance, they at last fairly drove the spirit +into the water and relieved the neighbourhood from so troublesome a +visitor. + +[Note 89: "Dancing over him, shaking his frightful rattles, and singing +songs of incantation, in the hopes to cure him by a charm."--Catlin's +North American Indians, vol. i.p. 39.] + +It was a long time before I lost a vivid impression of this ceremony; the +still hour of the night, the naked savages, with their fancifully painted +forms, their wild but solemn dirge, their uncouth gestures, and unnatural +noises, all tended to keep up an illusion of an unearthly character, and +contributed to produce a thrilling and imposing effect upon the mind. + +At the Murray River, singular looking places are found sometimes, made by +the natives by piling small stones close together, upon their ends in the +ground, in a shape resembling the accompanying diagram, and projecting +four or five inches above the ground. The whole length of the place thus +inclosed, by one which I examined, was eleven yards; at the broad end it +was two yards wide, at the narrow end one. The position of this singular +looking place, was a clear space on the slope of a hill, the narrow end +being the lowest, on in the direction of the river. Inside the line of +stones, the ground was smoothed, and somewhat hollowed. The natives +called it Mooyumbuck, and said it was a place for disenchanting an +individual afflicted with boils. In other places, large heaps of small +loose stones are piled up like small haycocks, but for what purpose I +could never understand. This is done by the young men, and has some +connection probably with their ceremonies or amusements. + +In others, singular shaped spaces are inclosed, by serpentine trenches, a +few inches deep, but for what purpose I know not, unless graves have +formerly existed there. + +Another practice of the natives, when travelling from one place to +another, is to put stones up in the trees they pass, at different heights +from the ground, to indicate the height of the sun when they passed. +Other natives following, are thus made aware of the hour of the day when +their friends passed particular points. Captain Grey found the same +custom in Western Australia; vol. i. p. 113, he says:-- + + +"I this day again remarked a circumstance, which had before this period +elicited my attention, which was, that we occasionally found fixed on the +boughs of trees, at a considerable height from the ground, pieces of +sandstone, nearly circular in form, about an inch and a half in +thickness, and from four to five in diameter, so that they resembled +small mill-stones. What was the object of thus fashioning, and placing +these stones, I never could conceive, for they are generally in the least +remarkable spots. They cannot point out burial places, for I have made +such minute searches, that in such case I must have found some of the +bones; neither can they indicate any peculiar route through the country, +for two never occur near one another." + + +The power of sorcery appears always to belong, in a degree, to the aged, +but it is assumed often by the middle aged men. It is no protection to +the possessor, from attack, or injury, on the part of other natives. On +the contrary, the greater the skill of the sorcerer, and the more +extensive his reputation, the more likely is he to be charged with +offences he is unconscious of, and made to pay their penalty. Sorcerers +are not ubiquitous, but have the power of becoming invisible, and can +transport themselves instantaneously to any place they please. Women are +never sorcerers. It is a general belief among almost all the Aborigines, +that Europeans, or white people, are resuscitated natives, who have +changed their colour, and who are supposed to return to the same +localities they had inhabited as black people. The most puzzling point, +however, with this theory, appears to be that they cannot make out how it +is that the returned natives do not know their former friends or +relatives. I have myself often been asked, with seriousness and +earnestness, who, among the Europeans, were their fathers, their mothers, +and their other relatives, and how it is that the dead were so ignorant, +or so forgetful, as not to know their friends when they again returned to +the earth. + +One old native informed me, that all blacks, when dead, go up to the +clouds, where they have plenty to eat and drink; fish, birds, and game of +all kinds, with weapons and implements to take them. He then told me, +that occasionally individuals had been up to the clouds, and had come +back, but that such instances were very rare; his own mother, he said, +had been one of the favoured few. Some one from above had let down a +rope, and hauled her up by it; she remained one night, and on her return, +gave a description of what she had seen in a chaunt, or song, which he +sung for me, but of the meaning of which I could make out nothing. + + + + +Chapter VI + + + +NUMBERS--DISEASES--CAUSE OF LIMITED POPULATION--CRIMES AGAINST EUROPEANS-- +AMONGST THEMSELVES--TREATMENT OF EACH OTHER IN DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD, ETC. + + +There is scarcely any point connected with the subject of the Aborigines +of New Holland, upon which it is more difficult to found an opinion, even +approximating to the truth, than that of the aggregate population of the +continent, or the average number of persons to be found in any given +space. Nor will this appear at all surprising, when the character and +habits of the people are taken into consideration. Destitute of any fixed +place of residence, neither cultivating the soil, nor domesticating +animals, they have no pursuits to confine them to any particular +locality, or to cause them to congregate permanently in the same +district. On the contrary, all their habits have an opposite tendency. + +The necessity of seeking daily their food as they require it, the fact of +that food not being procurable for any great length of time together in +the same place, and the circumstance that its quality, and abundance, or +the facility of obtaining it, are contingent upon the season of the year, +at which they may visit any particular district, have given to their mode +of life, an unsettled and wandering character. + +The casual observer, or the passing traveller, has but little, therefore, +to guide him in his estimate of the population of the country he may be +in. A district that may at one time be thinly inhabited, or even +altogether untenanted, may at another be teeming with population. The +wanderer may at one time be surrounded by hundreds of savages, and at +another, in the same place he may pass on alone and unheeded. + +At Lake Victoria, on the Murray, I have seen congregated upwards of six +hundred natives at once, again I have passed through that neighbourhood +and have scarcely seen a single individual; nor does this alone +constitute the difficulty and uncertainty involved in estimating the +numbers of the Aborigines. Such are the silence and stealth with which +all their movements are conducted, so slight a trace is left to indicate +their line of march, and so small a clue by which to detect their +presence, that the stranger finds it impossible to tell from any thing +that he sees, whether he is in their vicinity or not. I have myself often +when travelling, as I imagined in the most retired and solitary recesses +of the forest, been suddenly surprised by the unexpected appearance of +large bodies of natives, without being in the least able to conjecture +whence they had come, or how they obtained the necessaries of life, in +what appeared to me an arid and foodless desert. + +Captain Grey has observed in other parts of Australia, the same ingenuity +and stealth manifested by them in either cloaking their movements, or +concealing their presence, until circumstances rendered it in their +opinion no longer necessary to preserve this concealment, vol. i. p. 147, +he says: "Immediately numbers of other natives burst upon my sight, each +tree, each rock, seemed to give forth its black denizen as if by +enchantment; a moment before the most solemn silence pervaded these +woods, we deemed that not a human being moved within miles of us, and now +they rang with savage and ferocious yells, and fierce armed men crowded +around us on every side, bent on our destruction." + +Nor is it less difficult to arrive at the number of the population in +those districts which are occupied by Europeans. In some, the native +tribes rarely frequent the stations, in others, portions only of the +different tribes are to be found; some belong to the district and others +not. In all there is a difficulty in ascertaining the exact number of any +tribe, or the precise limits to which their territory extends in every +direction around. Even could these particulars be accurately obtained in +a few localities, they would afford no data for estimating the population +of the whole, as the average number of inhabitants to the square mile, +would always vary according to the character of the country and the +abundance of food. + +Upon this subject Captain Grey remarks, vol. ii. p. 246, "I have found the +number of inhabitants to a square mile to vary so much from district to +district, from season to season, and to depend upon so great a variety of +local circumstances, that I am unable to give any computation which I +believe would even nearly approach to truth." + +Mr. Moorhouse, who has also paid much attention to this subject, in the +neighbourhood of Adelaide, has arrived at the conclusion, that, in 1843, +there were about sixteen hundred aborigines, in regular or irregular +contact with the Europeans, in the province of South Australia; these he +has classed as follows, viz.:-- + +In regular contact with Europeans, + + +Adelaide district 300 +Encounter Bay 230 +Moorunde 300 +Port Lincoln 60 +Hutt River 30 + --- + 920 + + +In irregular contact with Europeans, + + +Adelaide - +Encounter Bay 100 +Moorunde 200 +Port Lincoln 340 +Hutt River 40 + --- + 680 + + +or together about 1600. + +Taking in the southern districts of South Australia 120 miles from +Adelaide, the northern ones 160, and the eastern one 200. Mr. Moorhouse +estimates that there are altogether only about 3000 natives. This +however, appears to me to be a considerably under-rated number, and I +should rather incline to the opinion, that there are twice as many, if +the Port Lincoln peninsula be added to the limits already mentioned. In +the Port Lincoln district, Mr. Schurman conjectures there are about 400. + +On the Murray River, which is, perhaps, the most densely populated part +of the country, I imagine there are, from Moorunde, about three to four +natives to every mile of river, which as it winds very considerably in +its course, would give a large population to the square mile, if only the +valley of the Murray was taken into account. + +There are other tribes also frequenting the river occasionally, from the +back scrubs on either side; but as these range through a great extent of +country beyond the valley, and only sometimes come down there on a visit; +I do not include them in the estimate. + +At Moorunde itself I have sometimes had from four to five hundred +collected, and among those, only a few, perhaps, from the very remote +tribes. + +At the Rufus and Lake Victoria, I have seen above six hundred together, +where they had no other motive to collect in so large a party, than from +custom, and for the enjoyment of festivity. + +Large towns are frequently the centre of meeting for many, and very +distant tribes. The facility of obtaining scraps by begging, small +rewards for trifling jobs of work, donations from the charitable, and a +variety of broken victuals, offal, etc. enable them to collect in large +numbers, and indulge to the uttermost their curiosity in observing the +novelties around them, in meeting strange tribes, and joining them either +in war or festivity, in procuring tools, clothes, etc. to carry back and +barter in their own districts, and for other similar objects. Thus, +Adelaide is nearly always occupied by tribes from one part or other of +the country: on an average, it will support probably six hundred in the +way I have described, though occasionally eight hundred have met there. +The following returns of the numbers who have attended the annual muster +on the Queen's birthday, when bread and beef have been distributed, will +show how the ratio has gone on increasing during the last five years. + + +In 1840 there were present 283 men, women, and children. + 1841 there were present 374 men, women, and children. + 1842 there were present 400 men, women, and children. + 1843 there were present 450 men, women, and children. + 1844 there were present 793 men, women, and children. + + +In the Murray district, where it has been customary, since the first +establishment of the post at Moorunde, to issue a certain quantity of +flour once in the month (at the full moon) to every native who chose to +come in to receive it, the increase in attendance has been progressively +going on, viz. + + + 2 issues in 1841 the average attendance were 52 men, women, and children +12 issues in 1842 the average attendance were 94 men, women, and children +10 issues in 1843 the average attendance were 136 men, women, and children + 9 issues in 1844 the average attendance were 171 men, women, and children + + +Occasionally nearly 500 natives have been present at these monthly issues +of flour, and the reason that the average attendance is not greater, is, +that immediately after collecting at Moorunde, at the full of the moon, +to receive their flour, from 100 to 300 would usually set off to +Adelaide, where there are so many objects of interest and attraction, and +re-remain there for several months at a time, and especially during the +winter. As fast, too, as one party returned to their own districts, +another would go into town, and thus the average number would be +constantly kept down. A third reason why the musters do not appear so +large as they otherwise would, is that many of the more distant natives +come down at other times than the full moon, and I have then been obliged +to deviate from my usual custom, and issue flour to them at the periods +when they arrived. The number of natives attending such extraordinary +issues do not appear in the periodical returns. + +In endeavouring to estimate the numbers and proportions of the sexes, and +children, almost as great a difficulty exists as in that of obtaining +their aggregate numbers. This arises from the fact of the more distant +tribes who visit Europeans stations, frequently leaving their younger +wives, or little children at home, with aged relatives, whilst they +themselves go to a distance. In all the periodical, or regular issues of +flour at the time of full moon, I have accurately kept lists of all who +attended. The gross totals of thirty-three issues are as follows:-- + + +Men 1266 +Women 1330 +Boys 930 +Girls 551 +Infants 52 + ---- + 4129 + + +From this it is apparent, first, that the women attending the monthly +meetings at the Murray have been, on the whole, about five and a half per +cent in excess of the men, an extraordinary and unusual circumstance, as +compared with the results obtained at other places. I can only account +for this upon the supposition before given, that when large bodies of +natives leave Moorunde for Adelaide, more men than women go away, and +that consequently a larger proportion of females is left behind. Mr. +Moor-house remarks, upon this point, that he has found the males to +average seventy per cent more than the females, among the Adelaide +tribes. My own observation leads me to the opinion that upon the Murray +the two sexes are as nearly equal in numbers as may be. + +Secondly, it would appear, that of the Moorunde issues, the number of +girls attending has been little more than one half that of the boys. This +may, perhaps, arise in some measure from females assuming the duties of +women, and being classed as such, at an age when males would still be +considered as only boys. The principal reason, however, must, as before, +be ascribed to a greater number of girls being left behind by the more +distant tribes when they come to visit Moorunde. + +Thirdly, from the list I have given, it seems that to each woman there +would be about 1 1/3 child. Upon this subject Mr. Moorhouse remarks, that +his investigation has led to the conclusion that each woman has, on an +average, five children born (nine being the greatest number known), but +that each mother only rears, upon an average, two; and this I think, upon +the whole, would be a tolerably correct estimate. + +There is one point connected with the return I have given, peculiarly +striking, as it shews the comparatively small increase that now appears +to be going on among the more numerous tribes of the Aborigines, I allude +to the fact of there only having been fifty-two young infants among 1330 +women. By infants I mean such as had to be carried in the arms, for those +who could walk at all have been classed among the boys and girls. + +I have never known a case of twins among the Aborigines, and Mr. +Moorhouse informs me that no case has ever come under his observation; +but Captain Grey found such to occur sometimes in Western Australia. On +the number and proportion of the sexes he observes, that 4.6 seemed to be +the average number of children born to each woman, and that there was one +female to every 1.3 males. With respect to the duration of life among the +Aborigines, Captain Grey says, vol. ii. p. 246-248--"With regard to the +age occasionally attained by the natives, I believe very erroneous ideas +have been prevalent, for so far am I from considering them to be short +lived, that I am certain they frequently attain the age of seventy years +and upwards." "Yet were these instances of longevity contrasted with the +great number of deaths which take place during the period of infancy, +there can be no doubt whatever that the average duration of life amongst +these savage tribes falls far short of that enjoyed by civilized races." + +These remarks, as far as my observation has extended, apply to the +natives of New Holland generally. I have frequently met with many +venerable, white-headed men among the Aborigines, who could not, I think, +have been less than eighty years of age, and who yet retained the full +vigour of mind, and the bold, upright, though now wasted form, that had +characterised them in the pride of manhood; but about sixty-five appears +perhaps to be the average age attained by the old. + +The second inference is more than borne out by the statement already +recorded, that for every five children born on an average to each mother, +two only are reared, and these subject to all the casualities and dangers +which savage life is exposed to. + +[Note 90: This can of course only apply to tribes tolerably well known to +Europeans, and more or less frequently coming in contact with them. Of +tribes in their natural state we can have no accurate data, and but few +passing notes even that are worthy of confidence. Generally I have found +children to be numerous among tribes who have never had intercourse with +Europeans' and it is a well known fact that the increase of numbers in +aboriginal tribes is checked in proportion to the frequency, or the +extent of their communication with Europeans. At Flinders island to which +210 Van Diemen's Land natives were removed from Van Diemen's Land in +1835, this is singularly exemplified. In 1842 Count Strzelecki says, page +353--"And while each family of the interior of New South Wales, +uncontaminated by contact with the whites, swarms with children, those of +Flinders island, had during eight years an accession of only fourteen in +number."] + +Upon inquiry into the causes which tend to prevent population going on in +an increasing ratio among the natives of Australia, the following appear +to be the most prominent. First, polygamy, and the illicit and almost +unlimited intercourse between the sexes, habits which are well known to +check the progress of population, wherever they prevail. + +Secondly. Infanticide, which is very general, and practised to a great +extent, especially among the younger and favourite women. + +Thirdly. Diseases, to which in a savage state young children are +peculiarly liable, such as dysentry, cold, and their consequences, etc. + +[Note 91: Huic accedit, ex quo illis sunt immisti Europaei, lues venerea. +Morbum infantibus matres afflant, et ingens multitudo quotannis +inde perit.] + +Fourthly. Wars and quarrels, occurring sometimes from the most trivial +circumstances, and often ending in deaths, or wounds that terminate in +death. + +The diseases to which the natives are subject, are with the exception of +those induced by artificial living, as gout, rheumatism, etc. very similar +to those which afflict Europeans, the principal being the result of +inflammation, acute, or chronic, arising from exposure to the cold, and +which affects most generally the bronchiae, the lungs, and the pleura. +Phthisis occasionally occurs, as does also erysipelas. Scrofula has been +met with, but very rarely. A disease very similar to the small-pox, and +leaving similar marks upon the face, appears formerly to have been very +prevalent, but I have never met with an existing case, nor has Mr. +Moorhouse ever fallen in with one. It is said to have come from the +eastward originally, and very probably may have been derived in the first +instance from Europeans, and the infection passed along from one tribe to +another: it has not been experienced now for many years. + +[Note 92: Ex morbis quos patiuntur ab adventu Europaeorum longe +frequentissima et maxime fatalis est lues venerea. An hic morbus +indigenis, priusquam illis immiscebuntur Europaei erat notus, sciri nunc +minime potest. Ipsi jamdiu ex oriente adductum dicunt, ex quo maxime +probabile videtur, eum, origine prima ex Europa, inde de gente in gentem +per totam poene continentem esse illatam. Neque dubium eum in gentibus iis +quibus non immiscentur Europaei, neque frequentem esse, nec acrem, eorum +autem per immistionem terribilem in modum augescere. Quinetiam ii sunt +indigenarum mores, ut, adveniat modo forma sub pessima morbus, velox et +virulentus qualis nusquam alias illico latissime effluat. Licet bene +sciant hae gentes, hunc, sicut ejus modi alii morbum per contactum +contractum esse illis tamen pestem cujus indies spectantur tantae tamque +terribiles offensiones, vitare minime curae est. Vidi egomet plurimos non +modo aegrotorum in tentoriis otiari, verum etiam foedatus ita secure +induere vestes aut iisdem in stragulis cubare, ac si optima ibi adesset +sanitas. Mihi stationem publicam ponendi causa ad "Morrandi" in mensa +Octobris, 1841, advenienti, occurrebant populi morbis poene liberi +formam atque membra bene formati; postea autem ex frequenti cum oppido +et proximis stationibus commercio, circa Octobrem 1844, morbos quam +maxime horridos contraxerant. Inde eo tempore moribundi erant plurimi, +nonnulli mortui, paucique ex iis, qui frequenter coibant, ex omni aetate +et sexu hujusce pestis formis omnino expertes erant. Apud indigenas +morbus hic eodem fere modo quo apud Europaeos sese ostendere videtur +variis tamen ex causis etiam magis odiosum, eo praesertim quod pustulae +rotundae, magnitudinem fere uncialem habentes, simul in cute exsurgunt. +His gradatim, cum pure effluente, pars media expletur, et inde magis +magisque crescentibus et dispersis corporis universi superficies tabe ac +scabie laborat, quae propinquantibus simul horrorem ac nauseam movent. +Ulcera haec aliquando infra sex vel octo menses ipsa se cohaerent; +plerumque autem incitamentorum et vi causticorum ad locum adhibita infra +hebdomadas tres sanantur. Nec minus apud indigenas quam apud Europaeos, +remedium hujusoe morbi speciale: medicamenta sunt mercurialia, majore +tamen illis cum periculo, tum propter eorum mores, quum quod plerumque +sub dio vivunt, omni absente medicina. Post annum primum aut alterum +morbus evanescit, interdum mortem affert. Semper autem aegrotis miseris +cruciatus maximus et dolores perpetui inde flunt. Moorhousi de morbo hoc +opiniones in paucis a meis experimentis dissident, quum ille num glandem +penis aut inguinis, principio nunquam, glandem autem penis rarissime vel +secundo attingere arbitrabatur. Ego autem et hoc et illud in ripis +Murray fluminis vidi.] + +Many natives of deformed persons are occasionally to be met with, +especially in the extremities. I have seen natives tall, and perfect, and +well built in the body and limbs, from the head down to the knees: but +from that point downwards, shrivelled and blighted, presenting but skin +and bone. Many are blind in one eye, some in both; sometimes this appears +the effect of inflammation, or of cataract; at others, it may be the +result of accident. Among those natives inhabiting the sandy drifts along +the western coast, where the sand is always circling about in a perfect +shower, I have no doubt but that many become blind from its effects. + +In October, 1839, Mr. Moorhouse found nine inhabitants in two huts to the +south; out of these, five were quite blind, and one had lost one eye; +they were occupied in making nets. + +Deaf and dumb persons are not often found among the Aborigines, but I +have met with instances of this kind. One of the most intelligent natives +I ever met with, was a deaf and dumb youth at the Wimmera. From this poor +boy, I could more readily and intelligibly obtain by signs a description +of the country, its character, and localities, than from any native I +ever met with, whose language I was at the time quite unacquainted with. + +The blind, or the infirm, are generally well treated, and taken care of +when young, but as soon as they advance in years, or become an impediment +to the movements of the tribe, they are abandoned at once by their +people, and left to perish. + +The crimes committed by the natives against Europeans do not bear any +proportion, either numerically, or in magnitude, to their number, as a +people, and the circumstances of their position. When we consider the low +state of morals, or rather, the absence of all moral feeling upon their +part, the little restraint that is placed upon their community, by either +individual authority, or public opinion, the injuries they are smarting +under, and the aggressions they receive, it cannot but be admitted that +they are neither an ill disposed, nor a very vindictive people. The +following are the returns of the convictions of natives in South +Australia for the years 1842 and 1843, viz. :-- + +SUPREME COURT. +-------------- + +OFFENCE. 1842 1843 1844 + +Larceny 2 0 2 +Assault with intent to murder 2 0 0 +Wilful murder 0 3 1 +Sheep stealing 1 2 1 +Cattle stealing 0 1 2 + +RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. +---------------------------- + +Assault 0 3 3 +Breaking windows 1 0 0 +Intoxication 3 0 0 +Injuring park trees 0 0 2 + ---------- + 9 9 11 + + +In the colony of New South Wales, the return of all the trials of the +Aborigines, from 10th February, 1837, to the 24th July, 1843, amounted to +thirty-three cases, and implicated sixty-one individuals. The offences +were chiefly murder and assault, or stealing sheep and cattle. In ten +cases only, out of thirty-three, convictions took place, and nineteen +individuals were sentenced, viz., twelve to death, six to transportation +for ten years, and one to a flogging. [Note 93: For particulars vide +Papers on the Aborigines of Australian Colonies, printed for the House of +Commons, August 9th, 1844.] + +Among the natives, but few crimes are committed against each other; in +fact, it would be somewhat difficult to define what their idea of crime +would be, for that which is offensive on the part of another is +considered a virtue in themselves. Accustomed to act upon the impulse of +the moment, and to take summary vengeance for injury, real or imagined, +their worst deeds are but in accordance with their own standard of right, +having no moral sense of what is just or equitable in the abstract, their +only test of propriety must in such cases be, whether they are +numerically, or physically strong enough to brave the vengeance of those +whom they may have provoked, or injured. Custom has, however, from time +immemorial, usurped the place of laws, and with them, perhaps, is even +more binding than they would be. Through custom's irresistible sway has +been forged the chain that binds in iron fetters a people, who might +otherwise be said to be without government or restraint. By it, the young +and the weak are held in willing subjection to the old and the strong. +Superstitious to a degree they are taught from earliest infancy to dread +they know not what evil or punishment, if they infringe upon obligations +they have been told to consider as sacred. All the better feelings and +impulses implanted in the human heart by nature, are trampled upon by +customs, which, as long as they remain unchanged, must for ever prevent +them from rising in the scale of civilization and improvement, or to use +the apt and expressive language of Captain Grey upon this point, vol. ii. +p. 217 :-- + +"He (the native) is in reality subjected to complex laws, which not only +deprive him of all free agency of thought, but at the same time, by +allowing no scope for the development of intellect, benevolence, or any +other great moral qualification, they necessarily bind him down in a +hopeless state of barbarism, from which it is impossible for him to +emerge, so long as he is enthralled by these customs, which, on the other +hand, are so ingeniously devised as to have a direct tendency to +annihilate any effort that is made to overthrow them." + +Those customs regulate all things, the acquisition and disposal of wives, +the treatment of women, of the elders, the acquiescence of the younger +members of a tribe in any measure that may have been decided upon by the +old men, the rules which guide the international intercourse between +different tribes, the certain restrictions or embargoes that are put upon +different kinds of food or at certain ages, the fear of sorcery or +witchcraft if they transgress the orders of the elders, or break through +the ordinances that have been imposed upon them, and many other similar +influences. + +In their intercourse with each other I have generally found the natives +to speak the truth and act with honesty, and they will usually do the +same with Europeans if on friendly terms with them. In their treatment of +each other, and in the division of food, policy and custom have induced +them to be extremely polite and liberal. Old men are especially well off +in this respect, as the younger people always give them the best and +largest share of everything. Males generally are generous and liberal to +each other in sharing what food they have, but it is not often that the +females participate in the division. When following their usual pursuits +upon the Murray, I have seen the men after an hour or two's fishing with +the nets, sit down and devour all they had caught, without saving +anything for their family or wives, and then hurry about noon to the +camps to share in what had been procured by the women, who usually begin +to return at that hour, with what they have been able to collect. +Favourite kinds of food are also frequently sent as presents from one +male to another, and at other times two parties will meet and exchange +the different kinds they respectively bring. Among the younger people I +have often seen a poor hungry fellow, who had by his skill or +perseverance obtained some small article of food, compelled by the rules +of savage politeness to share out the petty spoil among a group of +expectant sharks around, whilst he whose skill or labour had procured it +dared hardly taste it, and was sure to come in for the smallest share. + +Naturally, I do not think they are bloodthirsty; custom or example may +sometimes lead them on to shed blood, but it is usually in accordance +with their prejudices or to gratify the momentary excitement of passion. +With many vices and but few virtues, I do not yet think the Australian +savage is more? vicious in his propensities or more virulent in his +passions than are the larger number of the lower classes of what are +called civilized communities. Well might they retort to our accusations, +the motives and animus by which too many of our countrymen have been +actuated towards them. + +I have remarked that as far as my observation has enabled me to judge, +the natives are rarely guilty of offences (which they deem such,) towards +members of their own tribes. There are many acts, however, which +according to our ideas of right and wrong, are acts of the greatest +cruelty and tyranny, which they exercise towards each other, though +sanctioned by custom, and enforced by daily practice. Such are the +cruelties inflicted upon the women, who are looked upon in the light of +slaves, and mercilessly beaten or speared for the most trifling offences. +No one under any circumstances ever attempts to take the part of a +female, and consequently they are maltreated and oppressed in a shocking +degree. Does a native meet a woman in the woods and violate her, he is +not the one made to feel the vengeance of the husband, but the poor +victim whom he has abused. Is there hard or disagreeable work of any kind +to be done--the woman is compelled to do it. Is there a scarcity of food +at the camp when the husband comes home hungry--the wife is punished for +his indolence and inactivity. + +[Note 94: In February 1842, Mr. Gouger, then Colonial Secretary at +Adelaide, caused a dog belonging to a native to be shot for some cause or +other I am not acquainted with. The animal had been left by its master in +the charge of his wife, and as soon as he learnt that it was dead, he +speared her for not taking better care of it.] + +The complete subserviency of the younger people of both sexes in the +savage community, to the older or leading men, is another very serious +evil they labour under. The force of habit and of traditional custom has +so completely clouded their otherwise quick perceptions, that they +blindly yield to whatever the elders may require of them; they dare not +disobey, they dare not complain of any wrong or indignity they may be +subjected to this has been and will be the greatest bar to their +civilization or improvement until some means are taken to free them from +so degrading a thraldom, and afford that protection from the oppression +of the strong and the old which they so greatly require. + +On the Murray river, or amongst the Adelaide natives I am not aware that +any stated punishments are affixed to specific crimes, except that of +spearing in the arm to expiate deaths. Vengeance appears usually to be +summarily executed and on the spot, according to the physical strength or +number of friends of the individual injured; otherwise it is made a cause +of quarrel between tribes, and a battle or disturbance of some kind takes +place. This appears to be one great point of distinction between the +practice of some of the tribes in Southern and Western Australia. Captain +Grey says in reference to the latter place, (vol. ii. p. 243.) + + +"Any other crime may be compounded for, by the criminal appearing and +submitting himself to the ordeal of having spears thrown at him by all +such persons as conceive themselves to have been aggrieved, or by +permitting spears to be thrust through certain parts of his body; such as +through the thigh, or the calf of the leg, or under the arm. The part +which is to be pierced by a spear, is fixed for all common crimes, and a +native who has incurred this penalty, sometimes quietly holds out his leg +for the injured party to thrust his spear through." + + +This custom does not appear to hold among the tribes of South Australia, +with whom I have come in contact; but I have often been told by natives +of tribes in New South Wales, that they practised it, although an +instance of the infliction of the punishment never came under my own +observation. + +Injuries, when once overlooked, are never revenged afterwards. Tribes may +compel members to make restitution, as in the case of stealing a wife; +but I have never known an instance of one of their number being given up +to another tribe, for either punishment or death. Occasionally they have +been induced to give up guilty parties to Europeans; but to effect this, +great personal influence on the part of the person employed is necessary +to ensure success. Though they are always ready to give up or point out +transgressors, if belonging to other tribes than their own. + + + + +Chapter VII. + + + +LANGUAGE, DIALECTS, CUSTOMS, etc.--GENERAL SIMILARITY THROUGHOUT THE +CONTINENT--CAUSES OF DIFFERENCES--ROUTE BY WHICH THE NATIVES HAVE +OVERSPREAD THE COUNTRY, etc. + + +During the last few years much has been done towards an examination and +comparison of the dialects spoken by the aboriginal tribes of Australia +in different portions of the continent. The labours of Mr. Threlkeld, of +Captain Grey, of Messrs. Teichelman and Schurmann, of Mr. Meyer, of Mr. +Schurman, with the occasional notes of visitors and travellers, have done +much to elucidate this subject, and have presented to the world +vocabularies of the Hunter's River and Lake Macquarie districts in New +South Wales; of Swan River and King George's Sound in Western Australia; +of Adelaide, of Encounter Bay, and of Port Lincoln, in South Australia; +besides occasional phrases or scanty manuals of various other dialects +spoken in different districts. From these varied contributions it would +appear that a striking coincidence exists in the personal appearance, +character, customs, traditions, dialects, etc. among the many and remotely +separated tribes scattered over the surface of New Holland. Each of +these, no doubt, varies in many particulars from the others, and so much +so some times, as to lead to the impression that they are essentially +different and distinct. [Note 95 at end of para.] Upon close examination, +however, a sufficient general resemblance is usually found to indicate +that all the tribes have originally sprung from the same race, that +they have gradually spread themselves over the whole continent from +some one given point; which appears, as far as we can infer from +circumstantial evidence, to have been somewhere upon the northern +coast. There are some points of resemblance which, as far as is yet +known, appear to be common to most of the different dialects with +which we are acquainted. Such are, there being no generic terms +as tree, fish, bird, etc., but only specific ones as applied to +each particular variety of tree, fish, bird, etc. The cardinal +numbers, being only carried up to three, there being no degrees +of comparison except by a repetition to indicate intensity, or by a +combination of opposite adjectives, to point out the proportion intended, +and no distinction of genders, if we except an attempt to mark one among +those tribes who give numerical names to their children, according to the +order of their birth, as before mentioned. [Note 96: Chap. IV. +nomenclature.] All parts of speech appear to be subject to inflections, +if we except adverbs, post-fixes, and post-positions. Nouns, adjectives, +pronouns and verbs have all three numbers, singular, dual and plural. The +nominative agent always precedes an active verb. When any new object +is presented to the native, a name is given to it, from some fancied +similarity to some object they already know, or from some peculiar +quality or attribute it may possess; thus, rice is in the Moorunde +dialect called "yeelilee" or "maggots," from an imagined resemblance +between the two objects. + +[Note 95: Catlin remarks the existence of a similar number and variety in +the dialects of the American Indians, but appears to think them radically +different from one another.] + +The most singular and remarkable fact, connected with the coincidence of +customs or dialect, amongst the Aborigines, is that it exists frequently +to a less degree among tribes living close to one another, than between +those who are more remotely separated. The reason of this apparent +anomaly would seem to be, that those tribes now living near to one +another, and among whom the greatest dissimilarity of language and +customs is found to exist, have originally found their way to the same +neighbourhood by different lines of route, and consequently the greatest +resemblances in language and custom, might naturally be expected to be +met with, (as is in reality the case), not between tribes at present the +nearest to each other, but between those, who although now so far +removed, occupy respectively the opposite extremes of the lines of route +by which one of them had in the first instance crossed over the +continent. + +Without entering into an elaborate analysis, of either the structure or +radical derivation of the various dialects we are acquainted with, I +shall adduce a few instances in each, of words taken from the +vocabularies I have mentioned before, for King George's Sound, Adelaide, +Encounter Bay, and Port Lincoln, and supply them myself from other +dialects, including those meeting on the Murray or at the Darling, to +shew the degree of similarity that exists in language. + +In selecting the examples for comparison, I have taken first the personal +pronouns and numerals, as being the words which usually assimilate more +closely in the different dialects, than any other. Secondly, those words +representing objects which would be common to all tribes, and which from +their continual recurrence, and daily use, might naturally be supposed to +vary the least from each other, if the original language of all were the +same, but which, if radically different in any, render the subject still +more difficult and embarrassing. + +DIALECTS +======== + +[Note: At this point in the book a table appears, which lists +common English words and the equivalent word as taken from the +vocabularies of aborigines from various locations. This table has not +been reproduced in full, however, a few entries are given below.] + + +English Western Adelaide Encounter Parnkalla Aiawong + Australia Bay (Port Lincoln) (Moorundie) + +I Nganya Ngaii Ngaape Ngai, ngatto Ngappo +Thou Nginnee Ninna Nginte Ninna Ngurru +She Bal Pa Kitye Panna Nin +We (Ye) Nganneel Ngadlu Ngane Ngarrinyalbo Ngenno +They Balgoon Parna Kar Yardna Ngau-o +We two Ngal-li Ngadli Ngele Ngadli Ngel-lo +You two Newball Niwa Ngurle Nuwalla Ngupal +They two Boala Purla Kengk Pudlanbi Dlau-o +One Gyne Kumande Yammalaitye Kuma Meiter +Two Kardura Purlaitye Ning Kaiengg Kuttara Tang kul +Many Partanna Towata Ruwar Kulbarri Neil +Few Warrang Kutyonde -- -- Baupalata + + +Upon comparison of the different dialects given in the two foregoing +tables, and which comprise an extent of country, embracing fully one half +of the continent of Australia, it will be apparent that a sufficient +degree of resemblance exists to justify the conclusion, that they were +derived from one and the same original. It is true, that in many +respects, there are sometimes even radical differences in some of the +words of various dialects; but as Captain Grey judiciously remarks, if +the comparison in such cases be extended, and the vocabulary of each +enlarged, there will always be found points of resemblance, either in the +dialects compared, or in some intermediate dialect, which will bear out +the conclusion assumed. [Note 97 at end of para.] This view is still +further strengthened, by including in the comparison the weapons, habits, +customs, and traditions, of the various tribes. + +[Note 97. I may here refer to a curious mathematical calculation, by +Dr. Thomas Young, to the effect, that if three words coincide in two +different languages, it is ten to one they must be derived in both cases +from some parent language, or introduced in some other manner. "Six words +would give more," he says, "than seventeen hundred to one, and eight near +100,000; so that in these cases, the evidence would be little short of +absolute certainty."--Vestiges of the Creation, p. 302.] + +It must be admitted, however, that where the languages spoken by two +tribes, appear to differ greatly, there is no key common to both, or by +which a person understanding one of them thoroughly, could in the least +degree make out the other, although an intimate acquaintance with one +dialect and its construction, would undoubtedly tend to facilitate the +learning of another. A strong illustration of this occurs at Moorunde, +where three dialects meet, varying so much from each other, that no +native of any one of the three tribes, can understand a single word +spoken by the other two, except he has learnt their languages as those of +a foreign people. + +The dialects I allude to, are first that of the Murray river, called the +"Aiawong" and which is spoken with slight variations from the Lake +Alexandrina, up to the Darling. Secondly, the "Boraipar," or language of +the natives to the east of the Murray, and which appears in its +variations to branch into that of the south-eastern tribes; and thirdly, +the "Yak-kumban," or dialect spoken by the natives, inhabiting the +country to the north-west and north of the Murray, and which extends +along the range of hills from Mount Bryant to the Darling near Laidley's +Ponds, and forms in its variations the language of the Darling itself; +these tribes meet upon the Murray at Moorunde, and can only communicate +to each other by the intervention of the Aiawong dialect, which the +north-western or south-eastern tribes are compelled to learn, before they +can either communicate with each other, or with the natives of the +Murray, at their common point of rendezvous. + +To the tables already given, it is thought desirable to add two of the +dialects, spoken in the country to the eastward of South Australia, and +which were published for the House of Commons, with other papers on the +Aborigines, in August 1844. + +[Note: At this point in the book two table appear, with the following +headings. These tables have not been reproduces in this eBook.] + +A SPECIMEN OF THE DIFFERENCE OF DIALECTS SPOKEN BY THE NATIVE TRIBES OF +PORT PHILLIP. + +SPECIMEN OF FIVE DIALECTS SPOKEN BY THE ABORIGINES OF THE NORTH-WESTERN +DISTRICT. + + +Captain Flinders observed the same difference to exist in various parts +of New Holland, which he visited, and yet that judicious navigator +inclined to the opinion that all the various tribes had originally one +common origin. Vol. ii. p. 213-14, he says, + + +"I do not know that the language of any two parts of Terra Australis, +however near, has been found to be entirely the same; for even at Botany +Bay, Port Jackson, and Broken Bay, not only the dialect, but many words +are radically different; and this confirms one part of an observation, +the truth of which seems to be generally admitted, that although +similarity of language in two nations proves their origin to be the same, +yet dissimilarity of languages is no proof of the contrary position. + +"The language of Caledon Bay (north-west coast) may therefore be totally +different to what is spoken on the east and south coasts, and yet the +inhabitants have one common origin; but I do not think that the language +is absolutely and wholly different, though it certainly was no better +understood by Bongarrco (a Sydney native) than by ourselves. In three +instances I found a similarity. The personal pronoun of Port Jackson, +'Ngia' (I), was used here, and apparently in the same sense. When inquiry +was made after the axe, the natives replied 'yehangeree-py,' making signs +of beating, and py signifies to beat in the Port Jackson language. The +third instance was that of the lad Woga calling to Bongarree in the boat, +which after he had done several times without being answered, he became +angry, and exclaimed Bongarree-gah in a vehement manner, as Bongarree +himself would have done in a similar case." + + +Captain Grey, in speaking of the Aborigines of New Holland, says (vol. +ii. p. 209), + + +"One singularity in the dialects spoken by the Aborigines in different +portions of Australia is, that those of districts widely removed from one +another, sometimes assimilate very closely, whilst the dialects spoken in +the intermediate ones differ considerably from either of them. The same +circumstances take place with regard to their rights and customs." + + +And again, after comparing some of the dialects of South Australia and +New South Wales with those of Western Australia, Captain Grey says (vol. +ii. p. 216), + + +"Having thus traced the entire coast line of the continent of Australia, +it appears that a language the same in root is spoken throughout this +vast extent of country, and from the general agreement in this, as well +as in personal appearance, rites and ceremonies, we may fairly infer a +community of origin for the Aborigines." + + +Had we a collected and an authentic account of the dialects, weapons, +habits, customs, and traditions of all the tribes of Australia with whom +Europeans have already been in close or friendly contact, and which, with +very few exceptions, would embrace the circuit of the whole continent, we +should have a mass of valuable and interesting information, that would +enable us, not only to form a probable opinion as to the community of +origin of the various tribes, and the point from which they first +overspread the continent, but also to guide us in conjecturing the routes +which the various offsets have taken from the parent tribe, the places of +contact where they have met from opposite extremities of the continent, +and the gradual change which has taken place in the habits, customs, and +dialects of each. + +In the absence of many links necessary to form a connection, we can at +present only surmise conclusions, which otherwise might have been almost +certainly deduced. + +Connecting, however, and comparing all the facts with which we are +acquainted, respecting the Aborigines, it appears that there are still +grounds sufficient to hazard the opinion, that it is not improbable that +Australia was first peopled on its north-western coast, between the +parallels of 12 degrees and 16 degrees S. latitude. From whence we might +surmise that three grand divisions had branched out from the parent +tribe, and that from the offsets of these the whole continent had been +overspread. + +The first division appears to have proceeded round the north-western, +western, and south-western coast, as far as the commencement of the Great +Australian Bight. The second, or central one, appears to have crossed the +continent inland, to the southern coast, striking it about the parallel +of 134 degrees E. longitude. The third division seems to have followed +along the bottom of the Gulf of Carpentaria to its most south-easterly +bight, and then to have turned off by the first practicable line in a +direction towards Fort Bourke, upon the Darling. From these three +divisions various offsets and ramifications would have been made from +time to time as they advanced, so as to overspread and people by degrees +the whole country round their respective lines of march. Each offset +appearing to retain fewer or more of the original habits, customs, etc. of +the parent tribe in proportion to the distance traversed, or its isolated +position, with regard to communication with the tribes occupying the main +line of route of its original division; modified also, perhaps, in some +degree, by the local circumstances of the country through which it may +have spread. + +Commencing with the parent tribe, located as I have supposed, first upon +the north-west coast, we find, from the testimony of Captain Flinders and +Dampier, that the male natives of that part of the country, have two +front teeth of the upper jaw knocked out at the age of puberty, and that +they also undergo the rite of circumcision; but it does not appear that +any examination was made with sufficient closeness to ascertain, +whether [Note 98: Vide Note 78.] any other ceremony was conjoined with +that of circumcision. How far these ceremonies extend along the +north-western or western coasts we have no direct evidence, but at +Swan River, King George's Sound, and Cape Arid, both customs are +completely lost, and for the whole of the distance intervening +between these places, and extending fully six hundred miles in +straight line along the coast, the same language is so far spoken, +that a native of King George's Sound, who accompanied me when travelling +from one point to the other, could easily understand, and speak to any +natives we met with. This is, however, an unusual case, nor indeed am I +aware that there is any other part of Australia where the same dialect +continues to be spoken by the Aborigines, with so little variation, for +so great a distance, as in the colony of Western Australia. + +Following round the southern coast easterly, the head of the Great Bight +is the first point at which any great change appears to occur, and even +here it is less in the character, language, and weapons of the natives, +than in their ceremonial observances. For the first time the rite of +circumcision is observed, and conjoined with it the still more +extraordinary practice to which I have before alluded. The ceremony of +knocking out the two upper front teeth of boys arrived at the age of +puberty, is not, however, adopted. We have already noticed, that for six +hundred miles to the west and north-west from the Great Bight, +circumcision is unknown. The tribes, therefore, who practise it, cannot +have come from that direction, neither are they likely to have come from +the eastward, for after crossing the head of the Port Lincoln peninsula, +and descending towards Adelaide, we find the rite of circumcision alone +is practised, without any other ceremony in connection with it. Now, in a +change of habits or customs, originating in the wandering, unsettled life +of savages, it is very likely, that many of their original customs may +gradually be dropped or forgotten; but it is scarcely probable, that they +should be again revived by their descendants, after a long period of +oblivion, and when those tribes from whom they more immediately +proceeded, no longer remembered or recognised such ceremonials. By +extending the inquiry still further to the east, the position I have +assumed is more forcibly borne out, for the rite of circumcision itself +then becomes unknown. It is evident, therefore, that the Adelaide or Port +Lincoln natives could not have come along either the eastern or western +coasts, and retained customs that are there quite unknown, neither could +they have come across the country inland, in the direction of the +Darling, for the ceremonies alluded to are equally unknown there. They +must then have crossed almost directly from the north-western coast, +towards the south-eastern extremity of the great Australian Bight. And +from them the Adelaide natives would appear to be a branch or offset. + +Returning to the north-west coast, and tracing down the route of the +third division of the parent family, from the south-east Bight of +Carpentaria, towards Fort Bourke upon the Darling, we shall find, that by +far the greatest and most fertile portion of New Holland appears to have +been peopled by it. In its progress, offsets and ramifications would have +branched off in every direction along the various ranges or watercourses +contiguous to the line of route. All the rivers running towards the +eastern coast, together with the Nammoy, the Gwyder, the Castlereagh, +Macquarie, Bogan, Lochlan, Darling, Hume, Goulburn, etc. with their many +branches and tributaries, would each afford so many routes for the +different sub-divisions of the main body, to spread over the varied and +fertile regions of Eastern, South-eastern, and part of Southern +Australia. As tribe separated from tribe, each would retain, in a greater +or less degree, some of the language, habits, or customs of the original +division; but such points of resemblance would naturally again undergo +many changes or modifications, in proportion to the time, distance, or +isolated character of the separation. If we look at the progress of any +two parties of natives, branching off upon different rivers, and trace +them, either upwards or downwards, we shall find, that the further they +went, the more isolated they would become, and the less likely to come +again in contact with each other, or with the original division from +which they separated. We may, therefore, naturally expect a much greater +variety of dialects or customs in a country that is much intersected by +rivers, or ranges, or by any features that tend to produce the isolating +effect that I have described, than in one whose character has no such +tendency; and this in reality we find to be the case. In Western and +South-western Australia, as far as the commencement of the Great Bight, +the features and character of the country appear to be but little +diversified, and here, accordingly, we find the language of the natives +radically the same, and their weapons, customs, and ceremonies very +similar throughout its whole extent; but if, on the other hand, we turn +to Eastern, South-eastern, and part of Southern Australia, we find the +dialects, customs, and weapons of the inhabitants, almost as different as +the country itself is varied by the intersection of ranges and rivers. + +The division I have supposed as taking a south-easterly course from the +Gulf of Carpentaria, would appear early to have lost the rite of +circumcision; but to have retained among some of its branches, the +practice of knocking out the front teeth of the upper jaw. Thus, those +who made their way to Port Jackson and to Hunter's River, and to some of +the southern parts of New South Wales, still retained the practice of +knocking out one of the front teeth at the age of puberty; but at +Keppel's, Harvey's, and Glass-House bays, on the north-east coast, at +Twofold bay on the south-east, at Port Phillip on the south, and upon the +rivers Darling and Murray, of the interior, no such rite is practised. It +is clear, therefore, that when the continent was first peopled, the +natives of Sydney or Hunter's River could not have come round the +north-east coast by Keppel's or Harvey's bays, and retained a ceremony +that is there lost; neither could the Murrumbidgee or southern districts +of New South Wales, have been peopled from Port Phillip, or from South +Australia, or by tribes passing up the Murray for the same reason. It is +not demanding too much, therefore, to suppose that the general lines of +route taken by the Aborigines in spreading over the continent of +Australia, have been somewhat analogous to those I have imagined, or that +we can fairly account for any material differences there may be in the +dialects, customs, or weapons of the different tribes, by referring them +to the effect of local circumstances, the length of time that may have +elapsed since separation, or to the isolated position in which they may +have been placed, with regard to that division of the parent tribe from +which they had seceded. + +At present our information respecting the customs, habits, weapons and +dialects of the various tribes is too limited and too scattered to enable +us to trace with accuracy the division to which each may have originally +belonged, or the precise route by which it had arrived at its present +location; but I feel quite confident that this may be done with tolerable +certainty, when the particulars I have referred to shall be more +abundantly and correctly recorded. + +It is at least a subject of much interest, and one that is well worthy +the attention of the traveller or the philanthropist. No one individual +can hope personally to collect the whole material required; but if each +recorded with fidelity the facts connected with those tribes, with whom +he personally came in contact, a mass of evidence would soon be brought +together that would more than suffice for the purpose required. + + + + +Chapter VIII. + + + + +EFFECTS OF CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS--ATTEMPTS AT IMPROVEMENT AND +CIVILIZATION--ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS--DEFECTS OF THE SYSTEM. + + +Some attempts have been made in nearly all the British Settlements of +Australia to improve the condition of the aboriginal population; the +results have, however, in few cases, met the expectations of the +promoters of the various benevolent schemes that have been entered upon +for the object; nor have the efforts hitherto made succeeded in arresting +that fatal and melancholy effect which contact with civilization seems +ever to produce upon a savage people. It has already been stated, that in +all the colonies we have hitherto established upon the continent, the +Aborigines are gradually decreasing in number, or have already +disappeared in proportion to the time their country has been occupied by +Europeans, or to the number of settlers who have been located upon it. + +Of the blighting and exterminating effects produced upon simple and +untutored races, by the advance of civilization upon them, we have many +and painful proofs. History records innumerable instances of nations who +were once numerous and powerful, decaying and disappearing before this +fatal and inexplicable influence; history WILL record, I fear, similar +results for the many nations who are now struggling; alas, how vainly, +against this desolating cause. Year by year, the melancholy and appalling +truth is only the more apparent, and as each new instance multiplies upon +us, it becomes too fatally confirmed, until at last we are almost, in +spite of ourselves, forced to the conviction, that the first appearance +of the white men in any new country, sounds the funeral knell of the +children of the soil. In Africa, in the country of the Bushmen, Mr. +Moffat says-- + + +"I have traversed those regions, in which, according to the testimony of +the farmers, thousands once dwelt, drinking at their own fountains, and +killing their own game; but now, alas, scarcely is a family to be seen! +It is impossible to look over those now uninhabited plains and mountain +glens without feeling the deepest melancholy, whilst the winds moaning in +the vale seem to echo back the sound, 'Where are they?'" + + +Another author, with reference to the Cape Colony, remarks-- + + +"The number of natives, estimated at the time of the discovery at about +200,000, are stated to have been reduced, or cut off, to the present +population of about 32,000, by a continual system of oppression, which +once begun, never slackened." + + +Catlin gives a feeling and melancholy account of the decrease of the +North American Indians, [Note 99: Vide Catlin's American Indians, +vol. i. p. 4 and 5, and vol. ii. p. 238.] and similar records might be +adduced of the sad fate of almost every uncivilized people, whose country +has been colonized by Europeans. In Sydney, which is the longest +established of all our possessions in New Holland, it is believed that not +a single native of the original tribes belonging to Port Jackson is now +left alive. [Note 100 at end of para.] Advancing from thence towards the +interior a miserable family or two may be met with, then a few detached +groups of half-starved wretches, dependant upon what they can procure +by begging for their daily sustenance. Still further, the scattered +and diseased remnants [Note 101 at end of para.], of once powerful, +but now decayed tribes are seen interspersed throughout the country, +until at last upon arriving at the more remote regions, where the +blighting and annihilating effects of colonization have not yet +overtaken them, tribes are yet found flourishing in their natural state, +free from that misery and diminution which its presence always brings +upon them. + +[Note 100: "In the first year of the settlement of New South Wales, 1788, +Governor Phillip caused the amount of the population of Port Jackson to be +ascertained, by every cove in it being visited by different inspectors at +the same time. The number of natives found in this single harbour was +130, and they had 67 boats. At the same time it was known that many were +in the woods making new canoes. From this and other data, Governor Phillip +estimated the population between Botany Bay and Broken Bay inclusive, +at 1500."--Aboriginal Protection Society's Report, May 1839, p. 13. + +In Report of the same Society for July 1839, page 71, Mr. Threlkeld +says--"Of one large tribe in the interior four years ago there were 164 +persons--there are now only three individuals alive!!"] + +[Note 101: "The whole eastern country, once thickly peopled, may now be +said to be entirely abandoned to the whites, with the exception of some +scattered families in one part, and of a few straggling individuals in +another; and these once so high spirited, so jealous of their independence +and liberty, now treated with contempt and ridicule even by the lowest of +the Europeans; degraded, subdued, confused, awkward, and distrustful, ill +concealing emotions of anger, scorn, and revenge--emaciated and covered +with filthy rags;--these native lords of the soil, more like spectres of +the past than living men, are dragging on a melancholy existence to a yet +more melancholy doom."--STRZELECHI'S N. S. WALES, p.350.] + +It is here that the native should be seen to be appreciated, in his +native wilds, where he alone is lord of all around him. To those who have +thus come into communication with the Aborigines, and have witnessed the +fearless courage and proud demeanour which a life of independence and +freedom always inspires, it cannot but be a matter of deep regret to see +them gradually dwindling away and disappearing before the presence of +Europeans. As the ravages of a flood destroy the country through which it +takes its course, and which its deposit ought only to have fertilized, +[Note 102 at end of para.] so the native, who ought to be improved by a +contact with Europeans, is overwhelmed and swept away by their approach. +In Van Diemen's Land the same result has been produced as at Sydney, but +in a more extended and exterminating manner.[Note 103 at end of para.] +There, instead of a few districts, the whole island is depopulated +of its original inhabitants, and only thirty or forty individuals, +the banished remnant of a once numerous people, are now existing as +exiles at Flinders Island, to tell the tale of their expatriation. [Note +104 at end of para.] In Western Australia the same process is gradually +but certainly going on among the tribes most in contact with the +Europeans. In South Australia it is the same; and short as is the time +that this province has been occupied as a British Colony, the results +upon the Aborigines are but too apparent in their diminished numbers, in +the great disproportion that has been produced between the sexes, and in +the large preponderance of deaths over births. A miserably diseased +condition, and the almost total absence of children, are immediate +consequences of this contact with Europeans. The increase or diminution +of the tribes can only be ascertained exactly in the different +districts, by their being regularly mustered, and lists kept of the +numbers and proportion of the sexes, births, deaths, etc. + +[Note 102: "Hard indeed is the fate of the children of the soil, +and one of the darkest enigmas of life lies in the degradation and +decay wrought by the very civilization which should succour, teach, +and improve."--ATHENAEUM.] + +[Note 103: "That the Aboriginal Tasmanian was naturally mild and +inoffensive in disposition, appears to be beyond doubt. A worm, however, +will turn, and the atrocities which were perpetrated against these +unoffending creatures may well palliate the indiscriminate, though +heart-rending slaughter they entailed. Such was the character of the +Tasmanian native before roused by oppression, and ere a continued +and systematic hostility had arisen between the races--ere 'their +hand was against every man, and every man's hand against them.'" +--MARTYN'S COLONIAL MAGAZINE, May, 1840.] + +[Note 104: "At the epoch of their deportation, in 1835, the number of the +natives amounted to 210. Visited by me in 1842, that is, after the +interval of seven years, they mustered only fifty-four individuals." +--STRZELECKI'S NEW SOUTH WALES, p. 352 + +Respecting the Aborigines of Van Diemen's Land, who were thus forcibly +removed, Mr. Chief Protector Robinson (who removed them) observes +(Parliamentary Report, p. 198), "When the natives were all assembled +at Flinders Island, in 1835, I took charge of them, and have continued +to do so ever since. I did not find them retaining that ferocious +character which they displayed in their own country; they shewed +no hostility, nor even hostile recollection towards the whites. +Unquestionably these natives assembled on the island were the same who +had been engaged in the outrages I have spoken of; many of them, before +they were removed, pointed out to me the spots where murders and other +acts of violence had been committed; they made no secret of +acknowledging their participation in such acts, and only considered them +a just retaliation for wrongs done to them or their progenitors. On +removal to the island they appeared to forget all these facts; they +could not of course fail to remember them, but they never recurred to +them."] + +In April, 1843, or only six and a half years after South Australia had +first been occupied, the Protector of the Aborigines in Adelaide +ascertained that the tribes, properly belonging to that neighbourhood, +consisted of 150 individuals, in the following proportions, namely, 70 +men, 39 women, and 41 children. Now, at the Murray, among a large number +of natives who, until 1842, were comparatively isolated from Europeans, +and among whom are frequently many different tribes, I found by an +accurate muster every month at Moorunde for a period of three years, that +the women, on an average, were equally numerous with the men, from which +I infer that such is usually the case in their original and natural +state. Taking this for granted, and comparing it with the proportions of +the Adelaide tribe, as given above, we shall find that in six years and a +half the females had diminished from an equality with the males, to from +70 to 80 per cent. less, and of course the tribe must have sustained also +a corresponding diminution with respect to children. + +[Note 105: This result seems to be generally borne out by the few accurate +returns that have hitherto been made on the subject. In Mr. Protector +Parker's report for his district, to the north-west of Port Phillip (for +January, 1843), that gentleman gives a census of 375 male natives, and 295 +female, which gives an excess of about 26 per cent. of males over females. +In 1834 Mr. Commissioner Lambie gives a census, for the district of +Manero, of 416 males and 321 females, or an excess of the former over the +latter of nearly 45 per cent. It would appear that the disproportion of +the sexes increases in a ratio corresponding to the length of time a +district has been occupied by settlers and their stock, and to the density +of the European population residing in it. Official returns for four +divisions of the Colony of New South Wales, give a decrease of the +proportion of females to males of fifteen per cent. in two years. Vide +Aborigines Protection Society Report, July, 1839, p. 69. In the same +Report, p. 70, Mr. Threlkeld states, that the Official Report for one +district gives only two women to 28 men, two boys, and no girls.] + +Again, in 1844, the Protector ascertained from the records he had kept +that, in the same tribe, there were, in four years, twenty-seven births +and FIFTY deaths, which shews, beyond all doubt, the gradual but certain +destruction that was going on among the tribe. If no means can be adopted +to check the evil, it must eventually lead to their total extermination. + +By comparing the twenty-seven births in four years with the number of +women, thirty-nine, it appears that there would be annually only one +child born among every six women: a result as unnatural as it is +evidently attributable to the increased prostitution that has taken +place, with regard both to Europeans and other native tribes, whom +curiosity has attracted to the town, but whom the Adelaide tribe were not +in the habit of meeting at all, or, at least, not in such familiar +intercourse prior to the arrival of the white people. This single cause, +with the diseases and miseries which it entails upon the Aborigines, is +quite sufficient to account for the paucity of births, and the additional +number of deaths that now occur among them. + +In the Moorunde statistics, given Chapter VI., the very small number of +infants compared with the number of women is still more strongly +illustrated; but in this case only those infants that lived and were +brought up by their mothers to the monthly musters were marked down; many +other births had, doubtless, taken place, where the children had died, or +been killed, but of which no notice is taken, as it would have been +impossible under the circumstances of such a mixture of tribes, and their +constantly changing their localities, to have obtained an accurate +account of all. + +Under the circumstances of our intercourse with the Aborigines as at +present constituted, the same causes which produced so exterminating an +effect in Sydney and other places, are still going on in all parts of +Australia occupied by Europeans, and must eventually lead to the same +result, if no controlling measures can be adopted to prevent it. + +Many attempts, upon a limited scale, have already been made in all the +colonies, but none have in the least degree tended to check the gradual +but certain extinction that is menacing this ill-fated people; nor is it +in my recollection that throughout the whole length and breadth of New +Holland, a single real or permanent convert to Christianity has yet been +made amongst them, by any of the missionaries engaged in their +instruction, many of whom have been labouring hopelessly for many years. + +In New South Wales, one of the oldest and longest established missions in +Australia was given up by the Rev. Mr. Threlkeld, after the fruitless +devotion of many years of toil. [Note 106 at end of para.] Neither have +the efforts hitherto made to improve the physical circumstances or social +relations of the Aborigines been attended with any better success. None +have yet been induced permanently to adopt our customs, or completely to +give up their wandering habits, or to settle down fixedly in one place, +and by cultivating the ground, supply themselves with the comforts and +luxuries of life. It is not that the New Hollander is not as apt and +intelligent as the men of any other race, or that his capacity for +receiving instruction, or appreciating enjoyment is less; on the contrary, +we have the fullest and most ample testimony from all who have been +brought much into contact with this people that the very contrary is the +case: a testimony that is completely borne out by the many instances on +record, of the quickness with which natives have learned our language, or +the facility with which temporarily they have accommodated themselves to +our habits and customs. + +[Note 106: Vide Parliamentary Reports on Australian Aborigines, 9th of +August, 1844, pages 160 and 161.--"In submitting to this decision, it is +impossible not to feel considerable disappointment to the expectations +formerly hoped to be realized in the conversion of some at least of the +Aborigines in this part of the colony, and not to express concern that so +many years of constant attention appear to have been fruitlessly +expended. It is however, perfectly apparent that the termination of the +mission has arisen solely from the Aborigines becoming extinct in these +districts, and the very few that remain elsewhere are so scattered, that +it is impossible to congregate them for instruction; and when seen in the +towns, they are generally unfit to engage in profitable conversation. The +thousands of Aborigines, if ever they did exist in these parts, decreased +to hundreds, the hundreds have lessened to tens, and the tens will +dwindle to units before a very few years will have passed away." + +"This mission to the Aborigines has ceased to exist, not from want of +support from the British Government, nor from the inclination of the +agent, but purely from the Aborigines themselves becoming extinct in these +parts; and in leaving this scene of much solitariness, privation, and +trial, it is earnestly hoped that He who fixes the bounds of our +habitation, apparently in Sydney for a season, will guide our feet through +life to his glory, and provide support for a numerous family, so that the +'ministry be not blamed.'"] + +On the natural intelligence of the native children, Mr. Moorhouse +remarks, after several years practical experience:-- + + +"They are as apt as European children so far as they have been tried, but +they have not been put to abstract reasoning. Their perceptive powers are +large, as they are much exercised in procuring food, etc. Anything +requiring perception only is readily mastered, the alphabet will be known +in a few lessons; figures are soon recognised, and the quantities they +represent, but addition from figures alone always presents difficulties +for a while, but in a little time, however, it is understood." + + +Upon the same subject, Captain Grey remarks, vol. ii. p. 374. + + +"They are as apt and intelligent as any other race of men I am acquainted +with; they are subject to the same affections, appetites, and passions as +other men." + + +Innumerable cases might be adduced, where native boys, or young men, and +sometimes even females, have been taken into the employment of the +settlers, and have lived with them as active and useful servants for many +months, and occasionally even years. Unfortunately, however, in all such +cases, they have eventually returned again to their savage life, and +given up the customs and habits they had assumed. The same result has +occurred among the many children who have been educated at the various +schools established for their instruction, in the different Colonies. +Numerous examples might be given of the great degree of proficiency made; +and often, of many of the scholars being in such a state of forwardness +and improvement, as reasonably to sanction the expectation, that they +might one day become useful and intelligent members of the community: +this hope has, however, hitherto, in almost every instance, been sooner +or later disappointed, and they have again descended from the civilized +to the savage state. What can be the causes then, that have operated to +produce such unfavourable results? + +If we admit, and it is admitted by all whose experience best qualifies +them to give an opinion, that the Australian is fully equal in natural +powers and intelligence, to the generality of mankind; it is very +evident, that where so little success has hitherto attended any attempts +to improve him, either morally or socially, there must either be some +radical defects in the systems adopted, or some strongly counteracting +causes to destroy their efficiency. I believe, that to both these +circumstances, may be traced the results produced. + +The following remarks, by Captain Grey, upon this subject, point out some +of the evils to which the natives are subject, and in a great degree, +account for the preference they appear to give to their own wild life and +habits. (Vol. 2. pp. 367 to 371.) He says:-- + + +"If we inquire into the causes which tend to detain them in their present +depressed condition, we shall find that the chief one is--'prejudice' The +Australians have been most unfairly represented as a very inferior race, +in fact as one occupying a scale in the creation which nearly places them +on a level with the brutes, and some years must elapse, ere a prejudice +so firmly rooted as this can be altogether eradicated, but certainly a +more unfounded one never had possession of the public mind. + +"Amongst the evils which the natives suffer in their present position, +one is an uncertain and irregular demand for their labour, that is to +say, they may one day have plenty of means for exerting their industry +afforded them by the settlers, and the next their services are not +required; so that they are necessarily compelled to have recourse to +their former irregular and wandering habits. + +"Another is the very insufficient reward for the services they render. As +an example of this kind, I will state the instance of a man who worked +during the whole season, as hard and as well as any white man, at getting +in the harvest for some setlers, and who only received bread, and +sixpence a day, whilst the ordinary labourers would earn at least fifteen +shillings. In many instances, they only receive a scanty allowance of +food, so much so, that some settlers have told me that the natives left +them because they had not enough to eat. + +"The evil consequence of this is, that a native finding he can gain as +much by the combined methods of hunting and begging, as he can by +working, naturally prefers the former and much more attractive mode of +procuring subsistence, to the latter one. + +"Many of the natives have not only a good idea of the value of money, but +even hoard it up for some particular purpose; several of them have shewn +me their little treasure of a few shillings, and have told me it was +their intention to save more until they had enough to buy a horse, a gun, +or some wished-for article, but their improvidence has always got the +better of their thriftiness, and this sum has eventually been spent in +treating their friends to bread and rice. + +"Another evil is the very extraordinary position in which they are placed +with regard to two distinct sets of laws; that is they are allowed to +exercise their own laws upon one another, and are again held amenable to +British law where British subjects are concerned. Thus no protection is +afforded them by the British law against the violence or cruelty of one +of their own race, and the law has only been hitherto known to them as +the means of punishment, but never as a code from which they can claim +protection or benefit. + +"The following instances will prove my assertion: In the month of October +1838, I saw early one morning some natives in the public street in Perth, +in the act of murdering a native woman, close to the store of the Messrs. +Habgood: many Europeans were present, amongst others a constable; but +there was no interference on their part until eventually the life of the +woman was saved by the courage of Mr. Brown, a gardener in Perth, who +rushed in amongst the natives, and knocked down the man who was holding +her; she then escaped into the house of the Messrs. Habgood, who treated +the poor creature with the utmost humanity. She was, however, wounded in +several places in the most severe and ghastly manner. + +"A letter I received from Mr. A. Bussel, (a settler in the southern part +of the colony,) in May, 1839, shews that the same scenes are enacted all +over it. In this case, their cow-keeper, (the native whose burial is +narrated at p. 330,) was speared by the others. He was at the time the +hired servant of Europeans, performing daily a stated service for them; +yet they slew him in open day-light, without any cause of provocation +being given by him. + +"Again, in October, 1838, the sister of a settler in the northern +district, told me that shortly before this period, she had, as a female +servant, a most interesting little native girl, not more than ten or +eleven years of age. This girl had just learned all the duties belonging +to her employment, and was regarded in the family as a most useful +servant, when some native, from a spirit of revenge, murdered this +inoffensive child in the most barbarous manner, close to the house; her +screams were actually heard by the Europeans under whose protection, and +in whose service she was living, but they were not in time to save her +life. This same native had been guilty of many other barbarous murders, +one of which he had committed in the district of the Upper Swan, in the +actual presence of Europeans. In June, 1839, he was still at large, +unmolested, even occasionally visiting Perth. + +"Their fondness for the bush and the habits of savage life, is fixed and +perpetuated by the immense boundary placed by circumstances between +themselves and the whites, which no exertions on their part can overpass, +and they consequently relapse into a state of hopeless passive +indifference. + +"I will state a remarkable instance of this:--The officers of the Beagle +took away with them a native of the name of Miago, who remained absent +with them for several months. I saw him on the North-west coast, on board +the Beagle, apparently perfectly civilized; he waited at the gun-room +mess, was temperate (never tasting spirits), attentive, cheerful, and +remarkably clean in his person. The next time I saw him was at Swan +River, where he had been left on the return of the Beagle. He was then +again a savage, almost naked, painted all over, and had been concerned in +several murders. Several persons here told me,--"you see the taste for a +savage life was strong in him, and he took to the bush again directly." +Let us pause for a moment and consider. + +"Miago, when he was landed, had amongst the white people none who would +be truly friends of his,--they would give him scraps from their table, +but the very outcasts of the whites would not have treated him as an +equal,--they had no sympathy with him,--he could not have married a white +woman,--he had no certain means of subsistence open to him,--he never +could have been either a husband or a father, if he had lived apart from +his own people;--where, amongst the whites, was he to find one who would +have filled for him the place of his black mother, whom he is much +attached to?--what white man would have been his brother?--what white +woman his sister? He had two courses left open to him,--he could either +have renounced all natural ties, and have led a hopeless, joyless life +amongst the whites,--ever a servant,--ever an inferior being;--or he +could renounce civilization, and return to the friends of his childhood, +and to the habits of his youth. He chose the latter course, and I think +that I should have done the same." + + +Such are a few of the disadvantages the natives have to contend with, if +they try to assimilate in their life and habits to Europeans, nor is +there one here enumerated, of which repeated instances have not come +under my own observation. If to these be added, the natural ties of +consanguinity, the authority of parents, the influence of the example of +relatives and friends, and the seducing attraction which their own habits +and customs hold out to the young of both sexes; first, by their offering +a life of idleness and freedom, to a people naturally indolent and +impatient of restraint; and secondly, by their pandering to their natural +passions: we shall no longer wonder that so little has been effected +towards ameliorating their condition, or inducing them to adopt habits +and customs that deprive them of those indulgences. + +In New South Wales and Port Phillip, the Government have made many +efforts in behalf of the Aborigines; for a series of years past, and at +present, the sum of about ten thousand pounds, is annually placed upon +the estimates, towards defraying the salaries of a Chief Protector, and +several subordinate ones, and for other expenses connected with the +natives. + +[Note: Not included in thei eBook, Table on pages 428-9: ABSTRACT +OF EXPENDITURE IN N.S.W ON ACCOUNT OF THE ABORIGINES FROM 1821 TO 1842 +INCLUSIVE.] + +In Western Australia a sum of money is also devoted annually towards +defraying the salaries of two Protectors, and other expenses connected +with the department. + +I am not, however, personally aware, what the particular arrangements may +be that have latterly been adopted in either of these colonies, for the +benefit of the Aborigines, or the degree of success which may have +attended them. I believe, however, that in both places, more has been +attempted, within the last three or four years, than had ever been the +case before. What the eventual result may be it is impossible to tell, +but with the past experience before me, I cannot persuade myself, that +any real or permanent good will ever be effected, until the influence +exercised over the young by the adults be destroyed, and they are freed +from the contagious effects of their example, and until means are +afforded them of supporting themselves in a new condition, and of forming +those social ties and connections in an improved state, which they must +otherwise be driven to seek for among the savage hordes, from which it is +attempted to reclaim them. + +In South Australia many efforts have been made in behalf of the +Aborigines, and an anxious desire for their welfare has frequently been +exhibited on the part of the Government, and of many of the colonists. +For the year 1845 the sum of 820 pounds is noted in the estimates for the +Aboriginal Department. This sum is distributed as follows:-- + + +Salary of Protector 300 pounds +Master of Native School at Walkerville 100 +Matron of School at Native Location 20 +Provisions 150 +Donation to Lutheran Mission 100 +Miscellaneous 150 + --- +Total 820 pounds + + +There are three native schools established in the province. The first is +that at the native location in the town of Adelaide, commenced in +December, 1839, by Mr. Klose, one of the Dresden missionaries. The +average attendance of children has been about sixteen, all of whom have +latterly been lodged as well as fed at the school. The progress made by +the children may be stated to have been as follows: on the 16th February, +1844-- + +14 were able to read polysyllables. +2 were able to read monosyllables. +2 could repeat the cardinal numbers. +14 were in addition. +3 in subtraction. +9 in multiplication. +2 in division. + +Most of the children could repeat the Lord's Prayer and Commandments, and +they were able to narrate the history of the Creation, the fall of our +first parents, and other portions of the Old and New Testament. A few +were able to write these subjects to dictation. In geography many of the +scholars knew the ordinary divisions of the earth, its shape, diameter, +circumference, and the names of the continents, oceans, seas, gulfs, etc. +etc. together with the general description of the inhabitants of each +part, as to colour, etc. Of the girls, fourteen had been taught to sew, +and have made upwards of fifty garments for themselves, besides several +shirts for Europeans. + +Mr. Klose receives as salary 33 pounds per annum from the Government, and +a remittance from his society at Dresden. The matron of the establishment +also receives 20 pounds from the Government. The average expense of +provisions for each child per week, amounts to two shillings and ten +pence. The cost of clothing each child per year is 2 pounds. Until very +recently this school was taught in the native language; but English is +now adopted, except in lecturing from Scripture, when the native language +is still retained. + +At Walkerville, about one mile from North Adelaide, another school has +been established under the superintendence of Mr. Smith, since May, 1844. +Up to October of the same year the average attendance of children had +been sixty-three. In that short time the progress had been very +satisfactory; all the children had passed from the alphabetical to the +monosyllabic class, and most had mastered the multiplication table; +eighteen could write upon the slate, and six upon paper; twelve girls had +commenced sewing, and were making satisfactory progress. + +They go four times in the week to the council chamber to be instructed by +gratuitous teachers. On Sunday evening service is performed according to +the Church of England by Mr. Fleming, and the children are said to be +attentive and well-behaved. The Methodists of the New Connection have +them also under spiritual instruction in the morning and afternoon of +each Sabbath, assisted by persons of other religious denominations. + +All instruction is given in English; their food is cooked by the elder +children, (who also provide the firewood,) and distributed by themselves +under the master's eye The cook is said to take good care of himself, and +certainly his appearance does not belie the insinuation, for he is by far +the fattest boy in the lot. The school building is a plain, low cottage, +containing a school-room, a sleeping-room for the male children, another +for the female, and apartments for the master and mistress. There is also +an old out-building attached, where the children perform their ablutions +in wet weather. Mr. and Mrs. Smith receive 100 pounds. per annum from the +Colonial Government for their services. The children of this school have +not yet been generally provided with other clothing than a small blanket +each. The third school was only just commenced at Encounter Bay, where it +has been established through the influence and exertions of Mr. Meyer, +one of the missionaries. The Government give 20 pounds per annum, and the +settlers of the neighbourhood 100 bushels of wheat, and some mutton. Six +or eight children are expected to be lodged and boarded at this school, +with the means at present existing. + +Besides the establishment of schools, there is a Protector resident in +Adelaide to take the management of the aboriginal department, to afford +medical assistance and provisions to such of the aged or diseased as +choose to apply for them, and to remunerate any natives who may render +services to the Government, or the Protectorate. At Moorunde, upon the +Murray, the natives are mustered once a month by the Resident magistrate, +and two pounds and a half of flour issued to each native who chooses to +attend. This is occasionally done at Port Lincoln, and has had a very +beneficial effect. Once in the year, on the Queen's birthday, a few +blankets are distributed to some of the Aborigines at Adelaide, Moorunde, +Encounter Bay, and Port Lincoln, amounting in all to about 300. Four +natives are also provisioned by the Government as attaches to the police +force at different out-stations, and are in many respects very useful. + +Exclusive of the Government exertions in behalf of the Aborigines, there +are in the province four missionaries from the Lutheran Missionary +Society at Dresden, two of whom landed in October 1838, and two in August +1840. Of these one is stationed at the native location, and (as has +already been stated) acts as schoolmaster. A second is living twelve +miles from Adelaide, upon a section of land, bought by the Dresden +Society, with the object of endeavouring to settle the natives, and +inducing them to build houses upon the property, but the plan seems +altogether a failure. It was commenced in November 1842, but up to +November 1844 natives had only been four months at the place; and on one +occasion a period of nine months elapsed, without their ever visiting it +at all, although frequently located at other places in the neighbourhood. + +A third missionary is stationed at Encounter Bay, and is now conducting a +school, mainly established through his own exertions and influence. + +The fourth is stationed at Port Lincoln. All the four missionaries have +learned the dialects of the tribes where they are stationed, and three +have published vocabularies and grammars as the proof of their industry. + +Such is the general outline of the efforts that have hitherto been made +in South Australia, and the progress made. It may be well to inquire, +what are likely to be the results eventually under the existing +arrangements. From the first establishment of the schools, until June +1843, the children were only instructed at the location, their food was +given to them to take to the native encampments to cook, and they were +allowed to sleep there at night. The natural consequence was, that the +provisions intended for the sonolars were shared by the other natives, +whilst the evil influence of example, and the jeers of their companions, +did away with any good impression produced by their instruction. I have +myself, upon going round the encampments in Adelaide by night, seen the +school-children ridiculed by the elder boys, and induced to join them in +making a jest of what they had been taught during the day to look upon as +sacred. + +A still more serious evil, resulting from this system was, that the +children were more completely brought into the power, and under the +influence of the parents, and thus their natural taste for an indolent +and rambling life, was constantly kept up. The boys naturally became +anxious to participate and excel in the sports, ceremonies, or pursuits +of their equals, and the girls were compelled to yield to the customs of +their tribe, and break through every lesson of decency or morality, which +had been inculcated. + +Since June, 1843, the system has so far been altered, that the children, +whilst under instruction, are boarded and lodged at the school houses, +and as far as practicable, the boys and girls are kept separate. There +are still, however, many evils attending the present practice, most of +which arise from the inadequacy of the funds, applicable to the +Aborigines, and which must be removed before any permanent good can be +expected from the instruction given. The first of these, and perhaps one +of the greatest, is that the adult natives make their encampments +immediately in the neighbourhood of the schools, whilst the children, +when out of school, roam in a great measure at will, or are often +employed collecting firewood, etc. about the park lands, a place almost +constantly occupied by the grown up natives, there is consequently nearly +as much intercourse between the school children and the other natives, +and as great an influence exercised over them by the parents and elders, +as if they were still allowed to frequent the camps. + +Another evil is, that no inducement is held out to the parents, to put +their children to school, or to allow them to remain there. They cannot +comprehend the advantage of having their children clothed, fed, or +educated, whilst they lose their services; on the contrary, they find +that all the instruction, advice, or influence of the European, tends to +undermine among the children their own customs and authority, and that +when compelled to enforce these upon them, they themselves incur the +odium of the white men. Independently, however, of this consideration, +and of the natural desire of a parent to have his family about him, he is +in reality a loser by their absence, for in many of the methods adopted +for hunting, fishing, or similar pursuits, the services even of young +children are often very important. For the deprivation of these, which he +suffers when his children are at school, he receives no equivalent, and +it is no wonder therefore, that by far the great majority of natives +would prefer keeping their children to travel with them, and assist in +hunting or fishing. It is a rare occurrence, for parents to send, or even +willingly [Note 107 at end of para.] to permit their children to go to +school, and the masters have consequently to go round the native +encampments to collect and bring away the children against their wishes. +This is tacitly submitted to at the time, but whenever the parents +remove to another locality, the children are informed of it, and at +once run away to join them; so that the good that has been done in school, +is much more rapidly undone at the native camp. I have often heard the +parents complain indignantly of their children being thus taken; and +one old man who had been so treated, but whose children had run away +and joined him again, used vehemently to declare, that if taken any more, +he would steal some European children instead, and take them into the +bush to teach them; he said he could learn them something useful, +to make weapons and nets, to hunt, or to fish, but what good did the +Europeans communicate to his children? + +[Note 107: "Mr. Gunter expressed very decidedly his opinion, that the +blacks do not like Mr. Watson, and that they especially do not like him, +SINCE HE HAS TAKEN CHILDREN FROM THEM BY FORCE: he would himself like to +have some children under his care, IF HE COULD PROCURE THEM BY PROPER +MEANS."--Memorandum respecting Wellington Valley, by Sir G. Gipps, +November 1840.] + +A third, and a very great evil, is that, after a native boy or girl has +been educated and brought up at the school, no future provision is made +for either, nor have they the means of following any useful occupation, +or the opportunity of settling themselves in life, or of forming any +domestic ties or connections whatever, save by falling back again upon +the rude and savage life from which it was hoped education would have +weaned them. It is unnatural, therefore, to suppose that under existing +circumstances they should ever do other than relapse into their former +state; we cannot expect that individuals should isolate themselves +completely from their kind, when by so doing they give up for ever all +hope of forming any of those domestic ties that can render their lives +happy. + +Such being the very limited, and perhaps somewhat equivocal advantages we +offer the Aborigines, we can hardly expect that much or permanent benefit +can accrue to them; and ought not to be disappointed if such is not the +case. [Note 108 at end of para.] At present it is difficult to say what +are the advantages held out to the natives by the schools, since they have +no opportunity of turning their instruction to account, and must from +necessity relapse again to the condition of savages, when they leave +school. Taken as children from their parents, against the wishes of +the latter, there are not means sufficient at the schools for keeping +them away from the ill effects of the example and society of the most +abandoned of the natives around. They are not protected from the power +or influence of their parents and relatives, who are always encouraging +them to leave, or to practise what they have been taught not to do. +The good that is instilled one day is the next obliterated by evil +example or influence. They have no future openings in life which +might lead them to become creditable and useful members of society; +and however well disposed a child may be, there is but one sad and +melancholy resource for it at last, that of again joining its tribe, +and becoming such as they are. Neither is there that disinclination +on the part of the elder children to resume their former mode of +life and customs that might perhaps have been expected; for whilst +still at school they see and participate enough in the sports, +pleasures, or charms of savage life to prevent their acquiring a distaste +to it; and when the time arrives for their departure, they are generally +willing and anxious to enter upon the career before them, and take their +part in the pursuits or duties of their tribe. Boys usually leave school +about fourteen, to join in the chase, or learn the practice of war. Girls +are compelled to leave about twelve, through the joint influence of +parents and husbands, to join the latter; and those only who have been +acquainted with the life of slavery and degradation a native female is +subject to, can at all form an opinion of the wretched prospect before +her. + +[Note 108: The importance of a change in the system and policy adopted +towards the Aborigines, and the urgent necessity for placing the schools +upon a different and better footing, appears from the following extract +from a despatch from Governor Hutt to Lord Stanley, 21st January, 1843, in +which the difficulties and failure attending the present system are +stated. Mr. Hutt says (Parliamentary Reports, p. 416). "It is to the +schools, of course, that we must look for any lasting benefit to be +wrought amongst the natives, and I regret most deeply the total +failure of the school instituted at York, and the partial failure +of that at Guilford, both of which at FIRST promised so well. The +fickle disposition of these people, in youth as in older years, +incapacitate them from any long continued exertions, whether of +learning or labour, whilst from the roving lives of the parents in +search of food, the children, if received into the schools, must +be entirely supported at the public expense. This limits the sphere +of our operations, by restricting the number of the scholars who +can thus be taken charge of. Through the kindly co-operation of the +Wesleyan Society at Perth, and the zealous pastoral exertions of the Rev. +Mr. King at Fremantle, the schools at both these places have been +efficiently maintained; but in the country, and apart from the large +towns, to which the Aborigines have an interest in resorting in large +numbers for food and money, the formation of schools of a lasting +character will be for some time a work of doubt and of difficulty."] + +There are two other points connected with the natives to which I will +briefly advert: the one, relative to the language in which the school +children are taught, the other, the policy, or otherwise, of having +establishments for the natives in the immediate vicinity of a town, or of +a numerous European population. + +With respect to the first, I may premise, that for the first four years +the school at the location in Adelaide was conducted entirely in the +native tongue. To this there are many objections. + +First, the length of time and labour required for the instructor to +master the language he has to teach in. + +Secondly, the very few natives to whom he can impart the advantages of +instruction, as an additional school, and another teacher would be +required for every tribe speaking a different dialect. + +Thirdly, the sudden stop that would be put to all instruction if the +preceptor became ill, or died, as no one would be found able to supply +his place in a country where, from the number, and great differences of +the various dialects, there is no inducement to the public to learn any +of them. + +Fourthly, that by the children being taught in any other tongue than that +generally spoken by the colonists, they are debarred from the advantage +of any casual instruction or information which they might receive from +others than their own teachers, and from entering upon duties or +relations of any kind with the Europeans among whom they are living, but +whose language they cannot speak. + +Fifthly, that, by adhering to the native language, the children are more +deeply confirmed in their original feelings and prejudices, and more +thoroughly kept under the influence and direction of their own people. + +Among the colonists themselves there have scarcely been two opinions upon +the subject, and almost all have felt, that the system originally adopted +was essentially wrong. It has recently been changed, and the English is +now adopted instead of the native language. I should not have named this +subject at all, had I not been aware that the missionaries themselves +still retain their former impressions, and that although they have +yielded to public opinion on this point, they have not done so from a +conviction of its utility. + +The second point to which I referred,--the policy, or otherwise, of +having native establishments near a populous European settlement, is a +much more comprehensive question, and one which might admit, perhaps, of +some reasons on both sides, although, upon the whole, those against it +greatly preponderate. + +The following are the reasons I have usually heard argued for proximity +to town. + +1st. It is said that the children sooner acquire the English language by +mixing among the towns people. This, however, to say the least, is a very +negative advantage, for in such a contact it is far more probable that +they will learn evil than good; besides, if means were available to +enable the masters to keep their scholars under proper restrictions, +there would no longer be even the opportunity for enjoying this very +equivocal advantage. + +2nd. It is stated that the natives are sooner compelled to give up their +wandering habits, as there is no game near a town. This might be well +enough if they followed any better employment, but the contrary is the +case; and with respect to the school-children, the restriction would be +the correction of a bad habit, which they ought never to be allowed to +indulge in, and one which might soon be done away with entirely if +sufficient inducement were held out to the parents to put their children +to school, and allow them to remain there. + +3rd. It is thought that a greater number of children can be collected in +the vicinity of a town than elsewhere. This may perhaps be the case at +present, but would not continue so if means were used to congregate the +natives in their own proper districts. + +4th. It is said that provisions and clothing are cheaper in town and more +easily procured than elsewhere. This is the only apparently valid reason +of the whole, but it is very questionable whether it is sufficient to +counterbalance the many evils which may result from too close a +contiguity to town, and especially so as far as the adults are concerned. +With respect to the children, if kept within proper bounds, and under +proper discipline, it is of little importance where they may be located, +and perhaps a town may for such purposes be sometimes the best. With the +older natives however it is far different, and the evils resulting to +them from too close contact with a large European population, are most +plainly apparent; in,-- + +1st. The immorality, which great as it is among savages in their natural +state, is increased in a tenfold degree when encouraged and countenanced +by Europeans, and but little opening is left for the exercise of +missionary influence or exertions. + +2nd. The dreadful state of disease which is superinduced, and which +tends, in conjunction with other causes as before stated, to bring about +the gradual extinction of the race. + +3rd. The encouragement a town affords to idleness, and the opportunities +to acquire bad habits, such as begging, pilfering, drinking, etc. the +effects of which must also have a very bad moral tendency upon the +children. + +The town of Adelaide appears capable of supporting about six hundred +natives on an average. Many of these obtain their food by going errands, +by carrying wood or water, or by performing other light work of a similar +kind. Many are supported by the offal of a place where so much animal +food is consumed; but by far the greater number are dependent upon +charity, and some few even extort their subsistence from women or +children by threats, if they have the opportunity of doing so without +fear of detection. + +The number of natives usually frequenting the town of Adelaide averages +perhaps 300, but occasionally there are even as many as 800. These do not +belong to the neighbourhood of the town itself, for the Adelaide tribe +properly so called only embraces about 150 individuals. The others come +in detached parties from almost all parts of the colony. Some from the +neighbourhood of Bonney's Well, or 120 miles south; some from the +Broughton, or 120 miles north; some from the upper part of the Murray, or +nearly 200 miles east. Thus are assembled at one spot sometimes portions +of tribes the most distant from each other, and whose languages, customs +and ceremonies are quite dissimilar. If any proof were wanted to shew the +power of European influence in removing prejudices or effecting a total +revulsion of their former habits and customs, a stronger one could +scarcely be given than this motley assembly of "all nations and +languages." In their primitive state such a meeting could never take +place; the distant tribes would never have dreamt of attempting to pass +through the country of the intermediate ones, nor would the latter have +allowed a passage if it had been attempted. + +I have remarked that in Adelaide many of the natives support themselves +by light easy work, or going errands; there are also a dozen, or fourteen +young men employed regularly as porters to storekeepers with whom they +spend two-thirds of their time, and make themselves very useful. At +harvest time many natives assist the settlers. At Encounter Bay during +1843, from 70 to 100 acres of wheat or barley, were reaped by them; at +Adelaide from 50 to 60 acres, and at Lynedoch Valley they aided in +cutting and getting in 200 acres. Other natives have occasionally +employed themselves usefully in a variety of ways, and one party of young +men collected and delivered to a firm in town five tons of mimosa bark up +to December 1843. At the native location during the year 1842, three +families of natives assisted by the school-children, had dug with the +spade the ground, and had planted and reaped more than one acre of maize, +one acre of potatoes, and half an acre of melons, besides preparing +ground for the ensuing year. On the Murray River native shepherds and +stock-keepers have hitherto been employed almost exclusively, and have +been found to answer well. Most of the settlers in that district have one +or more native youths constantly living at their houses. + +In concluding an account of the present state and prospects of the +Aborigines and of the efforts hitherto made on their behalf, I may state +that I am fully sensible that to put the schools upon a proper footing +and to do away with the serious disadvantages I have pointed out as at +present attending them, or to adopt effective means for assembling, +feeding, or instructing the natives in their own respective districts +would involve a much greater expenditure than South Australia has +hitherto been able to afford from her own resources; and I have therefore +called attention to the subject, not for the purpose of censuring what it +is impossible to remedy without means; but in the sincere and earnest +hope that an interest in behalf of a people who are generally much +misrepresented, and who are certainly in justice entitled to expect at +our hands much more than they receive, will be excited in the breasts of +the British public, who are especially their debtors on many accounts. + +I am aware that the subject of the Aborigines is one of a very difficult +and embarrassing nature in many respects, and I know that evils and +imperfections will occasionally occur, in spite of the utmost efforts to +prevent them. No system of policy can be made to suit all circumstances +connected with a subject so varied and perplexing, and especially so, +where every new arrangement and all benevolent intentions are restrained +or limited, by the deficiency of pecuniary means to carry out the object +in a proper manner. Already the subject of apprenticing the natives, or +teaching them a trade, has been under the consideration of the +Government, but has been delayed from being brought into operation by the +want of funds sufficient to carry the object into effect. It is intended, +I believe, to make the experiment as soon as means are available for that +purpose. + +My duties as an officer of the Government having been principally +connected with the more numerous, but distant tribes of the interior, I +can bear testimony to the anxious desire of the Government to promote the +welfare of the natives. + +I have equal pleasure in recording the great interest that prevails on +their behalf among their numerous friends in the colonies, and the +general kindness and good feeling that have been exhibited towards them +on the part of a large proportion of the colonists of Australia. It is in +the hope that this good feeling may be promoted and strengthened that I +have been led to enter into the details of the preceding pages. In +bringing before the public instances of a contrary conduct or feeling, I +by no means wish to lead to the impression that such are now of very +frequent or general occurrence, and I trust my motives may not be +misunderstood. My sole, my only wish has been to bring about an +improvement in the terms of intercourse, which subsists between the +settlers and the Aborigines. Whilst advocating the cause of the latter, I +am not insensible to the claims of the former, who leaving their native +country and their friends, cheerfully encounter the inconveniences, +toils, privations, and dangers which are necessarily attendant upon +founding new homes in the remote and trackless wilds of other climes. +Strongly impressed with the advantages, and the necessity of +colonization, I am only anxious to mitigate its concomitant evils, and by +effecting an amelioration in the treatment and circumstances of the +Aborigines, point out the means of rendering the residence or pursuits of +the settler among an uncivilized community, less precarious, and less +hazardous than they have been. My object has been to shew the result, I +may almost say, the necessary result of the system at present in force, +when taking possession of and occupying a country where there are +indigenous races. By shewing the complete failure of all efforts hitherto +made, to prevent the oppression and eventual extinction of these +unfortunate people, I would demonstrate the necessity of remodelling the +arrangements made on their behalf, and of adopting a more equitable and +liberal system than any we have yet attempted. + +I believe that by far the greater majority of the settlers in all the +Australian Colonies would hail with real pleasure, the adoption of any +measures calculated to remove the difficulties, which at present beset +our relations with the Aborigines; but to be effectual, these measures, +at the same time that they afford, in some degree, compensation and +support to the dispossessed and starving native--must equally hold out to +the settler and the stockholder that security and protection, which he +does not now possess, but which he is fairly entitled to expect, under +the implied guarantee given to him by the Government, when selling to him +his land, or authorizing him to locate in the more remote districts of +the country. + +From a long experience, and an attentive observation of what has been +going on around me, I am perfectly satisfied, that unless some great +change be made in our system, things will go on exactly as they have +done, and in a few years more not a native will be left to tell the tale +of the wrongs and sufferings of his unhappy race. I am equally convinced +that all one-sided legislation--all measures having reference solely to +the natives must fail. The complete want of success attending the +protecting system, and all other past measures, clearly shew, that unless +the interests of the two classes can be so interwoven and combined, that +both may prosper together; no real good can be hoped for from our best +efforts to ameliorate the condition of the savage. In all future plans it +is evident that the native must have the inducements and provocations to +crime destroyed or counteracted, as far as it may be practicable to +effect this, and the settler must be convinced that it is his interest to +treat the native with kindness and consideration, and must be able to +feel that he is no longer exposed to risk of life or property for +injuries or aggressions, which, as an individual, he has not induced. + +I have now nearly discharged the duty I have undertaken--a duty which my +long experience among the natives, and an intimate acquaintance with +their peculiarities, habits, and customs, has in a measure almost forced +upon me. In fulfilling it, I have been obliged to enter at some length +upon the subject, to give as succinct an account as I could of the +unfavourable impressions that have often, but unjustly, been entertained +of the New Hollanders: of the difficulties and disadvantages they have +laboured under, of the various relations that have subsisted, or now +subsist between them and the colonists, of the different steps that have +been adopted by the Government or others, to ameliorate their condition, +and of the degree of success or otherwise that has attended these +efforts. I have stated, that from the result of my own experience and +observation, for a long series of years past, from a practical +acquaintance with the character and peculiarities of the Aborigines, and +after a deliberate and attentive consideration of the measures that have +been hitherto pursued, I have unwillingly been forced to the conviction, +that some great and radical defect has been common to all; that we have +not hitherto accomplished one single, useful, or permanent result; and +that unless a complete change in our system of policy be adopted for the +future, there is not the slightest hope of our efforts being more +successful in times to come, than they have been in times past. That I am +not alone or singular in the view which I take on this subject, may be +shewn from various sources, but most forcibly from the opinions or +statements of those, who from being upon the spot, and personally +acquainted with the real facts of the case, may be supposed to be most +competent to form just conclusions, and most worthy of having weight +attached to their opinions. The impression on the public mind in the +colonies, with respect to the general effect of the measures that have +heretofore been adopted, may be gathered from the many opinions or +quotations to which I have already referred in my remarks; many others +might be adduced, if necessary, but one or two will suffice. + +The following extract is from a speech by A. Forster, Esq. at a meeting +held to celebrate the anniversary of the South Australian Missionary +Society, on the 6th September, 1843, and at which the Governor of the +Colony presided:-- + + +"This colony had been established for nearly seven years, and during the +whole of that time the natives had been permitted to go about the streets +in a state of nudity. [Note 109 at end of para.] This was not only an +outrage on decency and propriety, but it was demoralising to the natives +themselves. Like Adam, after having come in contact with the tree of +knowledge, they had begun to see their own nakedness, and were ashamed +of it. If they could give them a nearer approach to humanity by clothing +them, if they could make them look like men, they would then, perhaps, +begin to think like men. What he complained of was, not that they were +in a low and miserable condition, but that no effort had been made to +rescue them from that condition." + +[Note 109: And yet a law is passed, subjecting natives, who appear thus, +to punishment!--How are they to clothe themselves?] + +"The circumstances, too, of the aborigines called upon them for increased +exertion. They were wasting away with disease--they were dying on the +scaffold--they were being shot down in mistake for native dogs, and their +bleeding and ghastly heads had been exhibited on poles, as scare-crows to +their fellows." + + +The report of the Missionary Society, read on the same occasion, says, + + +"Though it is undeniable that there is much to discourage in the small +results which can yet be reckoned from these efforts, and a variety of +secondary means might be brought to bear with great advantage on the +condition of the natives, still we must exercise faith in the power of +the Spirit of God, over the most savage soul, in subduing the wicked +passions and inclining the heart unto wisdom by exalted views of a future +state, and of the divine character and will." + + +Captain Grey's opinion of the little good that had ever been +accomplished, may be gathered from the following quotation, and which is +fully as applicable to the state of the natives in 1844, as it was in +1841. Vol. ii. p. 366, he says, + + +"I wish not to assert, that the natives have been often treated with +wanton cruelty, but I do not hesitate to say, that no real amelioration +of their condition has been effected, and that much of negative evil, and +indirect injury has been inflicted on them." + + +Upon the same subject, the Committee of Management of the Native School +at Perth, Swan River, Western Australia, state in their 3rd Annual +Report, dated 1844. + + +"With regard to the physical condition of the native children, and those +who are approaching to mature life, it may be observed, that they are +somewhat improving, though slowly, we trust surely. We find that to undo +is a great work; to disassociate them from their natural ideas, habits, +and practices which are characteristic of the bush life, is a greater +difficulty, for notwithstanding the provisions of sleeping berths in good +rooms, also of tables, etc. for their use, and which are peculiar to +civilised life, and with which they are associated, yet they naturally +verge towards, and cling to aboriginal education, and hence to squat on +the sand to eat, to sleep a night in the bush, to have recourse to a +Byly-a-duck man for ease in sickness; these to them seem reliefs and +enjoyments from these restraints which civilized life entails upon them." + +"With regard to the mental improvement of the native children, we cannot +say much." + +"As to the religious state of the pupils in the institution we have +signs, improvements, and encouragements, which say to us, 'Go on.'" + + +The following quotation from Count Strzelecki's work only just published +(1845), shews the opinion of that talented and intelligent traveller, +after visiting various districts of New South Wales, Port Phillip, Van +Diemen's Land, and Flinders' Island, and after a personal acquaintance +with, and experience among the Aborigines:-- + + +"Thus, in New South Wales, since the time that the fate of the +Australasian awoke the sympathies of the public, neither the efforts of +the missionary, nor the enactments of the Government, and still less the +Protectorate of the "Protectors," have effected any good. The attempts to +civilize and christianize the Aborigines, from which the preservation and +elevation of their race was expected to result, HAVE UTTERLY FAILED, +though it is consolatory, even while painful, to confess, that NEITHER +THE ONE NOR THE OTHER ATTEMPT HAS BEEN CARRIED INTO EXECUTION, WITH THE +SPIRIT WHICH ACCORDS WITH ITS PRINCIPLES." + + +With such slight encouragement in colonies where the best results are +supposed to have been obtained, and with instances of complete failure in +others, it is surely worth while to inquire, why there has been such a +signal want of success?--and whether or not any means can be devised that +may hold out better hopes for the future? I cannot and I would not +willingly believe, that the question is a hopeless one. The failure of +past measures is no reason that future ones should not be more +successful, especially when we consider, that all past efforts on behalf +of the Aborigines have entirely overlooked the wrongs and injuries they +are suffering under from our mere presence in their country, whilst none +have been adapted to meet the exigencies of the peculiar relations they +are placed in with regard to the colonists. The grand error of all our +past or present systems--the very fons et origo mali appears to me to +consist in the fact, that we have not endeavoured to blend the interests +of the settlers and Aborigines together; and by making it the interest of +both to live on terms of kindness and good feeling with each, bring about +and cement that union and harmony which ought ever to subsist between +people inhabiting the same country. So far, however, from our measures +producing this very desirable tendency, they have hitherto, +unfortunately, had only a contrary effect. By our injustice and +oppression towards the natives, we have provoked them to retaliation and +revenge; whilst by not affording security and protection to the settlers, +we have driven them to protect themselves. Mutual distrusts and mutual +misunderstandings have been the necessary consequence, and these, as must +ever be the case, have but too often terminated in collisions or +atrocities at which every right-thinking mind must shudder. To prevent +these calamities for the future; to check the frightful rapidity with +which the native tribes are being swept away from the earth, and to +render their presence amidst our colonists and settlers, not as it too +often hitherto has been, a source of dread and danger, but harmless, and +to a certain extent, even useful and desirable, is an object of the +deepestinterest and importance, both to the politician and to the +philanthropist. I have strong hopes, that means may be devised, to bring +about, in a great measure, these very desirable results; and I would +suggest, that such means only should be tried, as from being just in +principle, and equally calculated to promote the interests of both races, +may, in their practical adoption, hold out the fairest prospect of +efficacy and success. + + + + +Chapter IX. + + + +SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SYSTEM ADOPTED TOWARDS THE NATIVES. + + +In the preceding chapters I have given a general outline of the +character, manners, and customs of the Aborigines of Australia, and of +the effects produced upon them by a contact with civilization. + +I have thus endeavoured to lay before the public their present state and +future prospects, and as far as I am able, have attempted to explain what +appear to me the reasons that so little success has hitherto attended +Missionary, or other efforts, in their behalf. I would sincerely hope, +that the accounts which I have given, may not be altogether useless; but +that a certain knowledge of the real position of the natives, of the just +claims they have upon us, and of the little prospect that exists of any +real or permanent good being effected for them, until a great alteration +takes place in our system, and treatment, may be the means of attracting +attention to their condition, and of enlisting the sympathy of my +fellow-countrymen in their cause. + +Englishmen have ever been ready to come forward to protect the weak, or +the oppressed; nor could they lend their aid to promote a greater, or a +nobler work, than that of endeavouring, to arrest the decay, and avert +the destruction which at present threatens the aboriginal races of our +Australian colonies; and to try at least to bring within the pale of +christianity and civilization, a people hitherto considered as the +lowest, and most irreclaimable of mankind, but whose natural capabilities +and endowments, are, I feel assured, by no means inferior to those of the +most favoured nations. + +I shall now briefly suggest such alterations and additions, in the system +of instruction and policy adopted towards them, as appear to me likely to +prove beneficial. + +I am aware, that in carrying out the improvements I propose, a greatly +increased expenditure on behalf of the natives would be necessary, beyond +what has hitherto been allowed by any of the Colonial Governments. + +It appears to me, however, that they are justly entitled to expect, at +our hands, some compensation for the injuries our presence unavoidably +inflicts, and some alleviation of the consequent miseries they are +suffering under. + +If we are sincere in our desires and efforts to promote the improvement, +or prevent the decay of this unfortunate people, we are bound to make our +measures sufficiently comprehensive to hold out some reasonable hope of +success, otherwise our labour and money are only thrown away. + +I do not believe that there is any one practically acquainted with the +present state of our relations with the Aborigines, and the system +adopted towards them, its working, defects, and inaptitude to overcome +opposing difficulties, who would conscientiously assert that there is the +least prospect of any greater benefits resulting in future than have been +realized up to the present time. + +There is another reason, independently of justice or humanity, one which, +with some, may perhaps have more weight, as a motive for extending and +amending our policy towards the natives. I mean self-interest. If our +measures were calculated to afford them that protection which we claim +for ourselves; and in place of those resources we have deprived them of, +to offer to them a certain and regular supply of food in their respective +districts, their wandering habits would be partially restrained, and a +degree of influence and authority acquired over the whole aboriginal +population, in contact with Europeans, which would counteract their +natural propensities. The flocks and herds of the settlers, and the lives +of his family and servants, would be as unmolested and uninjured as among +our own people. There would no longer occur those irritating aggressions, +or bloody retaliations, which have too often taken place heretofore, +between the black and the white man; and the misfortune of always having +the border districts in a state of excitement and alarm, would be +avoided, whilst the expense and inconvenience of occasionally sending +large parties of military and police, to coerce or punish transgressors +that they can rarely meet with, would be altogether dispensed with. + +Unfortunately, the system I propose has been so little tried in +Australia, that but few instances of its practical results can be +adduced. There is one instance, however, which, from its coming nearer to +it than any other, may serve to exemplify the success that might be +expected. The case I allude to, is that of the establishment of the +Government post at Moorunde, upon the Murray, in October 1841, by His +Excellency Governor Grey. The circumstances which led to the formation of +this post, arose from the disturbed and dangerous state the river route +from New South Wales was in at the time, from the fearful losses that had +occurred both of life and property, and the dread entertained by many, +that the out-stations, which were formed along the line of hills fronting +the Murray, would be subject to irruptions from the natives. + +Between the 16th of April, and 27th of August, or in about four months, +four several affrays had taken place between the Aborigines and +Europeans, in which many of the latter had been killed, and stock, drays, +and other property, had been taken to a great value, (in one instance +alone amounting to 5,000 sheep, besides drays and stores); on the other +hand the sacrifice of native life had been very great, and was admitted +in one case, to have amounted to thirty individuals, exclusive of many +who were perhaps mortally wounded. Four different parties had been sent +up the river during this short period, to punish aggressions. or protect +property. In one of these the Europeans were worsted and driven back by +the natives, in another a number amounting to sixty-eight Europeans, were +absent for upwards of six weeks, at an immense expense, and were then +obliged to return without bringing in a single culprit from the offending +tribes. + +[Note 110: In this latter case, the Commissioner of Police, and the +greater number of his men, accompanied the expedition, leaving of course +the colony unprotected, and ordinary civil arrangements at a stand still +until their return. I have already remarked, the little chance there is, +of either the police or military ever succeeding in capturing native +offenders, and how very frequently it has occurred, that in their attempts +to do so, either through mistake, or from mismanagement, they have very +often been guilty of most serious and lamentable acts of injury and +aggression upon the innocent and the unoffending. As a mere matter of +policy, or financial arrangement, I believe it would in the long run, +be prudent and economical, to adopt a liberal and just line of treatment +towards the Aborigines. I believe by this means, we should gain a +sufficient degree of influence, to induce them always to GIVE UP OFFENDERS +THEMSELVES; and I believe that this is the ONLY MEANS by which we can ever +hope to ensure their CAPTURE.] + +The line of route had become unsafe and dangerous for any party coming +from New South Wales; a feeling of bitter hostility, arising from a sense +of injury and aggression, had taken possession both of the natives and +the Europeans, and it was evident for the future, that if the European +party was weak, the natives would rob and murder them, and if otherwise, +that they would commit wholesale butchery upon the natives. It was to +remedy this melancholy state of affairs, that the Government station at +Moorunde was established, and his Excellency the Governor, did me the +honour to confide to my management the carrying out the objects proposed. + +The instructions I received, and the principles upon which I attempted to +carry out those instructions, were exclusively those of conciliation and +kindness. I made it my duty to go personally amongst the most distant and +hostile tribes, to explain to them that the white man wished to live with +them, upon terms of amity, and that instead of injuring, he was most +anxious to hold out the olive branch of peace. + +By the liberality of the Government, I had it in my power once every +month, to assemble all the natives who chose to collect, whether from +near or more distant tribes, and to give to each a sufficiency of flour +to last for about two days, and once in the year, at the commencement of +winter, to bestow upon some few of the most deserving, blankets as a +protection against the cold. + +How far success attended the system that was adopted, or the exertions +that were made, it is scarcely perhaps becoming in me to say: where the +object, however, is simply and solely to try to benefit the Aborigines, +and by contrasting the effects of different systems, that have been +adopted towards them, to endeavour to recommend the best, I must, even at +the risk of being deemed egotistical, point out some of the important and +beneficial results that accrued at Moorunde. + +In the first place, I may state that the dread of settling upon the +Murray, has so far given place to confidence, that from Wellington (near +the Lake), to beyond the Great South Bend, a distance of more than 100 +miles, the whole line of river is now settled and occupied by stock, +where, in 1841, there was not a single European, a herd of cattle, or a +flock of sheep; nay, the very natives who were so much feared then, are +looked upon now as an additional inducement to locate, since the services +of the boys or young men, save in great measure the expense of European +servants. There are few residents on the Murray, who do not employ one or +more of these people, and at many stations, I have known the sheep or +cattle, partially, and in some instances, wholly attended to by them. + +For three years I was resident at Moorunde, and during the whole of that +time, up to November, 1844, not a single case of serious aggression, +either on the persons or property of Europeans had ever occurred, and but +very few offences even of a minor character. The only crime of any +importance that was committed in my neighbourhood, was at a sheep +station, about 25 miles to the westward, where somefew sheep were stolen, +by a tribe of natives during the absence or neglect of the men attending +them. By a want of proper care and precaution, temptation was thrown in +the way of the natives, but even then, it was only some few of the young +men who were guilty of the offence; none of the elder or more influential +members of the tribe, having had any thing to do with it. Neither did the +tribe belong to the Murray river, although they occasionally came down +there upon visits. There was no evidence to prove that the natives had +stolen the sheep at all; the only fact which could be borne witness to, +was that so many sheep were missing, and it was supposed the natives had +taken them. As soon as I was made acquainted with the circumstances, I +made every inquiry among the tribe suspected, and it was at once admitted +by the elder men that the youths had been guilty of the offence. At my +earnest solicitations, and representations of the policy of so doing, the +culprits, five in number, WERE BROUGHT IN AND DELIVERED UP BY THEIR +TRIBE. No evidence could be procured against them, and after remanding +them from time to time as a punishment, I was obliged to discharge them. + +I may now remark, that upon inquiry into the case, and in examining +witnesses against the natives, it came out in evidence, that at the same +station, and not long before, a native HAD BEEN FIRED AT, (with what +effect did not appear,) simply because he SEEMED to be going towards the +sheep-folds, which were a long way from the hut, and were directly in the +line of route of any one either passing towards Adelaide, or to any of +the more northern stations. Another case occurred about the same time, +and at the same station, where an intelligent and well-conducted native, +belonging to Moorunde, was sent by a gentleman at the Murray to a +surgeon, living about sixty miles off, with a letter, and for medicines. +The native upon reaching this station, which he had to pass, was +ASSAULTED AND OPPOSED BY A MAN, ARMED WITH A MUSKET, and if not fired at, +(which he said he was,) was at least intimidated, and driven back, and +PREVENTED FROM GOING FOR THE MEDICINES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS ILL. I +myself knew the native who was sent, to be one of the most orderly and +well-conducted men we had at the Murray; in fact he had frequently, at +different times, been living with me as an attache to the police force. + +In the second place, I may state, that during the time I have held office +at Moorunde, I have frequently visited on the most friendly terms, and +almost alone, the most distant and hostile tribes, where so short a time +before even large and well-armed bodies of Europeans could not pass +uninterrupted or in safety. Many of those very natives, who had been +concerned in affrays or aggressions, have since travelled hundreds of +miles and encountered hunger and thirst and fatigue, to visit a white +man's station in peace, and on friendly terms. + +Thirdly, I may observe, that ever since I went to the Murray, instead of +shewing signs of enmity or hostility, the natives have acted in the most +kind and considerate manner, and have upon all occasions, when I have +been travelling in less known and more remote districts, willingly +accompanied me as guides and interpreters, introducing me from one tribe +to another, and explaining the amicable relations I wished to establish. +In one case, a native, whom I met by himself, accompanied me at once, +without even saying good-bye to his wife and family, who were a mile or +two away, and whom, as he was going to a distance of one hundred and +fifty miles and back, he was not likely to see for a great length of +time. He was quite content to send a message by the first native he met, +to say where he was going. In my intercourse with the Aborigines I have +always noticed that they would willingly do any thing for a person whom +they were attached to. I have found that an influence, amounting almost +to authority, is produced by a system of kindness; and that in cases +where their own feelings and wishes were in opposition to the particular +object for which this influence might be exercised, that the latter would +almost invariably prevail. Thus, upon one occasion in Adelaide, where a +very large body of the Murray natives were collected to fight those from +Encounter Bay, I was directed by the Government to use my influence to +prevent the affray. Upon going to their encampment late at night, I +explained the object of my visit to them, and requested them to leave +town in the morning, and return to their own district, (90 miles away.) +In the morning I again went to the native camp, and found them all ready, +and an hour afterwards there was not one in Adelaide. Another strong +instance of the power that may be acquired over the natives occurred at +Moorunde, in 1844:--Several tribes were assembled in the neighbourhood, +and were, as I was told, going to fight. I walked down towards their huts +to see if this was the case, but upon arriving at the native camps I +found them deserted, and all the natives about a quarter of a mile away, +on the opposite side of a broad deep sheet of water caused by the floods. +As I reached the edge of the water I saw the opposing parties closing, +and heard the cry of battle as the affray commenced; raising my voice to +the utmost, I called out to them, and was heard, even above the din of +combat. In a moment all was as still as the grave, a canoe was brought +for me to cross, and I found the assembled tribes fully painted and +armed, and anxiously waiting to know what I was going to do. It was by +this time nearly dark, and although I had no fears of their renewing the +fight again for the night, I knew they would do so early in the morning; +I accordingly directed them to separate, and remove their encampments. +One party I sent up the river, a second down it, a third remained where +they were, and two others I made recross the water, and go up to encamp +near my own residence. All this was accomplished solely by the influence +I had acquired over them, for I was alone and unarmed among 300 natives, +whose angry passions were inflamed, and who were bent upon shedding each +others' blood. + +By the assistance of the natives, I was enabled in December 1843, to +ascend the Darling river as far as Laidley's Ponds (above 300 miles from +Moorunde) when accompanied only by two other Europeans, and should have +probably been enabled to reach Mount Lyell (100 miles further) but that a +severe attack of illness compelled me to return. My journey up the +Darling had, however, this good effect, that it opened a friendly +communication with natives who had never before come in contact with the +white man, except in enmity or in contest, and paved the way for a +passage upon friendly terms of any expedition that might be sent by that +route to explore the continent. Little did I anticipate at the time, how +soon such an expedition was to be undertaken, and how strongly and how +successfully the good results I so confidently hoped for were to be fully +tested. + +In August 1844, Captain Sturt passed up the Murray to explore the country +north-west of the Darling, and whilst at Moorunde, on his route, was +supplied with a Moorunde boy to accompany his party to track stock, and +also with a native of the Rufus named And-buck, to go as guide and +interpreter to the Darling. The latter native had accompanied me to +Laidley's Ponds in December 1843, and had come down to Moorunde, +according to a promise he then made me, to visit me in the winter, and go +again with me up the Darling, if I wished it. At Laidley's Ponds I found +the natives very friendly and well conducted, and one of them, a young +man named Topar, was of such an open intelligent disposition that +although my own acquaintance with him was of very short duration, I did +not hesitate to recommend him strongly to my friend Captain Sturt, as +likely to be a willing and useful assistant. The following report from +Captain Sturt, dated from Laidley's Ponds, will best shew how far I was +justified in expecting that a friendly intercourse might be maintained +even with the Darling natives, and to what distance the influence of the +Government station at Moorunde had extended, upon the conciliatory system +that had been adopted, limited though it was by an inadequacy of funds to +provide for such a more extended and liberal treatment of the Aborigines +as I should wish to have adopted. + + +"Sir,--Feeling assured that the Governor would be anxious to hear from me +as soon as possible after the receipt of my letters from Lake Victoria, I +should have taken the earliest opportunity of forwarding despatches to +his Excellency after I had ascertained whether the reports I had heard of +the massacre of a party of overlanders at the lagoons on the Darling was +founded in fact or not; but having been obliged to cross over from the +ana-branch of the Darling to that river itself for water,--and its +unlooked-for course having taken me greatly to the eastward, I had no +opportunity by which to send to Moorunde, although I was most anxious to +allay any apprehensions my former letter might have raised as to the +safety of my party. I tried to induce several natives to be the bearers +of my despatches, but they seemed unwilling to undertake so long a +journey; the arrival, therefore, of a messenger from Moorunde was a most +welcome occurrence, as he proposes returning to that place immediately, +and will be the bearer of this communication to you. + +"In continuing, for his Excellency's information, the detail of the +proceedings of the expedition under my orders since I last addressed you, +I have the honour to state that I had advanced a considerable way up the +Darling before I ascertained satisfactorily the true grounds of the +report I had heard at Lake Victoria, and was enabled to dismiss all +further anxiety on the subject from my mind. + +"It referred to the affray which took place on the Darling, opposite to +Laidley's Ponds, between Major Mitchell and the natives; and I conclude +that the circumstance of our being about to proceed to the same place, +recalled a transaction which had occurred eight years ago to their minds; +for we can trace a connection between the story we heard at the Lake, and +what we have heard upon the spot; but all the circumstances were at first +told to us with such minuteness, that coupling them with the character +Major Mitchell has given of the Darling natives, and the generally +received opinion of their ferocity and daring, we could hardly refuse +giving a certain degree of credit to what we heard; more especially as it +was once or twice confirmed by natives with whom we communicated on our +way up the river. I really feared we should come into collision with +these people, despite my reluctance to proceed to extremities; but it +will be satisfactory to his Excellency, as I trust it will to Lord +Stanley, to know that we have passed up the Darling on the most friendly +terms with the native tribes, insomuch that I may venture to hope that +our intercourse with them will be productive of much good. So far from +the show of any hostility, they may have invariably approached us +unarmed, nor have we seen a weapon in the hands of a native since we +touched upon the river. THEY HAVE CONSTANTLY SLEPT AT OUR FIRES, AND +SHEWN BY THEIR MANNER THAT THEY HAD EVERY CONFIDENCE IN US, BRINGING +THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN TO THE CAMP, NOR AT ANY TIME GIVING US THE LEAST +ANNOYANCE, BUT ALWAYS SHEWING A WILLINGNESS TO SAVE US TROUBLE, AND TO DO +WHATEVER WE DESIRED THEM TO DO. NOTHING INDEED COULD HAVE BEEN MORE +SATISFACTORY TO US THAN OUR INTERCOURSE WITH THESE POOR PEOPLE, OR MORE +AMUSING THAN THE SPIRITS AND FEELINGS TO WHICH THEY HAVE GIVEN WAY BEFORE +US, WHEN UNCONTROLLED BY FEAR. MANY INDEED HAVE CONTINUED WITH US FOR +SOME TIME, AND HAVE EVINCED SINCERE AND MARKED SORROW AT LEAVING US. I +have made it a rule to give blankets to the old and infirm, and tomahawks +and knives to the young men, and they perfectly understand the reason of +this distinction. Finding too, that they consider kangaroos as their own +property, we have almost invariably given them all the animals the dogs +have killed, and have endeavoured to convince them that we wish to be +just, and have the kindest feelings toward them. In this humane duty I +have been most cordially assisted both by Mr. Poole and Mr. Browne, and I +must add, by the conduct of my men towards the natives, which reflects +very great credit upon them. WE HAVE RECEIVED VERY GREAT ASSISTANCE FROM +OUR GUIDES, WHO HAVE ALWAYS SMOOTHED THE WAY TO OUR COMMUNICATION WITH +THE DIFFERENT TRIBES; and I have earnestly to recommend Nadbuck, who has +accompanied us from Moorunde to this place, to the favour of the +Governor, and to request that he may be rewarded in such manner as his +Excellency thinks fit, from the funds of the expedition. We find that Mr. +Eyre's influence has extended to this place, and that he is considered in +the highest light by all the natives along the Darling. In their physical +condition they are inferior to the natives of the Murray in size and +strength, but we have seen many very handsome men, and, although +diminutive in stature, exceedingly well proportioned. The tribe at +Williorara, Laidley's Ponds, numbers about eighty souls; the greater +proportion women and children. One of them, Topar, accompanies us to the +hills with another native, Toonda, who has been with us since we left +Lake Victoria, and who is a native of this tribe. He is a very singular +and remarkable man, and is rather aged, but still sinewy and active; +Topar is young, and handsome, active, intelligent, and exceedingly good +natured;--with them I hope we shall be able to keep up our friendly +relations with the natives of the interior. + +"I have to request that you will thank his Excellency for the prompt +assistance he would have afforded us; but I am sure it will be as +gratifying to him as it is to us to know that it is not required. + +"As I reported to you in my letter of the 17th of September, I left Lake +Victoria on the following day, and crossing the country in a +south-easterly direction, reached the Murray after a journey of about +fifteen miles, over plains, and encamped on a peninsula formed by the +river and a lagoon, and on which there was abundance of feed. We had +observed numerous tracks of wild cattle leading from the brush across the +plains to the river, and at night our camp was surrounded by them. I +hoped, therefore, that if I sent out a party in the morning. I should +secure two or three working bullocks, and I accordingly detached Mr. +Poole and Mr. Browne, with Flood, my stockman, and Mack, to run them in; +but the brush was too thick, and in galloping after a fine bull, Flood's +carbine went off, and carried away and broke three of the fingers of his +right hand. This unfortunate accident obliged me to remain stationary for +a day; but we reached the junction of the ana-branch of the Darling with +the Murray, on the 23rd, and then turned for the first time to the +northward. + +"We found the ana-branch filled by the back waters of the Murray, and ran +up it for two days, when the water in it ceased, and we were obliged to +cross over to the Darling, which we struck on an east course, about +eighteen miles above its junction with the Murray. It had scarcely any +water in its bed, and no perceptible current--but its neighbourhood was +green and grassy, and its whole aspect pleasing. On the 27th, we thought +we perceived a stronger current in the river, and observed small sticks +and grass floating on the water, and we were consequently led to believe +that there was a fresh in it; and as we had had rain, and saw that the +clouds hung on the mountains behind us, we were in hopes the supply the +river was receiving came from Laidley's Ponds. On the following morning +the waters of the Darling were half-bank high, and from an insignificant +stream it was at once converted into a broad and noble river, sweeping +everything away on its turbid waters at the rate of these or four miles +an hour. The river still continues to rise, and is fast filling the +creeks and lagoons on either side of it. The cattle enjoy the most +luxuriant feed on the banks of the river--there being abundance of grass +also in the flats, which far surpass those of the Murray both in richness +of soil, and in extent. I cannot but consider the river as a most +valuable feature of the interior: many a rich and valuable farm might be +established upon it. Its seasons appear to be particularly favourable, +for we have had gentle rains ever since we came upon it. Its periodical +flooding is also at a most favourable period of the year, and its waters +are so muddy that the deposit must be rich, and would facilitate the +growth of many of the inter-tropical productions, as cotton, indigo--the +native indigo growing to the height of three feet--maize, or flax; +whilst, if an available country is found in the interior, the Darling +must be the great channel of communication to it. The country behind the +flats is sandy and barren, but it would in many places support a certain +number of stock, and might be found to be of more value than appearances +would justify me in stating, and I would beg to be understood, in +speaking of the Darling, that I only speak of it as I have seen it. The +summer sun probably parches up the vegetation and unclothes the soil; but +such is the effect of summer heat in all similar latitudes, and that spot +should be considered the most valuable where the effect of solar heat can +be best counteracted by natural or artificial means. I had hoped, as I +have stated, that the Darling was receiving its accession of waters from +the Williorara (Laidley's Ponds); but on arriving on its banks we were +sadly disappointed to find, instead of a mountain stream, a creek only +connects the river with Cowandillah Lake; instead of supplying the +Darling with water it was robbing it, and there was scarcely a blade of +vegetation on its banks. I was, therefore, obliged to return to the +Darling, and to encamp until such time as I should determine on our next +movement. From some hills above the camp, we had a view of some ranges to +the north-west and north, and I detached Mr. Poole on the 4th to +ascertain the nature of the country between us and them, before I +ventured to remove the party; more especially as the natives told us the +interior beyond the ranges was perfectly impracticable. This morning Mr. +Poole returned, and informed me that, from the top of the ranges he +ascended, he had a view of distant ranges to the north and north-west, as +far as he could see; that from south-west to west to 13 degrees east of +north, there was water extending, amidst which there were numerous +islands; that there was a very distant high peak, which appeared to be +surrounded by water, which shewed as a dark blue line along the horizon. +The country between him and the more distant ranges appeared to be level, +and was similar in aspect to the plains we had traversed when approaching +the hills, which were covered with spear grass, a grass of which the +animals are fond, and thin green shrubs. + +"I will not venture a conjecture as to the nature of the country whose +features have been thus partially developed to us. How far these waters +may stretch, and what the character of the ranges is, it is impossible to +say, but that there is a good country at no great distance, I have every +reason to hope. Mr. Poole states that the small scolloped parroquets +passed over his head from the north-west in thousands; and he observed +many new birds. I am therefore led to hope, that, as these first are +evidently strong on the wing on their arrival here, that the lands from +which they come are not very remote from us. So soon as I shall have +verified my position in a satisfactory manner,--which a clouded sky has +hitherto prevented my doing,--we shall move to the ranges, and leaving my +drays in a safe place, shall proceed with the horse teams to a closer +examination of the country, and, if I should find an open sea to +north-west, shall embark upon it with an ample supply of provisions and +water, and coast it round. The reports of the fine interior, which we +have heard from the natives, are so contradictory, that it is impossible +to place any reliance in them; but Toonda informs us that the water Mr. +Poole has seen is fresh--but as we are not more than two hundred and +fifteen feet above the sea, and are so near Lake Torrens, I can hardly +believe that such can be the case. It is a problem, however, that will +now very soon be solved, and I most sincerely trust this decided change +in the barrenness of the land will lead us to a rich and available +country. + +"I have great pleasure in reporting to you the continued zeal and anxiety +of my officers, and the cheerful assistance they render me. I have found +Mr. Piesse of great value, from his regular and cautious issue of the +stores and provisions; and Mr. Stewart extremely useful as draftsman. +Amongst my men, I have to particularise Robert Flood, my stockman, whose +attention to the horses and cattle has mainly insured their fitness for +service and good condition; and I have every reason to feel satisfied +with the manner in which the men generally perform their duties. + +"I have to apologize for the hurried manner in which this letter is +written, and beg to subscribe myself, + +"Sir, your most obedient servant, + +"CHARLES STURT." + + +With reference to the above report, I may mention in explanation, that, +after I had accompanied the exploring party as far as the Rufus, and +returned from thence to Moorunde, a rumour was brought to Captain Sturt +by some natives from the Darling, of a massacre said to have taken place +up that river near Laidley's Ponds. From being quite unacquainted with +the language not only of the Darling natives, but also of the Rufus +interpreter or the Moorunde boy, Captain Sturt's party had been only able +to make out the story that was told to them by signs or by the aid of +such few words of English as the boy might have learnt at Moorunde. They +had naturally fallen into some error, and had imagined the natives to be +describing the recent murder of a European party coming down the Darling +with stock, instead of their narrating, as was in reality the case, an +old story of the affray with Major Mitchell some years before. As Captain +Sturt was still at the Rufus (150 miles from Moorunde) when he received +the account, as he imagined, of so sanguinary an affray, he felt anxious +to communicate the occurrence to the Colonial Government as early as +possible, and for this purpose, induced two natives to bring down +despatches to Moorunde. Upon their arrival there, the policeman was +absent in town, and I had no means of sending in the letters to the +Government, but by natives. Two undertook the task, and walked from +Moorunde to Adelaide with the letters, and brought answers back again to +the station within five days, having walked 170 miles in that period, +Moorunde being 85 miles from Adelaide. + +Again upon the Government wishing to communicate with Captain Sturt, +letters were taken by the natives up to the Rufus, delivered over to +other natives there, and by them carried onwards to Captain Sturt, +reaching that gentleman on the eleventh day after they been sent from +Moorunde, at Laidley's Ponds, a distance of 300 miles. + +By this means a regular intercourse was kept up with the exploring party, +entirely through the aid and good feeling of the natives, up to the time +I left the colony, in December, 1844, when messengers who had been sent +up with despatches were daily expected back with answers. For their very +laborious and harassing journeys, during which they must suffer both some +degree of risk in passing through so many other tribes on their line of +route, and of hunger and other privations in prosecuting them, the +messengers are but ill requited; the good feeling they displayed, or the +fatigues they went through, being recompensed only by the present of a +SMALL BLANKET AND A FEW POUNDS OF FLOUR. With these facts before us can +we say that these natives are a ferocious, irreclaimable set of savages, +and destitute of all the better attributes of humanity? yet are they +often so maligned. The very natives, who have now acted in such a +friendly manner, and rendered such important services to Europeans, are +the SAME NATIVES who were engaged in the plundering of their property, +and taking away their lives when coming over land with stock. Such is the +change which has been effected by kindness and conciliation instead of +aggression and injury; and such, I think, I may in fairness argue, would +generally be the result if SIMILAR MEANS were more frequently resorted +to. + +As yet Moorunde is the only place where the experiment has been made of +assembling the natives and giving food to them; but as far as it has been +tried, it has been proved to be eminently successful. I am aware that the +system is highly disapproved of by many of the colonists, and the general +feeling among them appears to be that nothing should be given where +nothing is received, or in other words, that a native should never have +any thing given to him until he does some work for it. I still maintain +that the native has a right to expect, and that we are IN JUSTICE BOUND +to supply him with food in any of those parts of the country that we +occupy, and to do this, too, WITHOUT demanding or requiring any other +consideration from him than we have ALREADY received when we TOOK FROM +HIM his possessions and his hunting grounds. It may be all very proper to +get him to work a little if we can--and, perhaps, that MIGHT follow in +time, but we have no right to force him to a labour he is unused to, and +WHICH HE NEVER HAD TO PERFORM IN HIS NATURAL STATE, whilst we have a +right to supply him with what he has been accustomed to, BUT OF WHICH WE +HAD DEPRIVED HIM--FOOD. + +If in our relations with the Aborigines we wish to preserve a friendly +and bloodless intercourse; if we wish to have their children at our +schools to be taught and educated; if we hope to bring the parents into a +state that will better adapt them for the reception of christianity and +civilization; or if we care about staying the rapid and lamentable +ravages which a contact with us is causing among their tribes, we must +endeavour to do so, by removing, as far as possible, all sources of +irritation, discontent, or suffering. We must adopt a system which may at +once administer to their wants, and at the same time, give to us a +controlling influence over them; such as may not only restrain them from +doing what is wrong, but may eventually lead them to do what is right--an +influence which I feel assured would be but the stronger and more lasting +from its being founded upon acts of justice and humanity. It is upon +these principles that I have based the few suggestions I am going to +offer for the improvement of our policy towards the natives. I know that +by many they will be looked upon as chimerical or impracticable, and I +fear that more will begrudge the means necessary to carry them into +effect; but unless something of the kind be done--unless some great and +radical change be effected, and some little compensation made for the +wrongs and injuries we inflict--I feel thoroughly satisfied that all we +are doing is but time and money lost, that all our efforts on behalf of +the natives are but idle words--voces et preterea nihil--that things will +still go on as they have been going on, and that ten years hence we shall +have made no more progress either in civilizing or in christianizing them +than we had done ten years ago, whilst every day and every hour is +tending to bring about their certain and total extinction. + + +SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE ABORIGINES. + +1st. It appears that the most important point, in fact almost the only +essential one, in the first instance, is to gain such an influence or +authority over the Aborigines as may be sufficient to enable us to induce +them to adopt, or submit to any regulations that we make for their +improvement, and that to effect this, the means must be suited to their +circumtances and habits. + +2ndly. It is desirable that the means employed should have a tendency to +restrain their wandering habits, and thus gradually induce them to locate +permanently in one place. + +3rdly. It is important that the plan should be of such a nature as to +become more binding in its influence in proportion to the length of time +it is in operation. + +4thly. It should hold out strong inducements to the parents, willingly to +allow their children to go to, and remain at the schools. + +5thly. It should be such as would operate, in some degree, in weaning the +natives from towns or populous districts. + +6thly. It should offer some provision for the future career of the +children upon their leaving school, and its tendency should be of such a +character as to diminish, as far as practicable, the attractions of a +savage life. + +7thly. It is highly important that the system adopted should be such as +would add to the security and protection of the settlers, and thereby +induce their assistance and co-operation, instead, as has too often been +the case hitherto with past measures, of exciting a feeling of irritation +and dislike between the two races. + +I believe that all these objects might be accomplished, in a great +degree, by distributing food regularly to all the natives, in their +respective districts. + +[Note 111: The whole of my remarks on the Aborigines having been hurriedly +compiled, on board ship, during the voyage from Australia, it was not +until my arrival in England that I became aware that a plan somewhat +similar to this in principle, was submitted to Lord John Russell by a Mr. +J. H. Wedge, and was sent out to the colony of New South Wales, to be +reported upon by the authorities. I quote the following extract from Mr. +La Trobe's Remarks on Mr. Wedge's letter, as shewing an opinion differing +from my own (Parliamentary Papers, p. 130). "With reference to the supply +of food and clothing, it has not been hitherto deemed advisable to +furnish them indiscriminately to all natives visiting the homesteads. In +one case, that of the Western Port District, the assistant protector has +urged that this should be the case; but I have not felt myself +sufficiently convinced of the policy or expediency of such measure to +bring it under his Excellency's notice."] + +I have previously shewn, that from the injuries the natives sustain at +our hands, in a deprivation of their usual means of subsistence, and a +banishment from their homes and possessions, there is at present no +alternative for them but to remain the abject and degraded creatures they +are, begging about from house to house, or from station to station, to +procure food, insulted and despised by all, and occasionally tempted or +driven to commit crimes for which a fearful penalty is enacted, if +brought home to them. I have given instances of the extent to which the +evils resulting from the anomalous state of our relations with them are +aggravated by the kind of feeling which circumstances engender on the +part of the Colonists towards them. I have pointed out the tendency of +their own habits and customs, to prevent them from rising in the scale of +improvement, until we can acquire an influence sufficient to counteract +these practices; and I have shewn that thus situated, oppressed, +helpless, and starving, we cannot expect they should make much progress +in civilization, or pay great regard to our instructions, when they see +that we do not practice what we recommend, and that we have one law for +ourselves and another for them. The good results that have been produced +when an opposite and more liberal system has been adopted (limited as +that system was) has also been stated. It is only fair to assume, +therefore, that these beneficial effects may be expected to accrue in an +increasing ratio in proportion to our liberality and humanity. + +My own conviction is, that by adopting the system I recommend, an almost +unlimited influence might be acquired over the native population. I +believe that the supplying them with food would gradually bring about the +abandonment of their wandering habits, in proportion to the frequency of +the issue, that the longer they were thus dependent upon us for their +resources, the more binding our authority would be; that when they no +longer required their children to assist them in the chase or in war, +they would willingly allow them to remain at our schools; that by only +supplying food to natives in their own districts they would, in some +measure, be weaned from the towns; that by restraining the wandering +habits of the parents in this way, there would be fewer charms and less +temptation to the children to relapse from a comparative state of +civilization into one of barbarism again; and that, by supplying the +wants of the natives, and taking away all inducements to crime, a +security and protection would be afforded to the settlers which do not +now exist, and which, under the present system, can never be expected, +until the former have almost disappeared before their oppressors. + +Many subordinate arrangements would be necessary to bring the plan into +complete operation, and from its general character it could not, perhaps, +be carried out every where at once, but if such arrangements were made, +only in a few districts every year, much would be done towards eventually +accomplishing the ends desired. + +At Moorunde flour was only regularly issued once in the month, but that +is not often enough to attain the full advantages of the system, still +less to remedy the evils the natives are subject to, or restrain their +wandering propensities. Upon the Murray the natives are peculiarly +situated, and have greater facilities for obtaining their natural food +than in any other part of the country. They were consequently in a +position more favourable for making an experiment upon, than those of the +inland districts, where a native is often obliged to wander over many +miles of ground for his day's subsistence, and where large tribes cannot +remain long congregated at the same place. In these it would therefore be +necessary to make the issues of food much more frequently, and I would +proportion this frequency to the state of each district with regard to +the number of Europeans, and stock in it; and the facility there might be +for procuring native food. On the borders of the colony, where the +natives are less hemmed in, the issue might take place once every +fortnight, gradually increasing the number of the issues in approaching +towards Adelaide as a centre. At the latter, and in many other of the +districts where the country is thoroughly occupied by Europeans, it would +be necessary, as it would only be just, to supply the natives with food +daily, and I would extend this arrangement gradually to all the +districts, as funds could be obtained for that purpose. It is possible +that if means at the same time were afforded of teaching them industrial +pursuits, a proportion of the food required might eventually be raised by +themselves, but it would not be prudent to calculate upon any such +resources at first. + +Having now explained what I consider the first and most important +principle, to be observed in all systems devised for the amelioration of +the Aborigines, viz. that of endeavouring to adapt the means employed to +the acquisition of a strong controlling influence over them, and having +shewn how I think this might best be obtained, I may proceed to mention a +few collateral regulations, which would be very essential to the +effective working of the system proposed. + +First. It would be necessary for the sake of perspicuity to suppose the +country divided into districts, agreeing as nearly as could be +ascertained with the boundaries of the respectives tribes. In these +districts a section or two of land, well supplied with wood and water, +should be chosen for the Aborigines; such lands, if possible, to be +centrically situated with regard to the tribes intended to assemble +there, but always having reference to their favourite places of resort, +or to such as would afford the greatest facilities for procuring their +natural food. I do not apprehend that these stations need be very +numerous at first: for the whole colony of South Australia nine or ten +would probably be sufficient at present; thus stations such as I have +described, at Adelaide, Encounter Bay, The Coorong, Moorunde, the Hutt +River, Mount Bryant, Mount Remarkable, and Port Lincoln would embrace +most of the tribes of Aborigines at present in contact with the settlers; +others could be added, or these altered, as might be thought desirable or +convenient. + +Secondly. In order to carry due weight when first established, and until +the natives get well acquainted with Europeans and their customs, it +would be essential that each station should be supported by two or more +policemen. These might afterwards be reduced in number, or withdrawn, +according to the state of the district. + +[Note 112: "It is absolutely necessary, for the cause of humanity and good +order, that such force should exist; for as long as distant settlers +are left unprotected, and are compelled to take care of and avenge +themselves, so long must great barbarities necessarily be committed, +and the only way to prevent great crimes on the part of the natives, +and massacres of these poor creatures, as the punishment of such crimes, +is to check and punish their excesses in their infancy; it is only after +becoming emboldened by frequent petty successes that they have hitherto +committed those crimes, which have drawn down so fearful a vengeance upon +them."--GREY, vol ii. p. 379.] + +Under any circumstances a police is necessary in all the country +districts, nor do I think on the whole, many more policemen would be +required than there are at out-stations at present. They would only have +to be quartered at the native establishments. + +Thirdly. It would be absolutely requisite to have experienced and proper +persons in charge of each of the locations; as far as practicable, it +would undoubtedly be the most desirable to have these establishments +under missionaries. In other cases they might be confided to the +protectors of the Aborigines, and to the resident or police magistrates. +All officers having such charge should be deemed ex-officio to be +protectors, and as many should be in the commission of the peace as +possible. + +Many other necessary and salutary regulations, would naturally occur in +so comprehensive a scheme, but as these belong more to the detail of the +system, it may be desirable to allude only to a few of the most +important. + +It would be desirable to keep registers at all the stations, containing +lists of the natives frequenting them, their names, and that of the tribe +they belong to. + +Natives should not be allowed to leave their own districts, to go to +Adelaide, or other large towns, unless under passes from their respective +protectors, and if found in Adelaide without them, should be taken up by +the police and slightly punished. + +[Note 113: Natives, from a distance, are in the habit of going at certain +times of the year into Adelaide, and remaining three or four months at a +time. They are said by Europeans to plunder stations on the line of route +backwards and forwards, and to threaten, and intimidate women and +children living in isolated houses near the town. There is no doubt but +that they have sometimes driven away the natives properly belonging to +Adelaide, and have been the means, by their presence, of a great decrease +in the attendance of the children of the Adelaide tribes at the school. +The protector has more than once been obliged to make official +representations on this subject, and to request that measures might be +taken to keep them away.] + +Deaths, Births, and Marriages, should be duly registered, and a gratuity +given on every such occasion, to ensure the regulation being attended to. + +Rewards should be given, (as an occasional present, of a blanket for +instance), to such parents as allowed their children to go to and remain +at school during the year. + +Rewards should be bestowed for delivering up offenders, or for rendering +any other service to the Government. + +Light work should be offered to such as could be induced to undertake it, +and rewards, as clothing, or the like, should be paid in proportion to +the value of the work done, and BEYOND THE MERE PROVIDING THEM with food. + +Gifts might also be made to those parents, who consented to give up the +performance of any of their savage or barbarous ceremonies upon their +children. + +Young men should be encouraged to engage themselves in the service of +settlers, as shepherds or stockkeepers, and the masters should be induced +to remunerate their services more adequately than they usually do. + +The elder natives should be led as far as could be, to make articles of +native industry for sale, as baskets, mats, weapons, implements, nets, +etc., these might be sent to Adelaide and sold periodically for their +benefit. + +Such and many other similar regulations, would appear to be advantageous, +and might be adopted or altered from time to time, as it should be deemed +desirable. + +Upon the subject of schools for the native children, it appears that much +benefit would be derived from having them as far separated as possible +from other natives, and that the following, among others, would be +improvements upon the plans in present use. + +1st. That the school buildings should be of such size and arrangement, as +to admit of all the scholars being lodged as well as boarded, and of the +boys and girls having different sleeping rooms. + +2ndly. That the schools should have a sufficiency of ground properly +enclosed around them, for the play-grounds, and that no other natives +than the scholars should be admitted within those precincts, except in +the presence of the master, when relatives come to see each other; but +that on no account should any natives be permitted to encamp or sleep +within the school grounds. + +3rdly. That the children should not be allowed or encouraged to roam +about the towns, begging, or to ramble for any purpose outside their +boundaries, where they are likely to come under the influence of the +other natives. This is particularly necessary with respect to girls, +indeed the latter should never be allowed to be absent from school at +all, by themselves. + +4thly. To compensate in some degree, for what may at first appear to them +an irksome or repulsive restraint, playthings should occasionally be +provided for those children who have behaved well, and all innocent +amusement be encouraged, and as often as might be convenient, the master +should accompany his scholars out into the country for recreation, or +through the town, or such other public places, as might be objects of +interest or curiosity. + +5thly. That a stimulus to exertion, should be excited by prizes, being +given to children distinguishing themselves at certain stages of their +progress, such as a superior article of dress, a toy, or book, or +whatever might be best adapted to the age or disposition of the child. + +6thly. That parents should never be allowed to withdraw the children, +contrary to their wishes, after having once consented to allow them to +remain there. + +7thly. That children of both sexes, after having received a proper degree +of instruction, and having attained a certain age, should be bound out as +apprentices for a limited term of years, to such as were willing to +receive them, proper provision being made for their being taught some +useful occupation, and being well treated. + +8thly. Encouragement should be offered to those who have been brought up +at the schools to marry together when their apprenticeships are out, and +portions of land should be preserved for them and assistance given them +in establishing themselves in life. At first perhaps it might be +advisable to have these settlements in the form of a village and +adjoining the school grounds, so that the young people might still +receive the advantage of the advice or religious instruction of the +missionaries or such ministers as attended to this duty at the schools. + +9thly. The children should be taught exclusively in the English language +and on Sundays should always attend divine service at some place of +public worship, accompanied by their masters. + +In carrying into effect the above or any other regulations which might be +found necessary for the welfare and improvement of the children. I +believe that a sufficient degree of influence would be acquired over the +parents by the system of supplying them with food, which I have +recommended to induce a cheerful consent, but it would be only prudent to +have a legislative enactment on the subject, that by placing the +school-children under the guardianship of the protectors, they might be +protected from the influence or power of their relatives; after these had +once fully consented to their being sent to school to be educated. + +[Note 114: "The best chance of preserving the unfortunate race of New +Holland lies in the means employed for training their children: the +education given to such children should consist in a very small part of +reading and writing. Oral instruction in the fundamental truths of the +Christian religion will be given by the missionaries themselves. The +children should be taught early; the boys to dig and plough, and the +trades of shoemakers, tailors, carpenters and masons; the girls to sew and +cook and wash linen, and keep clean the rooms and furniture. The more +promising of these children might be placed, by a law to be framed for +this purpose, under the guardianship of the Governor and placed by him at +a school, or in apprenticeship, in the more settled parts of the colony. +Thus early trained, the capacity of the race for the duties and +employments of civilized life would be fairly developed."--Letter from +Lord John Russell to Sir G. Gipps; Parliamentary Report on +Aborigines, p. 74.] + +There is yet another point to be considered with respect to the +Aborigines, and upon the equitable adjustment of which hinges all our +relations with this people, whilst upon it depends entirely our power of +enforcing any laws or regulations we may make with respect to them, I +allude to the law of evidence as it at present stands with respect to +persons incompetent to give testimony upon oath. + +It is true that in South Australia an act has very recently passed the +legislative council to legalize the unsworn testimony of natives in a +court of justice, but in that act there occurs a clause which completely +neutralizes the boon it was intended to grant, and which is as follows, +"Provided that no person, whether an Aboriginal or other, SHALL BE +CONVICTED OF ANY OFFENCE by any justice or jury upon the SOLE TESTIMONY +of any such uncivilized persons." 7 and 8 Victoria, section 5. + +Here then we find that if a native were ill-treated or shot by an +European, and the whole tribe able to bear witness to the fact, no +conviction and no punishment could ensue: let us suppose that in an +attempt to maltreat the native, the European should be wounded or injured +by him, and that the European has the native brought up and tried for a +murderous attack upon him, how would it fare with the poor native? the +oath of the white man would overpower any exculpatory unsworn testimony +that the native could bring, and his conviction and punishment would be +(as they have been before) certain and severe. + +Without attempting to assign a degree of credence to the testimony of a +native beyond what it deserves, I will leave it to those who are +acquainted with Colonies, and the value of an oath among the generality +of storekeepers and shepherds, to say how far their SWORN evidence is, in +a moral point of view, more to be depended upon than the unsworn parole +of the native. I would ask too, how often it occurs that injuries upon +the Aborigines are committed by Europeans in the presence of those +competent to give a CONVICTING TESTIMONY, (unless where all, being +equally guilty, are for their own sakes mutually averse to let the truth +be known)? or how often even such aggressions take place under +circumstances which admit of circumstantial evidence being obtained to +corroborate native testimony? + +Neither is it in the giving of evidence alone, that the native stands at +a disadvantage as compared with a white man. His case, whether as +prosecutor or defendant, is tried before a jury of another nation whose +interests are opposed to his, and whose prejudices are often very strong +against him. + +I cannot illustrate the position in which he is placed, more forcibly, +than by quoting Captain Grey's remarks, vol. ii. p. 381, where he says:-- + + +"It must also be borne in mind, that the natives are not tried by a jury +of their peers, but by a jury having interests directly opposed to their +own, and who can scarcely avoid being in some degree prejudiced against +native offenders." + + +The opinion of Judge Willis upon this point may be gathered from the +following extract, from an address to a native of New South Wales, when +passing sentence of death upon him:-- + + +"The principle upon which this court has acted in the embarrassing +collisions which have too frequently arisen between the Aborigines and +the white Europeans, has been one of reciprocity and mutual protection. +On the one hand, the white man when detected (WHICH I FEAR SELDOM +HAPPENS), has been justly visited with the rigour of the law, for +aggressions on the helpless savages; and, on the other, the latter has +been accountable for outrages upon his white brethren. As between the +Aborigines themselves, the court has never interfered, for obvious +reasons. Doubtless, in applying the law of a civilized nation to the +condition of a wild savage, innumerable difficulties must occur. The +distance in the scale of humanity between the wandering, houseless man of +the woods, and the civilized European, is immeasurable! FOR PROTECTION, +AND FOR RESPONSIBILITY IN HIS RELATION TO THE WHITE MAN THE BLACK IS +REGARDED AS A BRITISH SUBJECT. In theory, this sounds just and +reasonable; but in practice, how incongruous becomes its application! As +a British subject, he is presumed to know the laws, for the infraction of +which he is held accountable, and yet he is shut out from the advantage +of its protection when brought to the test of responsibility. As a +British subject, he is entitled to be tried by his PEERS. Who are the +peers of the black man? Are those, of whose laws, customs, language, and +religion, he is wholly ignorant--nay, whose very complexion is at +variance with his own--HIS peers? He is tried in his native land by a +race new to him, and by laws of which he knows nothing. Had you, unhappy +man! had the good fortune to be born a Frenchman, or had been a native of +any other country but your own, the law of England would have allowed you +to demand a trial by half foreigners and half Englishmen. But, by your +lot being the lowest, as is assumed, in the scale of humanity, you are +inevitably placed on a footing of fearful odds, when brought into the +sacred temple of British justice. Without a jury of your own +countrymen--without the power of making adequate defence, by speech or +witness--you are to stand the pressure of every thing that can be alleged +against you, and your only chance of escape is, not the strength of your +own, but the weakness of your adversary's case. Surrounded as your trial +was with difficulties, everything, I believe, was done that could be done +to place your case in a proper light before the jury. They have come to a +conclusion satisfactory, no doubt, to their consciences. Whatever might +be the disadvantages under which you laboured, they were convinced, as I +am, that you destroyed the life of Dillon; and as there was nothing +proved to rebut the presumption, of English law, arising from the fact of +homicide being committed by you, they were constrained to find you guilty +of murder. There may have been circumstances, if they could have been +proved, which would have given a different complexion to the case from +that of the dying declaration of the deceased, communicated to the Court +through the frail memory of two witnesses, who varied in their relation +of his account of the transaction. This declaration, so taken, was to be +regarded as if taken on oath, face to face with your accuser; and, +although you had not the opportunity of being present at it, and of +cross-examining the dying man, yet by law it was receivable against you." + + +In vol. ii. p 380, Captain Grey says:-- + + +"I have been a personal witness to a case in which a native was most +undeservedly punished, from the circumstance of the natives, who were the +only persons who could speak as to certain exculpatory facts, not being +permitted to give their evidence." + + +Under the law lately passed in South Australia, the evidence of natives +would be receivable in a case of this kind, in palliation of the offence. +Although it is more than questionable how far such evidence would weigh +against the white man's oath; but for the purpose of obtaining redress +for a wrong, or of punishing the cruelty, or the atrocity of the European +[Note 115 at end of para.], no amount of native evidence would be of the +least avail. Reverse the case, and the sole unsupported testimony of a +single witness, will be quite sufficient to convict even unto death, as +has lately been the case in two instances connected with Port Lincoln, +where the natives have been tried at different times for murder, +convicted, and two of them hung, upon the testimony of one old man, who +was the only survivor left among the Europeans, but who, from the natural +state of alarm and confusion in which he must have been upon being +attacked, and from the severe wounds he received, could not have been in +an advantageous position, for observing, or remarking the identity of the +actual murderers, among natives, who, even under more favourable +circumstances are not easily recognizable upon a hasty view, and still +less so, if either they, or the observer, are in a state of excitement at +the time. Is it possible for the natives to be blind to the unequal +measure of justice, which is thus dealt out, and which will still continue +to be so as long as the law remains unchanged? + +[Note 115: Governor Hutt remarks, in addressing Lord Glenelg on this +subject:--"In furtherance of the truth of these remarks, I would request +your Lordship particularly to observe, that here is one class of Her +Majesty's subjects, who are DEBARRED A TRUE AND FAIR TRIAL BY JURY, +whose evidence is inadmissible in a court of justice, and who consequently +may be the victims of any of the most outrageous cruelty and violence, +and yet be UNABLE, FROM THE FORMS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW, to obtain +redress, and whose quarrels, ending sometimes in bloodshed and death, +it is unjust, as well as inexpedient, to interfere with. + +"A jury ought to be composed of a man's own peers. Europeans, in the case +of a native criminal, cannot either in their habits or sympathies be +regarded as such, and his countrymen are incapable of understanding or +taking upon themselves the office of juror."] + +I have no wish to give the native evidence a higher character than it +deserves, but I think that it ought not to be rendered unavailable in a +prosecution; the degree of weight or credibility to be attached to it, +might be left to the court taking cognizance of the case, but if it is +consistent and probable, I see no reason why it should not be as strong a +safeguard to the black man from injury and oppression, as the white man's +oath is to him. There are many occasions on which the testimony of +natives may be implicitly believed, and which are readily distinguishable +by those who have had much intercourse with this people--unaccustomed to +the intricacies of untruth, they know not that they must be consistent to +deceive, and it is therefore rarely difficult to tell when a native is +prevaricating. + +Among the natives themselves, the evil effects resulting from the +inability of their evidence to produce a conviction are still more +apparent and injurious. [Note 116 at end of para.] It has already been +shewn how highly important it is to prevent the elders from exercising +an arbitrary and cruel authority over the young and the weak, and how +necessary that the latter should feel themselves quite secure from +the vengeance of the former, when endeavouring to throw off the +trammels of custom and prejudice, and by embracing our habits and +pursuits, making an effort to rise in the scale of moral and physical +improvement. Whatever alteration therefore we may make in our system +for the better, or however anxious we may be for the welfare and the +improvement of the Aborigines, we may rest well assured that our +efforts are but thrown away, as long as the natives are permitted +with impunity to exercise their cruel or degrading customs upon +each other, unchecked and unpunished. We may feel equally certain that +these oppressions and barbarities can never be checked or punished but by +means of their own unsupported testimony against each other, and until +this can be legally received, and made available for that purpose, there +is no hope of any lasting or permanent good being accomplished. + +[Note 116: Upon the inability of natives to give evidence in a court of +justice, Mr. Chief Protector Robinson remarks, in a letter to His Honour, +the Superintendent of Port Phillip, dated May, 1843--"The legal +disabilities of the natives have been a serious obstacle to their civil +protection; and I feel it my duty, whilst on this subject, respectfully to +bring under notice the necessity that still exists for some suitable +system of judicature for the governance and better protection of the +aboriginal races. 'As far as personal influence went, the aboriginal +natives have been protected from acts of injustice, cruelty, and +oppression; and their wants, wishes, and grievances have been faithfully +represented to the Government of the colony,' and this, under the +circumstances, was all that could possibly be effected. There is, +however, reason to fear that the destruction of the aboriginal natives +has been accelerated from the known fact of their being incapacitated +to give evidence in our courts of law. I have frequently had to deplore, +when applied to by the Aborigines for justice in cases of aggression +committed on them by white men, or by those of their own race, my +inability to do so in consequence of their legal incapacity to give +evidence. It were unreasonable, therefore, under such circumstances, +to expect the Aborigines would respect, or repose trust and confidence +in the Protectors, or submit to the governance of a department unable +efficiently to protect or afford them justice. Nor is it surprising they +should complain of being made to suffer the higher penalties of our law, +when deprived (by legal disability) of its benefits. Little difficulty +has been experienced in discovering the perpetrator where the blacks +have been concerned, even in the greater offences, and hence the ends +of justice would have been greatly facilitated by aboriginal evidence. +It is much to be regretted the Colonial Act of Council on aboriginal +evidence was disallowed."] + +The following very forcible and just remarks are from Captain Grey's +work, vol. ii. pages 375 to 378:-- + + +"I would submit, therefore, that it is necessary from the moment the +Aborigines of this country are declared British subjects, they should, as +far as possible, be taught that the British laws are to supersede their +own, so that any native who is suffering under their own customs, may +have the power of an appeal to those of Great Britain; or to put this in +its true light, that all authorized persons should, in all instances, be +required to protect a native from the violence of his fellows, even +though they be in the execution of their own laws. + +"So long as this is not the case, the older natives have at their +disposal the means of effectually preventing the civilization of any +individuals of their own tribe, and those among them who may be inclined +to adapt themselves to the European habits and mode of life, will be +deterred from so doing by their fear of the consequences, that the +displeasure of others may draw down upon them. + +"So much importance am I disposed to attach to this point, that I do not +hesitate to assert my full conviction, that whilst those tribes which are +in communication with Europeans are allowed to execute their barbarous +laws and customs upon one another, so long will they remain hopelessly +immersed in their present state of barbarism: and however unjust such a +proceeding might at first sight appear, I believe that the course pointed +out by true humanity would be, to make them from the very commencement +amenable to the British laws, both as regards themselves and Europeans; +for I hold it to be imagining a contradiction to suppose, that +individuals subject to savage and barbarous laws, can rise into a state +of civilization, which those laws have a manifest tendency to destroy and +overturn. + +"I have known many instances of natives who have been almost or quite +civilized, being compelled by other natives to return to the bush; more +particularly girls, who have been betrothed in their infancy, and who, on +approaching the years of puberty, have been compelled by their husbands +to join them. + +"To punish the Aborigines severely for the violation of laws of which +they are ignorant, would be manifestly cruel and unjust; but to punish +them in the first instance slightly for the violation of these laws would +inflict no great injury on them, whilst by always punishing them when +guilty of a crime, without reference to the length of period that had +elapsed between its perpetration and their apprehension, at the same time +fully explaining to them the measure of punishment that would await them +in the event of a second commission of the same fault, would teach them +gradually the laws to which they were henceforth to be amenable, and +would shew them that crime was always eventually, although it might be +remotely, followed by punishment. + +"I imagine that this course would be more merciful than that at present +adopted; viz. to punish them for a violation of a law they are ignorant +of, when this violation affects a European, and yet to allow them to +commit this crime as often as they like, when it only regards themselves; +for this latter course teaches them, not that certain actions, such, for +instance, as murder, etc. are generally criminal, but only that they are +criminal when exercised towards the white people, and the impression, +consequently excited in their minds is, that these acts only excite our +detestation when exercised towards ourselves, and that their criminality +consists, not in having committed a certain odious action, but in having +violated our prejudices." + + +Many instances have come under my own personal observation, where natives +have sought redress both against one another and against Europeans, but +where from their evidence being unavailable no redress could be afforded +them. Enough has however been now adduced to shew the very serious evils +resulting from this disadvantage, and to point out the justice, the +policy, the practicability, and the necessity of remedying it. + +In bringing to a close my remarks on the Aborigines, their present +condition and future prospects, I cannot more appropriately or more +forcibly conclude the subject than by quoting that admirable letter of +Lord Stanley's to Governor Sir G. Gipps, written in December, 1842; a +letter of which the sentiments expressed are as creditable to the +judgment and discrimination, as they are honourable to the feelings and +humanity of the minister who wrote it, and who, in the absence of +personal experience, and amidst all the conflicting testimony or +misrepresentation by which a person at a distance is ever apt to be +assailed and misled, has still been able to separate the truth from +falsehood, and to arrive at a rational, a christian, and a just opinion, +on a subject so fraught with difficulties, so involved in uncertainty, +and so beset with discrepancies. + +In writing to Sir G. Gipps, Lord Stanley says (Parliamentary Reports, pp. +221, 2, 3):-- + + +"DOWNING-STREET, 20TH DECEMBER, 1842. +"SIR, + +"I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches of the +dates and numbers mentioned in the margin, reporting the information +which has reached you in respect to the aboriginal tribes of New South +Wales, and the result of the attempts which have been made, under the +sanction of Her Majesty's Government, to civilize and protect these +people. + +"I have read with great attention, but with deep regret, the accounts +contained in these despatches. After making every fair allowance for the +peculiar difficulty of such an undertaking, it seems impossible any +longer to deny that the efforts which have hitherto been made for the +civilization of the Aborigines have been unavailing; that no real +progress has yet been effected, and that there is no reasonable ground to +expect from them greater suceess in future. You will be sensible with how +much pain and reluctance I have come to this opinion, but I cannot shut +my eyes to the conclusion which inevitably follows from the statements +which you have submitted to me on the subject. + +"Your despatch of the 11th March last, No. 50, contains an account of the +several missions up to that date, with reports likewise from the chief +Protector and his assistants, and from the Crown Land Commissioners. The +statements respecting the missions, furnished not by their opponents, nor +even by indifferent parties, but by the missionaries themselves, are, I +am sorry to say, as discouraging as it is possible to be. In respect to +the mission at Wellington Valley, Mr. Gunther writes in a tone of +despondency, which shews that he has abandoned the hope of success. The +opening of his report is indeed a plain admission of despair; I sincerely +wish that his facts did not bear out such a feeling. But when he reports, +that after a trial of ten years, only one of all who have been attached +to the mission 'affords some satisfaction and encouragement;' that of the +others only four still remain with them, and that these continually +absent themselves, and when at home evince but little desire for +instruction; that 'their thoughtlessness, and spirit of independence, +ingratitude, and want of sincere, straightforward dealing, often try us +in the extreme;' that drunkenness is increasing, and that the natives are +'gradually swept away by debauchery and other evils arising from their +intermixture with Europeans,' I acknowledge that he has stated enough to +warrant his despondency, and to shew that it proceeds from no momentary +disappointment alone, but from a settled and reasonable conviction. + +"Nor do the other missions hold out any greater encouragement. That at +Moreton Bay is admitted by Mr. Handt to have made but little progress, as +neither children nor adults can be persuaded to stay for any length of +time; while that at Lake Macquarie had, at the date of your despatch, +ceased to exist, from the extinction or removal of the natives formerly +in its vicinity. The Wesleyan Missionaries at Port Phillip, +notwithstanding an expenditure in 1841 of nearly 1,300 pounds, acknowledge +that they are 'far from being satisfied with the degree of success which +has attended our labours,' and 'that a feeling of despair sometimes takes +possession of our minds, and weighs down our spirits,' arising from the +frightful mortality among the natives. + +"In the face of such representations, which can be attributed neither to +prejudice nor misinformation, I have great doubts as to the wisdom or +propriety of continuing the missions any longer. I fear that to do so +would be to delude ourselves with the mere idea of doing something; which +would be injurious to the natives, as interfering with other and more +advantageous arrangements, and unjust to the colony, as continuing an +unnecessary and profitless expenditure. + +"To this conclusion I had been led by your despatch, No. 50, but +anticipating that the protectorate system would promise more beneficial +results, I postponed my instructions in the matter until I should receive +some further information. + +"Your despatches of the 16th and 20th May have furnished that further +information, although they contradict the hopes which I had been led to +entertain. After the distinct and unequivocal opinion announced by Mr. La +Trobe, supported as it is by the expression of your concurrence, I cannot +conceal from myself that the failure of the system of protectors has been +at least as complete as that of the missions. + +"I have no doubt that a portion of this ill success, perhaps a large +portion, is attributable to the want of sound judgment and zealous +activity on the part of the assistant protectors. Thus the practice of +collecting large bodies of the natives in one spot, and in the immediate +vicinity of the settlers, without any previous provision for their +subsistence or employment, was a proceeding of singular indiscretion. +That these people would commit depredations rather than suffer want, and +that thus ill-blood, and probably collisions, would be caused between +them and the settlers, must, I should have thought, have occurred to any +man of common observation; and no one could have better reason than Mr. +Sievewright to know his utter inability to control them. When such a +course could be adopted, I am not surprised at your opinion that the +measures of the protectors have tended 'rather to increase than allay the +irritation which has long existed between the two races.' + +"But after allowing for the effect of such errors, and for the +possibility of preventing their recurrence, there is yet enough in Mr. La +Trobe's reports to shew that the system itself is defective, at least in +the hands of those whose services we are able to command. I am unwilling, +at this distance from the scene, and without that minute local knowledge +which is essential, to give you any precise instructions as to the course +which under present circumstances should be pursued: but I have the less +hesitation in leaving the matter in your hands, because your whole +correspondence shews that no one feels more strongly than yourself the +duty as well as the policy of protecting, and, if possible, civilizing +these Aborigines, and of promoting a good understanding between them and +the white settlers. At present, though I am far from attributing to the +white settlers generally an ill disposition towards the natives, there is +an apparent want of feeling among them, where the natives are concerned, +which is much to be lamented. Outrages of the most atrocious description, +involving sometimes considerable loss of life, are spoken of, as I +observe in these papers, with an indifference and lightness which to +those at a distance is very shocking. I cannot but fear that the feeling +which dictates this mode of speaking, may also cause the difficulty in +discovering and bringing to justice the perpetrators of the outrages +which from time to time occur. With a view to the protection of the +natives, the most essential step is to correct the temper and tone +adopted towards them by the settlers. Whatever may depend on your own +personal influence, or on the zealous co-operation of Mr. La Trobe, will +I am sure be done at once, and I will not doubt that your efforts in this +respect will be successful. In regard to the missions and the protectors, +I give you no definite instructions. If at your receipt of this despatch +you should see no greater prospect of advantage than has hitherto +appeared, you will be at liberty to discontinue the grants to either as +early as possible; but if circumstances should promise more success for +the future, the grants may be continued for such time as may be necessary +to bring the matter to a certain result. In the meantime, agreeing as I +do, in the general opinion, that it is indispensable to the protection of +the natives that their evidence should, to a certain extent at least, be +received in the courts of law, I shall take into my consideration the +means by which this can be effected in the safest and most satisfactory +manner. + +"I cannot conclude this despatch without expressing my sense of the +importance of the subject of it, and my hope that your experience may +enable you to suggest some general plan by which we may acquit ourselves +of the obligations which we owe towards this helpless race of beings. I +should not, without the most extreme reluctance, admit that nothing can +be done; that with respect to them alone the doctrines of Christianity +must be inoperative, and the advantages of civilization incommunicable. I +cannot acquiesce in the theory that they are incapable of improvement, +and that their extinction before the advance of the white settler is a +necessity which it is impossible to control. I recommend them to your +protection and favourable consideration with the greatest earnestness, +but at the same time with perfect confidence: and I assure you that I +shall be willing and anxious to co-operate with you in any arrangement +for their civilization which may hold out a fair prospect of success. + +"I have, etc. +"(signed) +"STANLEY." + +* * * * * + +EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES OF NATIVE ORNAMENTS, WEAPONS, IMPLEMENTS, +AND WORKS OF INDUSTRY. + + +PLATE I.--ORNAMENTS. + +1. Ku-ru-un-ko--tuft of emu feathers used in the play spoken of, page +228. +2. Three tufts of feathers tied in a bunch, with two kangaroo teeth, worn +tied to the hair. +3. Tufts of feathers, used as a flag or signal, elevated on a spear; +similar ones are worn by the males, of eagle or emu feathers over the +pubes. +4. Let-ter-rer--kangaroo teeth worn tied to the hair of young males and +females after the ceremonies of initiation. +5 and 6. Coverings for the pubes, worn by females, one is of fur string in +threads, the other of skins cut in strips. +7. Tufts of white feathers worn round the neck. +8. Tufts of feathers stained red, worn round the neck. +9. Tufts of feathers stained red, with two kangaroo teeth to each tuft, +also worn round the neck. +10. A piece of bone worn through the septum nasi. +11. Tufts of feathers worn round the neck, one is black, the other +stained red. +12. Tufts of feathers stained red, with four kangaroo teeth in a bunch, +worn round the neck. +13. Necklace of reeds cut in short lengths. +14. Band for forehead, feathers and swan's-down. +15. Man-ga--band for forehead, a coil of string made of opossum fur. +16. Mona--net cap to confine the hair of young men of opossum fur. +17. Korno--widow's mourning cap made of carbonate of lime, moulded to the +head, weight 8 1/2lbs. +18. Dog's-tail, worn as an appendage to the beard, which is gathered +together and tied in a pigtail. + + +PLATE II.--WEAPONS. + +1. Spear barbed on both sides, of hard wood, 10 1/2 feet long, used in war +or hunting. +2. Similar to the last but only barbed on one side, used for same +purposes. +3. Kar-ku-ru--smooth spear of hard wood, 10 1/2 feet, used for +punishments, as described page 222, also for general purposes. +4. Short, smooth, hard wood spear, 7 1/2 feet long, used to spear fish in +diving. +5. Reed spear with barbed hard wood point, used for war with the throwing +stick--the way of holding it, and position of the hand are shewn. +6. Hard wood spear with grass-tree end, 8 feet long, used with the +throwing stick for general purposes. +7. Hard wood spear with single barb spliced on, 8 feet long, used from +Port Lincoln to King George's Sound for chase or war, it is launched with +the throwing stick. +8. Ki-ko--reed spear, hard wood point, 6 to 7 feet long, used with the +throwing-stick to kill birds or other game. +9. Hard wood spear, grass-tree end, barbed with flint, used with the +throwing-stick for war. +10. The head of No. 9 on a arger scale. +11. The head of No. 1 on a larger scale. +12. The head of a Lachlan spear, taken from a man who was wounded there, +the spear entered behind the shoulder in the back, and the point reached +to the front of the throat, it had to be extracted by cutting an opening +in the throat and forcing the spear-head through from behind--the man +recovered. +13. The head of No. 7 on a larger scale. + + +PLATE III.--WEAPONS. + +1. Nga-waonk, or throwing-stick, about 2 feet long, and narrow. +2. Ditto but hollowed and conical. +3. Ditto straight and flat. +4. Ditto narrow and carved. +5. Ditto broad in the centre. +6. Sorcerer's stick, with feathers and fur string round the point +7. Ditto plain. +8. The Darling Wangn, (boomerang) carved, 1 foot 10 inches. +9. The Darling war Wangn, 2 feet 1 inch. +10. Battle-axe. +11. Ditto +12. Ditto +13. Ditto +14. The lower end of the throwing-stick, shewing a flint gummed on as a +chisel. +15. The Tar-ram, or shield made out of solid wood, 2 feet 7 inches long, +1 foot broad, carved and painted. +16. A side view of ditto +17. War-club of heavy wood, rounded and tapering. +18. Port Lincoln Wirris, or stick used for throwing at game, 2 feet. +19. Murray River Bwirri, or ditto ditto +20. War club, with a heavy knob, and pointed. +21. Port Lincoln Midla, or lever, with quartz knife attached to the end. +22. Murray river war club. + + +PLATE IV.--IMPLEMENTS. + +1. Tat-tat-ko, or rod for noosing wild fowl, 16 feet long, vide p. 310. +2. Moo-ar-roo, or paddle and fish spear, 10 to 16 feet, vide p. 263. +3. Chisel pointed hard wood stick, from 3 to 4 feet long, used by the +women for digging. +4. Ngakko, or chisel pointed stick, 3 feet long, used by the men. +5. Mun--canoe of bark, vide p. 314. +6. 7, 8. Varieties of Mooyumkarr, or sacred oval pieces of wood, used at +night, by being spun round with a long string so as to produce a loud +roaring noise for the object of counteracting any evil influences, and +for other purposes. +9. 10, 11, 12. Needles, etc. from the fibulas of kangaroos, wallabies, +emus, etc. +13. Kangaroo bone, used as a knife. +14. Stone with hollow in centre for pounding roots. +15. Stone hatchet. +16. Distaff with string of hair upon it. +17. Lenko, or net hung round the neck in diving to put muscles, etc. in. +18. Kenderanko, net used in diving, vide p. 260. +19. Drinking cup made of a shell. +20. Drinking cup, being the scull of a native with the sutures closed +with wax or gum. + + +PLATE V.--WORKS OF INDUSTRY. + +1. Lukomb, or skin for carrying water, made from the skins of opossums, +wallabie, or young kangaroo; the fur is turned inside, and the legs, +tail, and neck, are tied up; they hold from 1 quart to 3 gallons. +2. Pooneed-ke--circular mat, 1 foot 9 inches in diameter, made of a kind +of grass, worn on the back by the women, with a band passed round the +lower part and tied in front, the child is then slipped in between the +mat and the back, and so carried. +3. Kal-la-ter--a truncated basket of about a foot wide at the bottom, +made also of a broad kind of grass, used for carrying anything in, and +especially for taking about the fragile eggs of the Leipoa. +4. A wallet, or man's travelling bag, made of a kangaroo skin, with the +fur outside. +5. A small kal-la-ter. +6. Pool-la-da-noo-ko, or oval basket made of broad-leaved grass, used for +carrying anything; from its flat make, it fits easily to the back. +7. An Adelaide oblong and somewhat flattish basket, made of a kind of +rush. +8. The Rok-ko, or net bag, made of a string manufactured from the rush, +it is carried by the women, and contains generally all the worldly +property of the family, such as shells and pieces of flint for +knives--bones for needles--sinews of animals for thread--fat and red +ochre for adorning the person--spare ornaments or belts--white pigment +for painting for the dance--a skin for carrying water--a stone for +pounding roots--the sacred implements of the husband carefully folded up +and concealed--a stone hatchet--and many other similar articles. The size +of the rok-ko varies according to the wealth of the family; it is +sometimes very large and weighty when filled. + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journals Of Expeditions Of Discovery +Into Central Australia, by Edward John Eyre + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS *** + +This file should be named xpcsc10.txt or xpcsc10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, xpcsc11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, xpcsc10a.txt + +Produced by Col Choat colc@gutenberg.net.au + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/old/xpcsc10.zip b/old/xpcsc10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c4ab246 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/xpcsc10.zip |