Volume II Part 4 (1/2)

This evening we found the Bohn or Boh-rne, a native esculent root, and it is the most northern point at which I have met with it.*

(*Footnote. A small red root somewhat resembling in flavour a mild onion.)

April 12.

Before dawn this morning our native neighbours, who doubtless were not pleased at our sleeping so near them, began to cooee to each other, which is their usual signal for collecting their forces; and, as our safety depended upon none of the party being incapacitated by a wound or other cause from proceeding with the utmost rapidity, I at once roused the men and we resumed our way.

CONTINUE OUR ROUTE.

In the course of the day we made a march of twenty-five miles in a south-south-east direction, the whole of this distance being across elevated undulating sandy plains, covered with a thick p.r.i.c.kly scrub, about two and a half feet high; these plains were however occasionally studded with a few Banksia trees, but anything more dark, cheerless, and barren than their general appearance can scarcely be conceived.

About half an hour before sunset we came to the bed of a dry watercourse, the direction of which was from south-east to north, so that it was probably a tributary of the Arrowsmith. We were fortunate enough to find a small pool of water in it, yet the large flights of birds of every description that came here for the purpose of drinking showed the rarity of water in these parts. We made several attempts to get a shot at them but they were so wild, and we were so worn out and weak, that all our exertions were unsuccessful. In the course of the evening one of the men made up my last pound of flour into a damper for me, and I supped on a spoonful of arrowroot.

SERIOUS ROBBBRY BY A RAT.

April 13.

On waking up this morning I found that in the night a rat had gnawed a hole in the canvas bag in which my little damper was placed, and had eaten more than half of it; this was a very serious misfortune as all my provisions were now reduced to three table-spoonfuls of arrowroot and the morsel of damper left me by the rat. As I had shared my provisions with the native my situation was far worse than that of any of the others, and he, poor fellow, had become so dispirited and weak that he was incapable of searching for his food. Indeed the productions of the country through which he had hitherto pa.s.sed were so different from those of the one in which he had lived that the various kinds of roots and vegetables were, with one or two exceptions, quite unknown to him.

We made a very good march of it this morning, having travelled nineteen miles in a nearly south direction before 12 o'clock. Soon after starting we sighted Mount Perron, distant about two and twenty miles and, seen over the waste and barren plains which surrounded us, it was a very remarkable object.

We halted at noon for about two hours, during which time I made my breakfast with Kaiber, sharing my remaining portion of damper between us.

It was almost a satisfaction to me when it was gone, for, tormented by the pangs of hunger, as I had now been for many days, I found that nearly the whole of my time was pa.s.sed in struggling with myself as to whether I should eat at once all the provisions I had left or refrain till a future hour. Having completed this last morsel I occupied myself for a little with my journal, then read a few chapters in the New Testament and, having fulfilled these duties, I felt myself as contented and cheerful as I had ever been in the most fortunate moments of my life.

GAIRDNER'S RANGE.

Soon after two P.M. we resumed our journey, travelling for about eight miles in a due south direction over plains similar to those we had pa.s.sed yesterday and this morning, and then began to ascend a red sandstone range of the same description as the Perth ironstone and thinly studded with black bay trees. I named this range Gairdner's Range after my friend Gordon Gairdner, Esquire, of the Colonial Office and, after continuing a gradual ascent for about four miles, I found that we were in the neighbourhood of a forest, at the outskirts of which I chose a spot for our halting-place, which afforded plenty of firewood but was deficient in water. As we had now however marched thirty-one miles without seeing water, and were all perfectly worn out, I judged it more prudent to halt where we were.

FIND SOME EDIBLE ZAMIA NUTS.

Kaiber here brought in some of the nuts of the Zamia tree; they were dry and therefore in a fit state to eat. I accordingly shared them amongst the party. Several of the men then straggled off to look for more, and were imprudent enough, before I found out what they were doing, to eat several of the nuts which were not sufficiently dried, the consequences of which were that they were seized with violent fits of vomiting accompanied by vertigo and other distressing symptoms; these however gradually abated during the night, and in the morning, although rendered more weak than they were before, the poor fellows were still able to resume their march.

GENEROUS CONDUCT OF ONE OF THE MEN.

Soon after the fires had been lighted I was sitting alone by mine, as the shadows of night were just falling over the wild hilly scenery with which we were surrounded; I had no water to cook a portion of the three spoonfuls of arrowroot yet left me, and I saw each of the others preparing his scanty portion of food. The native had at this time gone away to look for Zamia nuts, and it may be imagined that many almost undefined feelings at such a time thronged rapidly through my mind.

Whilst thus thinking I heard Hackney propose to Woods to offer me a share of their little store of food: ”No,” said Woods; ”everyone for himself under these circ.u.mstances; let Mr. Grey do as well as he can and I will do the same.” ”Well then I shall give him some of mine at all events,”

said Hackney; and a few minutes afterwards he came up to my fire and pressed me to accept a morsel of damper about the size of a walnut. I hesitated at first whether to do so or not, but, being aware that when we came into a country where game was to be found I could, by means of my gun, provide enough amply to repay this lad, I took it, after several refusals and having it as often warmly pressed upon me.

I was much affected by the kindness of Hackney, who was a young American; and I regret to add that I felt more hurt than I ought to have done at the remark of Woods.

CHAPTER 4. FROM GAIRDNER'S RANGE TO PERTH.

THE HILL RIVER.

Sunday April 14.

We travelled about fourteen miles due south over a range of high ironstone hills which were occasionally clothed with gra.s.s-trees. The scrub was however still thick, p.r.i.c.kly, and very difficult to penetrate; the heat was intense and the whole party were getting very weak. About noon, and when we had just gained a commanding summit, I looked back at Mount Perron, now several miles in our rear; from this point we began to descend into an extensive valley, and at the end of fourteen miles reached a small river which I named the Hill.

DISCOVERY AND PILLAGE OF A NATIVE PROVISION STORE.