Volume II Part 7 (2/2)
Went into the interior about midday and found a native well six miles inland; also a large cave in the rocks. The party here procured and ate some Zamia nuts.
April 18.
They were all sick from the nuts, and turned back to the beach about four miles but did not reach it.
April 19.
This morning they reached the beach and travelled on until they came to some high rocks from whence they saw an immense tract of sand. Again this evening they went into the interior to find water. Boiled some young trees and ate them.
April 20.
They were travelling into the interior along the steep banks of a river running nearly east. Got plenty of green stuff to eat. They had now two guns and the means of getting fire, but the powder and shot was nearly expended. The axe I left with them had been lost soon after.
April 21.
Woods left the others to proceed alone.
April 22.
Being the day after Woods left they went into the interior about six miles from the coast and there found a river, which Mr. Walker and Mr.
Smith thought was the Karpan (the Moore). This river was standing in pools, and there was a great rush of water from the hills; they traced the bed up for two or three miles, where it came out from some very high hills, when Mr. Smith said he was certain that it was not the Karpan.
They then made a south by west course, and thought where they came out was 12 miles below where Woods left them; and that the river was nearly halfway between these two points.
They now again turned into the interior, being, as they thought, at the bay to the south of Jurieu Bay.
April 23.
They returned and kept along the beach, made about fifteen miles, when they halted close to it.
April 24.
They went on for five or six miles, then halted and made a fire with the end of a spar.
April 25.
They travelled two or three hundred yards. Mr. Walker went back for the end of the spar and Mr. Smith cut some firewood. There they halted, catching fish and crabs.
April 26 and 27.
Still halted at this spot, fis.h.i.+ng, and caught parrot-fish, rock-cod, etc.; so that they had as much fish as they could use, and found fresh water in the holes of the rocks.
April 28.
They started at dawn and went on for a mile. Ruston was taken ill from the number of crabs he had eaten, and Mr. Walker stopped with him whilst the other three went on a mile ahead and got fish and periwinkles. Mr.
Smith, Stiles, and Clotworthy had a little water left; Ruston and Mr.
Walker had canteens half-full. Ruston got better in the evening but they did not proceed until the next morning.
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