Volume II Part 32 (1/2)

CROSS THE FITZROY.

The timber was thin and light and, with a fine deep stream flowing through it, the tract which at first sight from Mount Eckersley I had considered so sterile and wet proved to be one likely at no distant day to smile under luxuriant crops of grain. We found the river (which I named the Fitzroy) fordable, although deep at the place where we first came upon it. Shady trees of the mimosa kind grew along the banks and the earth was now good and firm on both sides. We heard the natives as we approached this stream and cooeyed to them; but our calls had only the effect, as appeared from the retiring sound of their voices, of making them run faster away. Continuing our ride southward we entered at two miles beyond the Fitzroy a forest of the stringybark eucalyptus; and although the anthisterium still grew in hollows I saw swampy open flats before us which I endeavoured to avoid, sometimes by pa.s.sing between them and finally by turning to a woody range on the left. I ascended this range as night came on, in hopes of finding gra.s.s for our horses; but there the mimosa and xanthorrhoea alone prevailed--the latter being a sure indication of sterility and scanty vegetation. We found naked ground higher up consisting of deep lagoons and swamps amongst which I was satisfied with my success in pa.s.sing through in such a direction as enabled me to regain, in a dark and stormy night, the shelter of the woods on the side of the range. But I sought in vain for the gra.s.s, so abundant elsewhere on this day's ride, and we were at length under the necessity of halting for the night where but little food could be found for our horses, and under lofty trees that creaked and groaned to the blast.

August 29.

The groaning trees had afforded us shelter without letting fall even a single branch upon our heads,* but the morning was squally and unfavourable for the objects of the excursion, and we had still to ride some way before I could commence operations. Proceeding along the skirts of the woody ridge on the left in order to avoid swamps, we at length saw through the trees the blue waters of the sea and heard the roar of the waves.

(*Footnote. The Australian woods are in general very brittle, and no experienced bushman likes to sleep under trees, especially during high winds.)

CROSS THE SURRY.

My intended way towards the deepest part of the bay and the hills beyond it did not lead directly to the sh.o.r.e, and I continued to pursue a course through the woods, having the sh.o.r.e on our left. We thus met a deep and rapid little river exactly resembling the Fitzroy and coming also from the westward. Tracing this a short distance upwards we came to a place set with a sort of trelliswork of bushes by the natives for the purpose, no doubt, of catching fish. Here we found the stream fordable though deep; a brownish granular limestone appearing in the bank. We crossed and then continuing through a thick wood we came out at length on the sh.o.r.e of Portland Bay at about four miles beyond the little river.

LADY JULIA PERCY'S ISLE.

Straight before us lay Laurence's Island, or rather, islands, there being two small islets of rock in that situation; and, some way to the eastward I perceived a much larger island which I concluded was one of Lady Julia Percy's Isles. At a quarter of a mile back from the beach broad broom-topped casuarinae were the only trees we could see; these grew on long ridges parallel to the beach, resembling those long breakers which, aided by winds, had probably thrown such ridges up. They were abundantly covered with excellent gra.s.s and, as it wanted about an hour of noon, I halted that the cattle might feed while I took some angles and endeavoured to obtain the sun's alt.i.tude during the intervals between heavy squalls, some of which were accompanied by hail and thunder.

BEACH OF PORTLAND BAY.

On reaching the seash.o.r.e at this beach I turned to observe the face of Tommy Came-last, one of my followers who, being a native from the interior, had never before seen the sea. I could not discover in the face of this young savage, even on his first view of the ocean, any expression of surprise; on the contrary the placid and comprehensive gaze he cast over it seemed fully to embrace the grand expanse then for the first time opened to him.

A VESSEL AT ANCHOR. HOUSE AND FARMING ESTABLISHMENT THERE.

I was much more astonished when he soon after came to tell me of the fresh tracks of cattle that he had found on the sh.o.r.e, and the shoemarks of a white man. He also brought me portions of tobacco-pipes and a gla.s.s bottle without a neck. That whaling vessels occasionally touched there I was aware, as was indeed obvious from the carca.s.ses and bones of whales on the beach; but how cattle could have been brought there I did not understand. Proceeding round the bay with the intention of examining the head of an inlet and continuing along sh.o.r.e as far as Cape Bridgewater, I was struck with the resemblance to houses that some supposed grey rocks under the gra.s.sy cliffs presented; and while I directed my gla.s.s towards them my servant Brown said he saw a brig at anchor; a fact of which I was soon convinced and also that the grey rocks were in reality wooden houses. The most northern part of the sh.o.r.e of this bay was comparatively low, but the western consisted of bold cliffs rising to the height of 180 feet.

We ascended these cliffs near the wooden houses which proved to be some deserted sheds of the whalers. One shot was heard as we drew near them and another on our ascending the rocks. I then became somewhat apprehensive that the parties might either be, or suppose us to be, bushrangers and, to prevent if possible some such awkward mistake, I ordered a man to fire a gun and the bugle to be sounded; but on reaching the higher ground we discovered not only a beaten path but the track of two carts, and while we were following the latter a man came towards us from the face of the cliffs. He informed me in answer to my questions that the vessel at anchor was the Elizabeth of Launceston; and that just round the point there was a considerable farming establishment belonging to Messrs. Henty, who were then at the house. It then occurred to me that I might there procure a small additional supply of provisions, especially of flour, as my men were on very reduced rations. I therefore approached the house and was kindly received and entertained by the Messrs. Henty who as I learnt had been established there during upwards of two years.

It was very obvious indeed from the magnitude and extent of the buildings and the substantial fencing erected that both time and labour had been expended in their construction. A good garden stocked with abundance of vegetables already smiled on Portland Bay; the soil was very rich on the overhanging cliffs, and the potatoes and turnips produced there surpa.s.sed in magnitude and quality any I had ever seen elsewhere.

WHALE FISHERY.

I learnt that the bay was much resorted to by vessels engaged in the whale fishery and that upwards of 700 tons of oil had been s.h.i.+pped that season. I was likewise informed that only a few days before my arrival five vessels lay at anchor together in that bay, and that a communication was regularly kept up with Van Diemen's Land by means of vessels from Launceston. Messrs. Henty were importing sheep and cattle as fast as vessels could be found to bring them over, and the numerous whalers touching at or fis.h.i.+ng on the coast were found to be good customers for farm produce and whatever else could be spared from the establishment.

Portland Bay is well sheltered from all winds except the east-south-east, and the anchorage is so good that a vessel is said to have rode out a gale even from this quarter. The part of the western sh.o.r.e where the land is highest shelters a small bay which might be made a tolerable harbour by means of two piers or quays erected on reefs of a kind of rock apparently very favourable for the purpose, namely amygdaloidal trap in rounded boulders. The present anchorage in four fathoms is on the outside of these reefs, and the water in this little bay is in general smooth enough for the landing of boats. A fine stream falls into the bay there and the situation seems altogether a most eligible one for the site of a town. The rock is trap consisting princ.i.p.ally of felspar; and the soil is excellent as was amply testified by the luxuriant vegetation in Mr.

Henty's garden.

EXCURSION TO CAPE NELSON.

August 30.

I proceeded with the theodolite to a height near Cape Nelson and from it I intersected that cape and also Cape Bridgewater, Cape Sir William Grant, the islands to the eastward, etc.

MOUNT KINCAID.

I here recognised also the high hill which appeared within these capes when first seen from the westward. It formed the most elevated part of the Rifle range at its termination on the coast and I was informed by Mr.

Henty that there was a fine lake at its base. I named the hill Mount Kincaid after my old and esteemed friend of Peninsular recollections.

Returning to the party at Portland Bay where I had left my s.e.xtant, I then obtained a good observation on the sun's meridian alt.i.tude. I was accommodated with a small supply of flour by Messrs. Henty who, having been themselves on short allowance, were awaiting the arrival of a vessel then due two weeks. They also supplied us with as many vegetables as the men could carry away on their horses.

A WHALE CHASE.