Volume II Part 6 (2/2)

In a pool of the river near our resting place, I caught, within an hour, soaroo flesh There were two sorts, one of the shape of a trout, and ten inches long; it had a dirty orange-yellow belly, and a muddy bronze back; the lower hole of the nose had a raised in The other measured seven inches, and resembled in shape a small fish at home, known to all schoolboys as the prickle-back; it was curiouslyfive spots nearly black on each side, near the ridge of the back; the ground around thehtly shi+ning white, reaching as far up as the lower line of the eye and the in of the spots

While Mr Bynoe was occupied insketches of them, which have been transmitted to Dr Richardson, Mr Forsyth andhillock, and traced the river in a westerly direction for two miles; it then turned round to North-North-East: a deep narrow valley separated it froher land to the eastward The bed of the river at this place, though partly dry, ider than we had hitherto seen it, and the trees upon its banks still showed evident signs of being washed by a itude, we started again at 3 o'clock PM taking a north-west direction over a flat of tolerably fine light mould Near here a party of natives crossed the river, in the direction of those we had first seen: perhaps to effect a junction of forces and dee intrusion We took an East 1/2 North direction across the flat, but finding the ground very broken and stony, intersected by deep watercourses, and rendered additionally irass and thick reeds, ere co half across, to make the best of our way to the river

FATIGUE OF THE PARTY

It was intensely hot, not a breath of air stirring, and to add to our misfortunes, we had inadvertently dined off the contents of a canister of saltall of us pretty well knocked up with heat, fatigue, and thirst: one of our party, I heard afterwards, drank nearly TWO QUARTS of water at a draught

Further on in this reach, I deterht; it ide and deep, trending East by South, but shut in about a mile above our present position by a dry patch of stones, with clear banks on either side As ere nohat appeared to be a rather thickly populated district of the country, it was requisite to choose a position beyond the reach of sudden attack Having consulted our security as much as possible in this particular, I took, before dark, the necessary bearings and angles for the survey, and was delighted to observe that the valley of the river again trended away to the southward We had a cool breeze after dark frorees I had scarcely secured observations for latitude and longitude, before a squall from the south-east, accoht

CHARM OF DISCOVERY

The same screa places, and the sah the trees that overshadowed us, broke the silence that had reigned around our solitary fire, and exercised their wondrous power over the ihts were borne on to the very heart of this mysterious country, over er were all forgotten It is impossible to define the exact nature of the charm which particular minds find in the perils and adventures of discovery, whether on the shore or over the wave Certain, however, it is, that scarce any motive of human exertion can compete with it in the powers of endurance it supplies to its votaries

The squall served to clear the air, and was succeeded by a cool breeze frorees

THIRSTY FLAT

Yet cool, as cohts are here, still I could not but reine to be one of the principal causes of that fatigue fro my watches I invariably noticed so to secure the rest of which he stood sowith restless anxiety fro up on his feet: neither could I fail to note the wearying effect these broken slumbers produced, sy

Having providedthe latitude, I worked the observations I had taken during the night It placed the spot of our bivouac in 15 degrees 29 minutes South We esti carefully tieneral direction, and 13 North-East by North

Nove, taking a South 20 degrees West direction, for threethe eastern part of the flat to which we yesterday gave the naht ht us to a bend in the river, trending in rather a tortuous h a wide valley, with table ranges, varying from 5 to 600 feet on either side Towards their summits there were perpendicular cliffs of soe The country just here was so thickly wooded that I was obliged to clis We noticed some very curious black horizontal streaks on the hills in our immediate vicinity We crossed the river, or rather over its bed--a patch of stones--and found some shells of the water-tortoise at the remains of a native fire on the bank: we named the reach Tortoise Reach, in consequence Here too Mr Bynoe added some rare and beautiful specimens of finches to his collection

ENERVATING EFFECT OF THE GREAT HEAT

The cool north-ind had now deserted us, and though yet scarcely nine o'clock AM the therood fortune to shoot a kangaroo: it was a long cross-shot, the ani at speed Our route now lay across a barren stony plain, of which the vegetation it round, heated by the fierce rays of the sun, see a creek which lay in our path, and which we ed to do bystruck with the sun, but a little water, which I was happy enough to get from the creek, revived hi effects of the great heat; after a short rest, I therefore deter for the river, which we arrived at in half an hour, near a bed of dry rocks, but with the reaches on either side wide and deep, and shut in by steep banks By this time one of the men was seriously indisposed; all hopes, therefore, of proceedingexpedition I was coh very reluctantly, to abandon This was still the ret, because the present width, and the south-easterly direction which the river now appeared to take, gave ht be made in the desired direction in the course of another day: while I felt satisfied that ere abandoning the course of a river whose undi its banks of increased interest, and which I felt convinced would, if followed out, conduct us far towards the heart of this terra incognita

The weather continued calrees I noticed a difference in the bed of the river at the place where we prepared dinner: hitherto the dry spots, which from time to time we passed over, or halted upon, were strewn about with large boulders; here, however, ere enca to the south-east, and of the same character as the rocks on the sea coast, when seen at loater

APPROACH OF NATIVES

Scarcely had we disposed of our invalid as comfortably as circumstances would adue body of natives, concealed by the foliage on the opposite bank of the river, which was just here quite dry, and not hty yards across

PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE

As I had noeither their number or intentions, it was necessary to make the best preparations that time and place would allow for defence, should it unhappily becoency which, in the debilitated condition of all the party, now too deprived altogether of the aid of one of its members, I could not contemplate without some anxiety I directed the ive the most deceptive appearance to our numbers, and stationed Mr Bynoe, Mr Forsyth, and myself where, if required, we could act most effectually These preparations were hardly coe crea that howled”Ho! ho!” upon the opposite bank, as though more clearly to reconnoitre our position They were fine looking men, with bushy hair and spare limbs, quite naked, and apparently unarines of Australia that their intentions are peaceful They aestures, shouting still ”ho! ho!” to those of their body in concealment, from whom they had probably been detached for observation

What they thought of us, strange intruders as we must have appeared to theine; at any rate they seemed impressed with some sort of respect either for our appearance, jaded as ere, or our position, and forbore any nearer approach I was of course very glad that no appeal to force was necessary: in the first place I should very reluctantly have resorted to it against those to e appeared in the character of invaders of a peaceful country, and in the second, had one of our party been wounded, the consequent delay would have rendered our return to the boats certainly a work of great difficulty, perhaps wholly impossible; for no considerations of expediency would in my mind have justified the abandonment of a defenceless coers and privations of the country, or the barbarous revenge of its inhabitants They continued in force, upon the opposite bank, for soradually withdrew I may remark that the condition and appearance of the tho made themselves visible, indicated their residence in a country fitted to supply abundantly all natural wants I should also state that I could not perceive that extraordinary exaggeration of a certain Jewish cere Sound

APPEARANCE OF THE NATIVES

It is to be regretted that our position would not allow us to seek the acquaintance of these people I could not help co the bold, fearless , head erect, no crouching or quailing of eye--with the miserable objects I had seen at Sydney I now beheld man in his wild state; and, reader, rest assured there is nothing can equal such a sight Before inal inhabitants of Australia who had never, until then, encountered the hitherto blighting look of a European