Part 20 (1/2)

Roper met and spoke with three natives, who did not appear to be afraid of him Another of our horses became knocked up, and compelled us to encamp very early in the day, and, as they were all e, without taking the usual precaution of keeping two tethered, in the event of being surprised by the natives

That this was intentionally taken advantage of seeht-fall, at the commencement of Charley's watch, four natives sneaked up to the ca to throw their spears, when they were seen by Charley, who iot up instantly, but they had disappeared, and no one but Charley saw anything of them I should have been inclined to consider it a hoax, had I not heard their distant cooees as late as 9 o'clock, when I silenced theun

Oct 28--We travelled ten rees 33 reen belt of the river near four miles, Charley, who had been sent to shoot some ducks, returned, and reported that ere near the head of the river; and that he had discovered water bubbling out of the ground at the foot of a slight rise

We now followed the direction of so on our way, over an undulating country clothed with a forest of the broad-leaved tea-tree; and a scrubby flat with large ap between two high ranges, in which there was a se Polygonum water-hole which had recently beco ducks rose, probably scared by our approach

Two bustards were also seen About three ood-sized creek, up which we proceeded until we found a sood supply Charley had found a fine pool about four reat irritability of the skin, and was covered all over with a prickly heat; the slightest pressure or rubbing produced inflammation and boils, particularly about the knees: and Mr Phillips suffered in the same way, at the arm and elbow Mr

Gilbert had been subject to these boils ere travelling at Peak Range, and along the Isaacs; but, since that time until now, none of the party had been inconvenienced by them

Oct 29--We travelled about twelve miles NNW, and followed the creek about four miles, to allow our cattle and horses to drink freely at the water-hole discovered by Charley the day before We passed soh a broad-leaved tea-tree forest, and then skirted a thick scrub, which covered the approaches of a range After seven htly timbered with box and broad-leaved tea-tree, and surrounded on every side, except the SSE, by high ranges, protruding like headlands into the plain Upon passing the chains of baked sandstone hills

We crossed several s to the north-east and east, and came to a considerable creek, near which basalt cropped out This was the first igneous rock ofSeparation Creek, and the upper Lynd EvenDowns; and we hailed it as the harbinger of western waters The whole country up the creek had been lately burned, which inducedthe place where the natives had procured water The bed was filled with basaltic boulders, as were also its dry holes, from one of which the Grallina australis rose, and for the first time deceived our expectations In a wider part of the valley, I observed wells of the natives dug in the creek, which we enlarged in the hope of their yielding a sufficient supply of water; but in this ere h was obtained to quench our own thirst Charley, however, in a search up the creek, and after a long raorge, to which he had been guided by a beaten track of Wallurus Our horses and bullocks, which were crowding i, were immediately harnessed, and we proceeded about three miles in a north direction to the head of a rocky valley, where our cattle were enabled at least to drink, but all the grass had been consue was plentiful in the large flat and at the wells of the natives, and formed a fine tree: its seeds, however, were shed, and had been roasted by the late bush fire Mr Phillips (as always desirous of discovering substitutes for coffee, and to ed the use of the river-bean of the Mackenzie) collected these seeds, and pounded and boiled theave me the fluid to taste, which I found so peculiarly bitter that I cautioned hi it; his natural desire, however, for ware, which had been increased by a whole day's travelling, induced him to s about a pint of it, whichduring the whole afternoon and night The little I had tasted acted on ative, but Mr Calvert, who had taken rather uhtly acid, and very harmless

Oct 30--We travelled about four es, when a large valley bounded by high ranges to the north and north-west, burst upon us We descended into it by a steep and rocky basaltic slope, and followed a creek which held a very tortuous course to the south-west; we had travelled along it about seven reen belt of trees, and by the late burnings of the natives, and discovered a running rivulet, coed with Pandanus, Acacia (Inga monilifornis) and with an arborescent Vitex, with ternate leaves The flats ell grassed, and lightly tiues, we observed the Melaleuca guum, the mountain Acacia, and Persoonia falcata, (R Br) The basaltic rock was apparently confined to the upper part of the valley, where it had broken through the sandstone, which coes round our carees 23 minutes 55 seconds At our last camp, I observed a Platycercus, of the size of the Moreton Bay Rosella, with blackfront, yellow shoulders, and sea-green body; the fe ones were more speckled on the back I believe it to be the Platycercus Brownii, GOULD A black and white Ptilotis, the only stuffed specimen of which was taken by a kite almost out of Mr Gilbert's hand, was very frequent at the wells of the natives

During the night, a great nu-foxes caum trees Charley shot three, and we made a late but welcome supper of them They were not so fat as those we had eaten before, and tasted a little strong; but, in ht, it was always difficult to find out the cause of any particular taste, as Master Broished to get as quickly as possible over his work, and was not over particular in cleaning theton Parrakeet) visited, in large flocks, the blossoh the day, as the flying-fox was during the night

Oct 31--When ere going to start, Brown's old horse was absent, and afterat the opposite side of the creek, with its back down the slope, and unable tohim to rise, but he was so weak, as to be scarcely able to stand: indeed all our cattle were tired and foot-sore, in consequence of several days travelling over rocky ranges, and required rest I therefore deter here a day, as no place could be better suited for their recovery The grass was young and various, the water delightfully cool, and the scattered trees were large and shady Numerous birds frequented the water; a species of Ptilotis, with its cheerful and pleasing note, entertained us at daybreak, as the Leatherhead with its constantly changing call and whistling did during the day Dacelo cervina, GOULD, (the s Jackass) was not heard so frequently nor so regularly as its representative of the east coast I found a species of fern (Taeniopsis) along the creek, and a species of Mih had been observed on the plains and the flats of the Roper Charley and Broent to shoot flying-foxes, and returned at luncheon with twelve; during the afternoon, they went again and brought in thirty , wounded, on the trees They had been at a large swamp and a pond, connected with the creek, in which Charley declared that he had seen a strange ani into the water As Brown, on the following day, saw a crocodile in the saination had very probably added two horns to his wonderful animal

CHAPTER XIV

INTERVIEW WITH A NATIVE--DISTRESSING HEAT--A HORSE STAKED: IT DIES--MYRIADS OF FLYING-FOXES--MAGNIFICENT VALLEY--FRIENDLY NATIVES--SHOT EXHAUSTED--INSTINCT OF BULLOCKS--SOUTH ALLIGATOR RIVER--FRIENDLY NATIVES WITH AN ENGLISH HANDKERCHIEF, AND ACQUAINTED WITH FIRE-ARMS--THEIR LANGUAGE--MIRAGE

Nov 1--We reached lat 14 degrees 16travelled about nine e composed of baked sandstone, approached so close to the banks of ”Flying-Fox Creek,” that ere obliged to cross the range; to the east-ward of which tea-tree flats extended, withtea-trees The country farther on, ell grassed and lightly ties on a NNW course, we caain on the Pandanus creek, which we followed This creek was joined by several other sandy creeks, also by dry channels fringed with Pandanus, and by chains of water-holes, in which Typhas (bullrush) indicated the underground -stretched detached hills were seen to the northward, and a long range to the eastward, trending from south to north The flat valley between theh stiff grass covered the approaches of the creeks, and long tracts, which had been burnt sohtful verdure This, with the dark green belt of trees which ave to this beautiful country the aspect of a large park I was following one of the sandy creeks, when Mr

Calvert called my attention to a distant belt of Pandanus, which he supposed to be a river; I sent Mr Roper to exae of his rifle apprized us that he had met ater, we followed him It was a broad creek, with a stream about three feet deep, and from seven to ten yards wide, with a firum-trees, and Sarcocephalus; and thick reeds, and a stiff blady grass fringed its waters The frequent smoke which rose from every part of the valley, showed that it ell inhabited Brown ins and children, but they ran away as soon as they saw hireat number of therass, which illumined the sky, as it spread in every direction They tried to frighten us, by is; but withdrehen they saas of no avail; at all events, they left us undisturbed during the night--except by one of their dogs, which had been attracted probably by the scent of our flying-fox supper John and Charley had re-foxes, and they returned at sunset, with twenty-nine; which furnished us with a good breakfast and dinner The night was clear, and a strong warm breeze set in at a quarter to nine, from the NNE It was as full and steady as those winds we had experienced at Peak Range, and at the Mackenzie

Although we had seen the heads of only one branch of the Roper, I feel convinced that this creek, which was no doubt joined by that at which we encaed equally to that river

Nov 2--We travelled about eightthe creek, cutting however one of its bends by crossing soes with a flat sues were seen to the ard, one near, and the other blue in the distance

To the northward, two mountains appeared, from which the creek seemed to take its principal rise The creek wound between baked sandstone hills, and was alternately enlarging into Ny in a s tea-trees, Terreen appearance

The apple-gurew on the flats

Methoriu the hazel-nut; it had showy red and white blosso the creek; but its ripe fruits were rare at this time of the year

A s, was seen in the Nymphaea ponds, but we could not induce it to bite

At 9 o'clock PM we felt again a strong war, a fine cool breeze, quite bracing and refreshi+ng, blew froeese ca, which oons, like those in the valley of the Burdekin

Nov 3--We continued our course up the creek, for nine or ten rees 2 minutes 46 seconds Its stream still continued; but the valley beca tea-trees rarer