Part 22 (1/2)

We h a fine forest, in which Livistona beca to the ard; the country becaood supply of rainwater, until it turned too ht enabled me to rees 21 minutes 49 seconds We had accomplished about five miles to the northward

We sao eh to shoot one of the the clear, dewy night, flocks of geese and ducks passed from the west to the north-east, and I anticipated that the next stage would bring us again to large swamps The bed of the creek on which we encaranitic rock

CHAPTER XV

JOY AT MEETING NATIVES SPEAKING SOME ENGLISH--THEY ARE VERY FRIENDLY--ALLAMURR--DISCERNMENT OF NATIVE SINCERITY--EAST ALLIGATOR RIVER--CLOUDS OF DUST MISTAKEN FOR SMOKE--IMPATIENCE TO REACH THE END OF THE JOURNEY--NATIVES STILL MORE INTELLIGENT--NYUALL--BUFFALOES; SOURCE FROM WHICH THEY SPRUNG--NATIVE GUIDES ENGAGED; BUT THEY DESERT US--MOUNT MORRIS BAY--RAFFLES BAY--LEAVE THE PACKHORSE AND BULLOCK BEHIND--BILL WHITE--ARRIVE AT PORT ESSINGTON--VOYAGE TO SYDNEY

Dec 1--We travelled about eleven or twelve h forest land, large tracts of which were occupied solely by Livistona A species of Acacia and stringy-bark saplings formed a thick underwood The open laere adorned by various plants, ast which we noticed a species of Drosera, hite and red blossoms? a Mitrasacme; a narrow-leaved Ruellia, the white primrose, the red prostrate malvaceous plant, a low shrubby Pleurandra, and an orchideous plant--one of the few representatives of this fa, however, was a prostrate Grevillea, with oblong smooth leaves, and with thyrsi of fine scarlet flowers; which I consider to be Grevillea Goodii, R Br

We crossed two small creeks, and, at the end of threeof whose waters over a rocky pebbly bed was heard by us at a considerable distance A broad foot-path of the natives led along its banks, probably to large lagoons, of which it ht be the outlet The country beca to the northward, e entered a tea-tree hollow, through which the e indicated the presence of an immense plain, which we all mistook for the Ocean We crossed over it to a belt of trees, which I thought to be its northern boundary The part of the plain next to the forest-land was corass; farther on it was a cold clay, either covered with a stiff, dry grass, apparently laid down by the rush of water, or foretation, which seemed to have been occasionally washed by the tide

Finding that the belt of trees was a thicket ofa salt-water creek, I returned to sooons near the forest, the water of which was drinkable, though brackish and aluminous To the ard of the plains,no other limit than two very distant hills, which I took to be the two hills ator River To the eastward,another narrow belt of trees; beyond which, however, the plain evidently continued Numerous pillars of smoke were seen to the ard

A fine north-west breeze set in at three o'clock in the afternoon, and refreshed us, as well as the cattle, which were suffering ue

Dec 2--Whilst aiting for our bullock, which had returned to the running brook, a fine native stepped out of the forest with the ease and grace of an Apollo, with a s countenance, and with the confidence of a man to whom the white face was perfectly fareat nu back to watch the reception he should meet with We received hi joined by another good-looking little man, we heard him utter distinctly the words, ”Coood!!!” ”what's your name? !!!!” If s throughout this trying journey; if they have only iined a tithe of the difficulties we have encountered, they will readily iic words produced--ere electrified--our joy knew no li the happiness hich they inspired us, joined, with a ave them various presents, particularly leather belts, and received in return a great nuoose feathers, which the natives use to brush away the flies They knew the white people of Victoria, and called the more than ”Hollanders;” a name used by the Malays, from whom they received it We had most fortunately a small collection of words, ton; so that ere enabled to ask for water (obert); for the road (allun); for Limbo cardja, which was the name of the Harbour I wished very uides; and the two principal men, Eooanberry and Minorelli, proed their ood water, and our sable friends guided us with the greatest care, pointing out to us the most shady road, to some wells surrounded with ferns, which were situated in some tea-tree hollows at the confines of the plains and the forest These wells, however, were so small that our horses could not approach to drink, so that we had to go to another set of wells; where I was obliged to stop, as one of our horses refused to go any farther This place was about four miles ENE

froht feet deep, and dug through a sandy clay to a stiff bed of clay, on which the water collected It would appear that the stiff clay of the plains had been covered by the sandy detritus of the ridges, from which the water slowly drained to the wells It was evident, fro them, that the supply of fresh water was very precarious In many instances, however, I observed that they had been induced to do so, sihbourhood of places where they obtained their principal supply of food This was particularly the case near the sea-coast, where no surface water is found; whilst the various fish, and even vegetable productions, attract the natives, ill, in such a case, even contract the habit of going the longest possible time without water, or, at least, with very little, as is well shown in Mr Eyre's journey round the Australian Bight We had to water our horses and the bullock with the stew pot; and had to hobble the latter, to prevent his straying, and attacking the natives

The natives were remarkably kind and attentive, and offered us the rind of the rose-coloured Eugenia apple, the cabbage of the Seaforthia pal of the rhizoe The last had a sweet taste, was very , and the best article of the food of the natives we had yet tasted They called it ”Allaton, ”Murnatt”), and were extrerew in depressions of the plains, where the boys and youngfor it The women went in search of other food; either to the sea-coast to collect shell-fish,--and many were the broad paths which led across the plains froather the fruits of the season, and the cabbage of the paloose spears, ave up their tieese only when flying; and would crouch dohenever they saw a flight of theeese, however, knew their ene a native rise to put his spear into the throwing stick Some of my companions asserted that they had seen them hit their object at the al all due allowance for the guess, I could not help thinking how formidable they would have been had they been enemies instead of friends They remained with us the whole afternoon; all the tribe anddoith crossed legs in the narrow shades of the trunks of trees, and shi+fting their position as the sun advanced Their wives were out in search of food; but many of their children ith them, which they duly introduced to us They were fine, stout, well ent countenances One or two attempts were made to rob us of some trifles; but I was careful; and we avoided the unpleasant necessity of showing any discontent on that head As it grew late, and they becary, they rose, and explained that they were under the necessity of leaving us, to go and satisfy their hunger; but that they would shortly return, and adround, about half aAllaood supply of it; in return for which various presents were made to them We became very fond of this little tuber: and I dare say the feast of Alla reht us also a thin grey snake, about four feet long, which they put on the coals and roasted It was poisonous, and was called ”Yullo”

At nightfall, after filling their kooli none at their ca place on the opposite hill where a plentiful dinner awaited the us to accompany them, and by way of inducement, most unequivocally offered us their sable partners We had to take great care of our bullock, as the beast invariably charged the natives whenever he obtained a sight of the us; for the whole tribe were soout ”the bullock,” they were immediately ready to bolt; with the exception of Eooanberry and Minorelli, who looked to us for protection I had not, however, the slightest fear and apprehension of any treachery on the part of the natives; for ht ue of deceit, hich they try to ensnare their victis, or those of confidence and respect I reued treachery, and of the ullibility of the natives; but I am sure that a careful observer is more than a match for these simple children of nature, and that he can easily read the bad intention in their unsteady, greedy, glistening eyes

Dec 3--The natives visited us very early in the , with their wives and children, whom they introduced to us There could not have been less than 200 of theenerally well-looking, with an intelligent countenance: they had in fact all the characters of the coast blacks of a good country; but without their treacherous dispositions I started in a north-east direction; and as ere accompanied by the natives, I led our bullock, by the noserope, behind e sheet of salt-water, about three or four e was visible; when Eooanberry explained that we had to go far to the south-east and south, before we could cross the river, and that we had to follow it down again at the other side He expressed his great attachment to his wife and child, and obtained leave of us to return to his tribe, which had already retired before hi the river, which I considered to be the East Alligator; the longitude of which here we first ca; I returned to the forest land, and travelled along its belt of Pandanus, to obtain a better ground for our cattle, and to avoid the scorching heat of the forenoon sun

Observing so abruptly out of the plains and et to theain prevented by the broad salt water We now steered for a distant smoke to the south-east by east, and had travelled fully seventeenextensive plains, e perceived seven natives returning on a beaten foot-path, from the salt water to the forest We cooeed--they ran! But e had passed, and Charley stopped behind alone, they ca received some presents, they showed us soroves; after which they hastened hoive the to drink, except about six quarts of brackish water; which fell to the share of our bullock The feed, however, was rich and young, and during the night a heavy deas deposited, Many flocks of geese ca low over the plains, which made us hope that water was not very distant

Whilst ere passing the head of a ss, started out of a shady hole; but we looked in vain for fresh water

The plains, which were very level, with a few melon-holes, were scattered all over with dead Lihtly brackish water, covered theth of tiator Rivers, we had seen uinea, GOULD), which retired towards night, in long flights fro tea-trees near the shallow pools of water on which we enca-foxes in thefrequently the first indication of them by the peculiar odour of the ani, and increased during the day, sending down showers of rain all round the horizon The sea breeze set in at 3 o'clock; and the weather cleared up at sunset, and during the first part of the night; but after 1 o'clock A M becaain, with inclination to rain; heavy dew fell during the clear part of the night

Dec 4--The natives returned very early to our camp I went up to them and made them sooose feathers, and the roasted leg of a goose, which they were pleased to see me eat with a voracious appetite I asked for Alla any left, and gave us to understand that they would supply us, if ould stay a day Neither these natives nor the tribe of Eooanberry would touch our green hide or nance, and tried to drop it without being seen by us Poor fellows! they did not kno gladly we should have received it back! They were the stoutest and fattest men we had met

We travelled at first to the east, in the direction froes covered with scrubby forest, we turned to the north-east, and continued in that direction about seven ain entered upon the plains of the river Mountains and colu its northern banks; but we afterwards found that most of those supposed columns of smoke were dust raised by inds We now followed the river until a vine brush approached close to its bank, into the cool shade of which our bullock rushed and lay down, refusing to go any farther; our packhorse andhorses were also equally tired The bed of the river had become very narrow, and the water was not quite brine, which made me hope that we should soon coone into the brush to a ca-foxes, and returned with twelve, which we prepared for luncheon, which allowed our bullock tiave an al-foxes, all clustering round the branches of low trees, which drooped by the weight so near to the ground that the aniels The Seaforthia palant crown far above the patches of vine brush which we passed at the river side of the ridges

After a delay of two hours, we again started, and travelled in a due south direction towards so between two steep and apparently isolated rocky hills: they were about four miles distant, and, e arrived at their base, we enjoyed the pleasing sight of large lagoons, surrounded with rove myrtles (Stravadium), with Pandanus, and with a belt of reeds and Neluerly into the fine water, deter of the three last days The lagoons were croith geese, and, as the close vegetation allowed a near approach, Brown s that were still left, and shot ten of thereat treat tofor a day, to allow our cattle to recover Every body was anxious to procure geese or flying-foxes; and, whilst three of -fox camp which we had visited yesterday, loaded with ironstone pebbles for shot, and full of the oons, and even Mr Roper stirred to try his good luck The two ht of Mr Roper; but during the afternoon they caoon opposite to our camp, and offered us some fish, a Silurus (Mao) and a tench (?) which they had speared in the lagoons I n for thee, some small pieces of iron, tin canisters, and leather belts; which they did; but they becaue, tried to possess hi he saw, from my red blanket to the spade and stew-pot I consequently sent Brown for a horse, whose appearance quickly sent theoon, where they reoose, which, however, they refused; probably because it was not prepared by theeese which we had not yet cooked

Brown had shot nine geese, and our fox hunters returned with forty-four of the sry, they ate the lower part of the leaf-stalks of Nelureat nu a rather ridiculous colish ambassador in China, as treated also with Nelumbium by its rich Mandarins

The natives seeht be ascribed to the mountainous character of their country I collected the following nauradja, Apirk (Apek), Yaganyin, Kolar, Kadgupa, Gnanga Gnanga Ayir ed fish-spear

I oons, by an observation of Castor, 12 degrees 23 ain this , and it was evident that they had not been with their gins They invited us to co place, and, after having tried in vain to pass at the foot of the rocky hills, we found a passage between the lagoons, and entered into a most beautiful valley, bounded on the west, east, and south by abrupt hills, ranges, and rocks rising abruptly out of an almost treeless plain clothed with the oons, and a belt of trees along the creek which uides, and pointed out to us a sound crossing place of the creek, which proved to be the head of the salt-water branch of the East Alligator River We observed a great nu place of the creek and in many of the tributary salt-water channels; they were uides: the leader of whoent and ain to the northward, following the outline of the rocky ridges at the right side of the creek; and, having again entered upon the plains, we encaoon, surrounded with Typhas, and croith ducks and geese, of which Brown shot four It was about four miles east of our yesterday's caeon (Peristera histrionica, GOULD) cahted towards the evening on the plain, and fed on the young grass, moistened by the rain The nueese; and dozens of the trees