But, Since Leaving The
Seven Emu River, These Calls Invariably Acquainted Me With The Failing
Strength Of Our Poor Brutes;
And knowing only too well the state of
exhaustion in which they were, I was almost constantly expecting to be
Reminded of it, as I was riding along, which rendered me extremely
nervous and restless. The death of our spare horses did not allow us any
more to relieve the others by alternate rests, and we became soon aware
of their increasing weakness. This was considerably aggravated by the
necessity under which we were of keeping two horses tethered near the
camp, not only to facilitate the finding of the others in the morning,
but to form a defence against a possible attack of the natives.
Oct. 27. - We travelled about seven miles up the river, to lat. 14 degrees
40 minutes in a W.S.W. course: and to long. 134 degrees 16 minutes,
according to my reckoning. The range still continued along the right bank
of the river; and, at length, when it ceased, another range commenced at
the left bank. Here the aspect of the country changed very agreeably.
Fine, well grassed plains of moderate size extended along the river, and
between its numerous anabranches: for the river divided into several
Pandanus channels, either running or with chains of water-holes. These
plains were bounded by a range trending east and west, about two or three
miles from the left bank of the river. Smoke was seen beyond it. Mr.
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 much exhausted, I
allowed them to feed at large, 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 seemed probable; for,
after night-fall, at the commencement of Charley's watch, four natives
sneaked up to the camp, and were preparing to throw their spears, when
they were seen by Charley, who immediately gave the alarm. We got 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 them by
the discharge of a gun.
Oct. 28. - We travelled ten miles in a north-west direction, to lat. 14
degrees 33 minutes. When we had followed the green belt of the river near
four miles, Charley, who had been sent to shoot some ducks, returned, and
reported that we were 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 some smoke which rose behind a large
mountain; passing on our way, over an undulating country clothed with a
forest of the broad-leaved tea-tree; and a scrubby flat with large
melon-holes fringed with raspberry-jam trees; and through a gap between
two high ranges, in which there was a small dry creek that turned to the
north-east. From a large Polygonum water-hole which had recently become
dry, a swarm of whistling ducks rose, probably scared by our approach.
Two bustards were also seen. About three miles farther, we came to a
good-sized creek, up which we proceeded until we found a small pool of
water, which, after some digging, gave us a good supply. Charley had
found a fine pool about four miles higher up.
At this time, I was suffering from a great 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 when we were 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 N.N.W., 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 some plains,
and through a broad-leaved tea-tree forest, and then skirted a thick
scrub, which covered the approaches of a range. After seven miles
travelling, we came to an immense flat lightly timbered with box and
broad-leaved tea-tree, and surrounded on every side, except the S.S.E.,
by high ranges, protruding like headlands into the plain. Upon passing
them afterwards, I found them to form undulating chains of baked
sandstone hills.
We crossed several small watercourses going to the north-east and east,
and came to a considerable creek, near which basalt cropped out. This was
the first igneous rock of more recent date, that we had met with since
leaving Separation Creek, and the upper Lynd. Even my Blackfellows
recognized at once the rock of Darling Downs; and we hailed it as the
harbinger of western waters. The whole country up the creek had been
lately burned, which induced me to follow it towards its head, in hope of
finding the 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 we were mistaken, as barely
enough was obtained to quench our own thirst. Charley, however, in a
search up the creek, and after a long ramble, found a small pond and a
spring in a narrow mountain gorge, to which he had been guided by a
beaten track of Wallurus.
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