Ayir meant stone spear;
Ekolpen, jagged fish-spear.
I made the latitude of these lagoons, by an observation of Castor, 12
degrees 23 minutes 19 seconds.
Dec. 6. - The natives visited us again this morning, and it was evident
that they had not been with their gins. They invited us to come to their
camp; but I wished to find a crossing 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 most luxuriant verdure,
and diversified by large Nymphaea lagoons, and a belt of trees along the
creek which meandered through it. The natives now became our guides, 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 number of long conical fish and crab traps at the
crossing place of the creek and in many of the tributary salt-water
channels; they were made apparently of Flagellaria. Here I took leave of
our guides: the leader of whom appeared to be "Apirk," a young and
slender, but an intelligent and most active man. We now travelled again
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 encamped
at a very broad, shallow, sedgy, boggy lagoon, surrounded with Typhas,
and crowded with ducks and geese, of which Brown shot four. It was about
four miles east of our yesterday's camp. Numerous flocks of the Harlequin
pigeon (Peristera histrionica, GOULD) came to drink at this lagoon; and
innumerable geese alighted towards the evening on the plain, and fed on
the young grass, moistened by the rain. The number of kites was in a fair
proportion to that of the geese; and dozens of them were watching us from
the neighbouring trees.
We found a new Eugenia, a tree of rather stunted growth, with broad
opposite leaves, and fruit of the size of an apple, of a delicate
rose-colour, and when ripe, a most delicious refreshment during a hot
day. We had frequently met with this tree on sandstone ridges, and in
sandy soils, but had never before found it in fruit. The day was
distressingly hot, but we had several light showers during the afternoon.
Dec. 7. - "Apirk," with seven other natives, visited us again in the
morning, and it seemed that they had examined the camp we had last left.
They gave us to understand that we could travel safely to the northward,
without meeting any other creek. Apirk carried a little pointed stick,
and a flat piece of wood with a small hole in it, for the purpose of
obtaining fire.
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