True, Indeed, All The Crows And Hawks
Which Had Been Shot Were Given To Them; But They Plainly Told Us That
The Taste Of Ducks Was More Agreeable To Their Palates, And Begged They Might
Hereafter Partake Of Them.
We observed that they were thoroughly sick
of the journey, and wished heartily for its conclusion:
The exclamation of
"Where's Rose Hill, where?" was incessantly repeated, with many inquiries
about when we should return to it.
Saturday April 16th, 1791. It was this morning resolved to abandon
our pursuit and to return home; at hearing of which our natives expressed
great joy. We started early; and reached Rose Hill about three o'clock,
just as a boat was about to be sent down to Sydney. Colbee and Boladeree
would not wait for us until the following morning, but insisted on going down
immediately to communicate to Baneelon and the rest of their countrymen
the novelties they had seen.
The country we passed through was, for the most part, very indifferent,
according to our universal opinion. It is in general badly watered.
For eight miles and a half on one line we did not find a drop of water.
RICHMOND HILL
Having eluded our last search, Mr. Dawes and myself, accompanied by a sergeant
of marines and a private soldier, determined on another attempt,
to ascertain whether it lay on the Hawkesbury or Nepean. We set out
on this expedition on the 24th of May, 1791; and having reached the opposite
side of the mouth of the creek which had in our last journey prevented
our progress, we proceeded from there up to Richmond Hill by the river side;
mounted it; slept at its foot; and on the following day penetrated some miles
westward or inland of it until we were stopped by a mountainous country,
which our scarcity of provisions, joined to the terror of a river at our back,
whose sudden rising is almost beyond computation, hindered us from exploring.
To the elevation which bounded our research we gave the name of Knight Hill,
in honour of the trusty sergeant who had been the faithful indefatigable
companion of all our travels.
This excursion completely settled the long contested point about
the Hawkesbury and Nepean. We found them to be one river. Without knowing it,
Mr. Dawes and myself had passed Richmond Hill almost a year before
(in August 1790), and from there walked on the bank of the river to the spot
where my discovery of the Nepean happened, in June 1789. Our ignorance
arose from having never before seen the hill, and from the erroneous position
assigned to it by those who had been in the boats up the river.
Except the behaviour of some natives whom we met on the river, which
it would be ingratitude to pass in silence, nothing particularly worthy
of notice occurred on this expedition.
When we had reached within two miles of Richmond Hill, we heard a native call.
We directly answered him and conversed across the river for some time.
At length he launched his canoe and crossed to us without distrust
or hesitation. We had never seen him before; but he appeared to know
our friend Gombeeree, of whom he often spoke. He said his name was Deedora.
He presented us with two spears and a throwing-stick, and in return
we gave him some bread and beef. Finding that our route lay up the river,
he offered to accompany us and, getting into his canoe, paddled up
abreast of us. When we arrived at Richmond Hill it became necessary
to cross the river; but the question was, how this should be effected?
Deedora immediately offered his canoe. We accepted of it and, Mr. Dawes
and the soldier putting their clothes into it, pushed it before them,
and by alternately wading and swimming, soon passed. On the opposite shore
sat several natives, to whom Deedora called, by which precaution the arrival
of the strangers produced no alarm. On the contrary, they received them
with every mark of benevolence. Deedora, in the meanwhile, sat talking
with the sergeant and me. Soon after, another native, named Morunga,
brought back the canoe, and now came our turn to cross. The sergeant
(from a foolish trick which had been played upon him when he was a boy)
was excessively timorous of water, and could not swim. Morunga offered
to conduct him, and they got into the canoe together; but, his fears returning,
he jumped out and refused to proceed. I endeavoured to animate him,
and Morunga ridiculed his apprehensions, making signs of the ease and dispatch
with which he would land him; but he resolved to paddle over by himself,
which, by dint of good management and keeping his position very steadily,
he performed. It was now become necessary to bring over the canoe
a third time for my accommodation, which was instantly done, and I entered it
with Deedora. But, like the sergeant, I was so disordered at seeing the water
within a hair's breadth of the level of our skiff (which brought
to my remembrance a former disaster I had experienced on this river)
that I jumped out, about knee-deep, and determined to swim over,
which I effected. My clothes, half our knapsacks, and three of our guns
yet remained to be transported across. These I recommended to the care
of our grim ferrymen, who instantaneously loaded their boat with them
and delivered them on the opposite bank, without damage or diminution.
During this long trial of their patience and courtesy - in the latter part
of which I was entirely in their power, from their having possession
of our arms - they had manifested no ungenerous sign of taking advantage
of the helplessness and dependance of our situation; no rude curiosity
to pry into the packages with which they were entrusted; or no sordid desire
to possess the contents of them; although among them were articles
exposed to view, of which it afterwards appeared they knew the use,
and longed for the benefit.
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