Journals of Australian Explorations Part 43

Lat.i.tude by Vega 17 degrees 52 minutes 35 seconds.

THE ALBERT RIVER. A MARKED TREE.

31st August (Sunday).

Rode down the creek with Mr. H. Gregory. At two miles from the camp came to the junction of a smaller creek from the south, the two forming a fine reach of water, which we recognised as the Albert River of Captain Stokes. This spot between the two creeks was the rendezvous appointed for the two sections of the Expedition, and though, from the short period which had elapsed since leaving the Victoria, the Tom Tough could scarcely be expected to have arrived before us, on approaching the spot we saw several marked trees:

CHUMLUT + arrow pointing up ORE RCH TO 1856,

but were disappointed in our hope that the vessel had reached the Albert, as these marks consisted of several names of seamen, who appeared to have formed the crew of a boat sent up the river by H.M. steamer Torch. Search was made for directions for finding any memorandum which might have been concealed, as I first thought it probable that the object of the visit might have been to communicate with the Expedition; but the nature of the inscriptions and the absence of anything which led to even a surmise of what was the object of the visit caused us to come to the conclusion that it had no reference to the North Australian Expedition. From the state of the ashes of the fire and branches of the trees which had been cut and broken, it appeared that several weeks had elapsed, and consequently the Torch was not likely to still be in or near the river. In accordance with arrangements made with Mr. Baines, I marked a tree thus:

NAE AUG 30 DIG1YD TO E.

in order to apprise him of our having reached the Albert, and of our prospective movements. Returning to the camp, wrote a memorandum of the visit of the Expedition and a note to Mr. Baines, informing him that we intended leaving other marks and memoranda at the junction of the salt-water arm of the river, and then continue without delay our route towards Moreton Bay. These memoranda were enclosed in a powder-canister, and Messrs. Elsey and Bowman took them down to the marked tree and buried them. In the afternoon rode over with Mr. H. Gregory towards the Nicholson River, crossing Beame's Brook. Steered north-north-east four and a half miles over a level gra.s.sy plain with stripes of box-trees. As we could see four or five miles farther, and no indication of the river, returned to the camp, having ascertained that the Nicholson River does not join the Albert, unless many miles below the junction of Beame's Brook with the South Creek, which together form the Albert River.

1st September.

At 7.40 a.m. steered east to the South Creek, which we found at the distance of two miles, and followed it up for an hour in search of a crossing place, as the channel was very muddy. A suitable spot having been found, we filled up the channel, which was two yards wide, with panda.n.u.s stems, and crossed the horses over without accident. Steering east-north-east two miles across wide level plains, with patches of box-trees, turned north at noon and struck the Albert just below the junction of the South Creek and Beame's Brook. Finding the water brackish, we did not proceed farther down the river, and encamped. The existence of a narrow belt of mangrove along the bank of the river indicates that the water is often salt to the head of the Albert.

Lat.i.tude by Vega 17 degrees 51 minutes 55 seconds.

2nd September.

The water in the river being very brackish, it became evident that we should be unable to procure fresh water if we followed it towards the sea, and therefore I decided on leaving the letters I had written to Mr.

Baines at this spot, and accordingly marked a tree thus:

NAEXPDN AUG 30 1856 DIG2YDN

and buried a tin canister with letters, stating that the exploring party was to start the following morning for Moreton Bay, and instructing Mr.

Baines to remain at the Albert till the 29th September, 1856, in case any unforeseen circ.u.mstance should compel the party to return to the Albert within that period. Five months' flour, tea, sugar, etc., and three months' supply of meat at full ration still remained; and as our horses would supply the deficiency of meat, if required, we have sufficient quant.i.ty of provisions to enable the party to reach the settled part of New South Wales, unless extraordinary difficulties should be encountered; under the circ.u.mstances it did not appear prudent to delay at the Albert River, as the arrival of the Tom Tough might be deferred for an indefinite period.

3rd September.

Left our camp at 6.45 a.m., and steered east over level box-flats and open gra.s.sy plains; at 10.0 came on a small creek, which we followed half an hour to the north-east, when we came to salt-water, which had been left in pools at high tides. I therefore steered south-east till 5.0 p.m.

and camped at a shallow pool in a large creek trending north. The country consists of vast open level plains, separated by narrow belts of box and terminalia trees; the soil a brown clay loam, producing rather short and dry gra.s.s. On approaching the waterhole at which we encamped, a black and three or four women were found camped on the opposite side of the creek; they climbed the trees and remained among the branches till dusk, when they descended to their fires and made a great noise till 9.0, when they decamped. This creek is probably the head of the salt-water arm of the Albert River or of the Disaster River.

Lat.i.tude by Vega 18 degrees 2 minutes 5 seconds; variation of compa.s.s 4 degrees east.

THE "PLAINS OF PROMISE," LEICHHARDT RIVER.

4th September.

Continued a south-east course through large open plains thinly gra.s.sed; pa.s.sed a dry watercourse with a small waterhole in one of the back channels, but insufficient for our horses, and at noon camped at a shallow waterhole in a gra.s.sy flat. Mr. Elsey walked half a mile to the eastward; came to a river eighty yards wide, but observing some blacks, returned to the camp. In the evening nine blacks came towards us, and appeared inclined to hostilities; but, after a short interview, retired up the creek. These blacks were not circ.u.mcised, and their teeth were perfect; they had neither ornaments or any description of clothing, and were slightly scarred on the back and chest. Their spears were large and heavy, made of a single piece of wood, and thrown by hand; they had also smaller ones of reed, with wooden points, which were thrown with the throwing board, which were flattened vertically; clubs two and a half feet long and two and a half inches in diameter, and shields formed of a single piece of wood two and a half feet long and three inches wide. The river proved to be fresh, and in pools separated by rock flats, and is evidently the same that Dr. Leichhardt supposed to be the Albert--a mistake which has caused considerable error in the maps of his route; as it was not named, I called it the Leichhardt. The character of the country is inferior, as the gra.s.s which covers the plains is princ.i.p.ally aristidia and andropogon; anthisteria or kangaroo gra.s.s only in small patches. The soil is a good brown loam.

Lat.i.tude by Vega 18 degrees 11 minutes 50 seconds.

ATTACK BY THE NATIVES.

5th September.

At daybreak we heard the blacks making a great noise up the river, and while the horses were being brought in nineteen blacks came to the camp, all armed with clubs and spears. They did not make any hostile demonstration, and the approach of the horses appeared to keep them in check; and a person unacquainted with the treacherous character of the Australian might have thought them friendly. When we started at 6.50 a.m.

they followed the party to the bank of the river, and began to ship their spears, and when we were crossing a deep ravine made a rush on us with their spears poised ready to throw them at us, hoping to take advantage of our position; but just as their leader was in the act of throwing his spear he received a charge of small shot. This checked them, and we charged them on horseback, and with a few shots from our revolvers put them to flight, except one man, who climbed a tree, where we left him, as our object was only to procure our own safety, and that with as little injury to the blacks as possible. We did not pursue our advantage; by following the fugitives. Proceeding down the river a short distance, at 7.40 crossed to the right bank on a ledge of flat rocks. It was here about 100 yards wide, with shallow reaches of water, the banks rising steep--thirty to forty feet. Very little vegetation grew on the banks, which appeared to result from salt water occasionally reaching this part at very high tides. We now steered east over level gra.s.sy plains, with patches of box and terminalia. Pa.s.sed a small but deep waterhole, near which were two black gins, who did not appear to notice us. At 10.0 the country was covered with an open scrub of terminalia, with silvery leaves, and triodia replaced the gra.s.s. At noon pa.s.sed a small rocky gully with a waterhole, which our horses quite emptied of its contents.

Altering the course to north-east, the country was covered with melaleuca scrub, with silver-leafed ironbark, triodia, and a little gra.s.s; but we soon re-entered the open plains which extended to the north, and, following a watercourse at 3.5 p.m. camped at a small muddy waterhole, on the banks of which the blacks had often encamped, as shown by the heaps of mussel-sh.e.l.ls round their fireplaces. Our route has been along the southern limit of the open gra.s.sy plains, and to the south the country rises into low ridges and stony plains, covered with scrub and triodia.

Lat.i.tude by Vega 18 degrees 7 minutes 45 seconds.

6th September.

Starting at 6.25 a.m. our route was average east over a level country of very bad quality; the soil ironstone gravel, producing terminalia, triodia, and silk cotton-trees (Cochospermum gregoranum). Towards the latter part of the stage the country improved, becoming more open and gra.s.sy. At 12.15 camped on a large creek with a shallow pool of muddy water.

Lat.i.tude by Vega 18 degrees 9 minutes 45 seconds.

7th September (Sunday).

Remained at the camp to rest the party. A strong south-east wind blew during the night, and the day was cool and clear; the air very dry.

Repaired our saddle-bags, which, from frequent contact with rocks and dead trees, were much dilapidated.

8th September.

Steered east-south-east from 6.40 am to 11.40, crossing low ironstone ridges and wide gra.s.sy plains, with belts of box, terminalia, white-gum, and silver-leafed ironbark of small size; the gra.s.s very inferior, with patches of triodia on the ridges; then traversed a level country covered with small trees and dry gra.s.s for two hours, after which we followed a dry watercourse, with large hollows in its bed, to the north-north-west for one hour; the sh.e.l.ls of large unios abundant, but no water; altered the course to the east; pa.s.sed two lines of box-trees crossing the plain from the south to the north, and at 5.50 p.m. camped in the plain without water; a strong breeze from the south-east during the day had rendered the heat less oppressive than usual.

Lat.i.tude by Vega 18 degrees 12 minutes 40 seconds; variation of compa.s.s 5 degrees east.

THE FLINDERS RIVER.

9th September.

Left our waterless camp at 6.10 a.m., steering north 50 degrees east magnetic over a level gra.s.sy plain; at 9.40 reached a fine river of fresh water 100 yards wide, but very shallow; pelicans, ducks, and other water-fowl were numerous, but very shy and wild; here we camped, although the gra.s.s was very inferior on the immediate banks of the river, the surface of the soil being very much furrowed by the rain; small fragments of limestone and a few quartz pebbles have been observed on the surface of the plain for the past twenty miles, and a dark limestone rock is exposed in the bed of the river, where it has horizontal stratification; fragments of flinty slate and trap exist in the gravel of the bed of the river, which, from its position, must be the Flinders River of the charts.

Lat.i.tude by a Aquilae 18 degrees 8 minutes 41 seconds; variation of compa.s.s 4 degrees 20 minutes east.

10th September.

6.10 a.m. again found us in the saddle, and crossing the right bank followed it to the south-south-east till 7.20, when it turned to the south-south-west, and changing our course to the east, pa.s.sed through a fine gra.s.sy plain for two miles, and entered a level open box-flat, well gra.s.sed, the soil a brown loam; this continued till 2.30 p.m., when we entered a belt of terminalia, and at 1.0 reached a small watercourse, and camped at a fine waterhole fifty yards wide and 100 yards long, apparently deep and permanent water, with open gra.s.sy banks; this waterhole would render a great extent of the fine gra.s.sy country around available for pasturage; in pa.s.sing through the box forest we observed several sleeping places which had been constructed by the blacks during the wet season; they consisted of four stakes two feet high, supporting a platform of small sticks five feet long and two and a half feet wide; three to twenty of these frames would be grouped together, and were frequent till we reached the Gilbert River.

Lat.i.tude by Vega 18 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds.

11th September.

At 6.20 a.m. steered east for one hour through level box and terminalia flats, with good gra.s.s and brown loam; came to a fine lagoon eighty yards wide and nearly one mile long; beyond this was a creek with small pools of water; as it appeared to come from the south-east, we steered in that direction, but soon receded from it, as its course changed to south-south-east, and altering our course more to the southward, at noon came again on the creek, much reduced in size; melaleuca scrub and triodia growing close to its banks, and only a few shallow pools of water, nearly dried up, and very little gra.s.s; at 12.25 p.m. camped at a small pool. On the banks of the lagoon pa.s.sed in the morning large heaps of mussel-sh.e.l.ls showed the spots where, from the vast acc.u.mulation, the blacks had for many centuries camped successively on the same spots, and a well-beaten footpath along the bank showed that it was a favourite resort of the aboriginals. The common flies are very troublesome; very few birds, and no kangaroos have been seen during the last few days'

journey.

Lat.i.tude by Vega 18 degrees 18 minutes 5 seconds.

12th September.

The course of the creek being from the south and water very scarce in its bed, it does not appear that we have yet reached the streams rising in the high land at the head of the Burdekin and Lynd rivers; it therefore appeared expedient to steer an east-north-east course till some stream-bed of sufficient size to retain water at this season can be found, and then to follow it up to the ranges where alone water can be expected to be found to enable us to steer to the south-east. At an earlier season of the year, when water is abundant, it would be more desirable to ascend the Flinders, and cross from its upper branches to the head of the Clark; but under present circ.u.mstances this course would be highly imprudent, and no experimental deviations from the most direct course would be justifiable. The gra.s.s being scanty, the horses had scattered much, and we did not leave the camp till 10.20 a.m., when we steered east-north-east. A short mile from our camp pa.s.sed four blacks at a pool of water; they did not observe us till we had pa.s.sed, though only 100 yards distant, and the country very open. Our route was through a level country, wooded with box, bloodwood, terminalia, grevillia, and broad-leafed melaleuca, triodia, and patches of gra.s.s. The soil is a hard ironstone gravel and clay. Pa.s.sing several dry beds of shallow lagoons, came to a small dry watercourse coming from the east; at 12.20 p.m.

camped at a shallow pool of water scarcely four inches deep. Near the camp were some fine gra.s.sy flats, but limited in extent, and the gra.s.s very dry. The cool southerly breezes have ceased, and the north-east and westerly winds are light and very warm.