Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Volume I Part 33

Sterculiaceae : Sterculia, sp. : Variegated-flowered Sterculia : Soft and spongy : 12 to 20 : 4 to 6.

Oleinae : Chionanthus axillaris. Brown : Axillary-flowering Fringe Tree : Unknown : 10 to 15 : 4.

Oleinae : Olea paniculata. Brown : Panicled-flowering Olive : Unknown : 15 to 25 : 6 to 8.

Rhamneae : Zizyphus, sp. : Australian Jujube : Close grain, wood white : 10 to 30 : 4 to 16.

Proteaceae : Hakea arborescens. Brown : Tree Hakea : Like Eucalyptus, hard and heavy : 15 : 4 to 6.

Ebenaceae : Maba laurina. Brown : Laurel-leaved Date-plum : Soft, white wood, sap yellow : 10 to 20 : 4 to 6.

Malvaceae : Hibiscus tiliaceus. L. : Lime Tree-leaved Hibiscus : Brown wood, moderately hard : 10 to 25 : 4 to 8.

Santalaceae : Exocarpus latifolia. Brown : Tropical Native Cherry : Hard, white wood, bark green : 10 to 15 : 4 to 6.

Myrtaceae : Eucalyptus, sp. : Small-flowering Gum : Moderately hard, but useless for mechanical purposes : 20 to 35 : 18.

Myrtaceae : Eucalyptus, sp. : Large-fruited Gum : Moderately hard, but useless for mechanical purposes : 20 to 35 : 18.

Verbenaceae : Vitex. sp. allied to glabrata. Brown : - : Unknown : 20 to 25 : 6.

Capparides : Capparis sp. (?) : Gouty-stemmed Capparis : Soft, spongy, and full of sap : 30 : 9 feet.

Cycadeae : Cycas media. Brown : Australian Cycas, or Sago Palm : Fibrous and coa.r.s.e, similar to Palm : 4 to 15 : 4 to 6.

Sapoteae : Mimusops parvifolia. Brown : Small-leaved Zapadilla : Close grain : 10 to 15 : 4 to 5.

Meliaceae : Carapa, sp. closely related to molluccensis. Lam. : Maritime Carapa : Soft and brittle (a mangrove) : 25 : 6.

"From the summit of the ridge," says Mr. Cunningham, "immediately above Careening Bay, the country continues in a series of barren, stony hills of ordinary elevation, divided by small valleys equally sterile and rugged; clothed, nevertheless, with small trees of a stunted growth, and of species common to the bay of our encampment; nor was there remarked the least change in the habit or state of fructification of the several plants, throughout the whole s.p.a.ce of an estimated distance of six miles south of the tents.

"The summits of the hills are, for the most part, very rocky and bare of soil; and that of the valleys, or lower lands, appeared very shallow, of a reddish colour, and of a very poor, hungry nature. The rocks, with which the ground is very generally covered, are of the same sort of sandstone as is found upon the hills above the encampment; but among them we observed a good deal of quartz, remarkable for its purity, of which some specimens were observed in a crystallized state."

"In the season that succeeds that of the rains, the hills are covered with a lofty, reedy gra.s.s, whose dead stalks now form a matted stubble among the trees, as was remarked on some patches of the lower lands that had escaped the conflagrations, which at this period are extending their ravages far and wide. Several well-worn watercourses, long since dry, were crossed in the route, and, having the descent to the westward, show at what point their waters, during the rainy season, make their exit.

"No quadrupeds were seen upon this excursion, and only the usual indications of kangaroos: a few birds were observed on the wing, chiefly, however, of the pigeon kind."

We saw no kangaroos or opossums of any kind during our visit; but if we may judge from the number of snakes at so advanced a period of the dry season when they are generally in a dormant state, reptiles are very numerous. Mr. Cunningham found a very curious species of lizard, remarkable for having a thin, membranaceous appendage attached to the back of its head and round the neck and falling over its shoulders in folds as low as the fore arm. It was sent by Mr. Cunningham to the College of Surgeons where it is now preserved. Small lizards, centipedes, and scorpions were numerous about our encampment; and the trees and bushes about the tents were infested by myriads of hornets and other insects, particularly mosquitoes and small sandflies which annoyed us very much in the evenings.

Besides the huts on the beach which were merely strips of bark bent over to form a shelter from the sun, there were others on the top of the hill over the tents of a larger and more substantial construction; no two however were built after the same fashion. One of them was thus erected: Two walls of stones, piled one upon the other to the height of three feet, formed the two ends; and saplings were laid across to support a covering of bark or dried gra.s.s: the front, which faced the east, was not closed; but the back, which slanted from the roof to the ground, appeared to have been covered with bark like the roof.

The other huts were made somewhat of a similar construction, as they are represented in Woodcut 5, but all differed in shape: it did not appear that they had been very recently inhabited for the greater part of the thatch was burnt.

The natives did not make their appearance during our stay; and although an interview with them would have afforded us both amus.e.m.e.nt and information yet their absence was perhaps more desirable since all our provisions and stores were on sh.o.r.e; and their intimacy would probably have produced a quarrel which, for our own sakes as well as for the safety of future visitors, was best avoided.

The fireplaces near them were strewed with the nuts of the sago palm, the fruit of which appears to be generally eaten by the natives of the north and north-west coasts.

October 9.

On the 9th we left Careening Bay; and pa.s.sing out between Cape Brewster and the Coronation Islands entered a s.p.a.cious sound which was called Brunswick Bay in honour of that ill.u.s.trious house. From Cape Brewster the land extended for six miles to Cape Wellington round which there appeared to be a communication with the water seen over the hills of Careening Bay.

In front of the bay a cl.u.s.ter of islands extends from the north end of the Coronation Islands to the westward and south-westward and approaches the mainland; which, to the westward of Cape Wellington, was only seen in detached portions.

October 10.

The next day, having pa.s.sed the previous night at anchor off Cape Brewster, it was calm until noon: the sea-breeze then set in and carried us quickly round Cape Wellington into a considerable opening, trending to the southward and bearing a river-like appearance. Having the wind and tide in our favour we stood on and continued to run up until high-water; when, as no anchorage had been found, we were obliged to proceed against the tide. At seven miles from the entrance we pa.s.sed Rothsay Water, a considerable opening on the east side, and opposite to it was another which was called Munster Water; in front of it were several rocky islands covered with gra.s.s and trees. We continued to steel up the main stream and pa.s.sed a point whence the direction of the river changed to South-East; and after running five miles farther entered an extensive sheet of water, St. George's Basin, in which were the two large islands of St. Andrew and St. Patrick. The evening was now drawing near and we hauled round Strong-tide Point into a strait separating St. Andrew's Island from the main; here we were at last successful in finding an anchorage out of the strength of the tide which, in the narrower parts of the river, was setting at the rate of four and a half and five knots.

October 11 to 12.

The further examination of the opening was continued by our boats; and whilst Mr. Roe explored the northern and eastern sh.o.r.es of the basin I was occupied in examining the river which falls into it at its south-east end.

Mount Trafalgar is a conspicuous object on the north-eastern side of the basin; and another hill close to it being equally remarkable was called Mount Waterloo. These two hills rise precipitously from the plain; and being capped by a wall-like battlement bear a strong resemblance to Steep Head in Port Warrender.

Upon leaving the cutter we crossed St. George's Basin which appeared to receive several streams on the south side and landed on a small wooded islet for bearings; from which the summits of Mounts Waterloo and Trafalgar bore in a line. About two miles farther on the banks of the river again contracted and trended to the south-east on so direct a course that, from the distant land being hidden by the horizon, the river bore the appearance of being a strait. We were now twenty-two miles from the sea and as there was every appearance of this proving a considerable stream it was honoured by the t.i.tle of Prince Regent.

While I was employed upon the island with the theodolite Mr. Hunter, my companion, shot seven or eight brace of birds: they were of two kinds; one a species of oyster-catcher and the other a sandpiper.

The island is of small extent and is connected to the land by a shoal communication; it is rocky and thickly wooded; the trees were chiefly acacias. The marks of considerable floods were noticed upon its sh.o.r.es; and the wrecks of very large trees were thrown up ten or twelve feet above the high-water mark.

We re-embarked at a quarter to twelve o'clock and pulled fourteen miles farther up the river when a slight turn hid the island on which we had landed from our view; from the width of a mile and a half at the entrance it had decreased to about two-thirds of a mile and still continued gradually to get narrower: its banks throughout are bounded by steep rocky hills rising to the height of two or three hundred feet which, in some parts, were nearly overhanging the water; several mangrove-inlets communicated with the river on either side but they were all salt-water creeks.

The rocks on the hills are formed of a close-grained siliceous sandstone; and the ground is covered with loose ma.s.ses of the same rock, with spinifex growing between them; this plant is of itself sufficient to indicate the poverty of the soil. As we pa.s.sed a small round islet an alligator which had been basking in the sun alarmed at our approach, rushed into the water, and, as we came near the spot, rose to reconnoitre us, but instantly sunk again.

The sea-breeze being unimpeded by the intervention of land blew so strong that, when the flood ceased, we were enabled to proceed for some time against the ebb-tide. It also prevented our suffering from the heat which would otherwise have been very oppressive for the thermometer stood all day at 96 and 98 degrees.

At the distance of about seventeen miles from the basin we were surprised by hearing the noise of a fall of water; but distrusting our ears we were not convinced of the fact, until an opening in the mangroves exposed to our view a cascade of water of one hundred and sixty feet in breadth, falling from a considerable height. As the breeze still enabled us to make way against the tide we did not stay to examine it; and therefore deferred our visit until our return.

Three miles farther up we put ash.o.r.e to rest and refresh the boat's crew; and whilst I was occupied at the beach Mr. Hunter ascended the hill to examine the country but found only a continuation of the same rocky hills and sterile desert. The character of the river had a.s.sumed nearly the same appearance as Hunter and Roe's Rivers in Prince Frederic's Harbour, excepting that the hills were less precipitous and rather more wooded.

About two miles beyond our station the width began to decrease and the stream to take a more winding course: the banks were also lower and the mangroves appeared to increase in quant.i.ty; but unlike the other rivers the bottom was of sand and there was scarcely any mud, excepting on the banks where the mangroves grew. Several places were observed upon the hills where the trees and gra.s.s had been burnt by fire, but otherwise there was no sign of the banks of the river ever being frequented by natives.

By the time we had refreshed ourselves it was getting late and we set out on our return; the tide had now ebbed considerably and exposed several banks which, having been covered, had before escaped our observation; we grounded on several as we proceeded, which detained us so long that it was dark when we pa.s.sed the cascade, and by the time we reached the island on which we had seen the alligator in the morning, the tide had commenced to flow.

Here we determined upon remaining until the ebb; and after satisfying ourselves that there were no alligators upon it landed, and kindled a fire upon the dry summit of the island under a large log of wood that had been washed down the river and deposited there by the freshes. Whilst our refreshment was preparing we searched about for alligators, but not finding any and being quite overpowered by the fatigues of the day, we composed ourselves to rest; during which, although the alligators did not trouble us, we were greatly incommoded by sandflies and mosquitoes; but neither our fear of the former, nor the annoyance of the latter, prevented our sleeping as soundly as we should have done on a more safe and luxurious couch. Mr. Hunter also, who for some time after the rest had fallen asleep walked about in order to keep on the alert, very soon followed our example and we happily pa.s.sed the night without accident.

At three o'clock the tide began to ebb and the boat-keeper awakened us to re-embark on our return. On looking about we were surprised to find that the tide had reached within three feet of our fireplace and must have risen at least thirty feet since we landed. The air was now so cold from a copious fall of dew that we were obliged to resort to our blankets and cloaks for warmth; but with the sun the mercury rose from 80 to 88 and 90 degrees; and the morning being quite calm became excessively sultry.

On reaching the cutter we found that Mr. Roe had returned the preceding evening from having examined the north-east sh.o.r.e of the basin and traced two openings that trend for a short distance in on either side of the mounts. On his return he pulled round the south side of St. Andrew's Island and landed at its south-west end where he made a fire which spread rapidly through the dried gra.s.s and set the surface of the island in a blaze. It continued to burn for several days afterwards.

During our absence the sh.o.r.e of the bay of anchorage had also been examined and several pools of water were discovered, from which we filled our empty casks. Mr. Cunningham ascended the hills which rose nearly perpendicularly for at least 400 feet; they were thickly clothed with trees and plants from which he obtained a large addition to his collection. In wandering about through the spinifex upon the cliffs he saw four small kangaroos; and near the waterholes one of the crew saw a fifth, of a gray colour and of a larger size than usual.

Our people were now all laid up with sores upon their feet and legs from cuts and bruises received in scrambling over the rocks; and several were affected by ophthalmia. Besides this the rainy season was approaching; it commenced last year about the 18th of October, and as the weather was now close and sultry and daily getting more unfavourable, the change was evidently at hand.

October 13.

We therefore determined upon quitting the coast as soon as possible; and as there was nothing to detain us here any longer we weighed the following afternoon as soon as the tide commenced to ebb.

Our distance from the mouth was sixteen miles and the breeze blew directly against us but, as the tide was running out with great strength, we succeeded in reaching an anchorage in Brunswick Bay before dark; not however without incurring considerable danger in pa.s.sing through strong tide ripplings when abreast of Rothsay Water; which caused me to suspect that it communicated with Prince Frederic's Harbour.