Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia Volume I Part 35

On further examination of the lagoon it appeared to be a creek extending to the north-east, but at three miles from where we crossed it, in travelling on 256 degrees (from North) it had a very diminished appearance. We continued over a firm clay surface on the same bearing until we came on the Darling.

THE CARTS BESET ON THE JOURNEY BY VERY COVETOUS NATIVES.

The same natives whom we had seen, but accompanied by another tribe as it seemed, overtook the carts on the road and now accompanied us. They were so covetous that the progress of the carts was impeded for some time by the care necessary on the part of the drivers to prevent these people from stealing. Everything, no matter what, they were equally disposed to carry off. Although watched sharply they contrived to filch out articles and hand them from one to another. Even the little sticks in the horns which carried grease for the wheels did not escape their hands; and the iron pins of the men who were measuring with the chain were repeatedly seized in their toes and nearly carried off.

MISCHIEVOUS SIGNALS.

When we reached the stream they set fire to an old hut which stood where they saw our carts were likely to pa.s.s; this being intended no doubt as a signal to others still before us on the river. Seeing that they were bent on mischief I proceeded three miles further, and selected the position for the camp with more care than usual. It was not good but the best I could find; a slightly rising ground nearly free from trees, surrounded by low soft polygonum flats, and only half a mile from the river.

CATTLE WORN OUT.

It was evident that the draught cattle could not continue this work until after they had had some repose. This day's journey did not much exceed eight miles, and yet some of the best of the bullocks had lain down on the road. On the other hand the natives were likely to become formidable; for the tribes increased in numbers while we were taking up our ground.

THE TALL MAN AGAIN.

They advanced towards us without ceremony, led on by the old man and the tall athletic savage we had seen before, and who had both been noticed as the most persevering thieves of all.

APPROACH OF THE FISHING TRIBE.

These two men had hung about our party several days and their intention of a.s.sembling the tribes around us for the worst of purposes was no longer to be doubted. I felt no occasion to be ceremonious with them, for I had frequently given them to understand that we did not wish their company. I immediately took several men forward with muskets to keep the tribes off while our party were encamping, but to no purpose. The natives carried a quant.i.ty of large fishes, and introduced me particularly to a very good-humoured-looking black who seemed to be chief of the new tribe, and who took some pains to explain to me that the spears they carried were only for killing fishes or kangaroos (boondari). This chief appeared to have great authority although not old. He wore tightly round his left arm, between the shoulder and the elbow, a bracelet of corded hair. This distinction, if such it was, I also noticed in one of the old men.* The afternoon was a most hara.s.sing time, from the repeated attempts to pilfer the carts and tents.

(*Footnote. Of the bracelet as worn among the Orientals Harmer says: "This I take to have been an ensign of royalty; and in that view I suppose we are to understand the account that is given us of the Amalekite's bringing the bracelet that he found on Saul's arm, along with his crown, to David, 2 Samuel 1:10." Volume 2 page 438.)

COVETOUS OLD MAN.

The old man whose cunning and dexterity in this way were wonderful had nearly carried off the leathern socket for the tent-poles; another extracted the iron bow of a bullock-yoke.

CONDUCT ON WITNESSING THE EFFECT OF A SHOT.

The most striking instance however of their propensity for clutching occurred when Burnett, by my order, shot a crow, in hopes that its sudden death might scare them; but instead of any terror being exhibited at the report or effect of the gun the bird had not reached the ground when the chief was at the top of his speed to seize it!

The strong tall man was by far the most covetous, it was almost impossible to keep him from our carts; even after all the others had been rather roughly pushed off and had sat down. About sunset the tribe retired, but with demonstrations of their intention to visit us in the morning. Meanwhile I was thinking to explore the further course of the river with a few men and pack animals only, leaving the bullocks and other men to refresh here for our long homeward journey.

THE PARTY OBLIGED TO HALT FROM THE WEAK STATE OF THE CATTLE.

Rest indeed was most essential to enable them to do this; and as the natives were now gathering around us circ.u.mstances were not likely to mend in either respect by our travelling at a slow rate. The necessity for separation however was obvious if the survey was to be continued farther; but I determined to halt for two days preparatory to our setting out, during which time I hoped by patient vigilance and firmness to disappoint the cupidity, and yet gratify the curiosity, of the natives, so as to induce them to draw off and leave us.

THE NATIVES VERY TROUBLESOME.

July 10.

Early this morning the blacks came up in increased numbers, and we were forced to shove the tall fellow by the shoulders from our stores. The old man however managed to cut (with a knife which he had received from us AS A PRESENT) one of the tent ropes; and because it was taken from him when he was making off with it he threw a fire-stick at the tent.

KING PETER.

One strange native arrived, after many cooeys, from a distance; whereupon the chief of the fishing-tribe (whom we styled king Peter) led him to us and introduced him to my particular attention. The tribe also took great interest in this introduction, and I, on our part, met the stranger as favourably as I could, by sitting down opposite to him in the midst of the tribe to which king Peter had led me. While I sat thus, under a dense group of bawling savages, I perceived that the most loquacious and apparently influential of all was the female who came up to us on the morning of the 8th, carrying a net. She was now all animation, and her finely shaped mouth, beautiful teeth, and well-formed person, appeared to great advantage as she hung over us both, addressing me vehemently about something relative to the stranger. He, all the while, sat mute before me while I continued not only silent but quite ignorant of the purport of what was said. My handkerchief was at length taken out, and many hands being at length laid upon me, I retired as ceremoniously as circ.u.mstances permitted, but not until I had been so manipulated by fishy paws that the peculiar odour of the savage adhered to my clothes long after.

I next allowed Peter to approach my tent, upon looking into which he set up a loud but feigned laugh, instead of evincing any surprise on seeing many objects to him so very strange. He afterwards came up with the old man and the stranger, proposing that the three should go in and examine it; but I positively refused to let them enter the tent together, for a bull in a china-shop were no hyperbole compared to pilfering savages in a tent among barometers, s.e.xtants and books.

At length I found to my regret king Peter's hand in my pocket, pulling at my handkerchief several times, although I had given him a tomahawk and breastplate. They began to see (as I hoped) that they could not easily get more from us. I perceived a messenger despatched across the river, and asked this chief by gestures and looks the object of the mission, when he made signs that others would come to dance. It was clear the man was sent for another tribe as:

The messenger of blood and brand.

Still their numbers did not exceed sixty, though gathered along the riverbank for many miles back; and my men, with twelve muskets, were strong enough when kept together; but this could not be, and it was a time of considerable anxiety with us all. About noon the whole tribe took to the river, with the exception of the two old men, the tall man, and their two gins.

SINGULAR CEREMONIES.

These persons had followed us far, gathering the tribes and leading them forward to pilfer; but the ceremony they went through when the others were gone was most incomprehensible, and seemed to express no good intentions. The two old men moving slowly, in opposite directions, made an extensive circuit of our camp; the one waving a green branch over his head and occasionally shaking it violently at us, and throwing dust towards us, now and then sitting down and rubbing himself over with dust.

The other took the band from his head and waved it in gestures equally furious, occasionally throwing dust also. When they met, after each had paced half round our position, they turned their backs on each other, waving their branches as they faced about, then shaking them at us, and afterwards again rubbing themselves with dust. On completing their circ.u.mambulation they coolly resumed their seats at a fire some little way from our camp. An hour or two after this ceremony I observed them seated at a fire made close to our tents, and on going out of mine, they called to me, upon which I went and sat down with them as usual, rather curious to know the meaning of the extraordinary ceremony we had witnessed. I could not however discover any change in their demeanour; they merely examined my boots and clothes, as if they thought them already their own. Meanwhile king Peter and his tribe were much more sensibly occupied in the river, catching fishes.

ICHTHYOPHAGI. THEIR MANNER OF FISHING.

These tribes inhabiting the banks of the Darling may be considered Ichthyophagi, in the strictest sense, and their mode of fishing was really an interesting sight. There was an unusually deep and broad reach of the river opposite to our camp, and it appeared that they fished daily in different portions of it, in the following manner. The king stood erect in his bark canoe, while nine young men with short spears went up the river, and as many down, until, at a signal from him, all dived into it, and returned towards him, alternately swimming and diving; transfixing the fish under water, and throwing them on the bank. Others on the river brink speared the fish when thus enclosed as they appeared among the weeds, in which small openings were purposely made that they might see them. In this manner they killed with astonishing despatch some enormous cod-perch; but the largest were struck by the chief from his canoe with a long barbed spear. After a short time the young men in the water were relieved by an equal number; and those which came out, shivering, the weather being very cold, warmed themselves in the centre of a circular fire, kept up by the gins on the bank. The death of the fish in their practised hands was almost instantaneous, and seemed caused by merely holding them by the tail with the gills immersed. The old men at our camp sat watching us until sunset, when they went off quietly towards the river; the afternoon also pa.s.sed without a second visit from the fishing tribe.

THE BURNING BRAND.

July 11.

Soon after sunrise this morning some natives, I think twelve or thirteen in number, were seen approaching our tents at a kind of run, carrying spears and green boughs. As soon as they arrived within a short distance three came forward, stuck their spears in the ground and seemed to beckon me to approach; but as I was advancing towards them, they violently shook their boughs at me and, having set them on fire, dashed them to the ground, calling out "Nangry" (sit down). I accordingly obeyed the mandate; but seeing that they stood and continued their unfriendly gestures, I arose and called to my party, on which the natives immediately turned, and ran away.*

(*Footnote. Harmer says: "It was usual with the Greeks (Alex. ab Alex.

Genial Dier 1 v c3) when armies were about to engage, that before the first ensigns stood a prophet or priest, bearing branches of laurels and garlands, who was called Pyrophorus, or the torch-bearer, because he held a lamp or torch; and it was accounted a most criminal thing to do him any hurt, because he performed the office of an amba.s.sador. This sort of men were priests of Mars, and sacred to him, so that those who were conquerors always spared them. Hence, when a total destruction of an army, place, or people, was hyperbolically expressed, it used to be said: 'not so much as a torch-bearer, or fire-carrier escaped.'" Herod. Urania sive 1 8 c6.)

I took forward some men, huzzaing after them for a short distance, and we fired one shot over their heads as they ran stumbling to the other side of an intervening clear flat, towards the tribe who were a.s.sembling as lookers-on. There they made a fire, and seeming disposed to stop, I ordered four men with muskets to advance and make them quit that spot; but the men had scarcely left the camp when the natives withdrew and joined the tribe beyond, amid much laughter and noise.

A TRIBE FROM THE SOUTH-EAST.

These were some natives who had the day before arrived from the south-east, having joined the fishing tribe while they were at our present camp. These men of the south-east had a remarkable peculiarity of countenance, occasioned by high cheek-bones and compressed noses. We imagined we had met their bravado very successfully, for soon after they had been chased from our camp part of them crossed the country to the eastward, as if returning whence they came. They pa.s.sed us at no great distance, but did not venture to make further demonstrations with burning boughs.

THE OLD MAN APPEARS AGAIN WITH A TRIBE FROM THE SOUTH-WEST.

At one o'clock the tribe for which the messenger had been sent, as I concluded, the day before, appeared on a small clear hill to the south-west of our camp, coming apparently from the very quarter where I wished to go. They soon came up to our tents without ceremony, led on by the same old thief who had followed us down the river, and who seemed to have been the instigator of all this mischief. As he had been already detected by us, and was aware that he was a marked man, it appeared that he had coloured his head and beard black by way of disguise. This was a very remarkable personage, his features decidedly Jewish, having a thin aquiline nose and a very piercing eye, as intent on mischief as if it had belonged to Satan himself. I received the strangers, who appeared to be a stupid harmless-looking set, as civilly as I could, giving to one who appeared to be their chief, a nail. I soon afterwards entered my tent and they went northward towards the river, motioning that they were going for food, but that they would return and sleep near us.

SMALL STREAMS FROM THE WEST. THE DARLING TURNS SOUTHWARD. RESOLVE TO RETURN.

I became now apprehensive that the party could not be safely separated under such circ.u.mstances, and when I ascertained, as I did just then, that a small stream joined the Darling from the west, and that a range was visible in the same direction beyond it, I discontinued the preparations I had been making for exploring the river further with pack animals, and determined to return. The ident.i.ty of this river with that which had been seen to enter the Murray now admitted of little doubt, and the continuation of the survey to that point was scarcely an object worth the peril likely to attend it.

DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER.

I had traced its course upwards of 300 miles, through a country which did not supply a single stream, all the torrents which might descend from the sharp and naked hills being absorbed by the thirsty earth. Over the whole of this extensive region there grew but little gra.s.s, and few trees available for any useful purpose, except varieties of acacia, a tree so peculiar to these desert interior regions, and which there seemed to be nourished only by the dews of night.

AFFRAY WITH THE NATIVES.

Scarce an hour had elapsed after I had communicated my determination to the party when a shot was heard on the river. This was soon followed by several others which were more plainly audible because the wind was fortunately from the north-west; and as five of the bullock-drivers and two men, sent for water, were at that time there, and also the tribe of king Peter, it was evident that a collision had taken place between them.

The arrival of the other tribe, who still lingered on our right front, made this appear like a preconcerted attack; and two of the tribe again came forward, just as the shots were echoing along the river, to ask for fire and something to eat. Their apparent indifference to the sound of musketry was curious, and as they had not yet communicated with those to whom they were visitors, I believed they were really ignorant then of what was going on. The river extended along our front from west to north-east, at an average distance of three-quarters of a mile; and this tribe was now about that distance to the eastward of the scene of action: soft and hollow ground, thickly set with polygonum, intervened. I had previously sent a man to amuse and turn back their messenger, when I saw him going towards the fishing tribe; and now this strange tribe having arrived, as I concluded, hungry and expecting the fish, seemed disappointed, and came to ask food from us.

THE MEN AT THE RIVER OBLIGED TO FIRE UPON THE NATIVES.

I was most anxious to know what was going on at the river, where all our horses and cattle were seen running about, but the defence of our camp required all my attention.