Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia Volume II Part 15

We had not proceeded far through the scrub on the top of the precipice overhanging the river when the usual alarm term "the natives" was pa.s.sed along to me from the people in the rear of our party. Piper had been told that we should soon see the other division of the Darling tribe, which was still ahead of us; and I concluded that these natives belonged to it and were awaiting us at this point where, as they had foreseen, we were sure to come upon the river. Four or five advanced up to us while the rest followed among the bushes behind. I recognised two men whom I saw last year on the Darling. They begged hard for axes and held out green boughs, but I had not forgotten the treachery of their burning boughs on our former interview and, thinking I recognised the tall man who had been the originator of the war, I went up to him with no very kind feeling; but I was informed he was only that man's brother. My altered manner however was enough for their quick glance; and indeed one of the best proofs that these natives belonged to the Darling tribe was the attention with which they watched me when they asked for tomahawks, and their speaking so much to Piper about Majy. Of the evil tendency of giving these people presents I was now convinced, and fully determined not to give more then. This resolution the natives having discovered very acutely, their ringleaders vanished like phantoms down the steep cliffs, and we heard no more of the rest. It is possible that this portion of the tribe had not then received intelligence of what had befallen the others or they would not have advanced so boldly up. Be that as it may they followed us no more, having probably heard in the course of the day from the division of the tribe which we had driven across the Murray.

BARREN SANDS AND THE EUCALYPTUS DUMOSA. PLANTS WHICH GROW ON THE SAND AND BIND IT DOWN.

The river taking a turn to the southward, we again entered the dumosa scrub but it was more open than we had seen it elsewhere. The soil consisted of barren sand; there was no gra.s.s, but there were tufts of a p.r.i.c.kly bush which tortured the horses and tore to rags the men's clothes about their ankles. I observed that this bush and the Eucalyptus dumosa grew only where the sand seemed too barren and loose for the production of anything else; so loose indeed was it that, but for this dwarf tree and p.r.i.c.kly gra.s.s, the sand must have drifted so as to overwhelm the vegetation of adjacent districts, as in other desert regions where sand predominates. Nature appears to have provided curiously against that evil here by the abundant distribution of two plants so singularly adapted to such a soil. The root of the Eucalyptus dumosa resembles that of a large tree; but instead of a trunk only a few branches rise above the ground, forming an open kind of bush, often so low that a man on horseback may look over it for miles. The heavy spreading roots however of this dwarf tree and the p.r.i.c.kly gra.s.s together occupy the ground and seem intended to bind down the sands of the vast interior deserts of Australia. Their disproportioned roots also prevent the bushes from growing very close together and, the stems being leafless except at the top, this kind of eucalyptus is almost proof against the running fires of the bush. The p.r.i.c.kly gra.s.s resembles at a distance, in colour and form, an overgrown bush of lavender; but the pedestrian and the horse both soon find that it is neither lavender nor gra.s.s, the blades consisting of sharp spikes which shoot out in all directions, offering real annoyance to men and horses.

On ascending a small sandhill about three P.M. I perceived that I could not hope to reach the river in the direction I was pursuing. Accordingly I turned to the left and, entering a rather extensive valley which was bounded on the south by the river-bergs at a distance of three or four miles, we encamped on the immediate bank of the Murray shortly before sunset. There was little gra.s.s about the river for the ferruginous finely-grained sandstone formed still the riverbank, and was exactly similar to the arenaceous rock on the eastern coast.

FISH CAUGHT.

The river had more the appearance of having a flood in it now than at the time we first made it, and here we caught some good cod-perch (Gristes peelii) one weighing seventeen pounds. As we came along the lagoons in the morning of this day we shot a new kind of duck.

May 29.

The broad slopes of the river-berg, or second bank, were generally distinguished by a strip of clear ground which we found the best for travelling upon; and it afforded us also the satisfaction of overlooking the friendly river at a greater or less distance on the left. The Murray meandered between the opposite bergs of the valley or basin which was here about four miles wide.

ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY TO THE NORTHWARD.

From a hill situated between the river and the scrub I this day saw, for the first time since we left the Lachlan, a ridge on the horizon. It appeared to the northward, the west end being distant about seven miles; and it was long, flat, and not much higher than the surrounding country.

An extensive plain reminded us of those on the Darling and in the more hollow part of it I perceived the dry bed of a lake, bordered by some verdure. On proceeding I observed that the bergs fell off; and we descended into a valley where a line of yarra trees enveloped a dry creek, very much resembling the one seen by us on the Darling and named Clover-creek. Crossing this dry course we soon regained the berg of the river, and found it as favourable to our progress as before but, being of red sand, I at length led the party along the firm clay at the base of the higher ground.

STRANGE NATIVES FROM BEYOND THE MURRAY.

As the dogs were chasing a kangaroo across a bit of open flat four natives appeared at the other side. They came frankly up to us and they were well painted, broad white patches marking out the larger muscles of the b.r.e.a.s.t.s, thighs, and arms, and giving their persons exactly the appearance of savages as I have seen them represented in theatres. Their hair was of a reddish hue and they were altogether men of a different make from the tribe of the Darling. We accordingly allowed them to remain in the camp which I took up on the margin of the Murray soon after our meeting with them. They told us that a creek named Bengallo joined the Murray amongst the numerous lagoons where we had been encamped two days before; and they supposed it came from the hills near the Bogan, because natives from that river sometimes came to the Murray by the banks of the creek. They also informed us that the name of a river to the southward was Perrainga; and (if we understood each other rightly by Piper's interpretation) their name for lake Alexandrina was Kayinga: a lake which however had, according to them, a wide deep outlet to the sea.

THEY DECAMP DURING THE NIGHT.

During that night it rained heavily and the natives left us, without notice, during an interval of fair weather. There was much scrub about the river and I was not quite satisfied with the position of our camp, but a strict watch was always kept up, and we had excellent watch-dogs, no bad protection against the midnight treachery of the aborigines.

REACH THE DARLING AND SURPRISE A NUMEROUS TRIBE OF NATIVES.

May 30.

We heard our new acquaintance cooeying in the bush but we gave no attention to them and proceeded on our journey. The smooth and verdant escarp of the river-berg guided us, while the river itself was sometimes at hand and sometimes four miles off. This day I recognised several shrubs which I had seen before only on the Darling. At length the berg terminated altogether in a smooth round hill beyond which lay a low woody country, intersected by lines of yarra trees in almost every direction. I thought I perceived in one of these lines the course of the Darling coming into the extensive valley from the northward; and the old hands exclaimed, when they saw the bare plains to the north-west of our camp, that we had got upon the Darling at last. Beyond this valley to the south-westward I perceived that the bergs of the opposite bank of the Murray were continuous and advanced to a point about west-south-west.

Upon the whole I was satisfied that we were near the junction of the two rivers; and we encamped on the lower extremity of the point, already mentioned, which overlooked a small lagoon and was not above three hundred yards from an angle of the Murray.

May 31.

I now ventured to take a north-west course in expectation of falling in with the supposed Darling. We crossed first a plain about two miles in breadth, when we came to a line of yarra trees which enveloped a dry creek from the north-east, and very like Clover-creek. We next travelled over ground chiefly open, and at four miles crossed a sandhill on which was a covered tomb, after the fashion of those on the Murray. On descending from the sand-ridge we approached a line of yarra trees which overhung a reach of green and stagnant water. I had scarcely arrived at the bank when my attention was drawn to a fire about a hundred yards before us and from beside which immediately sprung up a numerous tribe of blacks who began to jump, wring their hands, and shriek, as if in a state of utter madness or despair.

PIPER AND HIS GIN EXPLAIN.

These savages rapidly retired towards others who were at a fire on a further part of the bank, but Piper and his gin, going boldly forward, succeeded at length in getting within hail and in allaying their fears.

SEARCH FOR THE JUNCTION WITH THE MURRAY.

While he was with these natives I had again leisure to examine the watercourse upon which we had arrived. I could not consider it the Darling as seen by me above, and so little did it seem the sister stream to the Murray as described by Sturt that I at first thought it nothing but an ana-branch of that river. Neither did these natives satisfy me about Oolawambiloa, by which I had supposed the Darling was meant but respecting which they still pointed westward. They however told Piper that the channel we had reached contained all the waters of Wambool (the Macquarie) and Callewatta (the upper Darling) and I accordingly determined to trace it up at least far enough to identify it with the latter. But I thought it right that we should endeavour first to recognise the junction with the Murray as seen by Captain Sturt. The natives said it was not far off; and I accordingly encamped at two o'clock that I might measure back to that important point. Thirteen natives set out as if to accompany us, for they begged that we would not go so fast. Three of them however soon set off at full speed as if on a message; and the remaining ten fell behind us. We had then pa.s.sed the camp of their gins and I supposed at the time that their only object was to see us beyond these females, Piper being with us.

RETURN BY NIGHT.

I pursued the river through a tortuous course until sunset when I was obliged to quit it and return to the camp by moonlight without having seen anything of the Murray. I had however ascertained that the channel increased very much in width lower down and, when it was filled with the clay-coloured water of the flood then in the Murray, it certainly had the appearance of a river of importance.

FOLLOWED BY THE NATIVES.

June 1.

The country to the eastward seemed so dry and scrubby that I could not hope in returning to join Mr. Stapylton's party or reach the Murray by any shorter route than that of our present track; and I therefore postponed any further survey back towards the junction of the Darling and Murray until I should be returning this way. We accordingly proceeded upwards and were followed by the natives. They were late in coming near us however which Piper and his gin accounted for as follows: As soon as it was known to them, the day before, that we were gone to the junction, the strong men of the tribe went by a shorter route; but they were thrown out and disappointed by our stopping short of that promising point. There they had pa.s.sed the night and, having been busy looking for our track in the morning, the earth's surface being to them a book they always read, they were late in following our party.

Kangaroos were more numerous and larger here than at any other part we had yet visited. This day one coming before me I fired at it with my rifle; and a man beside me, after asking my permission, fired also. The animal nevertheless ran amongst the party behind, some of whom hastily and without permission discharged their carabines also.

HORSES TAKE FRIGHT.

At this four horses took fright and ran back at full speed along our track. Several of the men who went after these horses fell in with two large bodies of natives coming along this track, and one or two men had nearly fallen into their hands twice.

BREAK LOOSE AND RUN BACK.

Tantragee (McLellan) when running at full speed pursued by bands of savages escaped only by the opportune appearance of others of our men who had caught the horses and happened to come up.

NARROW ESCAPE OF SOME MEN FROM NATIVES.

The natives then closed on our carts, and accompanied them in single files on each side; but as they appeared to have got rid of all their spears I saw no danger in allowing them to join us in that manner.

Chancing to look back at them however, when riding some way ahead, the close contact of such numbers induced me to halt and call loudly, cautioning the men, upon which I observed an old man and several others suddenly turn and run and, on my going to the carts, the natives fell back, those in their rear setting off at full speed.

FAILURE OF THEIR INTENDED ATTACK.

Soon after I perceived the whole tribe running away, as if a plan had been suddenly frustrated. Piper and his gin, who had been watching them attentively, now came up and explained to me these movements. It appeared that the natives entertained the idea that our clothes were impervious to spears, and had therefore determined on a trial of strength by suddenly overpowering us, for which purpose they had planted (i.e. hidden) their spears and all enc.u.mbrances, and had told off for each of us six or eight of their number, whose attack was to be sudden and simultaneous. A favourable moment had not occurred before they awoke my suspicions; and thus their motives for sudden retreat were to be understood. That party consisted of strong men, neither women nor boys being among them; and although we had little to fear from such an attack, having arms in our hands, the scheme was very audacious and amounted to a proof that these savages no sooner get rid of their apprehensions than they think of aggression. I had on several occasions noticed and frustrated dispositions apparently intended for sudden attacks, for the natives seemed always inclined to await favourable opportunities, and were doubtless aware of the advantage of suddenness of attack to the a.s.sailants.* Nothing seemed to excite the surprise of these natives, neither horses nor bullocks, although they had never before seen such animals, nor white men, carts, weapons, dress, or anything else we had.

All were quite new to them and equally strange, yet they looked at the cattle as if they had been always amongst them, and they seemed to understand at once the use of everything.

(*Footnote. For a proof of this see extract from Sydney Herald of May 21st 1838 in Appendix 2.3.)

We continued our journey and soon found all the usual features of the Darling; the hills of soft red sand near the river covered with the same kind of shrubs seen so much higher up.

DIFFERENT MODES OF INTERMENT.

The graves had no longer any resemblance to those on the Murrumbidgee and Murray, but were precisely similar to the places of interment we had seen on the Darling, being mounds surrounded by and covered with dead branches and pieces of wood.* On these lay the same singular casts of the head in white plaster which we had before seen only at Fort Bourke.** It is indeed curious to observe the different modes of burying adopted by the natives on different rivers. For instance on the Bogan they bury in graves covered like our own and surrounded with curved walks and ornamented ground.*** On the Lachlan under lofty mounds of earth, seats being made around them. On the Murrumbidgee and Murray the graves are covered with well thatched huts containing dried gra.s.s for bedding and enclosed by a parterre of a particular shape, like the inside of a whale-boat.**** On the Darling, as above stated, the graves are in mounds* covered with dead branches and limbs of trees, and are surrounded by a ditch, which here we found encircled by a fence of dead limbs and branches.

(*Footnote. See Plate 16 volume 1.)

(**Footnote. See Volume 1.)

(***Footnote. See Plate 20 volume 1.)

(****Footnote. See above.)

REDUCED APPEARANCE OF THE DARLING.

As we proceeded the sandhills became more numerous and their surface softer; while the scrub was at length so close that it was difficult to follow any particular bearing in travelling through it. Near the river the surface was broken up by beds of dry lagoons which evidently became branches of the main stream in times of flood; and the intervening ground was covered with Polygonum junceum. At length I reached an angle of the river and encamped on a small flat beside a sandhill. Here the Darling was only a chain of ponds and I walked across its channel dry-shod, the bed consisting of coa.r.s.e sand and angular fragments of ferruginous sandstone. The width and depth between the immediate banks were about the same as I had found them in the most narrow and shallow parts during my former journey. While I stood on the adverse side or right bank of this hopeless river I began to think I had pursued its course far enough. The ident.i.ty was no longer a question.

DESERT CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY.